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Wauneta, Nebraska
Wauneta is a village in Chase County, Nebraska, with a population of 549 at the 2020 census. It traces to the earliest settlement in the county — George Rowley and his wife built a sod house at "Wauneta Falls," a natural waterfall feature, in 1875, roughly a decade before most other Chase County towns were founded.
History
Wauneta’s name has a disputed origin. One reference work claims it is an Indian word meaning "winter camp," but a Chase County historical source describes that claim as erroneous, holding instead that the name comes from the popular 19th-century song "Juanita" — early settlers wanted to name the town "Juanita," but since Nebraska already had a town called Juniata, they altered the spelling to "Wauneta" to avoid confusion. A post office was established in 1877; after a gap in service, continuous postal service has run since 1886. The Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad, on a branch running from Culbertson to Imperial, reached Wauneta in 1892. The town’s longtime local newspaper, the Wauneta Breeze, first published on January 17, 1887, by John Hann, and ran for more than 130 years before printing its final issue on November 12, 2020, when it merged with the Imperial Republican.
Location & Geography
Wauneta sits along U.S. Route 6 in southern Chase County, southeast of Imperial, at an elevation of about 2,959 feet.
Today
Wauneta remains one of Chase County’s larger communities, with a long, distinctive local history. Visitors and residents can browse local businesses and services through the categories below or the full Chase County directory.
Wauneta, Nebraska
Village in Chase County. Population 549 (2020). Nebraska’s earliest Chase County settlement (1875). Reached by rail in 1892; home to the Wauneta Breeze newspaper for over 130 years (1887-2020).
Designation: Village