Papillion Nebraska - Nebraska Directory

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City · Sarpy County · County seat · Population 24,159 (2020 census) · ZIP 68046 · Founded 1870

About Papillion

Papillion is the seat of Sarpy County, a city of 24,159 on Papillion Creek about 9 miles southwest of downtown Omaha. It has the county courthouse, Papillion La Vista Community Schools, Sump Memorial Library, the Papillion Landing recreation center and CHI Health Midlands. Werner Park, home of the Omaha Storm Chasers, is just west of town, and Papillion Days fills downtown each June.

History

The Union Pacific laid its first main line west from Omaha up Papillion Creek in 1865. Dr. D. E. Beadle built the first house in 1869 and became the first postmaster that year, landowners paid $1,200 to move the depot to the town center, and the town was platted in 1870. The name comes from the French papillon, "butterfly," a name traders gave the creek. The Missouri Pacific added a junction in 1882, and in 1890 Papillion had nearly 900 people.

Papillion won the county seat from Bellevue at the October 1875 election. The third courthouse, built in 1922–23 and on the National Register, served until 1974 and now holds city offices; the county moved to the Hall of Justice on Golden Gate Drive. The 1908 Lane Cut-off made the Papillion line a branch, and the last passenger train ran in 1942. Floods in 1964 and 1965 led to the Papio Creek lakes around Omaha. The town grew from 1,034 people in 1950 to 24,159 in 2020, its highest count.

Highways and trails through Papillion

Route	One way	Other way
NE 370Strategic Air Command Memorial Highway, across the south side of town	East to US 75 in Bellevue (about 6 mi)	West past Werner Park to I-80 (exit 439) and Gretna
Washington St. / 84th St.Former NE 85 (returned to the cities in 2020)	North through La Vista to Ralston and Omaha	South toward Platteview Rd.

Nearby towns

La Vista	about 2.1 mi northwest	84th St.
Portal	about 2.4 mi northwest	Giles Rd.
Ralston	about 3 mi north	84th St.
Richfield	about 3.6 mi south-southwest	County roads
Bellevue	about 6 mi east	NE 370
Chalco	about 5 mi west-northwest	NE 370 and 144th St.
Springfield	about 7 mi southwest	NE 50
Omaha	about 9 mi northeast	84th St. and I-80
Gretna	about 10 mi west	NE 370
Lincoln	about 42 mi southwest	I-80

Things to see

Papillion Area Historical Society: the Sautter Farmhouse, 220 N. Jefferson St. (National Register), and Portal School of 1890, 230 N. Jefferson St. (summer Sundays or by appointment; $5) · the 1923 courthouse, now Papillion City Hall, 122 E. 3rd St. (National Register) · Werner Park, 12356 Ballpark Way, home of the Triple-A Omaha Storm Chasers · Nebraska Vietnam Veterans Memorial, 11691 S. 108th St. (opened 2024), and the SumTur Amphitheater next door · Walnut Creek Lake: a 105-acre lake, paved loop trail and city campground with 44 electric sites ($20 a night) · Prairie Queen Recreation Area, 135-acre lake, disc golf and trails · Halleck Park, 70 acres with an arboretum (the Papio Bay pool is closed for rebuilding until 2028) · Papillion Landing, 1046 W. Lincoln St., with an indoor pool · Shadow Lake Towne Center · golf at Eagle Hills and Tara Hills

Events in Papillion

Papillion Days
Papillion Days is held in Papillion, Nebraska, during Father's Day week (Wednesday to Sunday).

Know of another event here? Tell us about it.

Schools and health care

Schools: Papillion La Vista Community Schools: Papillion-La Vista High School, 303 E. Cary St., and Papillion-La Vista South High School, 10799 Hwy 370; Papillion Middle and Liberty Middle schools; elementary schools including Rumsey Station, Walnut Creek, Carriage Hill, Tara Heights, Trumble Park, Hickory Hill, Patriot, Bell, Prairie Queen and Ashbury; St. Columbkille Catholic School

Health care: CHI Health Midlands, 11111 S. 84th St., 402-593-3000

Sources: U.S. Census; Wikipedia; Andreas, History of the State of Nebraska (1882); History Nebraska; National Register of Historic Places; Nebraska Game and Parks; Papio-Missouri River NRD; Nebraska Department of Transportation; city, school and hospital websites. Distances marked "about" are straight-line estimates.