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Bellevue received its French name, meaning "beautiful view," from fur trader Manuel Lisa as he stood high atop a hill, looking out at the scenic Missouri River Valley before him, or so the legend goes. Two hundred years after Lisa's proclamation, Bellevue has grown to become a sprawling metropolis proudly recognized as the third largest city in Nebraska. However, the story could have ended long before this. Bellevue was originally supposed to serve as an important railroad thoroughfare and as the first capital of the Nebraska Territory. Neither of these ultimately happened. Yet, Bellevue has persevered onwards and upwards. From its origins as little more than a trading post for westward travelers and Native Americans, to serving as the headquarters for the former Strategic Air Command at the onset of the modern jet age, Bellevue has taken a remarkable journey.
Papillion's name is derived from French fur traders who ventured near the valley of the Papio Creek as early as 1739. The butterfly-filled meadow was so beautiful that one of the men is said to have exclaimed in his native tongue, "Papillon!" (meaning "butterfly"). The land would later come to be known as Papillion. Native Americans roamed freely across the local prairie until 1857, when John L. Beadle obtained a land grant and platted a town. Successful negotiations with the Union Pacific and Missouri Pacific Railroads ensured the growth and prosperity needed for the Papillion Town Company to incorporate in 1870. Businesses soon lined the center of the village as German immigrants cultivated the land. New schools and churches enhanced the establishment of the booming community, which became the seat of Sarpy County. The pioneers persevered through fire, pestilence, and flood to establish Papillion, a town destined to survive.
The year is 1888 and President Grove Cleveland has just signed into law a bill that will lead to the establishment of Fort Crook. In 1948, that Army post gained a new name: Offutt Air Force Base. The base remained ever vigilant during the Col War and continues to do so as a combatant of 21st-century threats.
The smallest of Nebraska's ninety-three counties, Sarpy County's history looms large. The area was home to Native Americans--including the Otoe, Omaha and Pawnee tribes. Hundreds of thousands of settlers moved through the area during westward migration, and they had to cross rivers on ferries like the one operated by the county's namesake, Peter Sarpy. The addition of Offutt Air Force Base and the Martin Bomber Plant made the county an important hub during World War II and beyond. Author, historian and museum director Ben Justman offers the rich history of Sarpy County.
This is an exciting and interesting book about a wagon train that heads from Louisville, Kentucky to Oregon. Two wagon train families decide to stay in Bellevue, Nebraska, due to a tragedy. The rest of the book chronicles their settling into the frontier town and developing their livelihoods. It tells of joys, fears, and triumphs. It also gives the reader a great deal of historical data regarding the wagon train route and the early settlement of Bellevue and the Nebraska Territory.
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