36 Nebraskaland • October 2025
How Lincoln Became the
By David L. Bristow, Nebraska State Historical Society
ebraskans knew Lincoln would be the new state capital
before they knew where Lincoln would be.
Omaha had been the territorial capital since 1855. It
had maintained its status through shady parliamentary
maneuvers, bribery and, at times, even by physical
intimidation. By 1867, most Nebraskans wanted to start
fresh someplace else.
The Platte River was Nebraska's big dividing line. The
unbridged river was tricky to cross, and most Nebraskans
lived south of it. They wanted the capital on their side of the
river.
The legislature debated a bill to move the capital to a to-
be-determined location within a four-county area: Seward,
Lancaster or the southern half of Butler or Saunders counties.
Omaha did not have the votes to stop the bill. The best
they could do was to attach some poison-pill amendments
in the hope of siphoning off votes. One amendment required
that the capital city would also get the state university,
agricultural college, prison and insane asylum. Omahans
hoped this would discourage towns not in the running for the
capital to vote against the bill.
Another amendment required the capital city to be named
"Lincoln" in honor of the late president — an idea sure to be
N
Detail of Colton's New Sectional Map of the State of
Nebraska, 1868, showing "Omaha City" and the four-county
area (Seward, Lancaster and southern Butler and Saunders)
in which the capital city was to be located. NSHS M782 1868 C72 C3
