Sarpy County Cameras

SARPY COUNTY WEATHER

Sarpy County, Nebraska

County seat: Papillion · Created: February 1857, from the southern part of Douglas County · Named for: Peter A. Sarpy, fur trader at Bellevue · License plates: prefix 59 from 1922 until county numbers were dropped here in 2002 · Population: 190,604 (2020 census) · Area: 238 sq mi of land, the smallest county in Nebraska

About Sarpy County

Sarpy County lies between Omaha and the Platte River, with the Missouri River on its east side and the Platte curving along its south and west sides. Bellevue, begun as a fur-trading post about 1822, is the oldest continuously inhabited town in Nebraska and was the first county seat; voters moved the seat to Papillion in 1875. Lewis and Clark camped near the mouth of the Platte in July 1804, and Peter Sarpy's ferry carried Mormon and Oregon Trail emigrants from 1846.

The Union Pacific built its first main line through Papillion in 1865, and the Missouri Pacific and Burlington followed, founding Springfield and Gretna. Fort Crook, built in 1894–96 south of Bellevue, became Offutt Air Force Base, headquarters of the Strategic Air Command from 1948 to 1992 and now of U.S. Strategic Command. Since the 1950s the county has filled with Omaha suburbs: La Vista was founded in 1959, and Bellevue, Papillion and Gretna grew at every census. The former towns of Gilmore, Portal and La Platte and the Linoma Beach resort recall the railroad and river eras.

Towns of Sarpy County

Cities and villages

Bellevue

City · Pop. 64,176 · ZIP 68005
US 75 · NE 370 · US 34

Nebraska's oldest continuously inhabited town and third-largest city, 64,176 people on the Missouri bluffs. Offutt Air Force Base and U.S. Strategic Command, Fontenelle Forest, the 1856 Presbyterian church and the old log cabin.

Papillion

City · County seat · Pop. 24,159 · ZIP 68046
NE 370 · I-80 (exit 439)

The Sarpy County seat, a city of 24,159 on Papillion Creek, platted in 1870 on the Union Pacific's first main line. Werner Park and the Storm Chasers, Walnut Creek Lake, Papillion Landing and Papillion Days in June.

La Vista

City · Pop. 16,746 · ZIP 68128
I-80 (exit 442) · 84th St.

City of 16,746 between Omaha and Papillion, begun in 1959 as the "House of Nines" subdivision. La Vista City Centre and the Astro, Cabela's on I-80, and La Vista Days each spring.

Gretna

City · Pop. 5,083 · ZIP 68028
US 6 · NE 31 · NE 370 · I-80 (exit 432)

Fast-growing city of 5,083 at I-80 exit 432, begun on the Burlington in 1886 and named for Gretna Green, Scotland. Nebraska Crossing outlets, Schramm Park, the Holy Family Shrine, Vala's Pumpkin Patch and Gretna Days in July.

Springfield

City · Pop. 1,501 · ZIP 68059
NE 50

City of 1,501 on NE 50, laid out in 1881 when the Missouri Pacific came and named for its springs. The Sarpy County Fair, the 1938 WPA Community Hall and the MoPac Trail to the Platte.

Former towns and post office communities

Linoma Beach

Unincorporated community · Pop. 43 · resort from 1924; lighthouse 1939
US 6, on the Platte River

1920s Platte River resort named for LINcoln and OMAha, with its landmark 1939 lighthouse beside US 6. A National Register district and a tiny census-designated place.

Beacon View

Unincorporated community · Pop. 55 · river-cabin community; census-designated place since 2020
US 6, on the Platte River

River-cabin community of 55 on the Platte just north of US 6, across the highway from Linoma Beach and its lighthouse.

Chalco

Unincorporated community · Pop. 11,064 · post office 1888–1950; census-designated place
NE 50 (144th St.) and I-80

Burlington railroad village of the 1880s that became a suburb of 11,064 on the Douglas County line. Chalco Hills Recreation Area and Wehrspann Lake are next door.

La Platte

Unincorporated community · Pop. 50 · post office 1871–1955 (Larimer City from 1858)
US 75 / US 34, near the Platte–Missouri confluence

Old river settlement near the mouth of the Platte, from the 1850s Larimer City to a Burlington station town of 1870. A census-designated place of 50 where US 34 splits from US 75.

Gilmore

Former town · post office 1869–1908
25th St. and Gilmore Rd., south Bellevue, near US 75

Station on the Union Pacific's first main line of 1865, at 25th St. and Gilmore Rd. in south Bellevue. Post office 1869–1908; the "Gilmore Junction" name survives.

Avery

Former village, now part of Bellevue · post office 1891–1908
Avery Rd., Bellevue

Railroad-era post office village of 1891–1908, now inside Bellevue, where Avery Road and Avery Elementary keep the name.

Portal

Former village · post office 1887–1898
Giles Rd. between 108th and 114th streets

Railroad crossing village west of today's La Vista, abandoned about 1900 after floods. Its 1890 one-room school, the last in the county when it closed in 1993, is now a museum in Papillion.

Richfield

Unincorporated community · Pop. 42 · post office 1890–1998
County roads between Papillion and Springfield

Rural crossroads and post office of 1890–1998 between Papillion and Springfield, named for its rich farmland. A census-designated place of 42.

