Bellevue, Nebraska

From 1980 to 2000, the population of Bellevue more than doubled, from 21,000
to 44,000. The growth spurt can be attributed to the city's location between
Omaha to the north and Offutt Air Force Base to the south.

Offutt was, for many years, the headquarters of the Strategic Air Command, the
organization given responsibility for America's nuclear response to any Cold
War attack from the Soviet Union. Bellevue was the home of the SAC Museum
from 1959 until 1988, when it moved to Ashland, Nebraska. In 2001, the name
was changed to the Strategic Air & Space Museum.

Although the museum has moved, Bellevue still offers a number of interesting
sites for visitors to explore, including Fontanelle Forest, a 1,300-acre nature
preserve along the Missouri River, and the Sarpy County Historical Museum at
2402 Clay Street.