Duncan, Nebraska
Encyclopedia
Duncan is a village in Platte County
, Nebraska
, United States
. The population was 359 at the 2000 census
.
reached the site of Duncan in 1866. Among the first settlers in the area were Polish and Swiss immigrants.
In June 1869, the post office of Cherry Hill was established on the site.
In October 1871, the townsite of Jackson was laid out by officials of the Union Pacific Railroad
. Jackson was chosen in 1879 as the southern terminus of the Omaha, Niobrara, and Black Hills Railroad, a Union Pacific subsidiary, purportedly because Jay Gould
was angry at Columbus
for promoting a rival railroad in the region.
In 1880, the settlement's name was changed to Duncan,
owing to the existence of another Jackson
in Dakota County
.
The new name honored General Wood B. Duncan, a prominent onetime local resident.
In the following year, an ice jam destroyed the Omaha, Niobrara, and Black Hills Railroad bridge across the Loup River
; the line was later moved to branch off the main line of the Union Pacific at Columbus.
A Baptist church was organized in Duncan in 1881.
In the following year, St. Stanislaus Church was built by the Polish Roman Catholics of the Duncan area.
In 1883, St. Paul's Methodist Episcopal Church was established.
The Village of Duncan was incorporated in 1913.
and the Platte River
, on U.S. Highway 30
, 8 miles (12.9 km) west of Columbus
.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the village has a total area of 0.4 square miles (1 km²), all of it land.
The village is located on the main line of the Union Pacific Railroad, running into and out of Columbus with 60 freight train
s daily. The railroad carries 60,000 inbound cars (excluding through cars) and 40,000 outbound cars annually.
In 1913, the cross-country Lincoln Highway
was established. The highway, which paralleled the Union Pacific tracks through Duncan, was enthusiastically supported by the citizenry. It ran through central Duncan until 1928, when it was shifted to the south side of the tracks in order to eliminate grade-level crossings between Columbus and Grand Island
. The south-side route is now used by U.S. Highway 30.
of 2000, there were 359 people, 138 households, and 93 families residing in the village. The population density
was 890.2 people per square mile (346.5/km²). There were 145 housing units at an average density of 359.6 per square mile (140.0/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 95.82% White, 0.56% Native American, 0.28% Asian, 1.67% from other races
, and 1.67% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.23% of the population.
There were 138 households out of which 32.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.1% were married couples
living together, 4.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.6% were non-families. 26.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.60 and the average family size was 3.24.
In the village the population was spread out with 30.9% under the age of 18, 6.4% from 18 to 24, 28.1% from 25 to 44, 23.1% from 45 to 64, and 11.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 127.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 112.0 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $36,932, and the median income for a family was $42,031. Males had a median income of $26,023 versus $21,023 for females. The per capita income
for the village was $15,475. About 4.2% of families and 5.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.5% of those under the age of eighteen and 9.5% of those sixty five or over.
, hog
s, manufacturing
and retailing
. Duncan is where all Dorothy Lynch salad dressings are manufactured. In 1964, Tasty-Toppings, Inc. purchased the recipe and rights to Dorothy Lynch and built a production facility in Columbus, Nebraska. The company later expanded its production capacity with a modern 64000 square feet (5,945.8 m²) plant in Duncan, and is the town's largest employer.
trees through which the old highway passed just south of downtown Duncan, is listed in the National Register of Historic Places
as Lincoln Highway-Duncan West.
The current church was built in 1939; the patron saint's name is inscribed on the cornerstone in Polish
.
In the past 25 years, many changes have taken place in the parish. 1971 saw the formation of the first Parish Council which assists the pastor and congregation in decision making and leadership. A parish center was constructed and dedicated in 1979. Also in 1980, a senior citizen group named the Golden Age Club was formed.
Plans for the church's future include ongoing remodeling for the old parish hall, recently renamed Pulaski Hall. In the fall of 1992 a church youth group was formed for the parish's high school students. Membership currently is about 25 youth who once a year transform Pulaski Hall into a "Haunted Hall" at Halloween as one of their fundraisers. The group promotes fellowship and responsibility.
