About Linwood
Linwood is a village in Butler County in eastern Nebraska, on Skull Creek. The 2020 census counted 94 residents, up slightly from 88 in 2010 and down from 118 in 2000. The village covers about 0.37 square miles.
History
Settlement began in 1857, about half a mile from the present site, when the Waverly Town Company took up ground along Skull Creek. A school followed in 1865 and a post office in 1868, both under the name Skull Creek. The creek was said to be named for the human and buffalo skulls found nearby, and an ancient Pawnee village site was later identified in the same area. The name was changed to Linwood for the linden, or linn, trees along the water. Settlers of Slavic descent held the tree in particular regard. A 1925 survey of Nebraska place names credits the suggestion to Mrs Sara Johnson, an early resident.
Railroad and flood
The Fremont, Elkhorn and Missouri Valley Railroad built a line through in 1888, the same year Linwood incorporated as a village. The town became a junction for branch lines running to Superior and Hastings. Both were abandoned by the early 1960s. Heavy rain on 23 and 24 June 1963 brought flooding that damaged the village badly. Many residents moved away rather than rebuild, and the population fell sharply after that.
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Linwood, Nebraska
Linwood is a village in Platte Township, Butler County, Nebraska. With a population of approximately 94 (2020), Linwood is a small community in northern Butler County with roots going back to the earliest days of settlement along Skull Creek.
History
Settlement near the site began in 1857, and a school was established in 1865. The community was originally named Skull Creek, and a postmaster was appointed under that name in 1868. It was later renamed Linwood for the linden trees in the area and was incorporated as a village in 1888, shortly after the Fremont, Elkhorn and Missouri Valley Railroad built a line through the settlement. Linwood served as a junction point for branch rail lines before rail service ended by the early 1960s. A 1963 flood devastated the community.
Location & Geography
Linwood sits at approximately 41.412°N, 96.932°W, at an elevation of 1,335 feet, in Platte Township. The village covers a total area of about 0.38 square miles.
Community
Linwood's population has grown modestly in recent years, from 88 in the 2010 census to 94 in 2020. Despite the loss of its rail junction and a devastating 1963 flood, the village has endured as a small rural community in northern Butler County.
Linwood, Nebraska (68036)
Village in Platte Township, Butler County, originally settled in 1857 as Skull Creek, renamed Linwood, and incorporated in 1888. Once a rail junction point; survived a devastating 1963 flood. Population approximately 94 (2020 census).
ZIP: 68036 · Pop: ~94 · Elevation: 1,335 ft · Designation: Village
One of Butler County's northernmost villages, with roots tracing to 1857.