Tekamah, NE

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Tekamah is located 40 miles north of Omaha on Hwy 75, South of Sioux City 60 miles on Hwy 75, and East of Norfolk 60 miles on Hwy 32. The Missouri River is just a few miles to the east and accessible at the Pelican Point State Park facility. The park offers a boat ramp and a picnic area. A claim was staked to establish Tekamah as a town in October 1854. On March 14, 1855, Tekamah became an incorporated city by an act of the first territorial legislature of Nebraska.

A peculiar method produced the town’s name. According to the diary of Colonel B.R. Folsom, who worked with the original town site company, Tekamah was literally chosen by the luck of the draw. When the decision had been reached to make the location a settlement, a problem arose in naming it. It was agreed that each of the exploration parties should write their favorite name on a slip of paper and drop it into a hat. The first name drawn out would then become the official name of the community. The first name drawn was “Tekamah.”

A surveyor, William Byers, contributed the name. An Indian translation defines Tekamah as meaning “big cottonwoods,” and this is appropriate due to the large cottonwood trees that grew along the banks of Tekamah creek and were scattered over the territory. Another translation found through research says the name “Teka-mah” comes from the Egyptian or Arabic language and means “bloody battlefield.” Researchers claim that centuries ago many tribes of Indians collided with a pale-faced foe in the Tekamah valley. During the years following the settling of the area, documentation was found indicating that many exposed human bones were found. The translation in either language is appropriate as there is evidence enough for both. It is unclear which translation prompted Byers to suggest it as a contender. To this day Tekamah is a name that belongs exclusively to Burt County.

Much of the early history of Tekamah is associated with the foundation of Burt County. Tekamah was alone in Burt County for a long period of time. In turn, the surrounding area rotated around it. It wasn’t until after the Civil War that settler began locating on homesteads further west. At this time the town began to have an identity apart from the county. Tekamah become the county seat after a courthouse war in 1877.