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Photograph of Saunders County Courthouse
Photograph by Ammodramus, Public domain. Via Wikimedia Commons.

Saunders County Courthouse

Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1990.

From the record

“The Saunders County Courthouse is a historic building in Wahoo, Nebraska, and the courthouse of Saunders County, Nebraska. It was built in 1904, and it was designed in the Renaissance Revival style by Fisher & Lawrie, an architectural firm based in Omaha.”

Wikipedia article Saunders County Courthouse, CC BY-SA 4.0.

One of 16 National Register listings published here for Saunders County · listed in 1990 · category: District.

Sources: the Wikipedia article · the case file at the National Archives · the National Register database, National Park Service

The listing

  • What is counted as historic. The nomination lists 2 buildingss as contributing to the listing.
  • Address. Chestnut between 4th and 5th Sts., Wahoo, 68070
  • When was it listed? January 1990
  • Category. district
  • Also known as. County Courthouses of Nebraska MPS
  • Township. Chapman township
  • National Register reference number. 89002220 - the number the National Park Service assigned this property when it was listed, and the key its nomination file is catalogued under at the National Archives.

Fires near this property

20 since 2005

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal wildfire occurrence database lists 20 fires within 5 miles of Saunders County Courthouse between 2005 and 2018, burning about 16 acres in total. 1 started naturally. None was recorded as arson. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a fire counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.

Reported cause Fires
Debris and open burning9
Missing data/not specified/undetermined3
Power generation/transmission/distribution3
Equipment and vehicle use3
Fireworks1
Natural1

The most recent of them, most recent first, with the day each was reported and the service that recorded it.

DateCause SizeReported by Name on the report
4 July 2017Fireworks2.0 acresNebraska Forest Servicenot named
16 July 2008Power generation/transmission/distributionunder an acreNebraska Forest Servicenot named
13 July 2016Debris and open burning2.0 acresNebraska Forest Servicenot named
8 June 2016Debris and open burningunder an acreNebraska Forest Servicenot named
26 May 2018Missing data/not specified/undeterminedunder an acreNebraska Forest Servicenot named
10 May 2018Debris and open burning1.0 acresNebraska Forest Servicenot named
4 April 2009Power generation/transmission/distribution2.0 acresNebraska Forest Servicenot named
16 April 2018Missing data/not specified/undeterminedunder an acreNebraska Forest Servicenot named

Every fire recorded in Saunders County

Storms near this property

60 of 80 shown

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The National Weather Service names Wahoo, the town this property stands in, in 80 storm reports between 1994 and 2025: 31 thunderstorm wind, 30 hail, 13 flood, 5 flash flood. The reports record 1 injury. Each account below is quoted exactly as the forecast office filed it, from the NOAA Storm Events Database, and each date opens the federal record of that event.

