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History · Nemaha

Nemaha dates to 1856, and 54% of its homes were built before 1940

Below: maps from 1915 on and the census since 1900.

1856founded
0on the National Register
54%homes built before 1940
1famous people
Add an old photoShare a memory
Quick answers

How Nemaha began, and where its name came from

When was Nemaha founded?

1856

Nemaha dates its founding to 1856 (Wikipedia’s history). The census first counted it in 1900.

First census: 400 in 19002020 census: 114170 years

How did Nemaha get its name?

Nemaha was named from the Nemaha River.

Founding year: Wikipedia. First post office: 1856. Name: Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.The full story ↓

What stands out about Nemaha’s past

Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.

A history waiting to be writtenNo old photos of Nemaha are in the public archives yet. The rest are in attics and albums.Old housesHalf of Nemaha’s homes were built before 1938.On the map since 19154 editions of the USGS map, 1915 to 1966. Watch Nemaha change.
★ What stands out · Help out

Start Nemaha’s collection

The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Nemaha’s history is told.

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
0 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
Share a family photoSign in to add one+10
The story

How Nemaha came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Nemaha.

Read it all →

Nemaha was incorporated as a village in 1856. It was named from the Nemaha River.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

On the map

Nemaha on the map, 1915 to 1966

Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Nemaha. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.

Nemaha on the 1915 USGS mapNemaha on the 1939 USGS mapNemaha on the 1949 USGS mapNemaha on the 1966 USGS map1915Nemaha sheet · 1:62,500

U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Nemaha.

Timeline

Nemaha, 1856 to 1915

Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.

  1. 19th century
  2. 1856
    FoundingNemaha is established
  3. 1856Post officeThe Nemaha City post office opens
  4. 1889Born hereLunsford E. Oliver is born here
  5. 1895Post officeThe Nemaha City post office closes
  6. 1895Post officeThe Nemaha post office opens
  7. 20th century
  8. 1915On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
By decade

Nemaha, decade by decade

Today5 recent
Nemaha, Nebraska downtown 42011Nemaha, Nebraska downtown 4Nemaha, Nebraska downtown 32011Nemaha, Nebraska downtown 3Nemaha, Nebraska downtown 22011Nemaha, Nebraska downtown 2Nemaha, Nebraska downtown 12010Nemaha, Nebraska downtown 1NEMap-doton-Nemaha2005NEMap-doton-Nemaha
People over time

Nemaha, census by census

01002003004001900192019401960198020002020Peak: 400

Between 114 and 400 people in every census since 1900.

13 censuses, 1900–2020.

U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Nemaha’s Wikipedia page.

Places that used to be

Lost post offices

Nemaha’s post office has been open since 1895. Another post office, Nemaha City, opened and closed inside today’s town.

Nemaha City
1856–1895
Nemaha
1895–today
18501940today

US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).

Questions about Nemaha’s history

What year was Nemaha founded?

In 1856, according to Wikipedia’s history of the town. Nemaha’s post office opened in 1856, and the census of 1900 counted 400 people here.

Memory lane

What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.

Town Square →
Start a conversation
Sources

Where this page comes from

Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021). How TownRatings grades history →

From Wikimedia Commons (5), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock) and the USGS Geographic Names Information System. Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.