HISTORY
Lured by a desire to acquire a tract of land upon which they could build
homes of their own, the early settlers of northeast Nebraska crossed the wide
Missouri and turned their prairie schooners toward the vast rolling hills of a
new land. They continued westward undaunted by the extremes of summer heat or
winter blizzards, the threat of unfriendly Indians, the lack of food and fuel,
illness, and other perils.
The first settlers in the Wayne area
arrived from Lee County, Illinois, in the spring of 1869 and were joined by a
second group in 1870. The prairie village of Wayne saw its beginning in 1881
when the railroad extended a line through the county linking Norfolk, Nebraska,
and Sioux City, Iowa. The attraction of the railroad induced many settlers to
move to the new community.
Railroad officials originally named Wayne Brookdale, but the settlers
prevailed upon the company to name the community the same as the county, in
memory of General "Mad" Anthony Wayne of Revolutionary War fame.
The influx of families soon provided the settlement of Wayne with a
population of 200 persons, thereby enabling the community to be incorporated as
a village on February 2, 1884.
A report to the village board in March 1889 showed that Wayne had 1,130
residents. The desire to provide
opportunities for higher education prompted efforts to found colleges in
several communities. Residents of Wayne pinned their hopes on a Lutheran
academy, which was established in 1887. Unfortunately, this effort was
short-lived and the academy died in 1889. Interest continued to grow,
nonetheless; and in November 1891, Professor J. M. Pile with the help of a
number of local citizens, was able to open the Nebraska Normal College at
Wayne.
This successful attempt marked the beginning of what is now Wayne State
College.
From the turn of the century, the community experienced a stable growth
pattern. A library was constructed in 1910 and replaced in 1997. The
community's first hospital was opened in 1935 and was replaced by a new 31-unit
hospital in 1974, which expanded in 1989.
Industry began its emerging role in the late 1960s with the first
industrial park located adjacent to the community along Nebraska Highway 35.
Wayne has evolved into a community with a unique balance between agriculture,
education, and industry, providing a stable environment for all three.
To find out more information about the City of Wayne visit the Nebraska
Public Power District site that has the fact book:
http://sites.nppd.com/aedc/FactsBook/Waynebook.pdf
