[
The former international foods conglomerate, ]Beatrice Foods
Beatrice Foods Company was a major American food processing company founded in 1894. In 1987, its international food operations were sold to Reginald Lewis, a corporate attorney, creating TLC Beatrice International, after which the majority of ...
, (now a part of ConAgra Foods
Conagra Brands, Inc. (formerly ConAgra Foods) is an American consumer packaged goods holding company headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. Conagra makes and sells products under various brand names that are available in supermarkets, restauran ...
) was founded in Beatrice in 1894 as The Beatrice Creamery Company, by George Everett Haskell and William W. Bosworth.
Beatrice State Developmental Center
In 1885, the Nebraska legislature enacted legislation to establish the Institution for Feeble Minded Youth near Beatrice, subject to the city's donating a suitable parcel of land.[ Beatrice donated 40 acres, located east of the city limits, and the first residents were admitted in 1887.][
Over the following decades, the institution expanded greatly. By 1935, there were 1171 residents living on . The institution was largely self-supporting, operating a farm on which the residents did much of the work; in 1935, were under cultivation.][
In 1945, the institution was renamed the Beatrice State Home.][ Its resident population peaked at about 2300 in the late 1960s.][ From there it declined: new restrictions had been imposed on the use of unpaid labor by residents of institutions, and there was a national trend toward ]deinstitutionalization
Deinstitutionalisation (or deinstitutionalization) is the process of replacing long-stay psychiatric hospitals with less isolated community mental health services for those diagnosed with a mental disorder or developmental disability. In the la ...
.[ In 1975, the ''Horacek v. ]Exon
An exon is any part of a gene that will form a part of the final mature RNA produced by that gene after introns have been removed by RNA splicing. The term ''exon'' refers to both the DNA sequence within a gene and to the corresponding sequen ...
'' lawsuit was settled with a consent decree whereunder many of the residents of the Beatrice State Home were transferred to community-based mental health facilities.[ In that year, the institution's name was changed to the current Beatrice State Developmental Center.][
A 2006 investigation by the federal ]Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), is a federal agency within the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) that administers the Medicare program and works in partnership with state governments to administer M ...
revealed a number of severe deficiencies at the Center;[ after two years of appeals, the Center lost its ]Medicaid
Medicaid in the United States is a federal and state program that helps with healthcare costs for some people with limited income and resources. Medicaid also offers benefits not normally covered by Medicare, including nursing home care and per ...
certification in 2009.[
As of 2011, the Center served about 175 clients.][ The majority had been diagnosed with "severe" or "profound" retardation; nearly all suffered from two or more other disabling conditions.][
On June 11, 2022 five separate tornadoes touched down here according to the radar as well as local officials.
]
Geography
Beatrice is located at (40.268449, -96.743192). According to the United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of th ...
, the city has a total area of , of which is land and is water.
Demographics
2010 census
As of the census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses inc ...
of 2010, there were 12,459 people, 5,509 households, and 3,296 families living in the city. The population density
Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopu ...
was . There were 6,075 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 96.1% White
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White ...
, 0.5% African American
African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
, 0.5% Native American, 0.6% Asian, 0.7% from other races
Other often refers to:
* Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy
Other or The Other may also refer to:
Film and television
* ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack
* ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...
, and 1.6% from two or more races. Hispanic
The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad.
The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to viceroyalties for ...
or Latino people of any race were 2.2% of the population.
There were 5,509 households, of which 27.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.9% were married couples
Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between ...
living together, 10.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.2% had a male householder with no wife present, and 40.2% were non-families. 34.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.23 and the average family size was 2.82.
The median age in the city was 42.6 years. 22.6% of residents were under the age of 18; 8.2% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 22% were from 25 to 44; 26.8% were from 45 to 64; and 20.4% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 47.8% male and 52.2% female.
2000 census
As of the census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses inc ...
of 2000, there were 12,496 people, 5,395 households, and 3,301 families living in the city. The population density
Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopu ...
was 1,666.7 people per square mile (643.3/km). There were 5,818 housing units at an average density of 776.0 per square mile (299.5/km). The racial makeup of the city was 97.50% White
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White ...
, 0.34% African American
African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
, 0.45% Native American, 0.33% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander
Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the Pacific Islands. As an ethnic/ racial term, it is used to describe the original peoples—inhabitants and diasporas—of any of the three major subregions of O ...
, 0.30% from other races
Other often refers to:
* Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy
Other or The Other may also refer to:
Film and television
* ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack
* ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...
, and 1.05% from two or more races. Hispanic
The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad.
The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to viceroyalties for ...
or Latino people of any race were 0.96% of the population.
