Douglas Nebraska - Nebraska Directory

Douglas Area Cameras

Village · Otoe County · Population 166 (2020 census) · ZIP 68344 · Founded 1887 · Peak population 305 (1910)

About Douglas

Douglas is a village of 166 in southwestern Otoe County, at the end of the S-66A spur about 8 miles south of Palmyra and NE 2. St. Martin Catholic Church and the community center are on its main streets.

History

Hiram Hendricks took a pre-emption claim here in 1856, and the precinct and the Hendricks post office, opened in 1863, were named for him. In 1887 Simpson and Harriet McKibbon deeded land to the Missouri Pacific, streets were dedicated that July and lots were sold as Douglas, for Harriet McKibbon's maiden name, Douglass. The post office took the new name on October 29, 1888, and the village counts 1888 as its founding year; it held a centennial in 1988.

Douglas reached 305 people in 1910. Its school grew from one room to an accredited K–12 school before closing for low enrollment, and the railroad is gone.

Highways and trails through Douglas

Route	One way	Other way
S-66ASpur north from the village	North to NE 2 at Palmyra (about 8 mi)	Ends in Douglas

Nearby towns

Burr	about 6 mi southeast	County roads
Palmyra	about 8 mi north	S-66A
Sterling	about 9 mi south	County roads
Unadilla	about 9 mi northeast	County roads
Bennet	about 8 mi northwest	County roads
Syracuse	about 12 mi east-northeast	County roads
Lincoln	about 22 mi northwest	S-66A and NE 2

Things to see

St. Martin Catholic Church, 125 W. 3rd St. (Sunday Mass 8 a.m.) · Douglas Senior Center / Community Center, 200 Main St. · Burr, about 6 mi southeast, and Palmyra, about 8 mi north

Schools and health care

Schools: No school in Douglas

Health care: No clinic in Douglas; Syracuse Area Health is about 12 mi east

Sources: U.S. Census; Wikipedia; Andreas, History of the State of Nebraska (1882); Johnson, History of Nebraska (1880); History Nebraska; National Register of Historic Places; Nebraska Game and Parks; Nebraska Department of Transportation; Nebraska DHHS hospital roster; village, school, library and museum websites. Distances marked "about" are straight-line estimates.