Washington County

Washington County was named for General George Washington (1732-1799).

Its boundaries were defined by an act of the legislature approved February 22, 1855, on the anniversary of Washington's birthday, and redefined November 2, 1858. The western boundary was redefined by an act approved January 12, 1860.

More than thirty states have thus honored Washington.

Admah:

This town was named after a Bible town of that name, a place near Sodom. Admah is a Hebrew word mearning fortress.

Arlington:

This town was originally named Bell Creek after a near-by stream which was named for a family of early settlers on its banks. The name was changed to Arlington in 1882 after a place on the Potomac River in Virginia. The Sioux City and Pacific Railway Company platted the town in 1869.

Blair:

The history of Blair dates back to 1869 when the town was platted. It was named in honor of John I. Blair (1802-1899), of New Jersey, the great railroad builder and controller of railroad operations, who owned the land on which the town is located. At one time Mr. Blair was president of the Sioux City and Pacific Railroad Company. He was well known for his philanthropic work.  Blair is the county seat of Washington County.

Bowen:

This town was named in honor of John S. Bowen, an early settler of Blair, Nebraska. The Pioneer Town-Site Company platted the town in 1886.

Coffman:

This town was named for Dr. V. H. Coffman who owned the farm on which it is platted.

Cuming City:

Cuming City was mapped and surveyed in the spring of 1865. It was named in honor of Thomas B. Cuming, acting Governor of Nebraska at that time. It was incorporated by an act of the legislature approved February 16, 1857.

Dale:

This town was named in honor of General Samuel Dale of Alabama.

De Soto:

The town of De Soto is located in De Soto township. The town and township were named in honor of the sixteenth-century Spanish explorer, Hernando De Soto. The town was platted in the autumn of 1854. It was incorporated by an act of the legislature approved March 7, 1855.

Fontanelle:

This town was settled by the Quincy, Illinois, colony in 1854.  It was named in honor of Logan Fontenelle (1825-1855) interpretor on occasion for the Omaha Indian delegation to Washington in 1854. The township in which it is located was also named for the Indian chief. It was incorporated by an act of the legislature approved March 14, 1855. The name of the town was originally spelled Fontenelle. A creek in Nebraska, a village in Hocking County, Ohio, and a city in Cache County, Utah, were named Logan for Logan Fontenelle.   A hotel and a projected natural park in Omaha were named Fontanelle in honor of this man.

Fort Calhoun:

The original name of this town was Fort Atkinson, named in honor of Brevet Brigadier General Henry Atkinson (died 1842), after whom four posts in different parts of the country were named. Later it was named Fort Calhoun in honor of J. C. Calhoun (1782-1850), secretary of war at the time. The town was incorporated in November 4, 1858, and is located in Fort Calhoun township. Originally the county seat was at Fort Calhoun
but was moved to De Soto by act of the legislature approved November 3, 1858. The precinct has the same name.

Herman:

The town of Herman, located in Herman township, was platted in 1871 by the railroad officials of the old Omaha and Northwestern Railroad Company. It was named in honor of Samuel Herman who held the position of conductor on this railroad for many years.

Kennard:

This town was platted by the Sioux City and Pacific Railroad Company and was incorporated as a village on April 29, 1895. It was named for Honorable Thomas P. Kennard, first secretary of state for Nebraska, 1867-1870. Mr. Kennard was for many years a prominent citizen in Lincoln. 

Washington:

This town was named for Washington County in which it is located. It was platted by the Pioneer Town-Site Company in 1887.

Nebraska Place Names – Lillian Linder Fitzpatrick - 1925

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