Dodge County: Lakes, History and Festivals

Dodge County can be explored through a wide range of experiences: gravel pits and wildlife-viewing trails sit alongside historic buildings, museums and festivals in several communities. To start planning your trip, decide whether nature, architecture or a particular event date will be your main focus. Fremont and Dodge County are within a relatively short driving distance of the metropolitan areas of Omaha and Lincoln.

Lakes, Trails and Seasonal Nature Experiences

Fremont Lakes State Recreation Area combines about 40 acres of land with nearly 300 acres of water across 20 gravel pits. Dead Timber State Recreation Area offers a different experience: this 200-acre recreation area has opportunities for camping, fishing and boating in non-motorized boats. Its trails lead to wildlife-viewing blinds and benches. The two areas therefore differ in their stated sizes and specifically listed activities; at Dead Timber, the offerings include both water activities and wildlife-viewing trails.

Walking trails can also be found in a different setting: Franklin-Cotterell Greens Arboretum is home to thousands of tree, shrub and plant species and has newly paved paths for walking. The grounds of the Louis E. May Museum are designated a Nebraska Arboretum Site. This designation adds another dimension to a museum visit, while Franklin-Cotterell Greens Arboretum specifically invites visitors to go for a walk. In winter, Fremont’s Clemmons Park offers opportunities for sledding; conditions may vary.

Historic Buildings and Collections

In Fremont, the Barnard Park Historic District tells the story of an extended period of construction: it encompasses 187 upper- and middle-class homes built between 1870 and 1929. The Louis E. May Museum offers a different architectural perspective. The building was originally constructed in 1874 in the Italianate Revival style, later redesigned in the Georgian or Classical Revival style, and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. If you plan to visit the museum, also take its hours into account: it is open Wednesday through Saturday; tours begin at 10:00 a.m., with the last one starting at 3:30 p.m. Check the latest information before you arrive.

In Hooper, the downtown Historic District was developed in the 1890s; its original street lighting remains intact. A visit to North Bend, meanwhile, can offer a glimpse into private collections: Harold & Leona's Antique Toy Museum is open by appointment and features historic toys, dolls, machinery and glassware from the past 50 years. In Scribner, the Musbach Museum focuses on other objects, including German agricultural machinery, medical equipment, kitchen china and glassware. The collections therefore differ considerably in their subject matter.

Festivals, Harvest and Local Food

If you are planning a trip around an event, there are several dates to consider throughout the year. North Bend’s annual Old Settlers Days takes place over a weekend in June and includes historical events, a road race, a fair and a parade. The Dodge County Fair is held annually in August in Scribner; it features a fair, a food area, children’s games and a demolition derby. Check the specific event dates if you want to plan your trip around them. In Fremont, the John C. Fremont Days began in 1987; events take place throughout the city.

Food and harvests also offer reasons to visit. The Eat in Dodge serves dishes inspired by the owner’s and her mother’s homemade recipes. At the Apple Barn at Fontanelle Orchard, visitors can pick fresh, tree-ripened fruit; harvest conditions may vary by season. Plan according to what you want to experience: museum hours and visits by appointment vary, as do annual festivals and seasonal harvest offerings.

Discover more destinations: Fremont, Scotts Bluff County, Brown County, Webster County, York County, Cuming County, Cass County, Kearney County.

For the broader travel overview: Nebraska.