Columbus is a city in Platte County, Nebraska, United States, 80 miles (148 km) west by north of Omaha on the Loup River, a short distance above the confluence with the Platte. In 1900, 3,522 people lived in Columbus, Nebraska; in 1910, 5,014; and in 1940, 7,632. The population was 20,971 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Platte County.[3]
History
Columbus is the birthplace of Andrew Jackson Higgins, creator/designer of the Landing Craft Vehicle Personnel (LCVP), or Higgins boat used during World War II. There is a memorial in his honor at Pawnee Park. Famous one-time residents of Columbus include U. S. Senator Chuck Hagel, Johnny Carson's parents, actor Brad William Henke, former pro baseball player Saul Soltero, former pro boxer Leon Spinks, three time world speed climbing champion Guy German, and NFL football players Cory Schlesinger and Chad Mustard. Buffalo Bill Cody frequently visited the city, and it was the site of the first full-dress rehearsal of Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show before it formally opened in Omaha. George Francis Train's Credit Foncier of America once built a hotel in the city, along with Train's 7,000 acres (28 km2) in the city.[4] Called the "Credit Foncier," the hotel was moved to Columbus from the town of Cleveland, Nebraska in 1868. With so much land in the city, Train freely predicted a great future for Columbus.[5] He is credited with writing newspaper articles and delivering speeches in the Eastern United States in which he promoted the town, calling it, "Columbus, the new center of the Union and quite probably the future capital of the U.S.A."[6]
Geography
Columbus is located at 41°25′58″N 97°21′31″W / 41.43278°N 97.35861°W / 41.43278; -97.35861 (41.432785, -97.358530)[7]. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 9.2 square miles (23.8 km²), of which 9.0 square miles (23.2 km²) is land and 0.2 square miles (0.5 km²) (2.07%) is water.
Major bodies of water in and near Columbus include the Platte River, Loup River, Lake North, Lake Babcock, and Loup Canal. Several historic trails traversed the city, including the Great Platte River Road. It is located 62 miles (100 km) from Grand Island, 45 miles (72 km) from Norfolk and Fremont, 80 miles (130 km) from Omaha, and 75 miles (121 km) from Lincoln. The city is served by the Columbus Municipal Airport, which has two paved runways.
Demographics
As of the census[1] of 2000, there were 20,971 people, 8,302 households, and 5,562 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,337.3 people per square mile (902.7/km²). There were 8,818 housing units at an average density of 982.8/sq mi (379.6/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 87.19% White, 1.45% African American, 0.35% Native American, 0.48% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 3.49% from other races, and 1.00% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 12.65% of the population.
There were 8,302 households out of which 34.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.7% were married couples living together, 8.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.0% were non-families. 28.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.50 and the average family size was 3.09.
In the city the population was spread out with 28.2% under the age of 18, 8.4% from 18 to 24, 28.0% from 25 to 44, 20.8% from 45 to 64, and 14.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 94.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.3 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $38,874, and the median income for a family was $48,669. Males had a median income of $30,980 versus $22,063 for females. The per capita income for the city was $18,345. About 4.5% of families and 6.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.7% of those under age 18 and 6.5% of those age 65 or over.
Economy
Columbus bills itself as a "City of Power and Progress" and features an economy based on agriculture and manufacturing, with many industrial companies attracted by cheap, plentiful hydroelectric power. Among the major employers are Archer Daniels Midland, which runs a corn milling plant; Appleton Electric; Central Confinement Service; Vishay (formerly Dale Electronics); Becton Dickinson, a medical equipment company; Behlen Manufacturing, a maker of steel buildings, grain bins, and the Behlen Country line of agricultural equipment (whose Chairman, Tony Raimondo, was a 2003 candidate for the then new federal post of assistant secretary for manufacturing in the Commerce Department before his nomination was withdrawn)[8][9]; and the Nebraska Public Power District, which is headquartered in Columbus.
