Bellevue in Sarpy County, Nebraska — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)
Fontenelle Bank - County Courthouse
March 29, 2010
1. Fontenelle Bank - County Courthouse Marker
This building of handmade bricks was constructed in 1856 to serve as the Fontenelle Bank. During the financial Panic of 1857 the Fontenelle Bank failed as did most of the other poorly backed wildcat banks in the Nebraska Territory.
In 1861 by authority of the Territorial Legislature the building was acquired by Sarpy County for use as the courthouse. In 1875 the County Seat was moved to Papillion. The city of Bellevue then utilized the building as the Town Hall until 1960, when a municipal building was completed. In 1961 Mrs. Harold D. LeMar purchased the building for preservation. In 1969 this rare structure was entered in the National Register of Historic Places. with the aid of a grant for historic preservation from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the building was purchased by the City of Bellevue and restored. In the history of Nebraska, buildings such as this have given service as the transition has been made from frontier settlements to modern communities. It has been preserved as one of the earliest public buildings in the State and remains a tribute to the heritage of Bellevue and Nebraska.
Erected by Mrs. Harold LeMar and the Nebraska State Historical Society. (Marker Number 051.)
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed
this page online
Location. 41° 8.2′ N, 95° 53.467′ W. Marker is in Bellevue, Nebraska, in Sarpy County. Marker is at the intersection of Main Street and Mission Avenue (Nebraska Highway 370), on the right when traveling west on Main Street. The building is located on the northwest corner of the intersection. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: Main Street, Bellevue NE 68005, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 5 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. First Presbyterian Church (approx. ¼ mile away); Astorian Expedition (approx. ¼ mile away); Bellevue (approx. 0.3 miles away); a different marker also named Bellevue (approx. 0.3 miles away); Bellevue Log Cabin (approx. 0.3 miles away); Bellevue Cemetery (approx. 0.8 miles away); Big Elk, Bellevue Cemetery (approx. 0.9 miles away); Oto Mission (approx. 4.7 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Bellevue.
Photographed By Trevor L Whited, July 14, 2023
2. Fontenelle Bank - County Courthouse Marker
Photographed By Daniel Shurtliff, February 9, 2015
3. Fontenelle Bank - County Courthouse
Credits. This page was last revised on July 21, 2023. It was originally submitted on February 15, 2015, by Joan Shurtliff of Seward, Nebraska. This page has been viewed 316 times since then and 18 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on April 30, 2016. 2. submitted on July 20, 2023, by Trevor L Whited of Kokomo, Indiana. 3. submitted on February 15, 2015, by Joan Shurtliff of Seward, Nebraska. • Kevin W. was the editor who published this page.
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