RoadsideThoughts
A Gazetteer for the United States and Canada
Home >> State of Nebraska >> Garfield County >> Willow Springs >> Tidbits & TriviaIndex...

Outdoor Activities ...

As we travel, we like to pursue some of our interests (such as astronomy and bird watching).

When in Willow Springs, we use the following websites to find information relevant to Willow Springs and the surrounding area.

  • Weather ...
  • Astronomy & Satellites ...
    • Whether using binoculars, a small telescope or the naked-eye, the Heavens-Above website can help you to find your way around the night-time sky. In addition to detailed sky charts, their website will help you find planets, asteriods, comets, satellites and their tracks across the sky.
    • To give accurate results, Heavens-Above requires the latitude and longitude of your location. As a starting point, when we link to Heavens-Above, we pass this GPS location for Willow Springs:
    • 41.780338, -99.097748
    • Once you're on the Heavens-Above website, you can improve its accuracy by giving a more precise longitude and latitude as your actual position.
    • Open the Heavens-Above website centered on Willow Springs
  • Bird Watching ...
    • We enjoy finding new spots for bird watching and we use the eBird website for local sighting reports and to help identify hotspots.
    • The eBird website is organized on a county-by-county basis. We have selected Garfield County as the starting point when you click on the link below:
    • Open the eBird sighting report for Garfield County
    • Since Willow Springs is near Valley County and also Loup County, we have provided a link to their eBird sighting reports:
    • Open the eBird sighting report for Valley County
    • Open the eBird sighting report for Loup County
  • Waymarking ...
    • Looking for somewhere out of the ordinary? Find a unique place and want to share it with others? Then it's time to visit Waymarking.com:
    • Open the Waymark.com report for Willow Springs

Communities Also Named Willow Springs ...

We found 29 communities that are also named Willow Springs.

Within Nebraska, the name Willow Springs is unique.

Beyond Nebraska, we know of 29 communities that are located in the United States.

