Winside Nebraska - Nebraska Directory

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Village · Wayne County · Population 381 (2020 census) · ZIP 68790 · Founded 1886 · Peak population 488 (1920)

About Winside

Winside is a village of 381 people (2020) in Wayne County, at 1,598 feet about 9 miles west-southwest of Wayne. NE 35 passes just west of town, and a short state spur leads in. Winside Public Schools (preschool to grade 12, about 246 students) and the Lied Winside Public Library are here. Winside is on Central Time.

History

The Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha Railroad built its line from Wayne to Norfolk in 1882. Unable to reach a deal with landowners at the rival town of Northside, whose post office opened that October, the railroad turned to Dr. R. C. Crawford, who owned the present site, and in 1885 moved its siding and section house here. The town was platted and its lots auctioned in June 1886, and the post office opened in December 1887. It was named because it won the railroad from Northside; local legend has a resident running into town shouting, “We win! Our side wins!” Crawford, Bressler and Whitten streets honor men in the deal. West of town, heavy westbound freights were split to climb Apex hill. The village had its most people, 488, in 1920. The tracks were removed in 1972, and a former church on the old depot site is now a museum.

Highways and trails through Winside

Route	One way	Other way
NE 35Just west of the village, with a spur into town	Northeast to Wayne	Southwest to Hoskins and Norfolk

Nearby towns

Carroll	about 7 mi north	County roads
Hoskins	about 8 mi southwest	NE 35
Wayne	about 9 mi east-northeast	NE 35
Altona	about 11 mi east-southeast	County roads
Sholes	about 12 mi north-northwest	County roads
Pilger	about 13 mi south-southeast	County roads
Stanton	about 16 mi south	County roads
Norfolk	about 17 mi southwest	NE 35

Things to see

the village museum, a former church on the old depot site, with railroad memorabilia · Winside Old Settlers, a celebration in mid-June

Schools and health care

Schools: Winside Public Schools, 203 Crawford Ave., (402) 286-4466 (PreK–12)

Health care: Hospital: Providence Medical Center, Wayne, about 9 mi

Sources: U.S. Census; Wikipedia; Andreas, History of the State of Nebraska (1882); Who’s Who in Nebraska (1940); Wayne County (waynecountyne.gov); City of Wayne; History Nebraska markers; National Register nominations; Wayne State College; Nebraska Game and Parks; Nebraska Dept. of Water, Energy and Environment; Norfolk Daily News. Distances marked "about" are straight-line estimates.