De Soto is an unincorporated community in Washington County, Nebraska, United States.

[1] It was named in honor of the sixteenth-century Spanish explorer, Hernando De Soto.

[2] De Soto was founded in 1855 and served as the county seat from 1858-1866.

During its heyday, the town hosted many flourishing new businesses: hotels, saloons, stores, newspapers and banks.

[3] De Soto contains farmland with about three families residing there.