Weeping Water Nebraska - Nebraska Directory

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City · Cass County · Population 1,029 (2020 census) · ZIP 68463 · Founded 1869 · Peak population 1,350 (1890)

About Weeping Water

Weeping Water is a city of 1,029 in central Cass County, on Weeping Water Creek just east of NE 50. It has been called "Stone City" for the limestone quarried here since the 1860s, and Martin Marietta still mines it. The Cass County Fairgrounds are north of town, where the Cass County Fair is held each August.

History

The town takes the name of its creek. The Otoe and Omaha called it Nigahoe, "rustling water," and French traders wrote it as L'Eau qui Pleure, "the water that weeps"; a legend tells of a stream formed from the tears of mourners after a battle. Elam L. Flowers settled here in 1855–56, the post office opened in 1857–58, and the town was platted in 1869 and incorporated as a village in December 1870. Weeping Water outvoted Plattsmouth for the county seat in 1875 and 1878 but never won the three-fifths majority it needed.

The Missouri Pacific built through in 1881–82; Weeping Water became a second-class city in 1888 and had 1,350 people in 1890, its highest census. The limestone Congregational church of 1870–71 housed Weeping Water Academy from 1885 to 1914 and the public library from 1917 to 2011; it, the parsonage now called Heritage House and Dr. Jesse Fate's office make up the Weeping Water Historic District, listed on the National Register in 1972. The WPA-built Agricultural Society Building (1938–40) was the main county fair building until the fair moved north of town in 1967; it now holds City Hall, the library and the Hopper Community Center.

Highways and trails through Weeping Water

Route	One way	Other way
NE 50Just west of town; the S-13K spur leads in	North past Manley Rd. to Louisville (about 9 mi)	South to US 34 near Avoca
NE 1Passes north of town; does not enter it	West to Murdock and Elmwood	East past the fairgrounds to Murray

Nearby towns

Manley	about 3.6 mi north-northwest	NE 50
Avoca	about 5 mi south-southeast	NE 50
Wabash	about 6 mi west	County roads
Elmwood	about 8 mi west-southwest	NE 1
Nehawka	about 8 mi east-southeast	County roads
Murdock	about 8 mi west-northwest	NE 1
Louisville	about 9 mi north	NE 50
Murray	about 12 mi east-northeast	NE 1
Union	about 12 mi east-southeast	US 34
Plattsmouth	about 16 mi northeast	NE 1 and US 34/75

Things to see

Heritage House Museum Complex, 215 W. Eldora Ave.: the 1866 house, a doctor's office, pioneer and archaeology displays and a model of old Main Street (free; call 402-267-4925 for hours) · the Weeping Water Academy building and the Weeping Water Historic District, Randolph and H Sts. · the Agricultural Society Building, 101 W. Eldora Ave. (National Register, 2023), with the Weeping Water Public Library · the Gibson House, 107 Clinton St. (1889; National Register) · Weeping Water City Lakes campground, 100 N. Clinton St. ($15 electric, $7 tent) · Limestone Days in late June (June 27 in 2026) · the Cass County Fair at the Cass County Fairgrounds, 8420 144th St. (August 5–8 in 2026)

Events in Weeping Water

Cass County Fair
Cass County Fair, a county fair in Plattsmouth, Nebraska.
Limestone Days
Limestone Days is held in Weeping Water, Nebraska, on the last weekend of June.

Know of another event here? Tell us about it.

Schools and health care

Schools: Weeping Water Public Schools: Weeping Water Elementary, Weeping Water Middle and Weeping Water High, all at 204 W. O St.; Manley students also attend

Health care: WW Medical Center (clinic; call ahead). No hospital in Weeping Water

Sources: U.S. Census; Wikipedia; Andreas, History of the State of Nebraska (1882); History Nebraska; National Register of Historic Places; Nebraska Game and Parks; Nebraska Department of Transportation; Cass County and village websites; school district, library and museum websites. Distances marked "about" are straight-line estimates.