Wahoo

In 1869 land speculators John, James, and William Lee, H.Dorsey, E.H.Berna, J.J.Hawthorne, and George Miner, purchased this “likely spot” in the hope of developing a town in one of the richest farming regions in the state.

Originally the village was called “Leesville” for its founders, but was soon renamed “Wauhoo.” It is thought that word comes from the name of a bush which grew along nearby creeks and was used by the Otoe for medicinal purposes. The “u” was dropped from the spelling, probably by postal authorities when they approved an office on July 15, 1869. It is the only town in the USA by that name.

Wahoo is home to the Late Show with David Letterman and five famous sons: Howard Hanson, 1944 Pulitzer Prize-winning composer; “Wahoo Sam” Crawford, 1957 Baseball Hall of Fame; George Beadle, 1959 Nobel Prize winner in genetics; Clarence Anderson, world famous artist, and Daryl F. Zanuck, internationally known movie producer and co-founder of 20th Century Fox.

For those who like keeping sports statistics, the Wahoo High School Basketball has a 114 game winning streak as of the 2001 season (3rd in the nation).

Location is why the people originally came to Wahoo, but it is the people from this location that now make Wahoo a great town.