The first settlers to Denton were Hamilton Queen, May 18, 1865, Ellis Shane, October 26, 1866. Long before there was a town “Denton” was a “designated station” on the railroad was being proposed from Lincoln to Fort Kearny. Daniel M. Denton, serving as assessor for several years and as school official, this precinct bears Denton’s name. Denton is found on both the 1864 Theilsen survey (through Seward County) and survey through Saline County charted by Ainsworth in 1869. From the mid 1860 until railroad was built to Lincoln, Texas cattle were driven up through this area to the Union Pacific stockyards at Schuyler, NE. When James Abbott arrived in 1871, herds moved in a steady stream northward. Abbott brought steers and broke them to yoke, which he then sold people going West. The early freight cut-off – Nebraska City to Fort Kearney Trail – was two miles south of where Denton developed, so there was a ready market for oxen. When the Steam Wagon Road was commissioned, it took a route several miles to the north.
Construction final started on the Burlington & Missouri River Railroad in 1871. By August 1, a plat was filed for a town – Denton – by D. N. and Sophia Smith, and lots were sold. The post office was not established until May 1, 1877, when J. R. C. Miller was appointed postmaster. Soon thereafter, several stores and two grain elevators were established. By the 1900′s a number of businesses had opened including a grocery, creamery, bank, lumberyard and the two grain elevators. On January 27, 1930 a fire began in store which wiped out most of the businesses. It’s only due to the spunk that Denton did not die with stock market crash of 1929 and the fire of 1930. Today, they are no more. The hotel, band stand, meat market, doctor’s office and railroad depot are also memories of the past.
The Shane school, first in the area, was southwest of town. The Hudson school (formerly known at District 69) was northeast. The first school in Denton was taught by Jennie Denton in the basement of her home. The first school house was built in 1881. Consolidation occurred in 1962 and again in 1975. Denton is now part of the Crete school district providing excellent elementary, middle and high schools. Students living outside the area who do not attend Crete may either opt into public or private school in Lincoln, Malcolm, or Milford.
The Methodist Church was part of the circuit which included Hickman, Princeton, Jamaica, Roca and Wesley Chapel, with a minister coming to Denton every two weeks. A Sunday school was held at Shane or Hudson school from 1876 – 1881. Ladies Aid organized in 1892, and following a successful fund-raising, a church was built. The entire cooperated in support of the new church which was dedicated in 1893. Still in use, it celebrated it’s 100th anniversary in 1993.
For many years Catholic parishioner in the Denton area were known “Sullivan’s Settlement Mission.” The first mass was held in 1884 in the Lockwood home, and later a church was built on land donated by Eugene Sullivan. In 1911 Denton became a separate parish and church was built. In 1912 a new church building was erected under the direction of the Rev. Robert Moran, costing $3,500. This church was built in the town of Denton and the businessmen of Denton donated $1,000 toward the building. On May 10, 1961 both the church and rectory were destroyed by fire. It was replaced by a beautiful six-sided brick building, with the first mass celebrated on Christmas Eve 1963. St. Mary’s was the first parish in the Lincoln Diocese to enter the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine program, whereby lay women of the parish was trained to teach religion to the children.
Much of the area around Denton is still lush farmland. The M/B Ranch is well-known for its quarter horse breeding and training operation, and was the home of stallion, Jessie James Leo, named World Championship Cutting Horse in 1970. Now, interspresed among the farm are may homes on small acreages.
On July, 1971, Denton celebrated it’s centennial with a parade, exhibits, and concessions. Today Denton boasts paved streets and renewed civic pride, as evidenced by the renovation of the post office and a community building. Denton Dollars for Scholars formed in 1991 was the first Nebraska chapter of the Citizen’s Scholarship Foundation of America to award scholarship for full-time higher education. The Town Talk newsletter has served the Denton area as monthly newsletter. The Denton Community Activities Committee has developed the city park and continues with many of it’s programs.
Located about 12 miles from both Lincoln and Crete, Denton is somewhat of a “bedroom community”, enjoyed by people who work in on city or the other, but find this a great place to live and raise a family.
Besides our wonderful park and baseball field area attractions include three recreation areas – Yankee Hill, Conestoga lakes and Spring Creek Prairie are enjoyed by the thousands throughout the year.
Nebraska Our Towns – East Southeast. p. 113-114; authors of material: Elinor Brown, Ceresco and Pat Norris, Denton.