WhenEvent Place namedHarm What the report says
April 1999Thunderstorm WindWahoo1 hurt, $20,000A thunderstorm downburst destroyed the roof of a garage in Wahoo and caused other damage to houses and trees in town. A man broke his arm when a storm door blew open and pushed him off his porch.
September 2006FloodWahoo$500,000Rainfall of 2 to 5 inches fell over a large part of central and western Saunders county during the overnight hours of 9/15/06 and early 9/16/06. The heavy rain initially flooded tributaries of Wahoo Creek around the Wahoo area, including Sand Creek, flooding and eventually closing Highway 92 west of town, Highway 77 east of town and old Highway 77 south of town. Besides flooding hundreds of acres of farmland, the flood waters also affected the Fairgrounds and surrounding areas of east and southeast Wahoo, and at least 1 car was flooded. A dance floor east of town was severely damaged by the flood waters along with railroad tracks in the vicinity. The water eventually consolidated into Wahoo Creek causing it to cross its 19 foot flood stage at Ithaca at 1215 pm cdt on 9/16/06. The creek at Ithaca crested at 21.91 feet at 415 am cdt on 9/17/06 and fell below flood stage at 1245 pm on 9/17/06.
May 2007Flash FloodWahoo$200,000Heavy rain caused flash flooding of a ballfield and railroad tracks near town. Some county bridges also experienced minor washouts. Rainfall amounts were 2 to 4 inches this day.
August 2014FloodWahoo$100,000Emergency management, media, and various spotters reported widespread flooding in and around the Wahoo area due to heavy overnight rainfall. The flooding began during the mid morning on the 28th, and continued until early the next morning. At the height of the flooding all, but roads except one gravel road were closed in and out of Wahoo. This included United States Highway 77 and Nebraska Highway 92.
August 2007LightningWahoo$100,000A lightning bolt struck a house near Wahoo which quickly caused a fire causing around $100,000 worth of damage. An upstairs office with collectibles was hardest hit.
August 2007FloodWahoo$70,000Heavy rain caused flooding along Wahoo Creek and a few of it't tributaries, including Sand Creek, from near the Wahoo area downstream through Ithaca. Flooding along Sand Creek closed Highway 77/92 just east of Wahoo for 19 hours beginning around midnight CDT on 8/29. Flooding along Wahoo Creek also closed Old Highway 77 southwest of Wahoo and Highway 92 near the junction with new Highway 77 west of town on the 29th. At least 3 structures, like bridges and culverts, sustained damage across the county, and a lot of gravel was washed off of county roads. A railroad track east of Wahoo was damaged due to flood waters as well. Rainfall of 5 inches was reported near Czechland Lake while a reading southwest of Cedar Bluffs came in at 6.5 inches.||Wahoo Creek at Ithaca crested at 22.15 feet at 915 pm CDT on August 29th, flood stage is 19 feet. The creek near Ithaca was above flood stage from around 315 am on 8/29 until 845 am on the 30th, although flood waters did not subside from some county roads until Friday the 31st.
August 2007Flash FloodWahoo$10,000Rainfall of an inch or two in less than 1 hour caused areas of flash flooding along Wahoo Creek and a few of it's tributaries. About a dozen roads in the area were barricaded for a while, and state Highway 92 was closed near Wahoo for a while because of flood waters.
May 2011FloodWahoo$1,000Rainfall of 2 inches or more fell near and west of Wahoo with a little less than that reported east of town. Prague reported 2.84 inches of rain over the 24 hour period ending 7am CDT 5/20. The heavy rain produced flooding along Sand Creek or Cottonwood Creek which flooded across Highway 77/92 east of Wahoo prompting its closure for several hours.
June 2025Thunderstorm WindWahoo-NWS employee reported large tree branches (6 to 8 inches in diameter) down. Time estimated from radar.
July 2025Thunderstorm WindWahoo-Mesonet measured wind gust of 65 mph along the outflow boundary of a thunderstorm.
September 2025Thunderstorm WindWahoo-Amateur radio report of wind gusts estimated up to 60 mph.
September 2025HailWahoo-Trained spotter report of hail measured up to penny sized.
July 2024FloodWahoo-River flooding was noted along the Wahoo Creek after excessive rainfall brought flash flooding to much of the surrounding areas the night before. The creek crested the evening of the 2nd, with the highest recorded height of 20.37 feet at the Ashland gauge (ASNN1).
July 2023Thunderstorm WindWahoo-A personal weather station measured a peak wind gust of 68 mph.
May 2022Thunderstorm WindWahoo-Wahoo AWOS measured a peak wind gust of 51 knots (59 mph).
May 2022Thunderstorm WindWahoo-Wahoo AWOS measured a peak wind gust of 59 mph.
April 2022HailWahoo-NWS Employee reported 1 inch hail.
July 2021Thunderstorm WindWahoo-Public reported a 10 inch tree branch down in Wahoo.
August 2021HailWahoo-Public reported 1.5 inch hail.
August 2020HailWahoo-Trained spotter reported 1.5 inch hail.
March 2019FloodWahoo-Highway 92 along the bypass around Wahoo is closed.
March 2019FloodWahoo-First street is closed between County Road 19 and US 77 due to flooding.
May 2019FloodWahoo-Water reported over Highway 92 west of Wahoo.
June 2018Thunderstorm WindWahoo-A 60 mph wind at Wahoo Airport.
October 2017FloodWahoo-Flooding was observed at two river gages along Wahoo Creek. In Wahoo the river reached a stage of 25.32 feet, which is above moderate flood stage. In Ithaca the gage reached a stage of 19.85 feet, flood stage is 19 feet.