  • Communities Elsewhere In North America ...
    • Alabama
      • Elmore County
      • This Willow Springs is located in Elmore County and lies 956 miles [1,538.5 km]<1> to the southeast of the Willow Springs that is located in Garfield County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Elmore County community of Willow Springs.
    • Arizona
      • Coconino County
      • This Willow Springs is located in Coconino County and lies 763 miles [1,227.9 km]<1> to the west southwest of the Willow Springs that is located in Garfield County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Coconino County community of Willow Springs.
    • California
      • Kern County
      • This community is historic<2> and we have very little information. For the information that we do have, please visit our profile page for the California community of Willow Springs [Kern County].
      • Lassen County
      • We found mention of this community, but have little information.<3> For the information that we do have, please visit our profile page for the California community of Willow Springs [Lassen County].
      • Mono County
      • This Willow Springs is located in Mono County and lies 1,089 miles [1,752.6 km]<1> to the west of the Willow Springs that is located in Garfield County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Mono County community of Willow Springs.
      • Tuolumne County
      • This Willow Springs is located in Tuolumne County and lies 1,148 miles [1,847.5 km] to the west of the Willow Springs that is located in Garfield County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Tuolumne County community of Willow Springs.
    • Colorado
      • Jefferson County
      • This Willow Springs is located in Jefferson County and lies 351 miles [564.9 km]<1> to the west southwest of the Willow Springs that is located in Garfield County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Jefferson County community of Willow Springs.
    • Illinois
      • Cook County
      • This Willow Springs is located in Cook County and lies 577 miles [928.6 km]<1> to the east of the Willow Springs that is located in Garfield County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Cook County community of Willow Springs.
    • Kansas
      • Douglas County
      • We found mention of this community, but have little information.<3> For the information that we do have, please visit our profile page for the Kansas community of Willow Springs [Douglas County].
      • Franklin County
      • We found mention of this community, but have little information. For the information that we do have, please visit our profile page for the Kansas community of Willow Springs [Franklin County].
      • Mitchell County
      • We found mention of this community, but have little information. For the information that we do have, please visit our profile page for the Kansas community of Willow Springs [Mitchell County].
    • Missouri
      • Howell County
      • This Willow Springs is located in Howell County and lies 504 miles [811.1 km]<1> to the southeast of the Willow Springs that is located in Garfield County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Howell County community of Willow Springs.
    • Nevada
      • Nye County
      • This community is historic<2> and although located in Nye County, we don't know where within the county.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Nye County community of Willow Springs.
    • New Mexico
      • Union County
      • This community is historic<2> and we have very little information. For the information that we do have, please visit our profile page for the New Mexico community of Willow Springs [Union County].
    • North Carolina
      • Johnston County
      • This Willow Springs is located in Johnston County and lies 1,185 miles [1,907.1 km]<1> to the east southeast of the Willow Springs that is located in Garfield County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Johnston County community of Willow Springs.
      • Wake County
      • This Willow Springs is located in Wake County and lies 1,174 miles [1,889.4 km] to the east southeast of the Willow Springs that is located in Garfield County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Wake County community of Willow Springs.
    • Oklahoma
      • Oklahoma County
      • We found mention of this community, but have little information.<3> For the information that we do have, please visit our profile page for the Oklahoma community of Willow Springs [Oklahoma County].
    • Pennsylvania
      • Columbia County
      • This Willow Springs is located in Columbia County and lies 1,177 miles [1,894.2 km]<1> to the east of the Willow Springs that is located in Garfield County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Columbia County community of Willow Springs.
      • Westmoreland County
      • We found mention of this community, but have little information.<3> For the information that we do have, please visit our profile page for the Pennsylvania community of Willow Springs [Westmoreland County].
    • Tennessee
      • Hamblen County
      • This Willow Springs is located in Hamblen County and lies 925 miles [1,488.6 km]<1> to the east southeast of the Willow Springs that is located in Garfield County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Hamblen County community of Willow Springs.
    • Texas
      • Fayette County
      • This Willow Springs is located in Fayette County and lies 827 miles [1,330.9 km]<1> to the south of the Willow Springs that is located in Garfield County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Fayette County community of Willow Springs.
      • Gregg County
      • We found mention of this community, but have little information.<3> For the information that we do have, please visit our profile page for the Texas community of Willow Springs [Gregg County].
      • Rains County
      • This Willow Springs is located in Rains County and lies 645 miles [1,038 km] to the south southeast of the Willow Springs that is located in Garfield County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Rains County community of Willow Springs.
      • San Jacinto County
      • This Willow Springs is located in San Jacinto County and lies 797 miles [1,282.6 km] to the south southeast of the Willow Springs that is located in Garfield County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the San Jacinto County community of Willow Springs.
    • Virginia
      • Fairfax County
      • This Willow Springs is located in Fairfax County and lies 1,156 miles [1,860.4 km]<1> to the east of the Willow Springs that is located in Garfield County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Fairfax County community of Willow Springs.
      • Russell County
      • This Willow Springs is located in Russell County and lies 963 miles [1,549.8 km] to the east southeast of the Willow Springs that is located in Garfield County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Russell County community of Willow Springs.
    • West Virginia
      • Ohio County
      • This community is historic<2> and we have very little information. For the information that we do have, please visit our profile page for the West Virginia community of Willow Springs [Ohio County].
    • Wisconsin
      • Waukesha County
      • This Willow Springs is located in Waukesha County and lies 563 miles [906.1 km]<1> to the east northeast of the Willow Springs that is located in Garfield County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Waukesha County community of Willow Springs.
    • Wyoming
      • Crook County
      • This Willow Springs is located in Crook County and lies 308 miles [495.7 km]<1> to the northwest of the Willow Springs that is located in Garfield County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Crook County community of Willow Springs.

Curious and Interesting Names Near Willow Springs ...

As we travel, we always see a community with a name that gives pause. While there are names which are interesting or familiar, some catch our attention or strike our fancy. We always wonder about such a name. If time permits and the community is not too far, we'll usually try to make a side-trip.

  • Comstock
    (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
  • Elton ‑ Historic
    (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Elton is located in Custer County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elton
  • Gates
    (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
  • Geranium ‑ Historic
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
    • Geranium is located in Valley County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Geranium
  • Kent ‑ Historic
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
    • Kent is located in Loup County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kent
  • Mikes Meadows
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Mikes Meadows is located in Loup County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mikes Meadows
  • Round Valley
    (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Round Valley is located in Custer County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Round Valley
  • Swan Lake
    (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
    • Swan Lake is located in Holt County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Swan Lake

How Far From Willow Springs to ...

