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Local History
The post office, "Troy" at first, was established April 14, 1873, in the
home of postmaster William Greene, several miles southeast of what was to become
the town of Weston. In 1877 William Hill was appointed postmaster. Through the
efforts of Hill and his father-in-law, Captain Wm. Davis, the Omaha &
Republican Valley Railroad laid its rails through Chapman Precinct and locate a
station about seven miles from Wahoo, by coincidence on land owned by
Capt.Davis.
The Village of Weston was platted in 1877, and businesses
sprang up everywhere. Clark & Son established a grain business [shovel
house] in 1877 that became Clark, Heaton & Company in 1878. This firm built
an elevator in Weston in 1880 and was instrumental in establishing the bank.
Thomas opened a general store, Olmstead a hotel, Franklin a restaurant, and Keay
put a reported $5000 worth of stock in his new shop. With Weston only a few
months old, 22 businesses were actively trading. Henry Stevens, a blacksmith,
arrived in 1879, and John Bartek established a store the following year.
A town hall was built in 1880, and although the streets were named, they
were not "posted" until quite recently. A news item in 1881 stated, "The Fourth
of July procession will form on Race Street and march to the hall."
In
1882 Weston had 100 inhabitants. That year Scott and March opened a hardware
store, Ingersoll and Smith started a meat market, Frank Hakel put a street lamp
in front of his store, and a bandstand was built on the cross-section of Pike
and Elm Streets.
Weston incorporated in 1885. The five-man board met in
Keay's store on the north side of the tracks on January 13 with Levi Olmstead,
chairman; Campbell, clerk; March, treasurer; and Woolley, marshal. In 1890 the
"New Era," a paper published at Wahoo, listed a total of 33 businesses in
Weston.
Initially, there was a Bohemian Lutheran, a Methodist, and a
Catholic Church. The Swedish Baptist Church was moved to Weston in 1889, with a
larger church built the following year. The Weston (Czech) Presbyterians formed
in 1879, meeting in various homes and schools for a number of years. They
purchased the Methodist Church building in 1920, renaming it the Weston
Presbyterian Church of Hope. Moved to Saunders County's museum grounds in Wahoo
in 1981, this church and its history are now preserved at that
location.
Concerned for the education of the children, Capt. Davis
donated the money to build a one-room school in 1878. It had homemade
furnishings and a wood-burning stove. A new school was built on South Street in
1886, and five years later the upper story was added to include classes 1-11. A
brick school was built on Tom Madigan's land in 1915, housing K-12 classes until
1973. It presently serves K-6 students.
A water tower was built in 1908,
and sewer system completed in 1915. Two block and brick buildings were added to
the business district between 1912-18. The Weston Bank erected a brick building
in 1920, but unfortunately it closed in 1930. Electric lights were turned on in
May 1921, when the power line was completed from Wahoo.
In 1954 St.John's
Catholic School was built. In 1976 a metal building was erected on Pike and Elm
for a tavern, and in 1987, a metal building was added to store town equipment.
In 1998 a new building was constructed to house the volunteer fire
department.
Today, in addition to the post office, Weston's businesses
include a bar, an oil and feed company, credit union, repair shop, insurance
agency, body & paint shop, a carpenter, a trucking company, and an elevator,
which still uses the UP line for shipping grain. One mile north of Weston, on
Highway 92, are Rezac's Cafe, Elmer's Oil & Repair, and Weston Auto
Sales.
Weston's highest population, 425, was reached in 1900. The 2000
census recorded 310 residents. Darrin Hartshorn presently serves as Chairman of
the Village Board, with council members Kirk Bartek, Larry Huisman, Doug Creps,
and Bruce Arp.
The Weston Community Memorial Park, at Race and Ash
streets, is a fine place for a picnic. Travelers are always welcome.
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