Papillion

Papillion became the county seat of Sarpy County only after a bitter fight of considerable duration.

Bellevue was the original county seat and for a number of years after its settlement the only town of appreciable size in the county. As long as Bellevue could muster her voters by hundreds against the scores of any others aspirant, she was secure.

But when, after the action of Gov. Cuming, the State capital was removed to Omaha, and the bulk of the population followed.

In the palmy days of the city of Bellevue, a suburb had grown up on the plateau back of the town, and then the civilization had worked westward. Sarpy Center, and later, Papillion, had risen from the position of "cross-roads" to the dignity of villages.   It was not long before the acute politicians of the younger towns realized the dawning possibility of securing to their respective homes the prestige and profit of the county seat.

The first movement looking to this end was made in the fall of 1874, the words "for removal" and "against removal" being deposited at the time of the regular October election to decide the question of the right to remove the county seat. The balloting having resulted in a majority for removal, a special election to decide what point should become the county seat, was called for September, 1875. Prior to this election, it was decided that the two points having the greatest number of votes should be left to fight the matter out, all other candidates retiring. The contestants for the honors were Bellevue, Sarpy Center and Papillion.

Upon counting the vote, it was found that Sarpy Center had a clear majority, and that Papillion stood second. This, of course, resulted in the retirement of Bellevue.

The next political move would seem to be the choice, at the regular October, 1875, election, of one of the two remaining contestants, but Major Spearman, of Sarpy Center, introduced a new feature, which came near cleverly upsetting the plans of the Papillion party.

This new move was the introduction in the Legislature, of which he was a member, of a bill appointing Sarpy Center the county seat, and doing away with all the necessity of another election.

This bill was with difficulty defeated, and at the ensuing election Papillion became the county seat, a position which she bids fair to hold for many years to come.

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