Education
High Schools
Columbus has three high schools, including Columbus High School, which is the largest with 1,100 students. Their mascot is the Discoverers.[10] Lakeview High School is the high school for the rural community. Its location is in front of Loup Power District's Lake Babcock, and its mascot is the Vikings. Scotus Central Catholic High School is a Catholic school named after John Duns Scotus, and serves grades 7 through 12. Their mascot is the Shamrocks.[11]
The Central Community College at Columbus is located four miles (6 km) northwest of the city. Their mascot is the Raiders.[12]
Columbus Public Schools
Columbus Public Schools in in charge of the middle school and the elementary schools. There are 5 elementary schools in the Columbus Public Schools District[13] including Centennial, West Park, North Park, Lost Creek, and Emerson along with the Columbus High School and Columbus Middle School. The district has gone under several closings concerning elementary schools within the past 10 years, most recently the nearby Duncan Elementary School, which had been in the district since 1967.[14]
Attractions
Agricultural Park is home to the Columbus Races every year from the end of July to the middle of September. Post times are 6:30 PM on Fridays and Saturdays and 2:00 PM on Sundays and Labor Day. Live racing in 2010 on the 5/8 mile dirt track is from July 30 to September 12. Admission is free. Horse racing fans can also enjoy year-round simulcasting from numerous tracks across the country from Thursday to Sunday in the air-conditioned clubroom. The Columbus Races are simulcast at Fonner Park in Grand Island, Lincoln Race Course in Lincoln, Horsemen's Park in Omaha, Horsemen's Atokad Downs in South Sioux City, Prairie Meadows in Altoona, Iowa, Canterbury Park in Shakopee, Minnesota, and Remington Park in Oklahoma City, OK. Visit Agricultural Park for a complete simulcasting schedule.
The Andrew Jackson Higgins National Memorial in Pawnee Park features a life-sized replica of a Higgins Boat with bronze statues of soldiers exiting into the sand. The memorial features sand samples from 58 beaches of historic significance: D-Day beaches of World War II, and beaches in Korea and Vietnam. The site is also home to the Freedom Memorial, which incorporates steel from the remains of the World Trade Center, destroyed by terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001.[15]
Glur's Tavern is the oldest tavern west of the Missouri River still in operation. The tavern was patronized by Buffalo Bill when he was in the area.[16]
There are 2 stock car race tracks in the area.
- Butler County Motorplex: a 3/8 mile high banked clay oval that races every Friday night April-September. Hosts IMCA Modifieds, IMCA Sport Modifieds, IMCA Hobby Stocks, and IMCA sport compacts. Special events such as 360 sprint cars, midget sprint cars (Kornhusker Midget Classic), Nebraska Hobby Stock Nationals, and the Spec Late Model Racing Series. www.butlercountymotorplex.com
- U.S 30 Speedway.
Local Media
Columbus has 6 radio stations, including KTLX at FM 91.9, which is a religious station; KKOT at FM 93.5, which plays classic hits; KZEN at FM 100.3, which is a country; their studios are in Columbus, with a station licensed in Central City. KLIR at FM 101.1 plays adult contemporary music, and KJSK at AM 900 is a news talk station, along with KTTT at AM 1510, which is a talk radio station.
Columbus has one low power TV station, KCAZ at LP 57, a Spanish language station that is available over the air and not on cable. The city also has one newspaper, the Columbus Telegram.[17]
References
- ^ a b "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
- ^ "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. 2007-10-25. http://geonames.usgs.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
- ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. http://www.naco.org/Template.cfm?Section=Find_a_County&Template=/cffiles/counties/usamap.cfm. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
- ^ Larsen, L.H., Cottrell, B.J., Dalstrom, H.A. and Dalstrom, K.C. (2007) Upstream Metropolis: An Urban Biography of Omaha and Council Bluffs. University of Nebraska Press. p 152.
- ^ "Platte County," Andreas' history of Nebraska. Retrieved 4/10/08.
- ^ Howard, R.W. (1962) The Great Iron Trail: The Story of the First Transcontinental Railroad. Putnam. p. 206.
- ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2000 and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2005-05-03. http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/gazette.html. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
- ^ CNN http://www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/03/18/raimondo/index.html
- ^ http://www.columbustelegram.com/articles/2004/03/12/news/news1.txt
- ^ Columbus High School. Retrieved 4/11/08.
- ^ Scotus Central Catholic Jr.-Sr. High School. Retrieved 4/11/08.
- ^ Central Community College-Columbus. Retrieved 4/11/08.
- ^ Columbus Public Schools. Retrieved 3/24/09.
- ^ "School marks final days with open house" Columbus Telegram. Retrieved 2009-03-24.
- ^ Higgins Memorial. Retrieved 4/11/08.
- ^ Columbus Telegram, "Places to see" (visitor's guide), retrieved October 21, 2009.
- ^ Columbus Telegram official website. Retrieved 4/11/08.
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