Chase County is a
county
A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposesChambers Dictionary, L. Brookes (ed.), 2005, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh in certain modern nations. The term is derived from the Old French ...
in the
U.S. state
In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its sover ...
of
Nebraska
Nebraska () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is bordered by South Dakota to the north; Iowa to the east and Missouri to the southeast, both across the Missouri River; Kansas to the south; Colorado to the southwe ...
. As of the
2010 United States Census
The United States census of 2010 was the twenty-third United States national census. National Census Day, the reference day used for the census, was April 1, 2010. The census was taken via mail-in citizen self-reporting, with enumerators servin ...
, the population was 3,966.
Its
county seat
A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, Taiwan, and the United States. The equivalent term shire town is used in the US st ...
is
Imperial
Imperial is that which relates to an empire, emperor, or imperialism.
Imperial or The Imperial may also refer to:
Places
United States
* Imperial, California
* Imperial, Missouri
* Imperial, Nebraska
* Imperial, Pennsylvania
* Imperial, Texa ...
.
In the
Nebraska license plate system, Chase County is represented by the prefix 72 (it had the 72nd-most vehicles registered in the state when the license plate system was established in 1922).
History
Chase County was named after
Champion S. Chase, who served as mayor of Omaha for seven years and was Nebraska's first Attorney General.
Chase County was separated from Hayes County by the Nebraska legislature on February 27, 1873, although the county was not organized until 1886.
It was once said that, excluding ranch owners, their wives, and their cooks, at the time Chase County was organized it was populated entirely by cowboys. Part of the reason for such a statement may have been the fact that at one time
Frenchman Creek and its main branch the Stinking Water Creek were used as watering stops for
cattle drives
A cattle drive is the process of moving a herd of cattle from one place to another, usually moved and herded by cowboys on horses.
Europe
In medieval central Europe, annual cattle drives brought Hungarian Grey cattle across the Danube River ...
that traveled from
Texas
Texas (, ; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2 ...
to the Union Pacific railhead at
Ogallala. These trails are known as the Western or Great Western trails.
Chase County sits in the region once referred to as the
Great American Desert
The term Great American Desert was used in the 19th century to describe the part of North America east of the Rocky Mountains to about the 100th meridian. It can be traced to Stephen H. Long's 1820 scientific expedition which put the Great Am ...
. However, on the broad, fertile plateau, early settlers quickly discovered that Chase County's dark sandy loam soil was excellent for farming.
The railroad came to Chase County in 1892, reaching Wauneta on January 28. It was built by a division of the
Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad
The Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad was a railroad that operated in the Midwestern United States. Commonly referred to as the Burlington Route, the Burlington, or as the Q, it operated extensive trackage in the states of Colorado, Illin ...
. This line left the main line near
Culbertson and terminated in Imperial.
National Register of Historic Places listings
* Imperial
** Balcony House (listed 2000)
** Chase County Court House (listed 1990)
[Chase County Tourism]
/ref>
* Wauneta
** Wauneta Roller Mills (listed 2008)[
* Champion
** Champion Mill (listed 1988)][
* Rural Areas
** Lovett Site (listed 1972)][
** Texas Trail Stone Corral (listed 2002), on Spring Creek North of Imperial][
]
Law and government
Chase County is served by a three-member Board of Commissioners
A county commission (or a board of county commissioners) is a group of elected officials (county commissioners) collectively charged with administering the county government in some states of the United States; such commissions usually comprise ...
. County officials are directly elected. It is a part of the 44th Legislative District of the 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 small ...
.
Geography
Chase County is on the west edge of Nebraska. Its west boundary line abuts the east boundary line of the state of Colorado
Colorado (, other variants) is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It encompasses most of the Southern Rocky Mountains, as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of t ...
. According to the US 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 the ...
, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (0.3%) is water.
Chase County is geographically diverse. The spring-fed Frenchman Creek crosses the county from west to southeast. From Enders to Wauneta the path of the creek exposes limestone outcroppings. North of Wauneta is an area of significant loess
Loess (, ; from german: Löss ) is a clastic, predominantly silt-sized sediment that is formed by the accumulation of wind-blown dust. Ten percent of Earth's land area is covered by loess or similar deposits.
