History

Cuming County was created in 1855 and named for Thomas B. Cuming, acting governor of Nebraska Territory. West Point, founded in 1857 on the Elkhorn, is the county seat and one of the oldest towns in this part of the state.

The county is strongly German in origin — West Point, Wisner, Beemer and Bancroft were settled largely by German families, and German was spoken in local churches and newspapers into the twentieth century. Bancroft was the home of John G. Neihardt, Nebraska’s poet laureate and the author of Black Elk Speaks; his study is preserved there as a State Historic Site.

Geography

Cuming County covers about 573 square miles of north-east Nebraska in the Elkhorn River valley, with Logan Creek draining the eastern side. The land is rolling farmland with wooded river bottoms — some of the most productive ground in the state. It borders Wayne County to the north-west, Thurston County to the north-east, Burt County to the east, Dodge County to the south and Stanton County to the west.

Outdoors — Camping, RV, Hunting & Fishing

Cuming County has no state park and no lake. Its outdoor signature is moving water — the Elkhorn and Logan Creek are both designated Nebraska water trails, and the two best campgrounds sit on the riverbank.

Camping and RV

Neligh Park, West Point — the best-documented municipal campground in this part of the state. 17 camping pads, each thirty feet long, with 50-amp electric and a water hookup at every pad. Sewer dump station on site, $2. New bathroom building with showers near the dog park, and tent camping alongside. $15 a night — sites 1–8 reservable through the city, sites 9–17 first come with payment by envelope.

Camping is prohibited on 3 and 4 July for the fireworks, and during fair week — 6 to 9 August 2026. Worth checking before you travel, because it will strand you otherwise. The park also has a swimming pool, playground, horseshoe pits, dog park and walking trails.

Wisner River Park, 100–142 10th Street, on the Elkhorn. 20-amp electric and water, restrooms, coin-operated hot showers — bring quarters — and a dump station. About $15 a night, first come, no reservations. The site count is not published.

Bancroft Community Park has just two RV sites with electric and water; availability and rates through Ru-De’s Mini Mart on (402) 648-3360. Beemer Park is listed as offering camping but publishes no detail at all.

Fishing and paddling

There is no lake or reservoir in Cuming County and no boat ramps. The Elkhorn River through West Point, Beemer and Wisner holds channel and flathead catfish, fished from the bank or by wading.

Both the Elkhorn and Logan Creek are designated Nebraska water trails, and this is the county’s real draw for anyone with a canoe or kayak — you can float the Elkhorn between the West Point and Wisner river parks, camping at either end. Bancroft maintains a public Logan Creek access at 2029 24th Road for fishing and paddling. Neligh Park has a small pond restricted to children and seniors. No park entry permit applies anywhere in the county.

Hunting

An honest finding: no Nebraska state Wildlife Management Area could be confirmed inside Cuming County. The nearest verified public ground is in Dodge County — Powder Horn WMA near Scribner and Dead Timber. That makes Cuming an Open Fields and Waters or private-permission county: walk-in only, no vehicles off designated trails, no permission call needed, and hunting, trapping and fishing are the only permitted activities — no camping.

Game is good despite the lack of public ground: strong whitetail in the Elkhorn and Logan Creek bottoms, pheasant in the farm country, turkey in the river timber and waterfowl on the river during passage.

Other

There is no rail-trail in the county and the Cowboy Trail does not reach it. The John G. Neihardt State Historic Site at Bancroft is the county’s headline attraction and pairs naturally with a Logan Creek float.

Events

The Cuming County Fair at West Point anchors the summer — and note that it closes the Neligh Park campground for the week. West Point, Wisner, Beemer and Bancroft each hold their own celebrations.

Dates move year to year, so they are kept with the listings rather than repeated here.

Browse event listings in Cuming County →
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Cuming County at a Glance

Cuming County, Nebraska — about 573 square miles of Elkhorn valley and Logan Creek farmland in the north-east, settled largely by German families from the 1850s. County seat West Point, founded 1857. 171 listings across 4 towns.

Getting there: US-275 runs the length of the county through West Point, Beemer and Wisner; NE-9, NE-15, NE-16, NE-32 and NE-51 serve the rest.

For visitors: the Elkhorn River and Logan Creek water trails — float between the West Point and Wisner river parks and camp at either end. Neligh Park at West Point has 50-amp pads with water at every site and a dump station. The John G. Neihardt State Historic Site at Bancroft preserves the study where Black Elk Speaks was written.

Cuming County · Northeast Nebraska · County Cameras