BlockFrom the record
2 National Register listings published here.
Sources: the National Register database, National Park Service
Wheeler County, Nebraska
17 topographic sheets cover 9 settlements here, and 2 properties are on the National Register of Historic Places.
Research this county
What the record shows
- 95 topographic sheet readings cover the county's settlements.
- 2 properties here are on the National Register of Historic Places: 2 districts.
- The Geographic Names Information System records 9 populated places in this county; 9 are covered by at least one topographic sheet.
Places on the National Register
2Every property in this county listed on the National Register of Historic Places, with the year it was listed and the federal nomination document.
| Photograph | Property | Type | Listed | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | A. T. Ranch Headquarters | district | 1990 | 90000565 |
 | Wheeler County Courthouse, Former | district | 1990 | 89002215 |
Wildfire, 1995 to 2020
25 firesEvery wildfire the federal occurrence database records inside this county: 25 of them, burning about 2,287 acres. 5 started naturally and none was recorded as arson. Each settlement page carries the fires within five miles of it.
| Reported cause | Fires |
|---|---|
| Equipment and vehicle use | 12 |
| Natural | 5 |
| Debris and open burning | 4 |
| Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 2 |
| Power generation/transmission/distribution | 1 |
| Fireworks | 1 |
The five largest, by the area the report gives. None of them was recorded as arson.
| Date | Cause | Size | Reported by | Name on the report |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24 February 1995 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 2,000 acres | Nebraska Forest Service | not named |
| 29 October 2008 | Equipment and vehicle use | 75 acres | Nebraska Forest Service | not named |
| 11 March 2011 | Debris and open burning | 68 acres | Nebraska Forest Service | not named |
| 25 February 2005 | Equipment and vehicle use | 40 acres | Nebraska Forest Service | not named |
| 7 March 2012 | Debris and open burning | 30 acres | Nebraska Forest Service | not named |
| 26 June 2010 | Natural | 15 acres | Nebraska Forest Service | not named |
| 19 January 2013 | Debris and open burning | 8.0 acres | Nebraska Forest Service | not named |
| 26 September 2018 | Equipment and vehicle use | 6.0 acres | Nebraska Forest Service | not named |
Every settlement page carries the fires within five miles of it - see the settlement index below.
Storms, 1958 to 2023
60 of 212 shownThe NOAA Storm Events Database holds 212 reports for this county, causing no deaths, 2 injuries and about $2,556,700 in recorded property damage. Each settlement page carries the reports that name it.
| Kind of event | Reports |
|---|---|
| Hail | 147 |
| Thunderstorm Wind | 42 |
| Tornado | 15 |
| Flash Flood | 3 |
| Flood | 2 |
| Heavy Rain | 2 |
| Funnel Cloud | 1 |
The most serious of them, by death, then injury, then recorded damage. The accounts are quoted exactly as the forecast office filed them.
| When | Event | Place named | Harm | What the report says |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| July 2004 | Tornado (F1) | Bartlett | 2 hurt, $170,000 | The tornado touched down in a cornfield and overturned a center pivot irrigation system as it moved west southwestwards. Nearby, large tree limbs were broken off and a roof was taken off an open detached garage at a farmstead. Then the tornado encountered a second farmstead where it lifted an unanchored manufactured home and smashed it on top of a camper trailer and a detached garage, destroying them. It also lifted a semi-trailer and dropped it onto a John Deere tractor and a pickup sitting next to it. Debris from the house and garage was carried into the cornfield to the west. The tornado continued moving west southwestwards breaking tree limbs before lifting. A husband, wife, and their daughter were inside the home when it was destroyed. The woman was hospitalized with a broken neck and the girl required numerous stitches from lacerations on her leg. The man only received minor cuts and bruises. |
| June 2010 | Flash Flood | Ericson | $1,000,000 | Ericson Dam in Wheeler County, Nebraska failed Sunday evening, June 13th. Heavy rainfall contributed to water levels at the Ericson Dam that exceeded the maximum dam height, and water flowed into the emergency spillway. As debris gathered the spillway began to erode before 7 p.m. CST and the spillway breached, thereafter causing water to drain from the lake. Water levels behind the dam were estimated at 23 or 24 feet prior to dam failure. The floodwater flowed down Cedar River where the floodwater impacted approximately 15 homes and farmland in Wheeler County. At 845 p.m. CST, the floodwater reached the Wheeler and Greeley County line, with 6 inches of water was flowing over the Highway 281 bridge. |
