Broken Bow, Nebraska

History

Broken Bow was platted in 1882. Its name, likely suggested by a settler who found a broken bow in a field at the site of a former Native American camping ground, was submitted by homesteader Wilson Hewitt to the U.S. Post Office Department. The railroad was built through Broken Bow in 1884, and the town was incorporated as a village that same year. Broken Bow was incorporated as a city of the second class in 1888.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.90 sqmi, all land.

The geographic center of Nebraska lies approximately 10 miles southwest of Broken Bow.

Climate

| Jan record high F = 78 | Feb record high F = 79 | Mar record high F = 92 | Apr record high F = 99 | May record high F = 110 | Jun record high F = 107 | Jul record high F = 116 | Aug record high F = 113 | Sep record high F = 106 | Oct record high F = 98 | Nov record high F = 84 | Dec record high F = 77 | year record high F = 116

|Jan avg record high F = 60.7 |Feb avg record high F = 64.3 |Mar avg record high F = 76.7 |Apr avg record high F = 83.2 |May avg record high F = 88.5 |Jun avg record high F = 94.0 |Jul avg record high F = 96.9 |Aug avg record high F = 95.8 |Sep avg record high F = 92.0 |Oct avg record high F = 85.4 |Nov avg record high F = 73.7 |Dec avg record high F = 62.5 |year avg record high F = 98.3

|Jan avg record low F = -11.3 |Feb avg record low F = -6.6 |Mar avg record low F = 4.5 |Apr avg record low F = 16.2 |May avg record low F = 28.7 |Jun avg record low F = 42.0 |Jul avg record low F = 48.7 |Aug avg record low F = 45.4 |Sep avg record low F = 31.9 |Oct avg record low F = 16.7 |Nov avg record low F = 3.0 |Dec avg record low F = -7.0 |year avg record low F = -15.8

| Jan record low F = −42 | Feb record low F = −41 | Mar record low F = −22 | Apr record low F = -5 | May record low F = 15 | Jun record low F = 30 | Jul record low F = 37 | Aug record low F = 33 | Sep record low F = 16 | Oct record low F = −1 | Nov record low F = −23 | Dec record low F = −30 | year record low F = −42 | access-date = November 29, 2021}}

Demographics

|align-fn=center 2012 Estimate

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 3,559 people, 1,575 households, and 909 families living in the city. The population density was 1873.2 PD/sqmi. There were 1,730 housing units at an average density of 910.5 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 95.7% White, 0.4% African American, 0.7% Native American, 0.1% Asian, 1.3% from other races, and 1.7% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.8% of the population.

There were 1,575 households, of which 27.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.8% were married couples living together, 10.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.6% had a male householder with no wife present, and 42.3% were non-families. 38.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 20.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.19 and the average family size was 2.90.

The median age in the city was 41.9 years. 24.8% of residents were under the age of 18; 6.4% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 22.4% were from 25 to 44; 24.1% were from 45 to 64; and 22.2% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 47.1% male and 52.9% female.

2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 3,491 people, 1,509 households, and 917 families living in the city. The population density was 2,148.8 PD/sqmi. There were 1,721 housing units at an average density of 1,059.3 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 98.22% White, 0.17% African American, 0.66% Native American, 0.09% Asian, 0.11% from other races, and 0.74% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.80% of the population.

There were 1,509 households, out of which 27.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.2% were married couples living together, 7.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.2% were non-families. 36.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 18.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.21 and the average family size was 2.88.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 23.9% under the age of 18, 6.2% from 18 to 24, 22.7% from 25 to 44, 22.3% from 45 to 64, and 24.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females, there were 84.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 78.3 males.

As of 2000 the median income for a household in the city was $29,355, and the median income for a family was $37,750. Males had a median income of $26,552 versus $20,132 for females. The per capita income for the city was $17,571. About 9.6% of families and 14.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 22.8% of those under age 18 and 9.1% of those age 65 or over.

Economy

Nebraska's largest cattle feedlot, the Adams Land and Cattle south lot, with a capacity of 85,000 head, is located 2 miles south of Broken Bow. In the past, some locals have feared the potential of environmental damage from the feedlot, but the state's environmental agency has found the company in compliance with state standards.

A family owned feed store, Evans Feed, opened in 1927. The town also has a grocery and a nursing home.

Notable people

• Bettina Bedwell, journalist and fashion designer
• Solomon Butcher, photographer of the homestead era in central Nebraska, lived in Broken Bow from 1915 to 1926.
• Earl Cooper, race car driver in Motorsports Hall of Fame of America
• Augustin Reed Humphrey, Congressman
• Omer Madison Kem, populist Congressman, 1890-1896
• Kent McCloughan, football player for Nebraska and the Oakland Raiders

References

References

1. {{usurped
2. "ArcGIS REST Services Directory". United States Census Bureau.
3. {{GNIS. 837893
4. "Find a County". National Association of Counties.
5. "Broken Bow, Custer County". [[University of Nebraska–Lincoln]].
6. (1919). "History of Custer County, Nebraska: A Narrative of the Past". Western Pub. and Engraving Company.
7. Butcher, Solomon Devore. (1901). "S.D. Butcher's Pioneer History of Custer County: And Short Sketches of Early Days in Nebraska". Merchants Publishing Company.
8. "US Gazetteer files 2010". [[United States Census Bureau]].
9. United States Census Bureau. "Census of Population and Housing".
10. "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2012".
11. "U.S. Census website". [[United States Census Bureau]].
12. [http://www.deq.state.ne.us/Newslett.nsf/3d1fe103ec6513268625696c005fbc4b/541483f4a9d880848625696c0067e664?OpenDocument Public Concern Grows with Feedlot Size], [http://deq.ne.gov/ Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality], 2000. Accessed October 3, 2008.
13. Saslow, Eli. (2019-12-21). "Traveling the loneliest road". [[The Washington Post]].
14. "Kent McCloughan".