Papillion

Papillion's name is derived from French fur traders who venturednear the valley of the Papio Creek as early as 1739. Thebutterfly-filled meadow was so beautiful that one of the men issaid to have exclaimed in his native tongue, "Papillon!" (meaning"butterfly"). The land would later come to be known as Papillion.Native Americans roamed freely across the local prairie until 1857,when John L. Beadle obtained a land grant and platted a town.Successful negotiations with the Union Pacific and Missouri PacificRailroads ensured the growth and prosperity needed for the PapillionTown Company to incorporate in 1870. Businesses soon lined thecenter of the village as German immigrants cultivated the land. Newschools and churches enhanced the establishment of the boomingcommunity, which became the seat of Sarpy County. The pioneerspersevered through fire, pestilence, and flood to establish Papillion, atown destined to survive.