Museums

Sarpy County is brimming with historical attractions. From pioneer history to American Indian displays, there’s plenty to keep you active and engaged.

Bellevue Pioneer Cemetery
13th Avenue and Lord Boulevard, Bellevue
A tour of this cemetery is a history lesson through time. View the final resting places of many of the families who pioneered Bellevue. Among those buried here are Fenner Ferguson, the first chief justice of the Nebraska Territory; Big Elk, a prominent chief of the Omaha tribe; and archeologist and artist Dr. Gilder. (402) 292-1880

Fontenelle Bank
2212 Main Street, Bellevue
Built in 1856, the Fontenelle Bank today houses a unique collection of early Bellevue memorabilia including an original walk-in vault, exhibits depicting the city’s history, and rare samples of Greek-revival Italianate styling. A year after the bank’s founding, it closed, and the building became the Sarpy County Courthouse. In 1875 it became Bellevue City Hall. (402) 292-1880

Historic Log Cabin
805 Hancock Street, Bellevue
A treasure trove of history, this cabin is believed to have been built in the 1830s. The home has changed hands just a few times with only three families occupying it between 1856 and 1950. The most recent resident lived there for more than 50 years without indoor plumbing or electricity. (402) 292-1880

Old Presbyterian Church
2002 Franklin Street, Bellevue
Step inside this historic building and you're standing in the oldest church building in the state of Nebraska. Nineteenth-century oak pews, antique stained-glass windows, and summer gardens adorn the 150-year-old building. (402) 292-1880  To Reserve for your Event call Joan Farley  402-291-8565

Omaha and Southern Railroad Depot
2402 Clay Street, Bellevue
Back in the mid 1800s, this depot was a hub for commerce and travel. Today, the building stands at a new location adjacent to the Sarpy County Historical Museum. Step inside and discover a pot belly cast iron stove, Morse code telegraph keys, an oak railroad station clock, oak station waiting benches, trunks, maps, pictures, and a station safe. (402) 292-1880

Portal School
242 N. Jefferson, Papillion
Get a lesson on history in this one-room schoolhouse built in 1890. The school was constructed south of the township of Portal, Nebraska, in Sarpy County. Due to frequent flooding, the town was abandoned with most of the residents moving to nearby Papillion. (402) 292-1880

Sarpy County Historical Museum
2402 Clay Street, Bellevue
Trace the history of Sarpy county from the original American Indians to its present-day residents. Exhibits include the history of the fur traders and missionaries, period rooms, early agricultural pursuits, and a scale model of Fort Crook—now Offutt Air Force Base. (402) 292-1880

Sautter House
242 N. Jefferson, Papillion
Tour the nineteenth-century farmhouse of German immigrant Johann Sautter, a prominent Papillion resident. Sautter lived in the home from the 1860s to 1916, farming up to 800 acres. He was also a charter member of First Lutheran Church. (402) 339-8149