Linoma Lighthouse stands on the shore of Linoma Beach along the Platte River near Ashland, Nebraska, between Lincoln and Omaha. This privately built lighthouse serves as a distinctive landmark for the residential and recreational community that has developed around the former sand pit lakes lining the Platte River floodplain in eastern Nebraska.

Unlike coastal lighthouses built for maritime safety, the Linoma Lighthouse was constructed as a community landmark and decorative feature for the lake development. The structure adds a New England coastal aesthetic to the Great Plains landscape, creating an unexpected visual contrast against the cottonwood-lined riverbanks and flat agricultural land that characterize this stretch of the Platte River valley.

The surrounding Linoma Beach area offers lakeside living and recreation in the string of sand pit lakes that parallel the Platte River. These former aggregate mining sites have filled with groundwater to create clear, deep lakes popular for swimming, fishing, and small-craft boating. The Platte River corridor through this area also provides important habitat for migratory birds, including the annual sandhill crane migration that brings hundreds of thousands of birds through central Nebraska each spring.

The lighthouse is on private property but visible from public roads and nearby areas. The peak sandhill crane migration in March draws birdwatchers from around the world to the Platte River valley, with viewing blinds and tours available from several area organizations. Summer brings peak lake recreation activity to the surrounding community.

Explore Nearby

• Eugene T. Mahoney State Park — State Park in Nebraska
• Platte River Crossing State Park — State Park in Wyoming
• Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail — Public Land in Idaho