Surprise, Nebraska
| Surprise, Nebraska | |
|---|---|
| Village | |
Downtown Surprise: Center Street
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 Location of Surprise, Nebraska |
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| Coordinates: 41°6′16″N 97°18′32″W / 41.10444°N 97.30889°WCoordinates: 41°6′16″N 97°18′32″W / 41.10444°N 97.30889°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Nebraska |
| County | Butler |
| Area | |
| • Total | 0.40 sq mi (1.04 km2) |
| • Land | 0.39 sq mi (1.01 km2) |
| • Water | 0.01 sq mi (0.03 km2) |
| Elevation | 1,578 ft (481 m) |
| Population (2010) | |
| • Total | 43 |
| • Estimate (2016) | 41 |
| • Density | 110/sq mi (41/km2) |
| Time zone | Central (CST) (UTC-6) |
| • Summer (DST) | CDT (UTC-5) |
| ZIP code | 68667 |
| Area code(s) | 402 |
| FIPS code | 31-47850 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0833956 |
Surprise is a village in southwesternButler County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 43 at the 2010 census.
Surprise is located at 41°6′16″N 97°18′32″W / 41.10444°N 97.30889°W (41.104403, -97.308948). It lies on the Big Blue River.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of 0.40 square miles (1.04 km2), of which, 0.39 square miles (1.01 km2) of it is land and 0.01 square miles (0.03 km2) is water.
White people began settling southwestern Butler County in about 1866. In 1881, George Miller built a gristmill on the Big Blue River. He was pleasantly surprised to discover that so much waterpower was available so close to the river's headwaters, and this led him to name the mill "Surprise". Businesses and homes were established near the mill; and in 1883, a post office was established under the name "Surprise". The town plat was registered in 1884. In 1887, the Fremont, Elkhorn and Missouri Valley Railroad established a depot in Surprise, resulting in further expansion of local businesses.
In 1913, chautauquas began to be offered at Chautauqua Park on the river. In the same year, the Surprise Opera House was built. Events held at the latter included local gatherings, lectures, musical performances, and moving pictures. The opera house's role in the community declined after about 1917, as increasing automobile ownership enabled residents to attend events at larger facilities in David City, Seward, and Osceola. Chautauquas continued to be held into the early 1930s; at their peak, the population of Surprise expanded to 1,500 during its week-long Chautauqua Show. The last performance at the opera house took place in 1954; the building is now listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
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