Hooper Nebraska 68031
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.
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About Hooper
Hooper is a city in Dodge County, Nebraska, about 15 miles north-west of Fremont. The 2020 census counted 857 residents. The city covers roughly two thirds of a square mile. Farming has been the base of the local economy since the town began, and the nine hole Elkhorn Valley Golf Club sits at the edge of town.
History
Hooper was established in 1871, when the Fremont, Elkhorn and Missouri Valley Railroad reached the spot and a station and post office were opened. The name honours Samuel Hooper, a United States congressman from Massachusetts. The village incorporated in 1876. The original plat was six blocks, and eight annexations followed. Rail service faded in the late twentieth century. Flooding on the Elkhorn River in 1982 damaged the tracks and the Chicago and North Western abandoned the line. A short line revived service in 1986, but a bridge was judged unsafe in 2003, and the rails were taken up in 2021 to make room for a bike path.
Downtown historic district
The Hooper Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980. It covers about four acres and 22 contributing buildings, mostly one and two storey commercial blocks, several of them Italianate. Original street lighting still stands along the business district.
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