DORCHESTER
Our town, created first on paper, is one of the "alphabet
towns" on the Burlington & Missy River Railroad line that
built west from Lincoln. It was platted in 1870 as "DeWitt, but
since that name was already used in Cuming County at that time,
another "D" name had to be selected. "Dorchester"
was chosen, either for a suburb of Boston by that name or a town in
England. No one is sure.
Representatives of the South Platte Land Company, a subsidiary of the
railroad, had secured the land for a town by filing claims in their
names -- James Seeley, Ed McIntyre, William Lewis, and Charles
Stackhouse. They had built a dugout in the center of the section so
each man could "sleep on his land," to fulfill the letter of
the law. That structure was located at what is now the middle of town,
near the village office.
By July 4, 1871, the railroad reached Dorchester. A well was dug and
lots went on sale. McIntyre was chosen to "manage the company's
business" and appointed postmaster, while the other three
company- men moved "down the line" to begin the process
further west.
Business fairly bounded out of the ground. In November 1871 the
commissioners approved the building of a wagon road from Dorchester to
Crete. By 1879 the population reached 200, with incorporation approved
in 1881. In 1882 there were 500 residents and 90 buildings, 35 of
which were businesses or public facilities. Brick buildings lined both
sides of Washington Avenue for two blocks to house a variety of
businesses including "The Dorchester Star." By 1889 the
population reached 800, with refinements that included an opera house
and four churches.
School was first held in 1872 in the back room of McIntyre' s store.
In 1889 a two-story brick school, with eight classrooms and a bell
tower, was built.
The drought and money panic on 1893-95 worked a hardship on debtor and
creditor alike. While the town lost 28 businesses, the population
remained fairly stable. New families moving in where others moved out.
Early in 1900 fires destroyed several businesses and the village
records. By the 1910's Dorchester had electricity, a water tower, and
a fire department. A commercial club was organized and brick sidewalks
were installed. A three-story school replaced the 1889 building.
During the Depression, the Bank of Dorchester failed, while Citizen's
State and First National banks merged and survived. WPA projects
helped pave Washington Avenue, install a sewer system, and create a
park. The Thompson Rodeo debuted as a popular summer attraction.
Highways 6 and 33 were graveled in the 1940's, as were rural mail
routes. The first irrigation well was drilled on Chris Weber's farm
and rural electrification was completed following the war. In the
1950's dial phones were installed, but the newspaper ceased
publication. Several rural schools merged with Dorchester K-12 system
and buses were purchased to transport students. The Burlington depot
closed, but the railroad's freight business continued.
A "new gym wing" was added to the school in the 1960's. A
watershed district was organized and flood-control structures were
built northeast of town. The Saline County Historical Society located
its museum at Dorchester, and a new post office was dedicated.
In the 1970's Dorchester participated in the Nebraska Community
Improvement Program. Runners-up in 1977, Dorchester won the top award
in 1978 and 1981, and an honorable mention in 1979. Several streets
were paved, and other community projects improved the town's
appearance.
During the 1970-80's, Dorchester athletic teams distinguished
themselves in district and state competition. Our sons and daughters
have become successful out in the world and here at home, with many
earning state and national recognition. When Dorchester observed her
centennial in 1981, people "came home" from all parts of the
country.
Dorchester's proximity to industries in Crete and Seward and access to
the I-80 hook-up to Lincoln keeps the population stable. Descendants
of pioneers who arrived more than a century ago live next door to
families who arrived just last month. Over the years Dorchester has
been many things to many people. For the 610 residents, Dorchester is
"Home Sweet Home."
By Jan Stehlik, Rte. 1box 11, Dorchester, NE 68343. Edited by Jane
Graff, Seward NE. Processed for the Saline county web pages by Pauli
Mullin, Mesa AZ. ADDITIONAL MATERIAL: CENTENNIAL HISTORY 0F
DORCHESTER AND PLEASANT HILL, published 1981.