Loess is a periglacial or aeolian ...
deposits, including the typical steep-walled canyons. Rolling Sandhill
A sandhill is a type of ecological community or xeric wildfire-maintained ecosystem. It is not the same as a sand dune. It features very short fire return intervals, one to five years. Without fire, sandhills undergo ecological succession and bec ...
formations are found in the north-central and southwestern areas of the county.
The Pierre Shale of Upper Cretaceous Age is the underlying structure of the region. At Enders Dam this formation is found at a depth of below the valley floor. The Ogallala Formation of Pliocene Age overlies the Pierre Shale. The Ogallala Formation is composed of fine to coarse sand, some gravel, calcareous silt, silty sands, silts and clays. Various degrees of calcareous cementation occur, resulting in lenses of varying loose unconsolidated to very firm compact materials at irregular intervals. The Ogallala beds lie almost horizontal and structural irregularities, such as faulting, have been observed in the area.
The Ogallala Formation is of vital importance to the county and the surrounding areas. The associated Ogallala Aquifer
The Ogallala Aquifer () is a shallow water table aquifer surrounded by sand, silt, clay, and gravel located beneath the Great Plains in the United States. One of the world's largest aquifers, it underlies an area of approximately in portio ...
is the primary source of water for the population and livestock, and an important input into agricultural economy of the county.
Adjacent counties
* Hayes County – east
* Dundy County – south
* Yuma County, Colorado
Yuma County is a county located in the U.S. state of Colorado. As of the 2020 census, the population was 9,988. The county seat is Wray.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and ( ...
– southwest
* Phillips County, Colorado
Phillips County is a county located in the U.S. state of Colorado. As of the 2020 census, the population was 4,530. The county seat is Holyoke. The county was named in honor of R.O. Phillips, a secretary of the Lincoln Land Company, who organiz ...
– west
* Perkins County – north
Protected areas
* Church Grove Recreation Area
* Enders Reservoir State Recreation Area
Demographics
As of the 2000 United States Census
The United States census of 2000, 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 percent over the 248,709,873 people enumerated during the 1990 ce ...
, there were 4,068 people, 1,662 households, and 1,163 families in the county. 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 RosenberPopul ...
was 4 people per square mile (2/km2). There were 1,927 housing units at an average density of 2 per square mile (1/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 97.81% 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 on ...
, 0.17% Black
Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white have o ...
or 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 ...
, 0.10% Native American, 0.17% Asian
Asian may refer to:
* Items from or related to the continent of Asia:
** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia
** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia
** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...
, 0.02% Pacific Islander
Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe the original p ...
, 1.47% 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 0.25% from two or more races. 3.42% of the population were Hispanic
The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, 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 Vic ...
or Latino
Latino or Latinos most often refers to:
* Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America
* Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States
* The people or cultures of Latin America;
** Latin A ...
of any race. 44.6% were of German
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany (of or related to)
** Germania (historical use)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law
**Ge ...
, 13.0% American
American(s) may refer to:
* American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America"
** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America
** American ancestry, pe ...
, 12.3% English
English usually refers to:
* English language
* English people
English may also refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England
** English national ide ...
and 7.1% Irish
Irish may refer to:
Common meanings
* Someone or something of, from, or related to:
** Ireland, an island situated off the north-western coast of continental Europe
***Éire, Irish language name for the isle
** Northern Ireland, a constituent unit ...
ancestry.
There were 1,662 households, out of which 30.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.10% 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 t ...
living together, 5.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.00% were non-families. 27.30% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.80% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 2.91.
The county population contained 25.20% under the age of 18, 5.90% from 18 to 24, 23.90% from 25 to 44, 24.00% from 45 to 64, and 21.10% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 96.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.80 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $32,351, and the median income for a family was $39,225. Males had a median income of $27,554 versus $17,602 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 county was $17,490. About 7.90% of families and 9.60% 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 t ...
