“We Are Nebraska Counties” is NACO’s contribution to the “We Are Counties” campaign led by the National Association of Counties. Telling the county story lets us showcase the people and places that make Nebraska unique while simultaneously highlighting the important role that county governments play nationwide.
Here’s Douglas County’s story, generously provided by Commissioner Mary Ann Borgeson:
Douglas County, Nebraska, was established in 1854 and is the largest county in Nebraska. Douglas County contains over one-fourth of the state's entire population. Despite being a metro area, Douglas County has nearly 400 farms, ranging from large industrial producers to small organic, community-supported operations. The county was named after Senator Stephen A. Douglas, famously known as the "Little Giant," who opposed Abraham Lincoln in the 1860 presidential election and introduced the 1854 Kansas-Nebraska Act.
The County operates under the board of commissioners-administrator form of government. Policy making is vested in the Board of Commissioners, which consists of seven members.
Our Vision
Our vision is to be one of the elite Counties in the United States.
Our Mission
To respect and respond to Douglas County citizens and provide quality services in a cost-effective and efficient manner.
Historically, Douglas County was assigned the number "1" on Nebraska license plates because it had the highest number of registered vehicles.
Douglas County has been home to the College World Series since 1950 and is the birthplace of the Reuben sandwich – invented at the Blackstone Hotel around 1925 by grocer Reuben Kulakofsky.
Douglas County served as a historic meatpacking center and the largest stockyards. The South Omaha Stockyards were the largest in the world from 1955 to 1971. Founded in 1883, the yards surpassed the Chicago Union Stock Yards in 1955 as the top livestock market and meatpacking center, holding that title for nearly two decades. At their height, the stockyards encompassed over 260 acres, with pens covering nearly 200 acres.
In 1955, the yards achieved a record, with over 53,000 cattle on-site during a single day in the fall. The industry was so dominant that by 1957, it was estimated that jobs related to the stockyards employed half of all Omaha workers. South Omaha was a major hub for large packing companies like Armour, Cudahy, Swift, and Wilson. Due to industry changes, including the shift of slaughterhouses closer to rural feedlots, the stockyards began to decline in the 1960s. The Union Stockyards company was sold in 1973 and officially closed in 1999, though the Livestock Exchange Building still stands, listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Douglas County has a local shop, Coneflower Creamery, that brings the "Cornhusker State" title to dessert with unique flavors like sweet corn, honey cornbread, and caramel popcorn, and is home of the "Cheese Frenchie": A 1950s classic, it is a deep-fried grilled cheese sandwich.
Our county features notable landmarks such as the birthplace of President Gerald Ford. Fort Omaha & General Crook House: A 19th-century military post featuring the restored home of Gen. George Crook, and our Douglas County Courthouse: A landmark example of French Renaissance Revival architecture.
We are proud of our resilient community spirit, diverse economic stability, and commitment to healthcare and emergency response. As the state’s most populous county, it anchors a thriving metro area while maintaining a strong, collaborative community culture.
Douglas County prides itself on a robust tradition of interagency cooperation, especially within Douglas County Emergency Management, which ensures the county is prepared for natural disasters. This includes a dedicated 911 dispatch team. Douglas County is very proud of its Douglas County Health Center, which has provided high-quality long-term care for over 125 years and is recognized as one of Nebraska’s top-rated facilities.
The county also serves as a major insurance and telemarketing center, maintaining diverse, stable employment with unemployment rates consistently below national averages. Douglas County actively fosters community involvement through various boards and commissions to guide the future of the region.
