Dorchester Nebraska - Nebraska Directory

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Village · Saline County · Population 596 (2020 census) · ZIP 68343 · Founded 1870 · Peak population 615 (2000)

About Dorchester

Dorchester is a village of 596 in northern Saline County, on the railroad where NE 33 begins at US 6 and NE 15, about 8 miles west of Crete and 9 miles east of Friend. It has the Saline County Historical Society Museum and Dorchester Public Schools, K–12.

History

In 1870 the Burlington & Missouri River Railroad's town company chose the site, and four men, James Seeley, Ed McIntyre, William Lewis and Charles Stackhouse, filed claims so a town could be laid out. It was platted that year as DeWitt, but Cuming County already had a DeWitt post office, so it was renamed Dorchester, probably for Dorchester, Massachusetts; the name also fit the railroad's alphabetical stations. The trains arrived in 1871, McIntyre became postmaster, and the first school term was taught that winter.

Dorchester was incorporated in 1881, the year the Dorchester Star was founded. Fires in 1900 destroyed businesses and the village records, and WPA crews later paved Washington Avenue and built the sewer system and a park. The village reached its census peak, 615, in 2000.

Highways and trails through Dorchester

Route	One way	Other way
US 6 and NE 15Together past the village	Northeast toward Milford and Lincoln; NE 15 turns north to Seward	US 6 west to Friend; NE 15 south past Western to Fairbury
NE 33Begins here	Southeast along the railroad to Crete (about 8 mi)	West end at US 6 and NE 15

Nearby towns

Pleasant Hill	about 4.6 mi south-southeast	County roads
Crete	about 9 mi east	NE 33
Friend	about 9 mi west	US 6
Milford	about 9 mi north-northeast	US 6
Beaver Crossing	about 12 mi northwest	County roads
Wilber	about 14 mi southeast	NE 33 and NE 103
Seward	about 18 mi north	NE 15

Things to see

The Saline County Historical Society Museum, 1445 NE 33: 15 buildings, including the Dorchester depot, the Plato post office, the Cizek log cabin and a country school (May–October, Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday 1–4; Wednesday and Saturday in winter; free) · the Z.C.B.J. Rad Tabor No. 74 hall, 1402 I Rd., about 4½ mi south (National Register) · Pleasant Hill, the former county seat, about 4½ mi south-southeast · Dorchester Public Library · the splash pad and park on W. 8th St.

Schools and health care

Schools: Dorchester Public Schools (K–12), 506 W. 9th St.

Health care: No clinic in Dorchester; nearest hospital: Crete Area Medical Center (Bryan Health), 2910 Betten Dr., Crete, a 15-bed critical access hospital opened in 2003; or Friend Community Healthcare System (Warren Memorial Hospital), 905 2nd St., Friend, 402-947-2541, a rural emergency hospital with a 24-hour emergency room and outpatient care

Sources: U.S. Census; Wikipedia; Andreas, History of the State of Nebraska (1882); Saline County and NEGenWeb Saline County histories; History Nebraska and its historical markers; National Register of Historic Places; Nebraska Game and Parks; Lower Big Blue NRD; Nebraska Department of Transportation; Bryan Health; city, village, school, museum and hospital websites. Distances marked "about" are straight-line estimates.