, softball
, and baseball
.
Roughly 2 miles (3.2 km) due south of Duncan is Duncan Lakes. It is a seasonal community of around 150 dwellings. Duncan Lakes has been hailed as a recreational haven which lends itself to activities such as boating, skiing, fishing, sand volleyball, four-wheeling, swimming, and hunting.
Duncan Lakes was originally a sandpit until it was converted to a development property by then owner Martin Jones. Duncan Lakes has been in existence for nearly 70 years.
Local area facilities:
Platte County, Nebraska
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 31,662 people, 12,076 households, and 8,465 families residing in the county. The population density was 47 people per square mile . There were 12,916 housing units at an average density of 19 per square mile...
, Nebraska
Nebraska
Nebraska is a state on the Great Plains of the Midwestern United States. The state's capital is Lincoln and its largest city is Omaha, on the Missouri River....
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 359 at the 2000 census
United States Census, 2000
The Twenty-second United States Census, known as Census 2000 and conducted by the Census Bureau, determined the resident population of the United States on April 1, 2000, to be 281,421,906, an increase of 13.2% over the 248,709,873 persons enumerated during the 1990 Census...
.
History
The transcontinental railroadFirst Transcontinental Railroad
The First Transcontinental Railroad was a railroad line built in the United States of America between 1863 and 1869 by the Central Pacific Railroad of California and the Union Pacific Railroad that connected its statutory Eastern terminus at Council Bluffs, Iowa/Omaha, Nebraska The First...
reached the site of Duncan in 1866. Among the first settlers in the area were Polish and Swiss immigrants.
In June 1869, the post office of Cherry Hill was established on the site.
In October 1871, the townsite of Jackson was laid out by officials of the Union Pacific Railroad
Union Pacific Railroad
The Union Pacific Railroad , headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, is the largest railroad network in the United States. James R. Young is president, CEO and Chairman....
. Jackson was chosen in 1879 as the southern terminus of the Omaha, Niobrara, and Black Hills Railroad, a Union Pacific subsidiary, purportedly because Jay Gould
Jay Gould
Jason "Jay" Gould was a leading American railroad developer and speculator. He has long been vilified as an archetypal robber baron, whose successes made him the ninth richest American in history. Condé Nast Portfolio ranked Gould as the 8th worst American CEO of all time...
was angry at Columbus
Columbus, Nebraska
Columbus is a city in east central Nebraska, United States. Its population was 22,111 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Platte County.-Pre-settlement history:...
for promoting a rival railroad in the region.
In 1880, the settlement's name was changed to Duncan,
owing to the existence of another Jackson
Jackson, Nebraska
Jackson is a village in Dakota County, Nebraska, United States. It is part of the Sioux City, IA–NE–SD Metropolitan Statistical Area...
in Dakota County
Dakota County, Nebraska
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 20,253 people, 7,095 households, and 5,087 families residing in the county. The population density was 77 people per square mile . There were 7,528 housing units at an average density of 28 per square mile...
.
The new name honored General Wood B. Duncan, a prominent onetime local resident.
In the following year, an ice jam destroyed the Omaha, Niobrara, and Black Hills Railroad bridge across the Loup River
Loup River
The Loup River is a tributary of the Platte River, approximately long, in central Nebraska in the United States. The river drains a sparsely populated rural agricultural area on the eastern edge of the Great Plains southeast of the Sandhills...
; the line was later moved to branch off the main line of the Union Pacific at Columbus.
A Baptist church was organized in Duncan in 1881.
In the following year, St. Stanislaus Church was built by the Polish Roman Catholics of the Duncan area.
In 1883, St. Paul's Methodist Episcopal Church was established.
The Village of Duncan was incorporated in 1913.