, including 10.50% of those under age 18 and 9.00% of those age 65 or over.
Economy
Chase County economy is based on agriculture. A third of the county's area is under irrigation; another fourth is used for dry farming
Dryland farming and dry farming encompass specific agricultural techniques for the non-irrigated cultivation of crops. Dryland farming is associated with drylands, areas characterized by a cool wet season (which charges the soil with virtuall ...
. The rest is rangeland
Rangelands are grasslands, shrublands, woodlands, wetlands, and deserts that are grazed by domestic livestock or wild animals. Types of rangelands include tallgrass and shortgrass prairies, desert grasslands and shrublands, woodlands, savannas ...
. Wheat, corn, edible beans (pintos, kidneys and great northerns), soybeans and sugar beets are the principal crops. Livestock production is equally important in the county's economy. In 2007, sales of agricultural products exceeded $125 Million, with Corn ($96 Million) and Wheat ($11 Million) being the primary crops.
Transportation
The main highway routes crossing Chase County are U.S. Route 6
U.S. Route 6 (US 6), also called the Grand Army of the Republic Highway, honoring the American Civil War veterans association, is a main route of the U.S. Highway system. While it currently runs east-northeast from Bishop, California, to P ...
which crosses east–west and Nebraska Highway 61
Nebraska Highway 61 is a highway in western Nebraska. It is a north–south highway with a length of . The southern terminus of Nebraska Highway 61 is at the Kansas border south of Benkelman, where the highway continues south as K-161. The ...
which crosses north–south. The county is served by the Nebraska Kansas & Colorado Railway. NKCR is an operating company of OmniTRAX
OmniTRAX, Inc. is a transportation and transportation infrastructure holding company based in Denver, Colorado, in the United States. It primarily owns or operates railroads, with a network of 25 regional and shortline railroads in 12 U.S. state ...
. This short line operates the branch line which interchanges with the BNSF. This line enters the county near the southeastern corner passing through Wauneta and Enders, terminating at Imperial.
Major highways
* U.S. Highway 6
U.S. Route 6 (US 6), also called the Grand Army of the Republic Highway, honoring the American Civil War Grand Army of the Republic, veterans association, is a main route of the U.S. Highway system. While it currently runs east-northeast fr ...
* Nebraska Highway 61
Nebraska Highway 61 is a highway in western Nebraska. It is a north–south highway with a length of . The southern terminus of Nebraska Highway 61 is at the Kansas border south of Benkelman, where the highway continues south as K-161. The ...
Communities
City
* Imperial
Imperial is that which relates to an empire, emperor, or imperialism.
Imperial or The Imperial may also refer to:
Places
United States
* Imperial, California
* Imperial, Missouri
* Imperial, Nebraska
* Imperial, Pennsylvania
* Imperial, Texa ...
(county seat)
Villages
* Lamar
* Wauneta
Census-designated places
* Champion
A champion (from the late Latin ''campio'') is the victor in a challenge, contest or competition. There can be a territorial pyramid of championships, e.g. local, regional / provincial, state, national, continental and world championships, an ...
* Enders
Enders or Ender's may refer to:
Literature and film
* ''Ender's Game'' (series), a series of science fiction books by Orson Scott Card, also known as the Ender saga
** '' Ender's Game'', a 1985 military science fiction novel
** '' Ender's Shadow ...
Former communities
* Best
* Blanche
* Chase
Politics
Chase County voters are strongly Republican. In no national election since 1936 has the county selected a Democratic Party candidate. In 2020, Donald Trump
Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who served as the 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021.
Trump graduated from the Wharton School of the University of Pe ...
won the highest share of the vote ever in the county at 87.0%. Republicans also hold a significant advantage in voter registration in Chase County, with 1,902 registered Republicans compared with just 282 registered Democrats as of 2021.
See also
* National Register of Historic Places listings in Chase County, Nebraska
References
External links
Chase County, Nebraska Chamber of Commerce
{{authority control
Nebraska counties
1886 establishments in Nebraska
Populated places established in 1886