Grafton Nebraska - Nebraska Directory

Grafton Area Cameras

Village · Fillmore County · Population 107 (2020 census) · ZIP 68365 · Founded 1874 · Peak population 353 (1910)

About Grafton

Grafton is a village of 107 people (2020) in northwestern Fillmore County, at 1,680 feet on US 6 about 7 miles west of Fairmont. Its 1914 high school joined the National Register in 2025, and the Marsh Hawk and Bluebill wildlife areas lie just outside town. Grafton is on Central Time.

History

The county’s first town, Fillmore City, was laid out in 1870 by E. L. Martin on a bend of the West Blue about 4 miles north, where C. M. Northrup built the county’s only water-powered flour mill in 1873; it faded after the Burlington & Missouri River line passed to the south in 1871. A first Grafton was platted in 1872 about four miles west, toward Sutton, and vacated in 1874; the name, probably from Grafton, Massachusetts, and fitting the railroad’s alphabetical order, moved to Joseph Tatro’s farm, platted on June 11, 1874. The depot and post office followed in 1875. George H. Warren built an elevator in 1881, the Bank of Grafton was incorporated that fall with J. O. Chase as president, and Grafton incorporated as a village in March 1882, when it had a little over 400 people. The census peak was 353 in 1910.

Highways and trails through Grafton

Route	One way	Other way
US 6East–west through the village	West to Sutton	East to Fairmont and Exeter

Nearby towns

Fairmont	about 7 mi east	US 6
Sutton	about 8 mi west-southwest	US 6
Geneva	about 9 mi southeast	County roads
McCool Junction	about 10 mi northeast	County roads
Exeter	about 14 mi east	US 6
Shickley	about 15 mi south	County roads
York	about 18 mi north-northeast	County roads

Things to see

the Grafton High School, 102 W. 2nd St. (1914; National Register, 2025) · Marsh Hawk WMA, half a mile northwest · Bluebill WMA, 1 mile north · Brauning and Rauscher waterfowl areas, about 2 miles south · the Big Blue River Bridge (National Register, 1992), 5 miles north and 1 mile west

Health care

Hospital: Fillmore County Hospital, Geneva, about 9 mi

Sources: U.S. Census; Wikipedia; Andreas, History of the State of Nebraska (1882); History Nebraska Fillmore County historic buildings survey (2020) and markers; National Register; Nebraska Game and Parks; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; UNL climate records; Nebraska Secretary of State; Nebraska Department of Education; Fillmore County; City of Geneva; Nebraska 211; Visit Nebraska. Distances marked "about" are straight-line estimates.