Herman, Nebraska
Encyclopedia
Herman is a village in Washington County
, Nebraska
, United States
. The population was 310 at the 2000 census
.
On July 13, 1899, Herman was struck by a tornado
that killed or maimed over fifty people.
. Aboard the first train was a conductor named Samuel Hermann.
At that time, the post office was named "Cuming City." The people felt that a better name was in order, since the office was near Cuming County
but not in it. It was decided to name the town "Hermann," after the conductor. Later, the second "n" was dropped, and the official name became "Herman."
The early downtown consisted of the train station, a grocery store, the Herman Independent newspaper office, a hardware store, a lumberyard, a hotel, and a bank.
By the summer of 1899, a full array of businesses lined the village's main street. Then, with little or no warning, a "cyclone" swept down upon the town on June 13 and nearly blew it away. The downtown was completely demolished, and 13 people lost their lives.
Although only a few homes and businesses were left standing, the people stayed and began to build anew. New business houses flourished, and Herman soon boasted "the largest department store for a town of its size" in Nebraska. A conservative bank emerged, along with one of the largest retail implement businesses in the state. New and bigger clothing, millinery, and grocery stores also appeared. In addition to a pool hall, restaurant, meat market, and drug store, there was also a doctor, a dentist, a veterinarian, and the Grange Hall.
The telephone company of Herman was organized in 1901 by businessmen and farmers in the area. It consisted of two lines to which all phones were connected. This simple system has grown to a company with nearly 2,000 miles of line and subscribers from a large portion of the county.
Herman's peak population of 427 residents was reached in 1940; it is now 310. Herman has a city park and an active volunteer fire department.
After two years in the old log schoolhouse, classes were moved to a 12 by 24-foot school built just south of town. The town's third school was built on the town site; when it was outgrown in 1912, a brick building was put up for a cost of $35,000. Later, a wing was added to the west side.
In 1959-60, more space was again needed. A new $125,000 building was constructed near the old one. It had a combination gym and auditorium, a domestic science room, science labs, and a shop, bringing together in one location many activities that had formerly been located in separate spaces.
In 1969, after increasing problems in meeting state curriculum standards and finding qualified teachers, it was decided to merge the Herman junior and senior high school with the Tekamah
school system. K-6 students still attend classes in Herman.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the village has a total area of 0.2 square mile (0.517997622 km²), all of it land.
of 2000, there were 310 people, 134 households, and 86 families residing in the village. The population density
was 2,107.7 people per square mile (797.9/km²). There were 151 housing units at an average density of 1,026.6 per square mile (388.7/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 98.71% White, 0.65% Native American, and 0.65% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.29% of the population.
There were 134 households out of which 26.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.2% were married couples
living together, 5.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.8% were non-families. 32.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.31 and the average family size was 2.93.
In the village the population was spread out with 23.5% under the age of 18, 8.7% from 18 to 24, 27.1% from 25 to 44, 23.2% from 45 to 64, and 17.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 110.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 107.9 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $38,750, and the median income for a family was $47,750. Males had a median income of $31,750 versus $20,795 for females. The per capita income
for the village was $16,492. About 11.8% of families and 11.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.4% of those under age 18 and 4.8% of those age 65 or over.
Washington County, Nebraska
-National protected areas:*Boyer Chute National Wildlife Refuge*DeSoto National Wildlife Refuge -Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 18,780 people, 6,940 households, and 5,149 families residing in the county. The population density was 48 people per square mile . There were 7,408...
, 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 310 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...
.
On July 13, 1899, Herman was struck by a tornado
Tornado
A tornado is a violent, dangerous, rotating column of air that is in contact with both the surface of the earth and a cumulonimbus cloud or, in rare cases, the base of a cumulus cloud. They are often referred to as a twister or a cyclone, although the word cyclone is used in meteorology in a wider...
that killed or maimed over fifty people.
History
In the early 1870s, the Bailey and Burdic pioneer families settled in northern Washington County. As the area started to grow, railroad tracks were laid from OmahaOmaha, Nebraska
Omaha is the largest city in the state of Nebraska, United States, and is the county seat of Douglas County. It is located in the Midwestern United States on the Missouri River, about 20 miles north of the mouth of the Platte River...