| March 2019 | Flood | Ericson | $250,000 | Wheeler County EM reported extensive roadway flooding throughout the entire county. Nebraska Department of Roads reports roadway flooding from Ericson to the Junction of U.S. Highway 281 and Highway 91. |
| July 2000 | Thunderstorm Wind | Bartlett | $250,000 | Extensive wind damage in and around Bartlett. A canopy was torn off a gas station, several trees branches and power lines were down, and several grain bins were damaged or destroyed. In addition, 20 R.E.A poles were snapped off and several center pivot irrigation systems were overturned south of Bartlett. |
| May 2008 | Thunderstorm Wind | Bartlett | $140,000 | Five center pivot irrigation systems were overturned from thunderstorm wind gusts south and southeast of Bartlett. In addition, a grain bin was pushed in and wind mills were destroyed. |
| July 2004 | Tornado (F2) | Bartlett | $130,000 | The tornado touched down in an grove of trees, uprooting and breaking off numerous large trees. As the tornado moved southeastwards, it encountered a farmstead where it ripped off the roof of the home, destroyed a machine shed and garage, and broke power poles. Before lifting, the tornado moved through a field and overturned the end of a center pivot irrigation system. |
| July 2004 | Tornado (F2) | Ericson | $90,000 | The tornado touched down in open rangeland and then moved south breaking off and uprooting numerous large trees as it encountered a farmstead. One large tree fell on the roof of a home. As the tornado moved south across the road, it hit another farmstead. Again, it broke off and uprooted numerous large trees and broke many power poles. The barn and steel fencing was lifted and tossed 50 yards northwestwards into a tree belt behind the house. The roof of the home was taken off. A detached garage was demolished. Before lifting, the tornado moved through a corral south of the home where it severely injured or killed several horses. After the storm, two colts and a mare were found up in a tree. |
| June 2010 | Flood | Ericson | $75,000 | Thunderstorms with prolonged heavy rain falling on already saturated ground caused widespread minor flooding. Three to five inches of rain contributed to numerous secondary roads being under water or washed away. |
| April 2012 | Tornado (EF0) | Bartlett | $54,000 | A tornado briefly touched down and caused damage to a farmstead five miles northeast of Ericson. Damage occurred to two buildings where a pole barn sustained major damage and the canvas roof of a second larger outbuilding was destroyed. |
| June 2007 | Flash Flood | Bartlett | $50,000 | Heavy rainfall of 4 to 6 inches from thunderstorms caused rapid runoff. Water flowed across several secondary roads in southeast Wheeler County. |
| June 2008 | Hail | Bartlett | $50,000 | no account filed |
| July 1996 | Thunderstorm Wind | Bartlett | $30,000 | no account filed |
| October 1998 | Tornado (F0) | Bartlett | $25,000 | A tornado was on the ground for approximately 1 mile doing minor damage to two center pivot irrigation systems. |
| August 2007 | Hail | Bartlett | $25,000 | no account filed |
| August 1996 | Thunderstorm Wind | Bartlett | $25,000 | no account filed |
| August 2007 | Hail | Bartlett | $20,000 | no account filed |
| August 2013 | Hail | Bartlett | $15,000 | Hail broke windows out at a farm house. |
| August 2006 | Thunderstorm Wind | Bartlett | $15,000 | A thunderstorm microburst destroyed a double car garage along with a calving shed. |
| August 2004 | Hail | Bartlett | $15,000 | Strong winds accompanied the large hail to break windows in homes and vehicles, damage roofs and bodies of vehicles, and destroy corn crops. |
| July 2007 | Hail | Bartlett | $15,000 | no account filed |
| June 2021 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ericson | $10,000 | An open faced cattle shed destroyed at this location. Wind speeds were estimated at 70 MPH. |
| June 2009 | Hail | Bartlett | $10,000 | no account filed |
| July 2000 | Hail | Bartlett | $10,000 | no account filed |
| July 2004 | Hail | Ericson | $8,000 | Hail ranging in size from golf ball to softball was associated with a supercell thunderstorm that produced a tornado approximately 2 to 3 miles to the southeast. |
| May 2002 | Hail | Ericson | $8,000 | no account filed |
| May 2002 | Hail | Bartlett | $8,000 | no account filed |
| June 2014 | Hail | Ericson | $5,000 | Tree branches were also broken from the hail and wind. |
| August 2013 | Thunderstorm Wind | Bartlett | $5,000 | Tree fell onto building. |
| July 2009 | Hail | Bartlett | $5,000 | The wind driven hail severely damaged crops. |
| August 1998 | Thunderstorm Wind | Bartlett | $5,000 | Several large tree limbs blow n down. |
| June 1998 | Hail | Bartlett | $5,000 | Large tree limbs blown down. |
| June 2009 | Hail | Bartlett | $5,000 | no account filed |
| September 2005 | Hail | Bartlett | $5,000 | no account filed |