We spend a lot of time looking through Gazetteers, Almanacs & Directories that were published in the late 1800's and early 1900's. Many of the Gazetteers include the distance from a community such as Willow Springs to various places of note, such as the White House.

With a nod to our favorite Gazetteers and using the location of where the historic community of Willow Springs once stood, the straight-line distance beginning in Willow Springs and extending to:

  • Burwell, which is the Seat of Garfield County, lies just to the West.
  • Lincoln, which is the State Capital of Nebraska, lies 141 miles [226.9 km]<1> to the east southeast (ESE). If you could drive a straight line from Willow Springs to Lincoln, with an average speed<5>of 63 miles [101.4 km] per hour, it would take less than three hours to make the trip. A comfortable walk of 2.2 miles [3.5 km] per hour would take 8 days. A horse and buggy averaging 3.2 miles [5.1 km] per hour would take 6 days.
  • The White House (Washington, DC) is 1,174 miles [1,889.4 km] to the east (E). Driving would take about three full days, a buggy would take 46 days and walking would take 67 days.
  • The shortest distance<6> to Jerusalem (specifically the Temple Mount and the Dome of the Rock) is 6,579 miles [10,587.9 km] and it lies to the northeast (NE).<7>
  • The distance to the Great Mosque of Mecca (specifically the Ka'bah - or Kaaba ) is 7,337 miles [11,807.8 km] and it lies to the northeast (NE).<8>
  • The distance to Saint Peter's Basilica (The Vatican) is 5,251 miles [8,450.7 km] and it lies to the northeast (NE).<9>'

Footnotes ...

<1>Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'point-to-point' distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Willow Springs) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.
<2>We use the term 'Historic' broadly and it generally means that the community no longer exists. However, it can also mean that the community might still exist, but was significantly larger or had a more 'official' existence in the past than it does now. Unfortunately our sources of data have proven to be unreliable. If you can provide us with more specific information about Willow Springs, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.
<3>If we encounter the name of what might be a community, our methodology is to add that name to our Gazetteer as a placeholder. As we find more information about that community, it will be added to our Gazetteer.

Just as a reminder: Our definition of a community is rather broad and includes those places (or areas) where several families lived and had a name which identified that place. For example, you might hear somebody say that they are going over to Mile's to see Pete ... Mile's is just a gas station and a couple of homes at the crossroads. While it might not be on the map, everybody in the area knows it by that name.

Places of interest include buildings at a crossroad, several families clustered in a hollow or maybe the location of a way station. It also includes places like mines, lumber camps, ferry crossings, etc. The community might still exist, is now gone or only existed for just a short period of time.

Also keep in mind that Willow Springs could have been on the original document by mistake, misspelled, the original/alternate name of a community that we've listed elsewhere or was placed in the wrong county. Sometimes a post office or train station would have a different name than the community where it's located, so two names might be referring to the same community - we're working to straighten it all out.
<4>While we're fans and frequent users of TripAdvisor, you should know that we're also members of the TripAdvisor affiliate program.
<5>While we have tried to pick reasonable speeds, the rate of travel is very theoretical - obstacles like fences, hills, lakes, river crossings and rest stops have been ignored. When we say 'Days' of travel, we're assuming 8 hours of travel per day.
<6>The shortest line can be visualized by stretching a string on a Globe from Point A to Point B - this is known as a Great Circle Route. Where you might expect the shortest route from Willow Springs to the Middle East to be East and South, the Great Circle Route actually lies to the North and East.Our distance measurements begin at a specific point in Willow Springs. The point we use is located at these GPS coordinates - Latitude: 41.7803, Longitude: -99.0977       In this case, the coordinates for Willow Springs have been provided by the Geographic Names Information System (GNIS).
<7>The calculated bearing (or angle) to Jerusalem is 322.363 degrees.
<8>The calculated bearing (or angle) to Mecca is 320.421 degrees.
<9>The calculated bearing (or angle) to the Vatican is 314.496 degrees.