The U.S. states of Kansas and Nebraska are in the center of the country, far from the coasts. The Missouri River, flowing along the eastern border of Nebraska and the northeastern border of Kansas, is the only major navigable waterway touching either state. The Coast Guard maintains dozens of lights on the river, but as far as I know none of them qualify as lighthouses. The lighthouses on this page were built privately.

Note: to be listed in the Directory, a lighthouse must actually serve as an aid to navigation. This means it must be located on a navigable lake or river and must be lit as a navigational aid at least during the local boating season.

Special thanks to Ron Schooling for sharing his research on the lighthouses of Nebraska.

USCG numbers are from Volume 5 of the U.S. Coast Guard List of Lights.

Nebraska Lighthouses

Lake McConaughy Lighthouse

* The Dunes

2002. Active; focal plane unknown; continuous white light. 35 ft (11 m) round stone lighthouse with lantern and gallery. The tower is unpainted; lantern pained black. A small gazebo is adjacent to the lighthouse. A photo by Lori Parsons is at right, another photo is available, and Google has a very distant satellite view. Lake McConaughy is a large reservoir formed by damming the North Platte River in Keith County, north Ogallala in western Nebraska. The lake is 22 mi (35 km) long and roughly 4 mi (6.5 km) wide over much of its length. The lighthouse is atop a bluff on the south side of the lake, about midway along its length. Located off Meadow Lane near the entrance to the Dunes at Lake McConaughy development. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: The Dunes at Lake McConaughy.

Omaha Lighthouse

* Glenn Cunningham Park

1990s (relocated here in 2009). Active; focal plane 34 ft (10.5 m); continuous white light. 22 ft (7 m) round steel tower with lantern, painted with red and white horizontal bands. Terry Schmidt has a photo, Stephen Wigg also has a photo, and Google has a satellite view. This lighthouse was first installed in downtown Omaha on the Lewis and Clark Riverwalk. Later removed from that location, it was stored for several years before being reinstalled as part of a reconstruction of Glenn Cunningham Park. Located at the marina, at the southeastern corner of the park, on the north side of Omaha. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: City of Omaha (Glenn Cunningham Lake).