Saline
county was surveyed in
1855 and organized in 1868. The name Saline means salt and it was
given to the county because of the supposition that somewhere within
its boundaries were to be found numerous extensive salt springs or
salt deposits. This supposition, however, has proved to be unfounded.
Its boundaries were defined by an act of the legislature approved
March 6, 1855; reestablished and redefined by an act approved January
26, 1856.
Crete.
In 1863 Mr.
J. C. Bickle owned some land in what is now the southwest part
of Crete. He had it platted under the name Blue River City, and the
plat was recorded on August 3, 1870. Mr. Bickle lived in a log house
north of this plat and kept the post office, which he called Crete
post office because he and his wife had come from Crete, Illinois. In
the fall of 1870, the South Platte Land Company purchased about a
section of land north and east of Blue River City and filed a plat of
a town on this land November 26, 1870. The following spring the two
towns were consolidated and Mrs. Bickle was given the honor of naming
the new town. She chose Crete, because she came from Crete, Illinois,
and had been living at Crete post office for several years. The limits
of the town were defined by an act of the legislature approved March
7, 1871. The precinct has the same name.
DeWitt.
This town was named for a Mr. DeWitt, supposedly a railroad man. It
was incorporated by an act of the legislature approved February 13,
1857. The precinct has the same name. A near-by point on the Chicago,
Burlington, and Quincy railroad is known as DeWitt Junction.
Dorchester.
The site of Dorchester was selected by the Burlington and Missouri
Railroad Company in 1870. It was first platted as DeWitt, but soon
afterwards was platted as Dorchester. There are two versions
concerning the origin of the name. One is that the town was named for
a suburb of Boston, Massachusetts, the home of some of the officials
of the railroad. This is probably the correct explanation of the
origin of the name. The other version is that Dorchester was named for
Dorchester, England, by an English engineer who was surveying for the
government. Dorchester, Massachusetts, was named for Dorchester,
England. The precinct is also known as Dorchester. Dorchester
Cemetery History
Friend.
The town of Friend was surveyed in November, 1873, and was named in
honor of Charles E. Friend, on whose farm the site is located. Mr.
Friend was the first storekeeper and postmaster of the town. The
precinct has the same name.
Plato.
An inland locality in Monroe precinct, probably named for Plato,
Illinois. The name derives from the philosopher of ancient Greece.
Pleasanthill.
A locally descriptive name for an inland village in Pleasant Hill
precinct.
Shestak.
A station on the Chicago, Burlington, and Quincy railroad in Big Blue
precinct. It was named for an early Bohemian emigrant, Vac. Sestak.
The word derives from the Bohemian shestak, originally sesták, a
twenty-heller piece of money (from sest six, hence a sixpence) of a
pre-war value of about five cents, present value three-fifths of a
cent, and is popularly known as a sesták.
Swanton.
Originally named Morris for an old settler in the vicinity. There was,
however, another town in the state named Morris, so the name of this
town was changed to Swanton, because the site was located on Swan
creek, in Swan Creek precinct.
Tobias.
Tobias Castor (1840-1901) was a very prominent man in Saline county
and this town was originally named Castor in his honor. But on account
of the fact that there was a town in Nebraska named Custer, it was
thought best to change the name Castor to Tobias, in order to avoid
confusion of mail.
Western.
The town of Western was established in 1872. It was named in honor of
Mr. West, a bachelor homesteader, on whose farm a post office was
established in 1871.
Wilber.
The site of Wilber was laid out in 1872 by Professor C. D. Wilber of
Illinois, for whom the town was named. The date of founding is usually
given as 1873. It is the county seat of Saline county and is in Wilber
precinct.
