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Gothenburg, Nebraska

Gothenburg, Nebraska

Gothenburg was founded in the late 1800s, by Olaf Bergstrom, a worker with the Union Pacific Railroad. The Union Pacific Railroad was expanding westward and settlements were springing up. Bergstrom chose a farmstead north of the townsite and traveled back to Sweden to convince his fellow countrymen to migrate to Nebraska to build a new town in the west. Along with the Swedes, many Germans and Danes settled in the area, as is evidenced by the name Gothenburg. The town was named for Goteborg, Sweden, but was given a German spelling by railroad officials. By July of 1885, Gothenburg was incorporated as a town with a population of 300.

Gothenburg was one of the first towns between Omaha and Denver to have electricity. Lake Helen was constructed on the north edge of town in 1891 to generate electricity which encouraged several industries and factories to locate in Gothenburg in the 1890s. Lake Helen was the largest man made lake in Nebraska at that time. Electricity brought an industrial boom, followed by agricultural redirection, which became the town's economic mainstay.

In recent years, on the centennial of Lake Helen's construction, Gothenburg was named All-America City by the National Civic League. In 1993, Gothenburg helped Dawson County achieve All-America City status. Dawson County is the only county in Nebraska to win this distinction.

Attractions and Upcoming Events

Pony Express Station

The Sam Machette Station was used as an early fur trading post/ranch house along the Oregon Trail southwest of Gothenburg before it was used as a Pony Express station during its operation between April 1860 and November 1861

Gothenburg, NE Pony Express

First Presbyterian Church

In August of 1904, the ground on which the church now stands was purchased for the sum of $450. Ground was broken in August 1905 and the original building was competed in early 1907. At that time, the total cost of the building was $5,650. The beautiful stain glass windows are original.

Gothenburg, NE Historic Churches

Pony Express Mural

The Pony Express galloped through the West in 18 short months before Nebraska gained statehood. The historic value of those early times is being preserved in Gothenburg, which was named Pony Express Capital of Nebraska in 1991

Gothenburg, NE Arts

Ernest A. Calling House

Ernest A. Calling, a pioneer businessman of Gothenburg, hired L.J. Anderson to build this distinctive Queen Anne style home in 1907. Born in Klipp, Sweden, in 1870, Calling emigrated to the United States in 1889

Gothenburg, NE National Register


Things to do near Gothenburg, NE

Midway Stage Station

The Midway Stage Pony Express station still stands on its original location on the Oregon Trail at the Lower 96 Ranch four mi...