Fort Calhoun, NE

Located about twenty minutes north of Omaha along the rolling bluffs of the Missouri River, Fort Calhoun gives residents a quiet small-town setting with deep local roots. The community dates back to the 1820s, when the U.S. Army established Fort Atkinson as the first military outpost west of the Missouri River to support early fur traders and river travelers. While the soldiers moved on long ago, that frontier heritage still gives the town a unique character and plenty of local pride.

ATTRAmmodramus / CC0

With a population of around 1,100, Fort Calhoun draws people who want wide-open spaces and a close-knit community while staying connected to Omaha for work and weekend outings. Fort Atkinson State Historical Park sits right in town, offering open green spaces, walking paths, and popular living-history weekends where reenactors bring the 1820s back to life. Surrounded by scenic farm country and river hills, Fort Calhoun provides a relaxed, neighborly lifestyle just a short drive down Highway 75 from the rest of the metro.