There were 5,395 households, out of which 28.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.8% were married couples
Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between ...
living together, 8.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.8% were non-families. 33.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.24 and the average family size was 2.87.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 23.4% under the age of 18, 8.4% from 18 to 24, 25.5% from 25 to 44, 21.4% from 45 to 64, and 21.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.7 males.
As of 2000 the median income for a household in the city was $33,735, and the median income for a family was $42,472. Males had a median income of $29,976 versus $21,303 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population.
Per capita i ...
for the city was $17,816. About 7.0% of families and 9.5% of the population were below the poverty line
The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...
, including 10.0% of those under age 18 and 8.9% of those age 65 or over.
Area attractions
* Beatrice Speedway
* Gage County Museum, housed in the 1906 Burlington Railroad Depot and operated by the Gage County Historical Society
* Homestead National Monument of America
Homestead National Historical Park, a unit of the National Park System known as the Homestead National Monument of America prior to 2021, commemorates passage of the Homestead Act of 1862, which allowed any qualified person to claim up to of fed ...
* Homestead Trail
* Community Players Theatre
Notable people
* George D. Baker
George Duane Baker (April 22, 1868 – June 2, 1933) was an American motion picture director whose career began near the dawn of the silent film era.
Early life
He was born at Champaign, Illinois on April 22, 1868.
He was the second son and third ...
(1868–1933), motion picture director of the silent film
A silent film is a film with no synchronized recorded sound (or more generally, no audible dialogue). Though silent films convey narrative and emotion visually, various plot elements (such as a setting or era) or key lines of dialogue may, w ...
era
* The Beatrice Six, a group of people wrongly convicted in 1989 of a 1985 rape and murder, exonerated in 2009
* Eudora Stone Bumstead
Eudora Bumstead (, Stone; August 26, 1860 – 1892) was a 19th-century American poet and hymnwriter, remembered as "the children's poet". She began writing rhymes in childhood, and when ten years old was paid for a poem entitled, "Signs of Spring ...
(1860–1892), poet, hymnwriter
* Clara Bewick Colby
Clara Dorothy Bewick Colby (1 August 1846 – 7 September 1916) was a British-American lecturer, newspaper publisher and correspondent, women's rights activist, and suffragist leader. Born in England, she immigrated to the US, where she attended ...
(1846–1916), author
* Gene L. Coon
Eugene Lee Coon (January 7, 1924 – July 8, 1973) was an American screenwriter, television producer and novelist. He is best remembered for his work on the original ''Star Trek'' as a screenwriter, story editor, and showrunner from the mid ...
(1924–1973), screenwriter and television producer
* Jim Faulkner
James Leroy Faulkner (July 27, 1899 in Beatrice, Nebraska – June 1, 1962 in West Palm Beach, Florida
West Palm Beach is a city in and the county seat of Palm Beach County, Florida, United States. It is located immediately to the west of t ...
(1899–1962), baseball player
* John P. Fulton (1902–1966), special effects supervisor and cinematographer
* Jim Gillette
James "Jim" Gillette (born November 10, 1967) is an American singer, notable for being the frontman of glam metal band Nitro. Originally a member of the band Tuff, Gillette released a solo album in 1987 and then formed Nitro with guitarist Mic ...
(b. 1967), glam metal rock musician and lead singer, most notably with Nitro
* Homestead Harmonizers
The Homestead Harmonizers is a chorus created in response to a charter to operate a barbershop chorus in Beatrice, Nebraska issued on December 12, 1988, by the Society for the Preservation and Encouragement of Barber Shop Quartet Singing in Ame ...
, chorus formed in 1988
* Peter Jansen (1852–1923), sheep rancher, Nebraska state representative and senator
* Weldon Kees (1914–1955), poet, critic, novelist, and short story writer
* Oliver Kirk (1884–1960), won two gold medals in boxing at the 1904 Summer Olympics
* Lou Ann Linehan (b. 1955), member of Nebraska Legislature
The Nebraska Legislature (also called the Unicameral) is the legislature of the U.S. state of Nebraska. The Legislature meets at the Nebraska State Capitol in Lincoln. With 49 members, known as "senators", the Nebraska Legislature is the sm ...
* Kevin Meyer (b. 1956), Lieutenant Governor of Alaska
* Xavier Omon
Xavier Omon (born February 15, 1985) is a former American football running back who played in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Buffalo Bills in the sixth round of the 2008 NFL Draft. He played college football at Northwest Miss ...
(b. 1985), NFL football player
* Algernon Paddock
Algernon Sidney Paddock (November 9, 1830October 17, 1897) was an American politician who was a Republican secretary of Nebraska Territory and U.S. Senator from Nebraska after statehood.
Biography
Paddock was born in Glens Falls, New York. His ...
