Nebraska Highway 32: Petersburg to Tekamah
Nebraska Highway 32 runs about 101 miles across northeast Nebraska, from Nebraska 14 in Petersburg east to US 75 in Tekamah. It passes north of Newman Grove, runs through Madison, crosses the open farm country of Stanton County, enters the Elkhorn valley at West Point, and goes through Oakland to Tekamah, a few miles from the Missouri River. It is one continuous road through five counties and shares short stretches with Nebraska 45 and US 275.
Before it was 32.
No named auto trail followed this road, but it crossed several. On the 1924 list of Nebraska's named highways, the Meridian Highway, today's US 81, passed through Madison, and the Cornhusker Highway ran north through Lyons, near today's US 77 at Oakland. The Blue Pole Highway, which ran from Chadron to Fremont, probably followed the Elkhorn valley through West Point.
The present Highway 32 dates from the mid-1920s; sources give 1925 or 1926. An earlier Highway 32, from 1921 to 1925, was a different road whose pieces became parts of other routes.
The railroads shaped the towns. Petersburg was platted in 1887 when a Chicago & North Western branch arrived, Madison was a station on the Omaha, Niobrara & Black Hills, the railroad reached West Point in 1870, Craig began as a water stop on the Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha, and the Burlington built to Oakland in 1900. Tekamah, founded in 1854, and West Point, founded in 1857, are older than their railroads.
Begin your journey at Petersburg and head east: past the Newman Grove turnoff, through Madison and the farmland of Stanton County, across the Elkhorn at West Point, and through Swedish Oakland to Tekamah.
Counties along Highway 32, west to east: Boone · Madison · Stanton · Cuming · Burt
Boone County on Highway 32
Petersburg.
On the road: Petersburg (NE 14) · Albion (south on NE 14) · Boone County page
Highway 32 begins at Nebraska 14 in Petersburg and runs east to the Madison County line.
History along the road. Petersburg was platted in 1887, when a Chicago & North Western branch line reached it, and named for John Peters, who owned the town site. A 1955 marker in the town park recalls Omaha chief Logan Fontenelle, who was killed near here in July 1855.
Live cameras. Images from Nebraska 511; click one to open it full size.
Madison County on Highway 32
The Newman Grove turnoff and Madison.
On the road: Newman Grove (south on NE 45) · Madison (US 81) · Norfolk (north on US 81) · Madison County page
In Madison County the road shares about five miles with Nebraska 45, which leads south to Newman Grove, passes Nebraska 121 and runs into Madison, the county seat, crossing US 81 at the east end of town.
History along the road. Madison was settled about 1867–68, named for the county, and has been the county seat since 1875; it was a station on the Omaha, Niobrara & Black Hills Railroad. The Madison County Historical Society Museum, downtown, keeps an 1880 fire pumper and collections on the Meridian Highway, today's US 81.
Live cameras. Images from Nebraska 511; click one to open it full size.
Stanton County on Highway 32
Open farm country.
On the road: Stanton (north on NE 57) · Pilger (north on NE 15) · Stanton County page
Highway 32 crosses Stanton County without passing through a town. It crosses Nebraska 57, which leads north to Stanton, the county seat, and Nebraska 15, which leads north to Pilger.
History along the road. Stanton lies about eight miles north of the road on the Elkhorn River, and Pilger, struck by an EF4 tornado in 2014, is about twelve miles north.
Cuming County on Highway 32
West Point and the Elkhorn.
On the road: West Point (US 275) · Wisner (north) · Cuming County Historical Society Museum · Cuming County page
The road comes into West Point, the county seat, on the Elkhorn River and shares about two-thirds of a mile with US 275 in town.
History along the road. West Point was founded in the spring of 1857 as New Philadelphia and renamed because it was the westernmost settlement in the Elkhorn valley; it has been the county seat since 1858, and the railroad arrived in 1870. The Cuming County Historical Society's museum complex on the fairgrounds includes the old depot, a one-room school and a tractor museum.
Live cameras. Images from Nebraska 511; click one to open it full size.
Burt County on Highway 32
Oakland, Craig and Tekamah.
On the road: Oakland (US 77) · Lyons (north on US 77) · Craig (spur) · Tekamah (US 75) · Burt County page
Highway 32 crosses US 77 in Oakland, passes a short spur to Craig, and ends at US 75 in Tekamah, the county seat. Summit Lake State Recreation Area is about three miles west of Tekamah, and Pelican Point State Recreation Area, on the Missouri River, is about nine miles northeast.
History along the road. Oakland, named for settler John Oak and incorporated in 1881, calls itself the Swedish Capital of Nebraska; its Swedish Heritage Center is on US 77, and it has hosted the Burt County Fair since 1913. Craig began as a water stop on the Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha. Tekamah was founded in 1854, its name is said to come from the Omaha word for "big cottonwood," and the Burt County Museum is in the 1904 E. C. Houston House.
Live cameras. Images from Nebraska 511; click one to open it full size.
Nebraska Road Conditions & Highway 32 Travel Tips
Highway 32 is two lanes all the way. In fall 2026, NDOT is rebuilding the stretch between Nebraska 57 and the West Point area, and the road is down to one lane there at times. Check current conditions before you travel, especially in winter.
RV Travel & Camping Along Highway 32
- Summit Lake State Recreation Area — west of Tekamah
- Pelican Point State Recreation Area — on the Missouri northeast of Tekamah
Related Nebraska Travel Corridors
- Highway 14 — at Petersburg
- US Highway 81 — at Madison
- Highway 15 — in Stanton County
- US Highway 275 — at West Point
- US Highway 75 — at Tekamah
- ← Explore All Nebraska Travel Corridors