NEBRASKA CITY – The Nebraska City City Council agreed to purchase land from the Nebraska Railroad Museum to settle a lawsuit over ground considered inseparable with the historic Burlington Northern Depot.

City Attorney Drew Graham said the city has entered into a settlement agreement.

Graham: “The ultimate affect of that settlement agreement is that the city is purchasing the parcel at issue.”

The city will pay $66,097 for the property, which the Burlington Northern & Santa Fe Railroad deeded to the museum in 2020.

Months after the museum received the property, the Nebraska City City Council passed an ordinance making it illegal to keep non-operating railroad cars in city limits. The city followed by asserting its claim to street right-of-way from an 1855 plat map. Much of the land the city claimed had been used for railways for over 150 years.

The museum said it planned to display historical archives and assets on the property, but the city has not stated a particular purpose for the land. The depot has traditionally been used as a restaurant.

The purchase of the land will clear the title on ground holding the historic Burlington Northern depot, which is owned by the Nebraska City Area EDC.