Tecumseh is a small but growing vibrant community of 1,900 located in Southeastern Nebraska at the intersection of U.S. Highway 136 and State Highway 50. The Tecumseh town Square contains many historical buildings. The county courthouse and city hall are especially impressive.

Tecumseh was surveyed starting in July 1856 and became the county seat of Johnson County (which encompasses some 377 square miles) in February 1857. The site was selected because it was located at the crossing of the Nebraska City to Marysville and Brownville to Fort Kearney (Beatrice) trails.John Bouleware, George Bouleware, I.C. Lawrence, A.H. Hixson, A.P. Drake and John Maulding founded Tecumseh.

The town originally was named Frances, for the wife of General Richard M. Johnson; the early settlers were in the area. However, Col. John Bouleware renamed it Tecumseh in 1857, in honor of Chief Tecumseh, of the Shawnee Tribe. It has been said that General Johnson killed Chief Tecumseh in 1813 during the Battle of the Thames in Canada. Johnson, a prominent army officer in the war of 1812, served as Vice President of the United States from 1837-1841. Since the county was Johnson, the town would be Tecumseh.

Tecumseh struggled for the first 16 years, between the survey of the town site and the coming of the Atchison and Nebraska railroad in April 1872. By the end of 1872, Tecumseh had about 100 houses and 20 businesses. Examples of all architectural styles popular over the past century can be found in Tecumseh.Johnson County was originally part of Forney County, Nebraska. In March of 1855, Forney County was divided, the western part becoming Johnson County.