Geography
Duncan is located at 41°23′24"N 97°29′43"W (41.389993, -97.495171). It lies between the Loup RiverLoup River
The Loup River is a tributary of the Platte River, approximately long, in central Nebraska in the United States. The river drains a sparsely populated rural agricultural area on the eastern edge of the Great Plains southeast of the Sandhills...
and the Platte River
Platte River
The Platte River is a major river in the state of Nebraska and is about long. Measured to its farthest source via its tributary the North Platte River, it flows for over . The Platte River is a tributary of the Missouri River, which in turn is a tributary of the Mississippi River which flows to...
, on U.S. Highway 30
U.S. Route 30
U.S. Route 30 is an east–west main route of the system of United States Numbered Highways, with the highway traveling across the northern tier of the country. It is the third longest U.S. route, after U.S. Route 20 and U.S. Route 6. The western end of the highway is at Astoria, Oregon; the...
, 8 miles (12.9 km) west of Columbus
Columbus, Nebraska
Columbus is a city in east central Nebraska, United States. Its population was 22,111 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Platte County.-Pre-settlement history:...
.
According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the village has a total area of 0.4 square miles (1 km²), all of it land.
Transportation
Duncan lies on the natural overland route across Nebraska running up the Platte and the Loup valleys, and transportation has always been a major factor in its history.The village is located on the main line of the Union Pacific Railroad, running into and out of Columbus with 60 freight train
Freight train
A freight train or goods train is a group of freight cars or goods wagons hauled by one or more locomotives on a railway, ultimately transporting cargo between two points as part of the logistics chain...
s daily. The railroad carries 60,000 inbound cars (excluding through cars) and 40,000 outbound cars annually.
In 1913, the cross-country Lincoln Highway
Lincoln Highway
The Lincoln Highway was the first road across the United States of America.Conceived and promoted by entrepreneur Carl G. Fisher, the Lincoln Highway spanned coast-to-coast from Times Square in New York City to Lincoln Park in San Francisco, originally through 13 states: New York, New Jersey,...
was established. The highway, which paralleled the Union Pacific tracks through Duncan, was enthusiastically supported by the citizenry. It ran through central Duncan until 1928, when it was shifted to the south side of the tracks in order to eliminate grade-level crossings between Columbus and Grand Island
Grand Island, Nebraska
Grand Island is a city in and the county seat of Hall County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 48,520 at the 2010 census.Grand Island is home to the Nebraska Law Enforcement Training Center which is the sole agency responsible for training law enforcement officers throughout the state,...
. The south-side route is now used by U.S. Highway 30.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 359 people, 138 households, and 93 families residing in the village. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 890.2 people per square mile (346.5/km²). There were 145 housing units at an average density of 359.6 per square mile (140.0/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 95.82% White, 0.56% Native American, 0.28% Asian, 1.67% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 1.67% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.23% of the population.
There were 138 households out of which 32.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.1% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 4.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.6% were non-families. 26.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.60 and the average family size was 3.24.
In the village the population was spread out with 30.9% under the age of 18, 6.4% from 18 to 24, 28.1% from 25 to 44, 23.1% from 45 to 64, and 11.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 127.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 112.0 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $36,932, and the median income for a family was $42,031. Males had a median income of $26,023 versus $21,023 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the village was $15,475. About 4.2% of families and 5.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.5% of those under the age of eighteen and 9.5% of those sixty five or over.
Economy
The economy is based on farming, cattle feedingCattle feeding
Different cattle feeding production systems have separate advantages and disadvantages. Most cows have a diet that is composed of at least some forage . In fact most beef cattle are raised on pasture from birth in the spring until autumn...
, hog
Domestic pig
The domestic pig is a domesticated animal that traces its ancestry to the wild boar, and is considered a subspecies of the wild boar or a distinct species in its own right. It is likely the wild boar was domesticated as early as 13,000 BC in the Tigris River basin...
s, manufacturing
Manufacturing
Manufacturing is the use of machines, tools and labor to produce goods for use or sale. The term may refer to a range of human activity, from handicraft to high tech, but is most commonly applied to industrial production, in which raw materials are transformed into finished goods on a large scale...
and retailing
Retailing
Retail consists of the sale of physical goods or merchandise from a fixed location, such as a department store, boutique or kiosk, or by mail, in small or individual lots for direct consumption by the purchaser. Retailing may include subordinated services, such as delivery. Purchasers may be...
