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History · Hildreth

Hildreth dates to 1886, and 42% of its homes were built before 1940

Below: 1 old photo or paper, maps from 1896 on, and the census since 1890.

1886founded
0on the National Register
42%homes built before 1940
1old photo or paper
1famous people
Add an old photoShare a memory
From Hildreth’s archive · credits on each photo
Quick answers

How Hildreth began, and where its name came from

When was Hildreth founded?

1886

Hildreth dates its founding to 1886 (Wikipedia’s history). The census first counted it in 1890.

First census: 141 in 18902020 census: 377140 years

How did Hildreth get its name?

Hildreth was named for Carson Hildreth, one of the original owners of the town site.

Founding year: Wikipedia. First post office: 1878. Name: Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.The full story ↓

What stands out about Hildreth’s past

Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.

A history waiting to be writtenOnly 1 old photo is in the public archives. The rest are in attics and albums.On the map since 18963 editions of the USGS map, 1896 to 1986. Watch Hildreth change.Old housesHalf of Hildreth’s homes were built before 1951.
★ What stands out · Help out

Start Hildreth’s collection

The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Hildreth’s history is told.

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
1 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
Retake an old viewA Nebr. [Nebraska] thunder storm, Aug. …: stand where they stood+15Share a family photoSign in to add one+10
On the map

Hildreth on the map, 1896 to 1986

Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Hildreth. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.

Hildreth on the 1896 USGS mapHildreth on the 1970 USGS mapHildreth on the 1986 USGS map1896Holdrege sheet · 1:125,000

U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Hildreth.

The story

How Hildreth came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Hildreth.

Read it all →

Hildreth was founded in 1886 when the railroad was extended to that point. It was named for Carson Hildreth, one of the original owners of the town site.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Timeline

Hildreth, 1878 to 1908

Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.

  1. 19th century
  2. 1878Post officeThe West Salem post office opens
  3. 1886
    FoundingHildreth is established
  4. 1887Post officeThe West Salem post office closes
  5. 1887Post officeThe Hildreth post office opens
  6. 1896On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
  7. 20th century
  8. 1908In the archiveA Nebr. [Nebraska] thunder storm, Aug. 10th, '08
  9. 1908Born herePierce Lyden is born here
By decade

Hildreth, decade by decade

One decade in the archive so far: the 1900s. Scroll each row; tap a photo for its story.

1900s1 item
A Nebr. [Nebraska] thunder storm, Aug. 10th, '081908A Nebr. [Nebraska] thunder storm, Aug. 10th, '08
1910s–1990snothing yet
Nothing in the archives for these yearsWeddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.
Add from your album
Today3 recent
Hildreth, Nebraska from SE2010Hildreth, Nebraska from SEHildreth, Nebraska downtown 12010Hildreth, Nebraska downtown 1NEMap-doton-Hildreth2005NEMap-doton-Hildreth
Then & now

Stand where they stood

No then-and-now pairs yet. Take a photo from the same spot as an old one and they appear here side by side.

A Nebr. [Nebraska] thunder storm, Aug. 10th, '08
Retake this viewA Nebr. [Nebraska] thunder storm, Aug. 10th, '08, 1908

Find the spot, match the angle, and add your photo. It becomes the first then-and-now pair on Hildreth’s page.

Retake this view · +15
People over time

Hildreth, census by census

01002003004005001900192019401960198020002020Peak: 453

Between 141 and 453 people in every census since 1890.

14 censuses, 1890–2020.

U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Hildreth’s Wikipedia page.

Places that used to be

Lost post offices

Hildreth’s post office has been open since 1887. Another post office, West Salem, opened and closed inside today’s town.

West Salem
1878–1887
Hildreth
1887–today
18701950today

US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).

Questions about Hildreth’s history

What year was Hildreth founded?

In 1886, according to Wikipedia’s history of the town. Hildreth’s post office opened in 1878, and the census of 1890 counted 141 people here.

Memory lane

What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.

Town Square →
Start a conversation
Sources

Where this page comes from

Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021). How TownRatings grades history →

From Wikimedia Commons (3), the Library of Congress (1), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock) and the USGS Geographic Names Information System. Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.