Hooper, Nebraska

Hooper is a city in Dodge County established in 1871 following construction of the railroad through the area, and it was named for Samuel Hooper, a U.S. congressman from Massachusetts. Rail service through town declined through the 1970s and 1980s, was briefly revived by the Fremont and Elkhorn Valley Railroad starting in 1986, and ended for good in 2003 after an unsafe bridge forced its closure; the old rail bed became a bike path in 2021.

The 2020 census recorded 857 residents. After U.S. Route 275 bypassed the town, Hooper built a distinctive 24-foot obelisk in 2010, with 18-inch letters spelling out the town's name, to keep it visible to passing traffic. Olympic volleyball gold medalist Jordan Larson and Medal of Honor recipient Donald K. Schwab are both natives of Hooper.