|
Like many Nebraska communities,
the communities in Fillmore County provide an array
of quality of life opportunities and recreation. Outdoor
enthusiasts may enjoy bird watching, hunting, fishing, golfing
or just seeing a beautiful sunset. Families are pleased
they have the opportunity to raise their children in an environment
that promotes high scholastic achievement as well as a healthy
lifestyle. Quality health and senior care abounds
throughout the county.
Three Fillmore County Public School Districts have
successfully created an academic environment where every
student has the opportunity to reach towards his or her potential. The
largest school is Fillmore
Central that incorporates
the communities of Geneva, Fairmont, Grafton, and Ohiowa. Exeter-Milligan serves
students in the communities of Exeter and Milligan. The Shickley School educates
students in the community of Shickley. School
districts have open option enrollment and follow the policy
of "no child left behind". The Educational
Service Unit No. 6 in Milford, Nebraska supports
all the schools in Fillmore County in the areas of special
education, media/technology, and professional development.
Grace Lutheran School in Geneva is a private school
sponsored by the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Church for
students in grades K-8.
The school districts in Fillmore County belong to a consortium
of seven school districts to provide Special Education services
to all children and young adults with disabilities from birth
to age 21. Fillmore Central houses most of the program.
Students in both the public and private schools have scored
above the average in both the Nebraska math and reading standards. More
than 85% of students take the ACT resulting in an average
score of 20.8. It is estimated that 98 percent of the
eighth grade students finish high school and 75% of the graduating
seniors pursue a post secondary degree.
 The Fillmore County Hospital is an acute care hospital
licensed by the State of Nebraska and approved for Medicare
and Medicaid. Six family practice physicians and one
physicians assistant make up the local active medical staff. Fillmore
County Hospital has 70 sub-specialty physicians on courtesy/consulting
staff. Diagnostic, X-ray, CT, MR, mammography, nuclear
bone scans, nuclear cariolite, ultrasounds, and cardiac rehabilitation
are other hospital services. Specialty clinics are
held on a regular basis. If additional care is required
during recovery, Tabitha Home Health Care can assist
patients with recovery in the comfort of their own homes.
Family Health Services was built as an attachment
to the hospital in 1999. The clinic is a family/practice/general
practice health center with six physicians. There is
also a family physician with his own clinic in Geneva. Fairmont,
Exeter and Milligan have satellite medical clinics that are
staffed several times a week. Additional health care
services available in Fillmore County include two dentists,
one optometrist, two chiropractors, two massage therapists,
and one pharmacy.
Heritage Crossings of Geneva, Fairview Manor of
Fairmont, and Exeter Care Center in Exeter are long-term
care facilities and offer quality nursing care 24/7. Heritage
Crossings and Fairview Manor also offer assisted living centers
featuring several apartments styles and several different
levels of assistance to residents including homemade meals,
a library, laundromat, whirlpool, beauty shop, fitness center,
and a private dining room.
 The communities of Fillmore County have single-family homes
on the market in wide range prices to accommodate different
income levels. Rental homes and apartments are also
available. The average range for rent for a three-bedroom
home is $450-$550 and an average range for a two-bedroom
apartment is $300-$400. Most communities have low-to-medium
income cost apartments and/or complexes for seniors, handi-capped
and/or those who need rental assistance. Heritage Crossings
in Geneva and Fairview Manor in Fairmont offer assisted living
units.
Fillmore County is a rural county in the heart of America
with wide-open spaces that showcase beautiful sunrises and
sunsets. Citizens invite you to enjoy their summer
festivals, ball fields, hunting opportunities, historical
sites and the view.
The County is part of the South Central Nebraska Rain Water
Basin and is home to 14 Wetland Areas covering nearly
4,000 acres. The Rain Water Basin is the focal point
of spring migration corridor used by millions of duck, geese,
and other migratory birds annually. In the spring,
ducks and geese feed and rest in Fillmore County, sometimes
covering several acres. Lone Star Recreation Area, located 4 miles east of Ohiowa on Hwy 74, offers RV camper pads, fishing, a boat ramp, a floating dock, 11,700 feet of trails, a foot bridge, and a swimming beach. The lake is stocked with catfish, blue gill and large mouth bass. Bruning Dam, located northeast of Bruning in Fillmore County, is a rustic area ideal for fishing, hiking and boating.
The Fairmont Creamery Company building constructed
in 1886 and later used as a doctor's office now houses the Fillmore
County Museum with over 15,000 artifacts from the county. In
1942, the World War II Fairmont Army Airfield training base
was built in just 90 days before the first soldiers arrived. Today
visitors can still see the big hangers that housed B-17s,
B-24s and the B-29 Superfortress heavy bomber, thousands
of feet of runways and the water tower. The Fillmore
County Courthouse in Geneva is a simplified version of
the Richardsonian Romanesque style built in 1894 and is just
one of many historical buildings in the county that have
been renovated. The Geneva Auditorium built
in 1915 now houses a weekend movie theater and special Arts
Council events.
For quiet moments, visitors can step into the 1918 St.
Stephen's Catholic Church in Exeter with over 100 stained
glass windows, St. Helena's Catholic Church in Grafton
built in 1922 with funds from the church ladies' yearly
bazaars, which are still held each September, the Stockholm
Swedish Lutheran Church near Shickley with is 70-foot
steeple or the Pioneer Chapel in the Cesky Bratri
Cemetary, the oldest Catholic Church in Nebraska.
Hidden Hills Country Club, a nine-hole golf course
open to the public has rolling hills, winding creeks, mature
trees and a complete pro shop. It is located on the
west edge of Geneva and is a favorite spot for all level
of golfers. If a person needs to cool off there are swimming
pools in Exeter, Fairmont, Geneva, and Shickley.
There are always lots of activities going on in the communities
of Fillmore County. Local sports teams have game
and competitions all year long. Chili feeds, pancake
breakfasts, roast pork dinners and other ethnic dining events
are sponsored by area non-profit organizations. Annual
festivals include the Grafton BBQ, Milligan's June Jubilee,
Ohiowa Days, Fairmont's Old Settler's Picnic, the Discover
Geneva July Celebration and the Exeter Fireman's
BBQ & Street Dance. The Fillmore County
Fair is held during July.
Lodging facilities are available in Geneva at the Budget
Host Motel, Dempster Woods Bed & Breakfast, or Lakeshore
RV Park. There are community camping facilities
in every town.
Fillmore County has over 20 restaurants, cafes and bars that
feature delicious home cooking and prime Nebraska beef and
pork.
-- Top -- |
