Bellevue

History

Established by European Americans in the 1830s, Bellevue was incorporated in 1855 and is the oldest continuously inhabited town in Nebraska. It has been credited by the Nebraska State Legislature as being the state's second-oldest incorporated settlement after Nebraska City; previously it served as the seat of government in Nebraska. On May 12, 1908, a tornado hit Bellevue, leading to 20 deaths and $50,000 of damages. Bellevue was originally founded as a trading post for the Missouri Fur Company by Joshua Pilcher, but there were financial problems, and, eventually, Lucien Fontanelle became the owner of the post, and the first permanent resident of Bellevue. Moses Merrill founded a mission, which was the first Christian mission in Nebraska, in Bellevue. Since it was the oldest city in the Nebraska Territory, the residents were optimistic that Bellevue would become the capital of it, and the new territorial governor, Francis Burt, had already moved there, but shortly after, he died. The next governor selected Omaha as the capital instead. In 1921, the Offutt Air Force Base, housing the United States Strategic Command, was built south of Bellevue. The planes that dropped the Hiroshima and Nagasaki atomic bombs were built there. The 2019 Midwestern U.S. floods destroyed about 200 homes from the swelling of the Missouri River.

Geography

Bellevue is located at an elevation of 1159  ft (353 m). According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which is land and is water. It is bounded on the east by the Missouri River.

Race & ethnicity

Most-observed species

• American Robin

  Turdus migratorius Linnaeus, 1766 · Aves
  13,333
• Northern Cardinal

  Cardinalis cardinalis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  12,655
• House Sparrow

  Passer domesticus (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  10,622
• Blue Jay

  Cyanocitta cristata (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  10,005
• Downy Woodpecker

  Dryobates pubescens (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  9,067
• European Starling

  Sturnus vulgaris Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  8,715
• Red-bellied Woodpecker

  Melanerpes carolinus (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  8,036
• Mourning Dove

  Zenaida macroura (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  7,777

Largest nearby schools

• PAPILLION LA VISTA SOUTH HS
  High · PAPILLION · 1,965 students · 16.5:1 ratio
• PAPILLION LA VISTA SENIOR HIGH
  High · PAPILLION · 1,893 students · 16.5:1 ratio
• BRYAN HIGH SCHOOL
  High · OMAHA · 1,634 students · 17.2:1 ratio
• BELLEVUE WEST SR HIGH SCHOOL
  High · BELLEVUE · 1,536 students · 15.4:1 ratio
• BELLEVUE EAST SR HIGH SCHOOL
  High · BELLEVUE · 1,423 students · 13.8:1 ratio
• BRYAN MIDDLE SCHOOL
  Middle · OMAHA · 866 students · 15.7:1 ratio
• LA VISTA MIDDLE SCHOOL
  Middle · LA VISTA · 716 students · 14.6:1 ratio
• SPRING LAKE MAGNET CENTER
  Elementary · BELLEVUE · 700 students · 14:1 ratio

Most recent

• M 3.3 — 2010-11-18
  4 km E of Octavia, Nebraska
• M 3.6 — 2009-12-17
  2 km NW of Auburn, Nebraska
• M 3.5 — 2004-07-16
  6 km SSE of Riverton, Iowa