Crawford is a city in

Dawes County Dawes County is a county in the U.S. state of Nebraska. As of the 2010 United States Census, the population was 9,182. Its county seat is Chadron. The county was formed in 1885; it was named for James W. Dawes, the Nebraska Governor at the time ...

, in the northwestern part of the state 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 ...

, in the

Great Plains The Great Plains (french: Grandes Plaines), sometimes simply "the Plains", is a broad expanse of flatland in North America. It is located west of the Mississippi River and east of the Rocky Mountains, much of it covered in prairie, steppe, an ...

region of the United States. The population was 997 at the 2010 census. It was incorporated in 1886 and was named for the late Captain

Emmet Crawford Emmet Crawford (December 22, 1844 – January 18, 1886) was an American soldier who rose through the ranks to become an officer. He was most noted for his time spent in the Arizona Territory under General George Crook in the United States Cava ...

, who had been stationed at nearby

Fort Robinson Fort Robinson is a former U.S. Army fort and now a major feature of Fort Robinson State Park, a public recreation and historic preservation area located west of Crawford on U.S. Route 20 in the Pine Ridge region of northwest Nebraska. The for ...

History

The

Fremont, Elkhorn and Missouri Valley Railroad The Fremont, Elkhorn and Missouri Valley Railroad (FE&MV), sometimes called "the Elkhorn," was a railroad established in 1869 in the state of Nebraska in the Midwestern United States. About The company constructed several lines in Nebraska, inclu ...

reached

in 1886 on its way to

Wyoming Wyoming () is a U.S. state, state in the Mountain states, Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It is bordered by Montana to the north and northwest, South Dakota and Nebraska to the east, Idaho to the west, Utah to the south ...

. Several miles east of the Fort, the railroad passed through a tree claim belonging to William Annin (also spelled "Annon"), who sold his claim for a new townsite. The "tent city" that sprang up around the railroad was named after Lt.

, who had been formerly stationed at Fort Robinson but was killed in

Mexico Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...

in January 1886. The town's original plat was filed on June 21, 1886 by the Western Townsite Company. E.A. Thompson and William D. Edger (editor of the original '' Crawford Clipper'') circulated a petition for Crawford to become a village, but upon getting only 69 of the 200 needed signatures, secured the remaining signatures from willing soldiers at Fort Robinson. Crawford was incorporated in August 1886. Seeking entertainment, the soldiers kept the town supplied with much business during its early years. Crawford was a very wild frontier town, and was home to many

saloons Saloon may refer to: Buildings and businesses * One of the bars in a traditional British pub * An alternative name for a bar (establishment) * Western saloon, a historical style of American bar * The Saloon, a bar and music venue in San Francisc ...

and

brothel A brothel, bordello, ranch, or whorehouse is a place where people engage in sexual activity with prostitutes. However, for legal or cultural reasons, establishments often describe themselves as massage parlors, bars, strip clubs, body rub par ...

Calamity Jane Martha Jane Cannary (May 1, 1852 – August 1, 1903), better known as Calamity Jane, was an American frontierswoman, sharpshooter, and storyteller. In addition to many exploits she was known for being an acquaintance of Wild Bill Hickok. Late ...

came to Crawford from

Deadwood, South Dakota Deadwood (Lakota: ''Owáyasuta''; "To approve or confirm things") is a city that serves as county seat of Lawrence County, South Dakota, United States. It was named by early settlers after the dead trees found in its gulch. The city had it ...

with ten dancing girls and set up a tent south of town. Several murders took place in Crawford, most involving soldiers from Fort Robinson. Downtown Crawford, Nebraska Postcard c

A second railroad, the

Chicago, Burlington and Quincy 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 ...

, reached Crawford in 1889, providing an additional boost to the community. In 1907 Crawford became a city, and by 1911 Crawford had the seventh-most business volume in Nebraska. Through the following years, the town had a variety of industries, including a brick works, mica mill, pickle factory, and a

Nash Finch Company The Nash Finch Company was a Fortune 500 company based in Edina, Minnesota, United States. The company was involved in food distribution to private companies, primarily independent supermarkets, and military commissaries; and the operation of ret ...

warehouse. Crawford lobbied for a state normal school, but the state decided to place the school (now

Chadron State College Chadron State College is a public college in Chadron, Nebraska, US. It is one of three public colleges in the Nebraska State College System. It has open admission and an acceptance rate of 100%. According to College Factual, it has a six-year g ...

