Elkhorn is located on the edge of Omaha Nebraska and has a population of a few thousand people only. Named after the Elkhorn River, it was formerly a city until its annexation by Omaha in 2005.
The origin of Elkhorn can be traced back to the 1860’s, when William Janney began building homes in the area. In 1866, the Union Pacific Railroad obtained the 40-acre tract from him and named it Elkhorn Station.
This was followed by a period of sustained growth as commercial activity began to grow in Elkhorn. Very soon, a hotel, store, salon and post office were constructed. The moniker Elkhorn was changed to Chicago and for a while it was also called Douglas before sense prevailed and it was once again known as Elkhorn.
In the second half of the 19th century, schools were developed in Elkhorn as well. The junior high school was established in 1966, the senior high school was built in 1980, while the elementary and middle schools were built later.
A Catholic Church that was initially built in 1868, was recreated in 1982. Other establishments like a Lutheran Church, a monastery for monks, a Baptist Church and a Methodist congregation were also assembled in the 20th century.
Elkhorn also boasts a fire department, which originally started in 1891. Fire hydrants were configured in 1909 and a fire barn was also constructed years later. As the population of Elkhorn NE grew, a city hall and library compound also followed.
Over the passage of a few decades, Elkhorn witnessed considerable growth. Once a rural setting, Elkhorn grew into a suburb of Omaha before it was annexed. In present day, Elkhorn is flourishing with a population in the thousands. It is also home to a variety of enterprises and establishments.
Elkhorn was a town on the western edge of the city of Omaha, Nebraska, United States. The population was 6,062 at the 2000 census and was estimated by the Census Bureau at 8,192 in 2005. It was named after the Elkhorn River.[3] Elkhorn was once an independent city in Douglas County until it was annexed by Omaha. Elkhorn was platted in 1867 when the Union Pacific Railroad was extended to that point.
Elkhorn, founded in 1865 by George Crawford and platted in 1867, was an independent municipality until it was annexed by the city of Omaha in 2005. In an attempt to prevent the annexation, Elkhorn almost simultaneously annexed several surrounding subdivisions in an attempt to bring the city’s population above 10,000 citizens. Under state law, that would have prevented the city’s forcible annexation by Omaha. On January 12, 2007, the Nebraska Supreme Court ruled in favor of Omaha, saying “…we conclude that Elkhorn ceased to exist as a separate municipality on March 24, 2005, the date that Omaha’s annexation ordinance became effective.”[5] The United States Supreme Court denied Elkhorn’s request to hear the case on February 22, 2007.[6]
Omaha Mayor Mike Fahey said he tried for years to work with Elkhorn, whereby Elkhorn would not be annexed if the city did no further annexing of its own. Elkhorn representatives did not consider that a fair proposal and refused. Omaha began the process of annexing Elkhorn. The two municipalities went to court as Elkhorn attempted to block the forcible annexation by Omaha. It was not until after losing the first round in the courts that Elkhorn offered to reach an agreement with Omaha. Omaha, having won in the courts and already financially invested in the court fights, refused to deal with Elkhorn and continued the annexation process.[7]
The final Elkhorn city council meeting was held February 27, 2007.[8] Elkhorn ceased to be an independent municipality on March 1, 2007.
Elevation: 1,214′
Zip code: 68022
Is Elkhorn NE a good place to live?
It is very quiet and peaceful in Elkhorn. The people here are friendly, and downtown is beautiful. It has a small-town homey feel yet it is expanding. From the mom and pop shops to the bowling alley, it is a great place to live. If you are interested in learning more about living in Elkhorn, be sure to check out “The Best Neighborhoods in Elkhorn“
How far is Elkhorn from Omaha?
There are 12.58 miles from Omaha to Elkhorn in west direction and 14 miles (22.53 kilometers) by car, following the US-6 W route. Omaha and Elkhorn are 18 minutes far apart, if you drive non-stop . This is the fastest route from Omaha, NE to Elkhorn, NE.
Is Elkhorn in Omaha city limits?
Zip Code 68022 is located in the state of Nebraska in the Omaha metro area. Zip code 68022 is primarily located in Douglas County. The official US Postal Service name for 68022 is ELKHORN, Nebraska. Portions of zip code 68022 are contained within or border the city limits of Elkhorn, NE.
Is Elkhorn NE safe?
Considering only the crime rate, Elkhorn is safer than the Nebraska state average and safer than the national average.