List of the oldest buildings in Nebraska explained

This article lists the oldest extant buildings in Nebraska, including extant buildings and structures constructed prior to and during the United States rule over Nebraska. Only buildings built prior to 1870 are suitable for inclusion on this list, or the building must be the oldest of its type.

In order to qualify for the list, a structure must:

This consciously excludes ruins of limited height, roads and statues. Bridges may be included if they otherwise fulfill the above criteria. Dates for many of the oldest structures have been arrived at by radiocarbon dating or dendrochronology and should be considered approximate. If the exact year of initial construction is estimated, it will be shown as a range of dates.

List of oldest buildings

BuildingImageLocationFirst builtUseNotes
Log Cabin (Bellevue, Nebraska)Bellevue, Nebraskaca. 1835ResidenceFur trapper's log cabin; Likely oldest building in the state
Florence MillOmaha, Nebraskaca. 1846CommercialOldest mill in the state; construction overseen by Brigham Young
Willow Creek Pony Express StationCozad, Nebraskaca. 1849CommercialPony Express station, was moved a small distance in 1938
Didier CabinBrownville, Nebraskaca. 1854Residence
Arbor LodgeNebraska City, Nebraskaca. 1855ResidenceBuilt for the founder of Arbor Day, Julius Sterling Morton
Mayhew CabinNebraska City, Nebraskaca. 1855ResidenceOne of the oldest houses in Nebraska City
Fontenelle BankBellevue, Nebraskaca. 1856CommercialOldest bank building in the state
William Hamilton HouseBellevue, Nebraskaca. 1856Residence
Bank of FlorenceOmaha, Nebraskaca. 1857CommercialOldest building in Omaha
Frederick L. Gottschalk HouseColumbus, Nebraskaca. 1857ResidenceThe cabin was relocated to the interior of the Platte County Historical Society Museum.
Taylor-Wessel-Bickel-Nelson HouseNebraska City, Nebraskaca. 1857ResidenceOne of the oldest houses in Nebraska City
Presbyterian ChurchBellevue, Nebraskaca. 1858Religious
Russell, Majors, and Waddell Freighting Company BuildingNebraska City, Nebraskaca. 1858Commercial/ ResidenceBuilt by the US Army and sold to the supply firm Russell, Majors, and Waddell
Nebraska City, Nebraskaca. 1858ResidenceBuilt by Alexander Majors for Russell, Majors, and Waddell
Russell, Majors, Waddell-Stevenson HouseNebraska City, Nebraskaca. 1858ResidenceBuilt by Alexander Majors for Russell, Majors, and Waddell
Brownville, Nebraskaca. 1859ReligiousOldest brick church in Nebraska
Abbott Gates HouseBrownville, Nebraskaca. 1859Residence
Midway Stage StationDawson County, Nebraskaca. 1859Commercial/ Residence
Stolley Homestead SiteGrand Island, Nebraskaca. 1859Residence
Omaha, Nebraskaca. 1859ResidenceOldest house in Omaha; built within earlier Mormon settlement of Cutler's Park (Florence, Omaha).[1]
Brown-Carson HouseBrownville, Nebraskaca. 1860Residence
Emmanuel Lutheran ChurchDakota City, Nebraskaca. 1860Religious
George and Nancy Turner HouseFremont, Nebraskaca. 1860Residence
St. Benedict's Catholic ChurchNebraska City, Nebraskaca. 1861ReligiousOldest brick Catholic church in the state
United Presbyterian ChurchNebraska City, Nebraskaca. 1861ReligiousOriginally a Presbyterian church then used by the Mormons
608 1st AvenueNebraska City, Nebraskaca. 1861Residence
McLaughlin-Parks HouseBrownville, Nebraskaca. 1862Residence
Beehive HouseBrownville, Nebraskaca. 1863Residence
Heinrich Giese HouseGrand Island, Nebraskaca. 1863Residence
Worthing-Baker HouseBrownville, Nebraskaca. 1863Residence
Bratton-Minick HouseBrownville, Nebraskaca. 1864Residence
Jesse C. Bickle HouseCrete, Nebraskaca. 1864Residence
J. H. Catron HouseNebraska City, Nebraskaca. 1865Residence
John Henry Stork Log HouseBurt County, Nebraskaca. 1865Residence
Otoe County CourthouseNebraska City, Nebraskaca. 1865GovernmentOldest public building in the state
John Sautter FarmhousePapillion, Nebraskaca. 1866Residence
George Stevens HouseBrownville, Nebraskaca. 1866Residence
Heritage House MuseumWeeping Water, Nebraskaca. 1867ResidenceThe former parsonage of the Congregational Church of Weeping Water
Palmer-Epard HouseGage County, Nebraskaca. 1867Residence
Zweibel FarmsteadSarpy County, Nebraskaca. 1867Residence
Anthony P. Cogswell HouseBrownville, Nebraskaca. 1868Residence
Furnas HouseBrownville, Nebraskaca. 1868ResidenceHome of Governor Robert Wilkinson Furnas
John W. Bennett HouseNemaha County, Nebraskaca. 1868ResidenceOldest example of the I-House in the state
Lone Tree SaloonBrownville, Nebraskaca. 1868Commercial
Michael Witt FachwerkbauSaline County, Nebraskaca. 1868Residence
St. John's Lutheran ChurchNemaha County, Nebraskaca. 1868ReligiousOldest stone church in Nebraska
Elm Creek FortMinden, Nebraskaca. 1869Residence
Jasper A. Ware HouseNebraska City, Nebraskaca. 1869ResidenceHouse of the co-founder of the Midland Pacific Railway, Jasper Ware
John L. Colhapp HouseBrownville, Nebraskaca. 1869Residence
Samuel Bullock HouseFremont, Nebraskaca. 1869Residence
Thomas P. Kennard HouseLincoln, Nebraskaca. 1869ResidenceOne of oldest houses in Lincoln, NE
Tipton HouseBrownville, Nebraskaca. 1869Residence
122 South 6th StreetPlattsmouth, Nebraskaca. 1869Religious
Christopher Anderson HouseNebraska City, Nebraskaca. 1870Residence
Commanding Officers QuartersSidney, Nebraskaca. 1870Government/ Residence
Congregational Church and ManseSantee, Nebraskaca. 1870Religious
Eli S. Wibley HouseBrownville, Nebraskaca. 1870Residence
Naomi InstituteRock Bluff, Nebraskaca. 1870Education
Cook house on Spade Ranch (Nebraska)Ellsworth, Nebraskaca. 1877RanchOne of the oldest and largest ranches in Nebraska; Cookhouse moved from Newman Ranch in 1888.
General Crook HouseFort Omahaca. 1879GovernmentHome to Civil War/Indian Wars general

See also

Notes and References

  1. The Oldest House in North Omaha https://northomahahistory.com/2015/07/19/the-oldest-houses-in-north-omaha/#:~:text=THE%20OLDEST%3A%208621%20North%2031st,the%20oldest%20house%20in%20Omaha.