Palmyra Nebraska - Nebraska Directory

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Village · Otoe County · Population 534 (2020 census) · ZIP 68418 · Founded 1870 · Peak population 546 (2000)

About Palmyra

Palmyra is a village of 534 in northwestern Otoe County on NE 2, about 18 miles east-southeast of Lincoln. NE 43 leaves NE 2 here and runs north to Eagle, and the S-66A spur leads south to Douglas. The junior-senior high and middle school of Palmyra District OR-1 are in the village, and the golf-course community of Woodland Hills is about 3.5 miles north-northwest.

History

The Rev. John Taggart, a Baptist minister, settled here early in 1856, and a post office opened on June 20, 1862. In 1870 the town was laid out on half of Taggart's farm, and his daughter, Jeanette Taggart White, named it for the ancient city of Palmyra. Viola Campbell built the first house that spring and kept the post office, and the first Midland Pacific train arrived in April 1871. The Gault & Powell mill followed in 1873, and the Methodist congregation dates from an 1865 mission.

The Old Settlers' Association, organized in 1887, held its picnics at J. R. McKee's grove and in 1933 dedicated a monument on the Douglas road south of town. The library burned in 1913 and 1914. A housing development from the 1970s brought growth, and the population reached 546 in 2000. The Palmyra Pioneer Cemetery was listed on the National Register in 2021.

Highways and trails through Palmyra

Route	One way	Other way
NE 2Four-lane, past the village	West to Bennet and Lincoln (about 18 mi)	East past Unadilla to Syracuse and Nebraska City
NE 43Runs with NE 2 from Bennet; turns north at Palmyra	North past Woodland Hills to US 34 at Eagle	West with NE 2 to Bennet
S-66A (A St.)Spur south from NE 2	South to Douglas (about 8 mi)	Ends at NE 2

Nearby towns

Woodland Hills	about 3.5 mi north-northwest	NE 43
Bennet	about 6 mi west-southwest	NE 2
Unadilla	about 7 mi east-southeast	NE 2
Douglas	about 8 mi south	S-66A
Eagle	about 8 mi north-northwest	NE 43
Syracuse	about 11 mi east-southeast	NE 2
Burr	about 13 mi south-southeast	County roads
Lincoln	about 18 mi west-northwest	NE 2

Things to see

Palmyra Pioneer Cemetery, Giles Rd. and N. 10th Rd. (National Register, 2021) · Taggart Park, four blocks set aside in the original plat · St. Leo Catholic Church, 340 W. 8th St. · Palmyra Memorial Library · Triple Creek WMA, 80 acres about 2 mi south and 1 mi west, for deer, dove, pheasant and quail · Woodland Hills Golf Course, about 3.5 mi north-northwest

Schools and health care

Schools: Palmyra District OR-1: Jr-Sr High School at Palmyra and Palmyra Middle School, 425 F St.; elementary grades in Bennet

Health care: No hospital or clinic in Palmyra; Syracuse Area Health is about 11 mi east

Sources: U.S. Census; Wikipedia; Andreas, History of the State of Nebraska (1882); Johnson, History of Nebraska (1880); History Nebraska; National Register of Historic Places; Nebraska Game and Parks; Nebraska Department of Transportation; Nebraska DHHS hospital roster; village, school, library and museum websites. Distances marked "about" are straight-line estimates.