Founded: 1858, Pop: 2589, Elev: 1318 feet. Sabetha is located in Nemaha County northwest of Hiawatha along US-Hwy 75 near the Delaware River.
The town was named early in the eighteen fifties by a traveler who came to the vicinity on his way to California. With a dream of a gold mine in California in mind and an elaborate map showing the location of the gold. Starting his trip from St. Joseph, Missouri, with his team of oxen named Hercules and Pelleas.
One of his oxen, Pelleas, died on a Sunday. This fateful incident caused the young man to abandon his quest and stay where he was. He pitched a tent and dug a well which he named Sabbaton, the Greek word for Sabbath, in honor of the day. Sabbaton led to the name "Sabetha."
Local natural gas fired steam plants created early in the 20th century were to propel this prairie town into the modern world. Offering a host of public utilities designed to take advantage of the "Waste" steam from the natural gas powered electrical generators.