. Aboard the first train was a conductor named Samuel Hermann.
At that time, the post office was named "Cuming City." The people felt that a better name was in order, since the office was near Cuming County
Cuming County, Nebraska
-History:Cuming County was formed in 1855. It was named after Thomas B. Cuming, an early governor of this territory.-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 10,203 people, 3,945 households, and 2,757 families residing in the county. The population density was 18 people per square mile...
but not in it. It was decided to name the town "Hermann," after the conductor. Later, the second "n" was dropped, and the official name became "Herman."
The early downtown consisted of the train station, a grocery store, the Herman Independent newspaper office, a hardware store, a lumberyard, a hotel, and a bank.
By the summer of 1899, a full array of businesses lined the village's main street. Then, with little or no warning, a "cyclone" swept down upon the town on June 13 and nearly blew it away. The downtown was completely demolished, and 13 people lost their lives.
Although only a few homes and businesses were left standing, the people stayed and began to build anew. New business houses flourished, and Herman soon boasted "the largest department store for a town of its size" in Nebraska. A conservative bank emerged, along with one of the largest retail implement businesses in the state. New and bigger clothing, millinery, and grocery stores also appeared. In addition to a pool hall, restaurant, meat market, and drug store, there was also a doctor, a dentist, a veterinarian, and the Grange Hall.
The telephone company of Herman was organized in 1901 by businessmen and farmers in the area. It consisted of two lines to which all phones were connected. This simple system has grown to a company with nearly 2,000 miles of line and subscribers from a large portion of the county.
Herman's peak population of 427 residents was reached in 1940; it is now 310. Herman has a city park and an active volunteer fire department.
Education
The first school in Herman was District 22, located on the Charles Burdic farm southeast of town. Burdic rented the building for a few dollars a month. Desks were handmade of green cottonwood; the seats were made from cottonwood logs with the sawed side up and rough bark underneath. The first teacher was a German schoolmaster whose English was so poor that the students could hardly understand him.After two years in the old log schoolhouse, classes were moved to a 12 by 24-foot school built just south of town. The town's third school was built on the town site; when it was outgrown in 1912, a brick building was put up for a cost of $35,000. Later, a wing was added to the west side.
In 1959-60, more space was again needed. A new $125,000 building was constructed near the old one. It had a combination gym and auditorium, a domestic science room, science labs, and a shop, bringing together in one location many activities that had formerly been located in separate spaces.
In 1969, after increasing problems in meeting state curriculum standards and finding qualified teachers, it was decided to merge the Herman junior and senior high school with the Tekamah
Tekamah, Nebraska
Tekamah is a city in Burt County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 1,736 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Burt County.-History:...
school system. K-6 students still attend classes in Herman.
Religion
A Methodist Church was organized in 1876. Its building, dedicated in 1880, was one of the few structures left standing after the tornado. Zion Baptist's Church, organized in 1879, was totally destroyed by the storm. A new building was dedicated in 1901. In 1947, the Baptist, Methodist, and Lutheran churches from Hill Creek combined, forming the Herman Federated Church. One Christian program is now offered under the leadership of one pastor.Geography
Herman is located at 41°40′25"N 96°12′57"W (41.673500, -96.215935).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 0.2 square mile (0.517997622 km²), all of it land.
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 310 people, 134 households, and 86 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 2,107.7 people per square mile (797.9/km²). There were 151 housing units at an average density of 1,026.6 per square mile (388.7/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 98.71% White, 0.65% Native American, and 0.65% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.29% of the population.
There were 134 households out of which 26.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.2% 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, 5.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.8% were non-families. 32.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.31 and the average family size was 2.93.
In the village the population was spread out with 23.5% under the age of 18, 8.7% from 18 to 24, 27.1% from 25 to 44, 23.2% from 45 to 64, and 17.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 110.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 107.9 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $38,750, and the median income for a family was $47,750. Males had a median income of $31,750 versus $20,795 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 $16,492. About 11.8% of families and 11.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.4% of those under age 18 and 4.8% of those age 65 or over.