Crete, Nebraska
Crete is a city of 7,527 people in Saline County, Nebraska, founded in 1871.
Why visit Crete
Townapedia lists 9 museums and landmarks, 8 parks and trails, 4 places to eat, 2 places to stay and 1 attraction in and around town.
Highlights include Frank J. Rademacher House, Jesse C. Bickle House and College Heights Country Club.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 86°F; January lows average 14°F, and about 25 inches of snow fall in a normal year.
Weather in Crete
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Crete
Crete is the most populous city of Saline County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 7,099 at the 2020 census. The city is home to Doane University.
From the Wikipedia article Crete, Nebraska (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do1
Museums and landmarks9
Frank J. Rademacher House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Historic house in Crete, Nebraska
Jesse C. Bickle House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.8 mi
Historic house in Crete, Nebraska
Johnston-Muff House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Historic house in Crete, Nebraska
Telocvicna Jednota "T.J." Sokol Hall
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.5 mi
Building in Nebraska, United States of America
Doane College Historic Buildings
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Sokol Hall
Monument and historic site · 0.5 mi
National Register of Historic Places # 03001214
College Hill Historic District
Monument and historic site
National Register of Historic Places # 83001101
Crete Downtown Historic District
Monument and historic site · 0.5 mi
National Register of Historic Places # 16000482
Parks, trails and playgrounds8
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Restaurants and cafes4
History
The railroad reached Crete in 1870, attracting new settlers. In 1871, two competing settlements merged to form a new town, which was named after Crete, Illinois, the former hometown of an early settler. The name was also chosen to conform to the alphabetical stops on the new Chicago Burlington & Quincy Railroad line traveling westward from Lincoln: Berks, Crete, Dorchester, Exeter, Fairmont, Grafton, Harvard, Inland, Junianta, Kenesaw, Lowell, Minden etc. Some towns, such as Friend and Sutton, already existed and were later incorporated into alphabetical naming pattern. A town existed every 9 miles on the railroad, as a steam engine required regular water stops. Crete was once a contender for county seat.
On February 18, 1969, Crete was the site of a railroad accident that released a fog of anhydrous ammonia fumes from a ruptured railroad tank car, killing five residents and seriously injuring 11 others in their homes. Another three people, hoboes who had been riding on the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad freight train as it traveled from Denver to Chicago, died of injuries received in the train derailment.
From the History section of Crete, Nebraska on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay2
Churches and places of worship8
Trinity Memorial Episcopal Church
Church · National Register of Historic Places
Shopping1
Gas and EV charging2
Schools, colleges and libraries12
Healthcare1
Map of Crete
48 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 34°F | 14°F | 0.7 in | 6.3 in |
| Feb | 40°F | 18°F | 0.8 in | 6.6 in |
| Mar | 52°F | 28°F | 1.4 in | 3.2 in |
| Apr | 63°F | 39°F | 2.6 in | 1.3 in |
| May | 73°F | 50°F | 5.7 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 82°F | 61°F | 4.9 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 86°F | 65°F | 3.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 85°F | 63°F | 3.4 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 78°F | 54°F | 3.1 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 66°F | 41°F | 2.3 in | 1.0 in |
| Nov | 51°F | 28°F | 1.2 in | 2.0 in |
| Dec | 38°F | 18°F | 1.1 in | 4.9 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Crete 4Ese Hcn (4 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Saline County has had 15 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.
- 2025-10-22: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2025-05-21: Severe Winter Storm And Straight-Line Winds (Winter Storm)
- 2022-02-23: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes (Severe Storm)
- 2020-04-04: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2019-03-21: Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding (Flood)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Lincoln Municipal Airport (LNK) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 19 miles away.
- Dorchester 9 mi west, about 14 min by car
- Wilber 10 mi south, about 16 min by car
- Milford 11 mi northwest, about 18 min by car
- Hallam 11 mi southeast, about 17 min by car
- Clatonia 12 mi southeast, about 20 min by car
- Cortland 15 mi southeast, about 25 min by car
- Hickman 17 mi east, about 27 min by car
- Lincoln 19 mi northeast, about 31 min by car
- Beatrice 27 mi southeast, about 43 min by car
- Ashland 42 mi northeast, about 1 h by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Crete, Nebraska Main from 13th 2, Ammodramus, CC0
- Frank J. Rademacher house from SW 3, Ammodramus, CC0
- Johnston-Muff house from SW 1, Ammodramus, CC0
- Sokol Hall (Crete, Nebraska) from S 1, Ammodramus, CC0
- Jesse C. Bickle house from NE 1, Ammodramus, CC0
- Doane College Whitcomb Lee Conservatory 1, Ammodramus, CC0
- Trinity Memorial Episcopal Church (Crete, Nebraska) from SW 2, Ammodramus, CC0
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