[3][4][5] The county was named for Major Daniel H. Wheeler, longtime secretary of the Nebraska State Board of Agriculture.

The terrain of Wheeler County consists of low rolling hills, sloping to the east.

In 1885, the government was deemed to be outgrowing its small courthouse in Cedar City[8] and two men, Cumminsville school superintendent Begelow and Ezra Bartlett Mitchell offered land options outside of Cedar City to build a new courthouse.

In a heated election, Mitchell's site was chosen over Begelow's by a vote of 193 to 90, and the new courthouse led to the establishment of a surrounding town, named Bartlett (Mitchell's middle name), to serve as the seat of government.

In 1886, a spur line of the C.B.& Q. railroad was built into the county, ending at a point where the town of Ericson was established.

In 1895, while attempting to construct a ditchway to irrigate farm land between Ericson and Spalding, a dam was built across Clear Creek.

Though the ditch construction was ultimately not successful, the dam created present-day Pibel Lake.

In no national election since 1948 has the county selected the Democratic Party candidate (as of 2024).