Saunders

Formed January 26, 1856 (24^th county)

Saunders County (22,280), Wahoo (4,817)

The Romanesque Revival courthouse was erected in 1904.  It sits on a hill at Chestnut and 5^th streets.  United States Highway 77 Business is Chestnut Street in the town.  The architects of the tan brick structure were George L. Fisher and Harry Lawrie.  The structure features a tower.  The grounds have an eternal flame and an outstanding veterans’ memorial area highlighted by a Vietnam Veterans Wall replica.  A Justice Center was added in 2009.  Saunders County was created on January 26, 1856 from parts of Douglas and Lancaster counties as the 24^th county.  Ashland was the first county seat until 1867 when Wahoo assumed the role.  The county is named for Territorial Governor Alvin Saunders.  The county seat is named for a local shrub. 

Saunders County government consists of a sheriff, an attorney, a treasurer and a clerk (executive).  It has 7 Commissioners (legislative.)  Four District Court Judges and Four County Court Judges serve Saunders, Boone, Butler, Colfax, Hamilton, Merrick, Nance, Platte, Polk, Seward and York counties (judicial.)  Saunders County is located in eastern Nebraska.  Omaha, Nebraska is directly east and Lincoln, Nebraska is directly east.  The Platte River is its northern and eastern borders.  The county is 2.1 miles Northeast of Wahoo.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Dodge, Douglas, Sarpy, Cass, Lancaster, Seward, Butler, and Colfax counties. 

The area of the county is 754 square miles.  It is 29 out of 93 in the state.  It ranks 14 out of 93 in population in the state.  It has a density of 29.5 persons per square mile making it 15 out of 93 in the state.  Saunders County has 59.4% of its population in its incorporated areas.  United States Highway 77 crosses north to south in the county from Dodge County to Lancaster County.  The county is shaped like an overstuffed chair.  Wahoo is located in the southern third of the county.  Wahoo is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 21.6% of the county population.  The county seat is pronounced WA-HOO.  This county is in the Omaha-Council Bluffs Metropolitan Statistical Area.