About Douglas County
About Us
Douglas County, incorporated in 1854, forms part of one of the nation’s major metropolitan areas along the Missouri River, with Omaha as its largest city. The county has a broad-based economy with strong trade, service, and manufacturing sectors, with many corporations headquartered in the county. This is the major insurance and telemarketing center of the United States.
The employment base is diverse and employment remains stable. Douglas County’s unemployment rate has consistently remained below the state and national averages. 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.
517,110
Population of Douglas County
339.6 sq. mi.
Areas covered by the County
331.0 sq. mi.
Land area in square miles
96-01' W
Longitude (72nd & Dodge)
14 sq. mi.
North/South length in miles
1315'
Highest elevation above sea level
Our History
1842-1854
Douglas County was established in 1854. It was named after Stephen Arnold Douglas (1813-1861). He was elected to the United States House of Representatives in 1842. Mr. Douglas was a tremendous speaker and he became an outstanding spokesman for a policy of national expansion. Stephen Douglas was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1847, from the State of Illinois.
Senator Douglas introduced the bill in 1854 that created the Kansas-Nebraska Act. This act made Kansas and Nebraska organized territories and allowed them to determine whether to be a free state or slave state by ‘popular sovereignty’. It also repealed the Missouri Compromise, which stated that slavery was prohibited north of 36-30′ latitude. The Missouri Compromise had previously kept the number of free and slave states numerically equal.
1858
In 1858, while campaigning for a third term as a U.S. Senator, Douglas was opposed by Abraham Lincoln. They engaged in a momentous series of debates on the slavery issue. Douglas, known as the “little giant” was reelected, but Lincoln gained a national reputation.
1960
In 1860, Douglas won the Democratic Party nomination for President. Southern Democrats nominated their own candidate and the split in the Party resulted in the election of the Republican candidate, Abraham Lincoln. When the American Civil War broke out, Douglas gave Lincoln loyal support.
The Core Values that Set us Apart
Responsive Government
Public Engagement
Collaborative problem solving
Public/Private Partnerships
Governmental Structure
Douglas County, incorporated in 1854, forms part of one of the nation’s major metropolitan areas along the Missouri River, with Omaha as its largest city. The county has a broad-based economy with strong trade, service, and manufacturing sectors, with many corporations headquartered in the county. This is the major insurance and telemarketing center of the United States.
The employment base is diverse and employment remains stable. Douglas County’s unemployment rate has consistently remained below the state and national averages.