(1830–1897), U.S. Senator from Nebraska
* Pid Purdy
Everett Virgil "Pid" Purdy (June 15, 1904 – January 16, 1951) was an American professional athlete who played in both Major League Baseball and the National Football League. He was a native of Beatrice, Nebraska, and attended Beloit College. ...
(1904–1951), athlete who played both Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (A ...
and National league football
* Janet Shaw (1919–2001), film actress
* Robert Taylor (1911–1969), film and television actor
* Edward Wight Washburn (1881–1934), chemist
* Dora V. Wheelock
Dora V. Wheelock (, Palmer; August 26, 1847 – February 3, 1923) was an American activist and writer involved in the temperance movement. She served as president of the Nebraska state branch of the Woman's Christian Temperance Union (WCTU), the N ...
(1847–1923), temperance activist and writer
In popular culture
Beatrice is the setting for '' The Gallows'', a 2015 found footage movie that was co-written, co-directed and co-produced by Chris Lofing, a graduate of Beatrice High School.[
A popular story was circulated about a near-miss that occurred in Beatrice, when, at 7:25 pm on March 1, 1950, a church was destroyed by a natural gas explosion five minutes after the scheduled choir practice, but no one was injured because all fifteen members were late. Snopes.com identified this as a true event. It was covered in an episode of '']Unsolved Mysteries
''Unsolved Mysteries'' is an American mystery documentary television show, created by John Cosgrove and Terry Dunn Meurer. Documenting cold cases and paranormal phenomena, it began as a series of seven specials, presented by Raymond Burr, Ka ...
''.
In June 2022, HBO Max
HBO Max is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. Launched in the United States on May 27, 2020, the service is built around the libraries of HBO, Warner Bros., Cartoon Ne ...
released a documentary series titled '' Mind Over Murder'' about the ''Beatrice Six'', a group of friends who were falsely convicted of a 1985 rape and murder that took place in Beatrice.
A 1970 science fiction novel "The House in November" by Keith Laumer
John Keith Laumer ( – ) was an American science fiction author. Prior to becoming a full-time writer, he was an officer in the United States Air Force and a diplomat in the United States Foreign Service. His older brother March Laumer wa ...
takes place largely in Beatrice, Nebraska.
See also
* National Register of Historic Places listings in Gage County, Nebraska
References
["About Gage County".]
Gage County website.
Retrieved 2010-12-30.
Retrieved 2010-12-29.
["Teaching With Documents: The Homestead Act of 1862".]
National Archives Teachers' Resources.
Retrieved 2010-12-30.
.
Retrieved 2011-01-23.
Retrieved 2011-01-02.
Retrieved 2011-01-02.
[Sanny, Mary Lou.]
"Beatrice—Gage County."
Nebraska... Our Towns.
Retrieved 2010-12-29.
[City of Beatrice website.]
Retrieved 2010-12-02.
Retrieved 2011-01-02.
[Ahlgren, Carol (1997). Retrieved 2011-01-02.]
[Dobbs, Hugh Jackson (1918).]
''History of Gage County, Nebraska''."> ''History of Gage County, Nebraska''.
Retrieved 2010-12-29.
[''Horacek v. Exon''.]
University of Michigan Law School: The Civil Rights Litigation Clearinghouse.
Retrieved 2011-01-02.
[Center for Disability Rights, Law and Advocacy (2007).]
"An Indictment of Indifference".
Note 23 on p. 12. Retrieved 2011-01-02.
[Winter, Deena]
ttp://journalstar.com/ ''Lincoln Journal Star''. 2009-06-14. Retrieved 2011-01-02.
[Hicks, Nancy.]
"BSDC loses Medicaid funding".
''Lincoln Journal Star''.
2009-09-25. Retrieved 2011-01-02.
Homestead National Monument of America.
Retrieved 2010-12-30.
[Davey, Monica.]
''New York Times''.
2010-07-25. Retrieved 2010-12-30.
at Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2010-03-06.
["Nebraska Health and Human Services System Chronological History".]
Nebraska Library Commission.
Retrieved 2011-01-02.
[Kay, John, Lonnie Dickson, Robert Kay and Katherine Fimple. Retrieved 2010-12-29.]
External links
City of Beatrice
Gage County tourism
Main Street Beatrice
is a 501 (c)(3) organization accredited as a Certified National Main Street Program, a branch of the National Trust for Historic Preservation (Main Street Programs in the United States
Main Street Programs aim to revitalize downtowns and commercial districts through preservation-based economic development and community revitalization. The "Main Street Project" was begun in 1977 with a pilot involving 3 towns: Galesburg, Illinois; ...
).
{{Authority control
Cities in Nebraska
Micropolitan areas of Nebraska
Cities in Gage County, Nebraska
County seats in Nebraska