Red Cloud, Nebraska
Encyclopedia
Red Cloud is a city in and the county seat
of Webster County
, Nebraska
, United States
. The population was 1,131 at the 2000 census
.
. According to George Hyde
, it is likely that the Pawnees did not realize that they were thereby giving up their lands, and that they were led to believe that they were only granting the Delawares
and other relocated tribes permission to hunt in the area.
In 1870, the area that is now Webster County was opened to homesteaders
. In that year, Silas Garber
and other settlers filed claims along Crooked Creek, just east of the present-day city. In 1871, the town, named after the renowned Oglala Lakota
leader Red Cloud
, was voted county seat of the newly formed county. The city was platted in 1872.
The author Willa Cather
lived in Red Cloud for several years with her family, starting in 1884 at age nine. She used the town as inspiration for several in her novels, including Black Hawk in My Ántonia
. Several 19th-century buildings described in her books are included in the Willa Cather Historic District, the largest district dedicated to an author that is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
. Her family house is part of the district.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 1 square miles (2.6 km²), all of it land.
As of the census
of 2000, there were 1,131 people, 520 households, and 302 families residing in the city. The population density
was 1,108.5 people per square mile (428.1/km²). There were 618 housing units at an average density of 605.7 per square mile (233.9/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 97.35% White, 0.18% African American, 0.97% Asian, 0.18% from other races
, and 1.33% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.97% of the population.
There were 520 households out of which 24.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.5% were married couples
living together, 6.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.9% were non-families. 39.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 23.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.09 and the average family size was 2.78.
In the city the population was spread out with 22.3% under the age of 18, 3.8% from 18 to 24, 21.0% from 25 to 44, 22.5% from 45 to 64, and 30.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 47 years. For every 100 females there were 89.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.4 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $26,389, and the median income for a family was $34,038. Males had a median income of $26,364 versus $17,232 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $14,772. About 8.4% of families and 13.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.9% of those under age 18 and 10.1% of those age 65 or over.
in its park, and it maintains a nine-hole golf
course that is claimed to be the third-best such course in the state.
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
of Webster County
Webster County, Nebraska
-History:Webster County was formed in 1871. It was named after the statesman Daniel Webster.-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 4,061 people, 1,708 households, and 1,118 families residing in the county. The population density was 7 people per square mile . There were 1,972 housing...
, 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 1,131 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 region of present-day Red Cloud was intermittently occupied and used as hunting grounds by the Pawnees until 1833. In that year, a treaty was signed in which the Pawnees surrendered their lands south of the Platte RiverPlatte 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...
. According to George Hyde
George E. Hyde
George E. Hyde was the "Dean of American Indian Historians." He wrote many books about Indian tribes, especially the Sioux and Pawnee plus a life of the Cheyenne warrior and historian, George Bent.-Life:...
, it is likely that the Pawnees did not realize that they were thereby giving up their lands, and that they were led to believe that they were only granting the Delawares
Lenape
The Lenape are an Algonquian group of Native Americans of the Northeastern Woodlands. They are also called Delaware Indians. As a result of the American Revolutionary War and later Indian removals from the eastern United States, today the main groups live in Canada, where they are enrolled in the...
and other relocated tribes permission to hunt in the area.
In 1870, the area that is now Webster County was opened to homesteaders
Homestead Act
A homestead act is one of three United States federal laws that gave an applicant freehold title to an area called a "homestead" – typically 160 acres of undeveloped federal land west of the Mississippi River....
. In that year, Silas Garber
Silas Garber
Silas Garber was the founder of Red Cloud, Nebraska and was also Nebraska's third Governor.-Early life:...
and other settlers filed claims along Crooked Creek, just east of the present-day city. In 1871, the town, named after the renowned Oglala Lakota
Oglala Lakota
The Oglala Lakota or Oglala Sioux are one of the seven subtribes of the Lakota people; along with the Nakota and Dakota, they make up the Great Sioux Nation. A majority of the Oglala live on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota, the eighth-largest Native American reservation in the...
leader Red Cloud
Red Cloud
Red Cloud , was a war leader and the head Chief of the Oglala Lakota . His reign was from 1868 to 1909...
, was voted county seat of the newly formed county. The city was platted in 1872.
