Ellsworth Nebraska 69340

Ellsworth, Nebraska

Ellsworth is a small unincorporated community in Sheridan County, Nebraska, likely named after Ellsworth, Minnesota. It began as a company town for the sprawling Spade Ranch, and its brick-and-frame commercial buildings still reflect that late-19th-century ranching history.

The Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad selected Ellsworth as a depot and water stop in 1888, the same year cattleman Bartlett Richards began assembling the Spade Ranch, one of the largest ranching operations in the region. Today the community's population is small -- 32 residents at the 2000 census -- with Morgan's Store and the local post office remaining its main businesses.

History

The Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad chose the Ellsworth site for a depot and water stop in 1888. That same year, cattleman Bartlett Richards began assembling the Spade Ranch, and Ellsworth grew up as the ranch's company town. The two-story Spade Ranch Store was built in 1898 to supply freight wagons heading north to the ranch headquarters, and in 1904 Richards built a brick summer home with a courtyard just north of the store. The Ellsworth School House, built in 1932, served the community until it closed in 2007.

Location & Access

County: Sheridan County
Region: Nebraska Sandhills
Setting: Along the historic Chicago, Burlington & Quincy rail line
Coordinates: approximately 42.059° N, 102.280° W
Elevation: 1,906 feet
Designation: Unincorporated community

Adjacent Counties

Sheridan County borders Oglala Lakota County, South Dakota (north), Cherry County (east), Grant County (southeast), Garden County (south), Morrill County (southwest), Dawes County (west), and Box Butte County (west).

Nearby Towns

Lakeside (about 7 miles west) · Bingham (about 10 miles east-southeast) · Antioch (about 16 miles west) · Rushville (Sheridan County's seat, to the north)

Points of Interest

• Spade Ranch Store (1898): The two-story store built to supply freight wagons remains a landmark of Ellsworth's ranching-era history.
• Bartlett Richards's brick summer home (1904): Built north of the store with a courtyard, tied to one of the region's most prominent early cattlemen.
• Historic Ellsworth School House (1932): Served the community's children until its closure in 2007.

Events

Community events for Ellsworth are being added to the directory. Browse the Sheridan County directory for current listings.

Education & Health

Schools: Ellsworth's own school closed in 2007; students now attend school in Hyannis or Rushville.
Health: Nearest hospital and clinic services are in Alliance and Rushville.