April 2016FloodWahoo-Minor flooding was observed along the Wahoo Creek from near Wahoo downstream to Ithaca.
May 2016FloodWahoo-Flooding was observed along Wahoo Creek from near Wahoo downstream to near Ashland. The flooding generally minor, but did flood the bridge over Wahoo creek on old State Highway 77. The flooding also impacted a few homes near the city of Ithaca, but otherwise the flooding was mainly confined to agricultural land along the river.
June 2016FloodWahoo-Minor flooding was observed along the Wahoo Creek from near Wahoo to Ithaca. The flooding was generally confined to agricultural land along the channel of the creek.
November 2015Thunderstorm WindWahoo-The Wahoo golf club reported significant tree damage.
May 2014FloodWahoo-Heavy rain caused flooding along Wahoo Creek from near old Highway 77 south of Wahoo, to near Ithaca then toward Ashland. The flooding impacted a few county roads and farm fields near the creek. At Ithaca the creek reached around 20 feet during this time, flood stage is 19 feet.
May 2013Thunderstorm WindWahoo-Roof damaged on a trailer house along county road K near the cemetery.
May 2012Thunderstorm WindWahoo-Thunderstorm wind gusts were estimated at 70 mph in the Wahoo area.
May 2012Thunderstorm WindWahoo-Thunderstorm wind gusts which peaked at a measured 68 mph at the Wahoo airport, were accompanied by nickel-size hail.
May 2012HailWahoo-The hail was accompanied by thunderstorm wind gusts which reached 68 mph at the Wahoo airport.
May 2012Thunderstorm WindWahoo-A thunderstorm wind gust of 58 mph was measured at the Wahoo airport.
July 2011Thunderstorm WindWahoo-A thunderstorm wind gust of 65 mph was recorded by the Awos near Wahoo.
June 2011HailWahoo-Hail reached up to around golf ball-size in the Wahoo area. The hail was from a slow moving supercell thunderstorm that brought a prolonged period of hail from the western and northern sections of Fremont west and southwest through Cedar Bluffs and Wahoo.
August 2011HailWahoo-Most of the hail was pea-size, but some stones were nickel to quarter-size.
July 2010Thunderstorm WindWahoo-Thunderstorm wind gusts estimated at around 65 mph downed trees and a few power lines in the Wahoo area.
September 2010HailWahoo-Hail up to 2 inches in diameter was reported from around 5 miles north of Wahoo into Wahoo. The hail was accompanied by thunderstorm winds at least 50 mph which downed some small tree limbs in Wahoo.
June 2009Thunderstorm WindWahoo-Local media weather equipment measured a thunderstorm wind gust of 58 mph in the Wahoo area. The winds knocked down a few tree limbs in town but overall the damage was nothing major according to the county Emergency Manager.
July 2007Thunderstorm WindWahoo-Thunderstorm winds estimated at around 60 mph blew a large tree limb onto a power line in town.
August 2007Thunderstorm WindWahoo-A thunderstorm wind gust was measured at 68 mph by an area media meteorologist.
August 2007Thunderstorm WindWahoo-Thunderstorm wind gusts estimated at 70 to 75 mph did significant damage to corn and trees in an area 6 miles wide by 10 miles long from east of Wahoo to northeast of Ashland according a local crop consultant. A grove of elm trees was uprooted and corn flattened in the area.||In the Camp Ashland area, approximately 50 trees were destroyed and several roofs sustained damage.
July 2006Thunderstorm WindWahoo-Thunderstorm winds were estimated by a trained spotter at around 60 mph in Wahoo. The winds knocked over a large tree in town.
September 2006Thunderstorm WindWahoo-Thunderstorm winds estimated at 70 mph tore the roof off of a farm out-building near Wahoo and knocked down most of a large tree near First and Elm Streets in town.
September 2005HailWahoo-Hail up to golfball size fell from 3 miles northwest of Wahoo to the Yutan area. Some house damage was reported.
May 2004Thunderstorm WindWahoo-A cooperative observer reported that thunderstorm winds estimated at around 60 mph knocked down a few large tree limbs in town.
July 2003Thunderstorm WindWahoo-Thunderstorm wind gusts estimated at least at 60 mph caused tree damage in Wahoo. Some of the downed tree branches damaged a few houses in town.
April 2002Thunderstorm WindWahoo-Thunderstorm wind gusts of around 60 mph were reported by a ham radio operator.
June 2002Thunderstorm WindWahoo-A small cluster of severe thunderstorms tracked across Saunders county from just north of Wahoo south toward Valparaiso then east into Douglas county near Valley. The storms produced wind gusts estimated at over 70 mph which downed numerous trees and power lines and snapped power poles from just north through east of Wahoo through Wahoo itself then south to 3 miles north of Valparaiso. Tree damage was quite extensive in Wahoo where enough debris clogged city streets that city crews used bulldozers to clear them. OPPD estimated that around 3000 customers lost power for a time because of the storm.
April 2001Thunderstorm WindWahoo-A thunderstorm wind gust estimated at 80 mph by a trained spotter blew a vehicle off of a road near Wahoo.
May 2000Thunderstorm WindWahoo-Thunderstorm wind gusts between 55 and 60 mph produced zero visibility in blowing dust.
May 2000Thunderstorm WindWahoo-Thunderstorm wind gust snapped a power pole just east of Wahoo.
June 1999Flash FloodWahoo-Flash flooding closed highway 77 south of town for a while.
July 1994Thunderstorm WindWahoo-Strong thunderstorm winds caused extensive tree damage around Wahoo and Malmo.
September 2019HailWahoo-no account filed
May 2019HailWahoo-no account filed
September 2019HailWahoo-no account filed
March 2016HailWahoo-no account filed