. Duncan is where all Dorothy Lynch salad dressings are manufactured. In 1964, Tasty-Toppings, Inc. purchased the recipe and rights to Dorothy Lynch and built a production facility in Columbus, Nebraska. The company later expanded its production capacity with a modern 64000 square feet (5,945.8 m²) plant in Duncan, and is the town's largest employer.
Landmarks
The former route of the Lincoln Highway on the north side of the railroad tracks can still be seen today. A concrete marker at the southeast corner of 8th Street and Main Avenue indicates the northeastern end of a 2.4 miles (3.9 km) section that has not changed significantly since the 1920s. This section of road, including the marker and an avenue of hackberryCeltis reticulata
Celtis reticulata, with common names including Netleaf Hackberry, Western Hackberry, Douglas Hackberry, Netleaf Sugar Hackberry, Palo Blanco, Acibuche, is a small to medium size deciduous tree, native to western North America.-Prehistoric:Celtis reticulata was one of the species analyzed in a...
trees through which the old highway passed just south of downtown Duncan, is listed in the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
as Lincoln Highway-Duncan West.
Religion
The only remaining organized church in Duncan is St. Stanislaus Catholic Church.The current church was built in 1939; the patron saint's name is inscribed on the cornerstone in Polish
Polish language
Polish is a language of the Lechitic subgroup of West Slavic languages, used throughout Poland and by Polish minorities in other countries...
.
In the past 25 years, many changes have taken place in the parish. 1971 saw the formation of the first Parish Council which assists the pastor and congregation in decision making and leadership. A parish center was constructed and dedicated in 1979. Also in 1980, a senior citizen group named the Golden Age Club was formed.
Plans for the church's future include ongoing remodeling for the old parish hall, recently renamed Pulaski Hall. In the fall of 1992 a church youth group was formed for the parish's high school students. Membership currently is about 25 youth who once a year transform Pulaski Hall into a "Haunted Hall" at Halloween as one of their fundraisers. The group promotes fellowship and responsibility.
Recreation
The village has one park and a baseball field. The village offers summer recreation programs including T-ballTee Ball
Tee Ball or T-Ball is a sport based on baseball and is intended as an introduction for children to develop baseball skills and have fun. The name Tee Ball is a registered trademark while T-Ball is the generic name, although many sources use Tee Ball as a generic title.- Description :In T-Ball, the...
, softball
Softball
Softball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of 10 to 14 players. It is a direct descendant of baseball although there are some key differences: softballs are larger than baseballs, and the pitches are thrown underhand rather than overhand...
, and baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
.
Roughly 2 miles (3.2 km) due south of Duncan is Duncan Lakes. It is a seasonal community of around 150 dwellings. Duncan Lakes has been hailed as a recreational haven which lends itself to activities such as boating, skiing, fishing, sand volleyball, four-wheeling, swimming, and hunting.
Duncan Lakes was originally a sandpit until it was converted to a development property by then owner Martin Jones. Duncan Lakes has been in existence for nearly 70 years.
Local area facilities:
- Boating - 2 miles (3.2 km) south on Duncan lakes
- Fishing - Private and State lakes in area
- Hunting - pheasant, quail, deer, rabbit, fox, duck, turkey, and coyote
Fairs and festivals
The Duncan Ribfest is a two-day summer street festival that usually takes place the last weekend of June. The 2008 event attracted an estimated 5,000 people over a two day period. Ribfest is the largest summer event in downtown Duncan. Festival entertainment including live polka, classic rock, and country music. The members of the Duncan Fire Department have been volunteering their time each year and have raised funds to help purchase new equipment through this event. Along with the fire department, it is also sponsored by Duncan Wrestling members.Notable Residents/Natives
- Cory SchlesingerCory SchlesingerCory Schlesinger is a former American football fullback of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Detroit Lions in the sixth round of the 1995 NFL Draft...
(June 23, 1972-), NFL fullback, former Nebraska Cornhusker football player