| April 2001 | Hail | Bartlett | $5,000 | no account filed |
| April 2005 | Flash Flood | Southeast Portion | $3,000 | Over 3 inches of rain fell across southeast Wheeler County as storms moved slowly over the area producing rapid runoff. Accumulated runoff caused water to flow across Highway 281 south of Bartlett. A few county roads southeast of Bartlett were also partially washed away due to water flowing over them. |
| May 1975 | Tornado (F0) | not stated | $2,500 | no account filed |
| August 2005 | Hail | Bartlett | $2,000 | no account filed |
| August 2002 | Hail | Bartlett | $2,000 | no account filed |
| May 1998 | Hail | Bartlett | $2,000 | no account filed |
| May 2001 | Thunderstorm Wind | Bartlett | $1,000 | Wind damage to out buildings. |
| June 1999 | Thunderstorm Wind | Bartlett | $1,000 | Shingles were blown from a roof. |
| September 1997 | Hail | Bartlett | $1,000 | Large hail broke out several windows in homes. |
| April 2005 | Hail | Bartlett | $1,000 | no account filed |
| September 2005 | Hail | Bartlett | $1,000 | no account filed |
| August 2005 | Hail | Ericson | $1,000 | no account filed |
| July 2003 | Hail | Bartlett | $1,000 | no account filed |
| August 2005 | Thunderstorm Wind | Bartlett | $200 | Thunderstorm outflow winds broke off a large tree on a farmstead 7 miles north of Bartlett. |
| May 2023 | Tornado (EF2) | Bartlett | - | This tornado touched down in far northern Wheeler County, quickly strengthening and caused extensive damage to shelter belts. Debarking was observed in trees along the county line. This tornado continued northwestward into Holt County, damaging additional trees, farm outbuildings, and pivot systems. |
| May 2023 | Tornado (EFU) | Ericson | - | This tornado touched down in open country northwest of Ericson. At this time, only tree damage was seen. Video evidence from multiple storm chasers support the occurrence of this tornado as well. |
| May 2023 | Tornado (EF1) | Bartlett | - | This tornado touched down and mainly impacted open areas. However, a few stands of trees were damaged, with trunks snapped and large limbs lost. |
| July 2023 | Thunderstorm Wind | Bartlett | - | A personal weather station recorded a 58 mph wind gust near Bartlett. |
| July 2022 | Thunderstorm Wind | Bartlett | - | Public estimated wind gusts of 60 to 70 mph, along with two trees downed measuring 30 inches in diameter. |
| May 2020 | Thunderstorm Wind | Bartlett | - | Thunderstorm wind gusts estimated at 80 MPH, snapped several large trees at this location. |
| August 2019 | Thunderstorm Wind | Bartlett | - | Wind gust measured from automated weather station. |
| May 2018 | Tornado (EF0) | Bartlett | - | A land spout tornado verified by photos. |
| June 2017 | Thunderstorm Wind | Bartlett | - | Public report. |
| July 2017 | Thunderstorm Wind | Ericson | - | Public reported trees in full motion, estimating wind gusts to 60 mph. |
| June 2015 | Thunderstorm Wind | Bartlett | - | Law enforcement in Bartlett reported roof damage from thunderstorm wind gusts estimated at 70 mph. |
| June 2015 | Thunderstorm Wind | Bartlett | - | General public reported tree damage from thunderstorm wind gusts estimated at 70 mph located 13 miles east of Bartlett. |
| August 2015 | Thunderstorm Wind | Bartlett | - | Half inch size hail was also reported. |
Every populated place in the county
9Named settlements recorded in the Geographic Names Information System, each with the topographic sheets covering it. Villages, hamlets and abandoned places alike. Each is shown with the nearest named watercourse or landform and the survey quadrangle it falls on.
-
Headquarters
Bartlett precinct · 68622 · Mignery Ranch quadrangle
11 sheets, 1955 to 1985
No longer a settlement
-
Wheeler
Bartlett precinct · 68622 · Near Buffalo Flats · Bartlett NW quadrangle
10 sheets, 1954 to 1985
No longer a settlement
The vanished settlements of Wheeler County: the places named above that are no longer on the map.
Provenance
- Topographic sheets. USGS Historical Topographic Map Collection, county index, measured from the bulk metadata.
- Fire insurance maps. Library of Congress Sanborn collection, faceted to this county.
- Photographs. Each place queried individually against the Library of Congress Prints and Photographs search.
- Wildfire. Short, Karen C. 2022. Spatial wildfire occurrence data for the United States, 1992-2020 [FPA_FOD_20221014]. 6th Edition. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2013-0009.6 Collected with United States Government funding and usable without additional permissions or fees.
- Mines and quarries. USGS Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS) https://mrdata.usgs.gov/mrds/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.
- Storms. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105. Narratives are quoted verbatim from the National Weather Service report and are not edited or summarised.