The author Willa Cather
Willa Cather
Willa Seibert Cather was an American author who achieved recognition for her novels of frontier life on the Great Plains, in works such as O Pioneers!, My Ántonia, and The Song of the Lark. In 1923 she was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for One of Ours , a novel set during World War I...
lived in Red Cloud for several years with her family, starting in 1884 at age nine. She used the town as inspiration for several in her novels, including Black Hawk in My Ántonia
My Ántonia
My Ántonia |accent]] on the first syllable of "Ántonia"), first published 1918, is considered one of the greatest novels by American writer Willa Cather...
. Several 19th-century buildings described in her books are included in the Willa Cather Historic District, the largest district dedicated to an author that is listed on 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...
. Her family house is part of the district.
Geography
Red Cloud is located at 40°5′18"N 98°31′22"W (40.088222, -98.522660).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 city has a total area of 1 square miles (2.6 km²), all of it land.
Demographics
| Red Cloud, Neb. Population by decade |
1880 - 677 1890 - 1,839 1900 - 1,554 1910 - 1,686 1920 - 1,856 1930 - 1,519 1940 - 1,610 1950 - 1,744 1960 - 1,525 1970 - 1,531 1980 - 1,300 1990 - 1,204 2000 - 1,131 |
As of the census
Census
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 1,131 people, 520 households, and 302 families residing in the city. 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 1,108.5 people per square mile (428.1/km²). There were 618 housing units at an average density of 605.7 per square mile (233.9/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 97.35% White, 0.18% African American, 0.97% Asian, 0.18% 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 1.33% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.97% of the population.
There were 520 households out of which 24.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.5% 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, 6.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.9% were non-families. 39.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 23.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.09 and the average family size was 2.78.
In the city the population was spread out with 22.3% under the age of 18, 3.8% from 18 to 24, 21.0% from 25 to 44, 22.5% from 45 to 64, and 30.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 47 years. For every 100 females there were 89.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.4 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $26,389, and the median income for a family was $34,038. Males had a median income of $26,364 versus $17,232 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 city was $14,772. About 8.4% of families and 13.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.9% of those under age 18 and 10.1% of those age 65 or over.
Recreation
The city owns and operates a swimming poolSwimming pool
A swimming pool, swimming bath, wading pool, or simply a pool, is a container filled with water intended for swimming or water-based recreation. There are many standard sizes; the largest is the Olympic-size swimming pool...
in its park, and it maintains a nine-hole golf
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
course that is claimed to be the third-best such course in the state.
Notable natives and residents
- Silas GarberSilas GarberSilas Garber was the founder of Red Cloud, Nebraska and was also Nebraska's third Governor.-Early life:...
- Governor of NebraskaGovernor of NebraskaThe Governor of Nebraska holds the "supreme executive power" of the State of Nebraska as provided by the fourth article of the Nebraska Constitution. The current Governor is Dave Heineman, a Republican, who assumed office on January 20, 2005 upon the resignation of Mike Johanns . He won a full... - William NorrisWilliam NorrisWilliam Charles Norris was the pioneering CEO of Control Data Corporation, at one time one of the most powerful and respected computer companies in the world...
- computer pioneer - Willa CatherWilla CatherWilla Seibert Cather was an American author who achieved recognition for her novels of frontier life on the Great Plains, in works such as O Pioneers!, My Ántonia, and The Song of the Lark. In 1923 she was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for One of Ours , a novel set during World War I...
- Pulitzer PrizePulitzer PrizeThe Pulitzer Prize is a U.S. award for achievements in newspaper and online journalism, literature and musical composition. It was established by American publisher Joseph Pulitzer and is administered by Columbia University in New York City...
-winning writer - William A. McKeighanWilliam A. McKeighanWilliam Arthur McKeighan was a Nebraska Populist politician.McKeighan was born in Millville, New Jersey. He moved with his parents to Fulton County, Illinois in 1848. He enlisted in the 11th Regiment Illinois Volunteer Cavalry, in September 1861, to fight in the Civil War...
- U.S. RepresentativeUnited States House of RepresentativesThe United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
External links
- Official website
- Photo gallery by Red Cloud native Jeff Haller.