Lincoln Nebraska - Nebraska Directory

Mailing ZIP code: 68501

City · Lancaster County · County seat · Population 291,082 (2020 census) · ZIP 68508 · Founded 1864

About Lincoln

Lincoln is the capital of Nebraska and the seat of Lancaster County, a city of 291,082 people at the 2020 census (about 301,500 in 2025) and the state’s second-largest, at 1,201 feet on Salt Creek. I-80 crosses the north side of the city with seven open exits (395 to 409), and I-180, signed with US 34, runs from Exit 401 into downtown; US 6, US 77 and NE 2 also serve the city. It is home to the Nebraska State Capitol, the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, Nebraska Wesleyan University, Union Adventist University, Southeast Community College and Bryan College of Health Sciences. Lincoln Airport has United flights to Chicago O’Hare and Denver, American flights to Dallas–Fort Worth (and to Chicago until early April 2027, with seasonal Phoenix from December 17, 2026) and Breeze flights to Orlando, Las Vegas and Orange County; Amtrak’s California Zephyr stops daily each way, and StarTran runs the city buses. Lincoln is on Central Time.

History

Capt. W. T. Donovan’s family settled on Salt Creek in 1856, drawn by the salt flats, and the Rev. John M. Young brought a religious colony in 1863. The village of Lancaster was platted on August 6, 1864. When Nebraska became a state on March 1, 1867, the Legislature voted to move the capital from Omaha to a site south of the Platte. Omaha Sen. J. N. H. Patrick proposed naming it for Abraham Lincoln, hoping the name would turn south-of-the-Platte lawmakers against the move, but the bill passed anyway. The Capital Commission — Gov. David Butler, Secretary of State Thomas Kennard and Auditor John Gillespie — set out on July 18, 1867, and chose Lancaster, then about 30 people; the plat of Lincoln was finished on September 6, 1867. The first capitol was completed on December 1, 1868, the University of Nebraska was chartered in 1869, the city was incorporated on April 1, 1869, and the Burlington & Missouri River’s first train arrived on June 26, 1870. Today’s Capitol, designed by Bertram Grosvenor Goodhue, was built from 1922 to 1932; its tower rises about 400 feet beneath the 19-foot Sower, and it became a National Historic Landmark in 1976. Lincoln Air Force Base operated on the northwest side from 1952 to 1966. Born in Lincoln: legal scholar Roscoe Pound (1870), writer Loren Eiseley (1907), speechwriter Ted Sorensen (1928), Vice President Dick Cheney (1941), Sen. Bob Kerrey (1943) and actress Hilary Swank (1974).

Highways and trails through Lincoln

Route	One way	Other way
I-80Across the north side: Exits 395, 397, 399 (airport), 401 (I-180 downtown), 403, 405 and 409	West to Seward and York	East to Waverly and Omaha
US 77North–south; shares I-80 between Exits 397 and 405	North to Wahoo and Fremont	South past Roca to Beatrice
US 6East–west through the city	West to Milford	East to Waverly and Omaha
NE 2Southeast on the South Beltway	Southeast to Bennet, Palmyra and Nebraska City	West end at Lincoln

Nearby towns

Cheney	about 7 mi southeast	County roads
Denton	about 10 mi west-southwest	W. Denton Rd.
Waverly	about 10 mi northeast	US 6
Roca	about 10 mi south	US 77
Raymond	about 12 mi north-northwest	NE 79
Davey	about 12 mi north	County roads
Malcolm	about 12 mi northwest	County roads
Martell	about 13 mi south-southwest	County roads
Bennet	about 13 mi southeast	NE 2
Eagle	about 13 mi east	US 34
Hickman	about 13 mi south	US 77
Sprague	about 13 mi south-southwest	County roads
Palmyra	about 17 mi east-southeast	NE 2
Ceresco	about 17 mi north	US 77
Crete	about 20 mi southwest	NE 33

Things to see

the Nebraska State Capitol, 1445 K St.: free tours on the hour and a 14th-floor observation deck · the Nebraska History Museum, 131 Centennial Mall N. · Morrill Hall and Mueller Planetarium, 645 N. 14th St. · the free Sheldon Museum of Art and the Great Plains Art Museum · the International Quilt Museum on UNL’s East Campus · the Museum of American Speed, the Lincoln Children’s Museum and the Lincoln Children’s Zoo · Sunken Gardens and the free Pioneers Park Nature Center · Hyde Memorial Observatory on Holmes Lake (free Saturday nights) · the Historic Haymarket, with its Saturday farmers’ market (May to mid-October) · Robber’s Cave and Pinnacle Bank Arena

Events in Lincoln

Haymarket Farmers’ Market
Haymarket Farmers' Market in Lincoln, Nebraska.
Lancaster County Super Fair
Lancaster County Fair, a county fair in Lincoln, Nebraska.
Lincoln Marathon & Half Marathon
Lincoln’s spring marathon and half marathon; the 50th running is May 2, 2027.

Know of another event here? Tell us about it.

Schools and health care

Schools: Lincoln Public Schools (high schools: Lincoln High, East, Northeast, Southeast, North Star, Northwest, Southwest and Standing Bear); Pius X High School; University of Nebraska–Lincoln; Nebraska Wesleyan University; Union Adventist University (Union College until 2024); Southeast Community College; Bryan College of Health Sciences

Health care: Bryan Medical Center East, 1600 S. 48th St., and West, 2300 S. 16th St., (402) 481-1111; CHI Health St. Elizabeth, 555 S. 70th St., (402) 219-8000; Madonna Rehabilitation Hospital, 5401 South St., (402) 413-3000; Lincoln VA Clinic, 420 Victory Park Dr.

Sources: U.S. Census; Wikipedia; Andreas, History of the State of Nebraska (1882); Nebraska State Gazetteer (1890); NEGenWeb Lancaster County; History Nebraska; National Register; Nebraska Game and Parks; Lower Platte South NRD; City of Lincoln; Lincoln Airport; Nebraska State Capitol; Flatwater Free Press; school districts; city and village sites. Distances marked "about" are straight-line estimates.