Centerville Nebraska

Former crossroads · Dodge County · 1872–1920s

About Centerville

Centerville is a former crossroads on Maple Creek in central Dodge County, about 6 miles southwest of Hooper. Its exact site is estimated from old section descriptions. The Bethel Cemetery nearby remains.

History

The Dodge County Agricultural Society was organized at Centerville in April 1872, and the first county fair was held here on September 17, 1872; the fair moved to Fremont in 1879. Centerville, near the middle of the county, was put forward as county seat, but voters rejected the move on September 9, 1884, keeping the seat at Fremont.

The Everett post office (1875–1907) served the area from a country store. After the first store north of the creek burned, the Centerville store was rebuilt south of it, a long one-story building with a dance hall used for meetings, boxing matches and plays; Albert Leamons kept it in 1910 and 1920. School District No. 22 stood nearby.

Things to see

Bethel Cemetery, from the Bethel Methodist church organized in 1874