Every storm recorded in Saunders County

Map coverage status

No historic map-sheet match is published for this property yet. That does not mean no map exists. This record needs a coordinate-quality review before it can be joined to a sheet boundary. Browse the county's mapped places while that work is pending.

Listed places nearby

5 within 8 miles

Other National Register properties close enough to walk or drive between, ordered by distance from this one. Both positions come from the same geocoding pass that matched these properties to their map sheets.

Photograph PropertyDistance Listed
Kacirek-Woita General Store1.5 miles2014
Howard Hanson House5.8 miles1983
F.J. Kirchman House5.9 miles2003
Wahoo Burlington Depot6.1 miles1985
O. K. Market6.4 miles1991

Sources for this property

National Archives recordThe nomination case file for reference 89002220 in Record Group 79.
Wikipedia articleCommunity-written account of this property, licensed CC BY-SA.
Saunders CountyAll 16 listed properties in this county.

Provenance

  • Listing record. National Park Service National Register of Historic Places, listed-properties dataset, current to 2026-05-22.
  • Map join. Address geocoded through the United States Census geocoder, then tested against the published boundary of every sheet in the USGS Historical Topographic Map Collection.
  • How this page is made. Listing fields come from federal records; map-sheet coverage is a labelled coordinate-to-boundary calculation, not a source-field claim.
  • Wildfire. Short, Karen C. 2022. Spatial wildfire occurrence data for the United States, 1992-2020 [FPA_FOD_20221014]. 6th Edition. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2013-0009.6 Collected with United States Government funding and usable without additional permissions or fees.
  • Storms. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105. Narratives are quoted verbatim from the National Weather Service report and are not edited or summarised.