Melia

Unincorporated community · Pop. 98 · Burlington station; census-designated place
Melia Rd., near US 6 and I-80

Burlington station community of 98 on the bluffs south of Gretna, named for settler John J. Melia. The Melia Hill rest area is on I-80 nearby.

Forest City

Former town · incorporated 1858; post office 1859–1886
Schram Rd. near 231st St., about 2 mi west-southwest of Gretna

Territorial town on the Omaha–Ashland road, begun as a trading post in 1856 and incorporated in 1858. When the Burlington built Gretna in 1886 it faded away; its cemetery remains.

Sarpy Center

Former town · founded 1874; moved to Springfield 1881
Fairview Rd. and 120th St.

Town founded in 1874 in the middle of the county, which won a county-seat vote in 1875 but lost the seat to Papillion. In 1881 its buildings moved to the new railroad town of Springfield.

Travel Corridors

I-80 — across the northwest corner, with exits for La Vista (442), NE 370 and Papillion (439), Gretna (432) and the Platte River crossing toward Lincoln. I-80 Corridor →

US 75 and US 34 — US 75 is the freeway through Bellevue from Omaha to the Platte; US 34 splits off at La Platte and crosses the Missouri to Iowa. US 75 Corridor → · US 34 Corridor →

US 6 and NE 31 — together through Gretna; US 6 continues past Linoma Beach to Ashland, and NE 31 runs south past Schramm Park to the Platte. US 6 Corridor →

NE 370 and NE 50 — NE 370 runs east from Gretna past Werner Park and Papillion to Bellevue; NE 50 runs from Louisville through Springfield to I-80 and Millard. NE 50 Corridor →

Cameras: View Sarpy County cameras → · Road conditions: Nebraska 511

Things to See

In Bellevue: Fontenelle Forest, the 1856 Presbyterian Church and the Old Log Cabin. In Papillion: Werner Park and the Omaha Storm Chasers, the Nebraska Vietnam Veterans Memorial and the Sautter House and Portal School. In La Vista: The Astro. Near Gretna: Nebraska Crossing, the Holy Family Shrine, Vala's Pumpkin Patch and the Linoma Lighthouse.

Outdoors

Schramm Park State Recreation Area on the Platte south of Gretna has trails, ponds and the Schramm Education Center aquarium (day use; state park permit). The Papio NRD's Chalco Hills Recreation Area surrounds Wehrspann Lake, and Papillion's Walnut Creek and Prairie Queen lakes have trails, fishing and, at Walnut Creek, a campground. The MoPac Trail runs from Springfield across the Platte, and Fontenelle Forest and Haworth Park line the Missouri at Bellevue.

Sarpy County Business Directory

Businesses within 20 miles of: Papillion · Bellevue · La Vista · Gretna · Springfield · All listings →

Adjacent Counties

Douglas County (north) · Pottawattamie County, Iowa (northeast, across the Missouri) · Mills County, Iowa (southeast, across the Missouri) · Cass County (south, across the Platte) · Saunders County (west, across the Platte)

Events

2026 dates: La Vista Days (May 29–30); Bellevue Rocks (June 4–7); Springfield Days (mid-June); Papillion Days (June 17–21, parade June 20); Gretna Days (July 22–26); the Sarpy County Fair at Springfield (July 29–August 2); the Offutt Defenders of Freedom Air & Space Show (August 8–9; next in 2028); and Vala's (September 4–November 1).

Events in Sarpy County

  • Bellevue Rocks! Riverfront Festival (Bellevue)
    Free riverfront music festival in Bellevue each June since 2021 (June 4–7 in 2026).
  • Defenders of Freedom Air & Space Show (Bellevue)
    Offutt Air Force Base air show, now held every other year; August 8–9 in 2026, next in 2028.
  • Gretna Days (Gretna)
    Gretna's summer festival in late July, with a carnival, tractor pull, fireworks and a grand parade (July 22–26 in 2026).
  • La Vista Days (La Vista)
    La Vista's largest event, at the City Hall campus in late May (May 29–30 in 2026); successor to Salute to Summer.
  • Papillion Days (Papillion)
    Papillion Days is held in Papillion, Nebraska, during Father's Day week (Wednesday to Sunday).
  • Sarpy County Fair (Springfield)
    Sarpy County Fair, a county fair in Papillion, Nebraska.
  • Springfield Days (Springfield)
    Springfield's early-June town festival with a Main Street parade, 5K, car show, duck races and fireworks.

Know of another event in the county? Tell us about it.

Sarpy County at a Glance

Sarpy County, Nebraska — between Omaha and the Platte River, the state's smallest county by area and third-largest by population. County seat Papillion; largest city Bellevue.

Getting there: I-80 from Omaha and Lincoln, US 75 through Bellevue, US 6 to Gretna, NE 50 from Louisville.

For visitors: Fontenelle Forest and old Bellevue, Offutt Air Force Base, Werner Park, Nebraska Crossing, Schramm Park and the Linoma Lighthouse. Hospitals: Bellevue Medical Center and CHI Health Midlands in Papillion.

Vehicles registered in Sarpy County carry license plate number 59. See what every Nebraska county number means.

Sarpy County Businesses & Places

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