Saltillo, Nebraska facts for kids

Saltillo was a small, early settlement in Lancaster County, Nebraska, United States. It was never officially made into a town.

History of Saltillo

Saltillo was located near the Salt Creek, where four different areas of land met. At first, there were plans for a community here called Olathe.

In 1862, a man named John Cadman built a place called Saltillo Station. It was like a small hotel or inn for people traveling on the Oregon Trail. This trail was a very important route for pioneers heading west. Saltillo Station offered a place to rest between Nebraska City and Fort Kearny.

A post office opened in Saltillo in 1862. It helped people send and receive mail until it closed in 1906. The name "Saltillo" probably came from the city of Saltillo, Mexico. The word comes from the Spanish word salto, which means "leap." So, Saltillo means "little leap."

Why Saltillo Stayed Small

Saltillo was always a very small community. Its population never grew to more than 50 people. The village depended a lot on the wagon trains traveling the Oregon Trail. But in 1865, the Transcontinental Railroad was built. This made wagon travel much less common, and Saltillo's economy suffered.

Even though two railroads later passed through Saltillo, the community did not grow. The Atchison and Nebraska Railroad arrived in 1872, and a branch of the Union Pacific Railroad came in 1883.

Saltillo's Decline

Maps from 1903 show that Saltillo had only three streets. The Salt Creek also flowed through many of the land plots. The area often experienced floods. This, along with fewer travelers and the growth of nearby Lincoln, caused Saltillo's population to shrink.

By the 1950s, almost nothing was left of Saltillo. The last building, a grain elevator, was taken down in 1953. Today, Saltillo is no longer a visible community.