Overton Nebraska - Nebraska Directory

Overton Area Cameras

Village · Dawson County · Population 607 (2020 census) · ZIP 68863 · Founded 1873 · Peak population 646 (2000)

About Overton

Overton is a village of 607 people (2020) in eastern Dawson County, at 2,323 feet on US 30 and the Union Pacific main line, about 11 miles east-southeast of Lexington and 9 miles west of Elm Creek. Overton has its own public school (the Eagles), a community library and the Overton Golf Club. Dogwood Wildlife Management Area is about 6 miles southwest. Overton is on Central Time.

History

The Union Pacific had a siding called Overton by the late 1860s; Andreas called it the first station on the line in the county. James N. Patton and his family settled here in June 1873 and built the first house, and the town was laid out that year. From 1879, African Canadian families from Elgin, Ontario, homesteaded near Overton; many later moved to the DeWitty settlement in Cherry County. Plectron, which made alert receivers for volunteer fire departments, started in Overton in 1955 and later moved to Lexington. Overton reached its peak of 646 people in 2000.

Highways and trails through Overton

Route	One way	Other way
US 30Through the village beside the Union Pacific	East to Elm Creek and Kearney	West to Lexington

Nearby towns

Elm Creek	about 9 mi east	US 30
Lexington	about 11 mi west-northwest	US 30
Sumner	about 14 mi north	County roads
Bertrand	about 16 mi south-southwest	County roads
Eddyville	about 19 mi north-northwest	County roads
Elwood	about 20 mi west-southwest	US 30 and US 283
Holdrege	about 22 mi south-southeast	County roads
Kearney	about 24 mi east	US 30 or I-80
Cozad	about 25 mi west-northwest	US 30

Things to see

the Overton Golf Club · Dogwood WMA (407 acres)

Schools and health care

Schools: Overton Public Schools (Eagles), 401 7th St., (308) 987-2424: Overton Elementary (PK–6) and Overton High School (7–12)

Health care: Nearest hospital: Lexington Regional Health Center, about 11 mi

Sources: U.S. Census; Wikipedia; Dawson County (dawsoncountyne.gov); History Nebraska (markers, "Dawson County's True Namesake," "How a Lexington meatpacking plant changed Nebraska," "The Instant Town"); Andreas, History of the State of Nebraska (1882); Fitzpatrick, Nebraska Place-Names (1925); NEGenWeb Dawson County; National Register; National Park Service (Pony Express NHT); HMdb; Nebraska Game and Parks; KRVN; Rural Radio Network; 1011 Now; Gothenburg Leader; school districts; NE211. Distances marked "about" are straight-line estimates.