) in nearby Chadron. The state thought that Crawford's proximity to

would not be good for the school's young women students. The Elite Theater was established about 1910 in a converted saloon. The theater was owned and operated by Mrs. Georgianna Higgins, thought to be the first woman theater owner in the United States. Crawford's population peaked at 2,536 in 1910, largely because of the

Kinkaid Act The Kinkaid Act of 1904 (ch. 1801, , Apr. 28, 1904, ) is a U.S. statute that amended the 1862 Homestead Act so that one section (1 mi2, 2.6 km2, 640 acres) of public domain land could be acquired free of charge, apart from a modest fili ...

. It attracted many new settlers to western Nebraska who could claim public land for homesteading. But many found it impossible to successfully conduct dry-land farming on the 640-acre plots made available, and began to sell out to ranchers. The population of Crawford reflected that change and dropped to 1,646 by 1920. Businesses declined with the loss of customers. The town made some minor recovery, and the population was 1,845 in 1940. Because of urbanization and people seeking jobs, and the decline of family agriculture on the Great Plains, the population has been steadily decreasing since. In the

Lakota language Lakota ( ), also referred to as Lakhota, Teton or Teton Sioux, is a Siouan language spoken by the Lakota people of the Sioux tribes. Lakota is mutually intelligible with the two dialects of the Dakota language, especially Western Dakota, and i ...

, Crawford is known as ''oglíyotake otȟúŋwahe'', or "Return and Settle City".

Geography

Crawford is located at (42.683617, -103.412297). 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 the ...

, the city has a total area of , all land. It is situated on the White River. Crawford sits 3,675 feet above sea level, and the surrounding area is rolling, with bluffs and low hills. The soils include sandy dirt and "gumbo" clay.

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 incl ...

of 2010, there were 997 people, 470 households, and 249 families residing 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 RosenberPopul ...

was . There were 567 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 95.6%

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 ...

, 0.1%

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 ...

, 0.9% Native American, 0.2%

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 ...

, 0.7%

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 ...

, 0.2% 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 2.3% from two or more races.

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 ...

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 were 1.0% of the population. There were 470 households, of which 21.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.7% 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, 7.2% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.0% had a male householder with no wife present, and 47.0% were non-families. 41.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 26% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.07 and the average family size was 2.85. The median age in the city was 49.1 years. 21% of residents were under the age of 18; 4.8% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 17.8% were from 25 to 44; 28.7% were from 45 to 64; and 27.5% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 45.0% male and 55.0% female.

2000 census

As of the

of 2000, there were 1,107 people, 473 households, and 295 families residing in the city. The

was 969.9 people per square mile (374.9/km²). There were 537 housing units at an average density of 470.5 per square mile (181.9/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 93.68%

, 0.09%

, 3.43% Native American, 0.90% from

, and 1.90% from two or more races.

of any race were 1.99% of the population. There were 473 households, out of which 27.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.6% were

living together, 9.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.6% were non-families. 34.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 20.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.26 and the average family size was 2.92. In the city, the population was spread out, with 24.8% under the age of 18, 7.1% from 18 to 24, 21.8% from 25 to 44, 23.3% from 45 to 64, and 22.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females, there were 78.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 75.2 males. As of 2000 the median income for a household in the city was $28,095, and the median income for a family was $35,139. Males had a median income of $26,250 versus $19,000 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 $14,891. About 9.7% of families and 15.0% 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 21.0% of those under age 18 and 14.8% of those age 65 or over.

Arts and culture

Crawford and its surrounding area include several cultural institutions. Crawford's primary

library A library is a collection of materials, books or media that are accessible for use and not just for display purposes. A library provides physical (hard copies) or digital access (soft copies) materials, and may be a physical location or a vir ...

is the Crawford Public Library. The Crawford Historical Museum contains artifacts and materials relevant to the city's history.

is a

state park State parks are parks or other protected areas managed at the sub-national level within those nations which use "state" as a political subdivision. State parks are typically established by a state to preserve a location on account of its natural ...

and

National Historic Landmark District National may refer to: Common uses * Nation or country ** Nationality – a ''national'' is a person who is subject to a nation, regardless of whether the person has full rights as a citizen Places in the United States * National, Maryland, ce ...

several miles west of Crawford that includes two museums and a play

theatre Theatre or theater is a collaborative form of performing art that uses live performers, usually actors or actresses, to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place, often a stage. The perform ...

. Located south of Crawford, near the ghost town of Belmont, is the Belmont Tunnel. Also, two sites listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...

are within the city limits, the Co-operative Block Building and the

US Post Office The United States Postal Service (USPS), also known as the Post Office, U.S. Mail, or Postal Service, is an independent agency of the executive branch of the United States federal government responsible for providing postal service in the U. ...

Annual cultural events

Yearly events in Crawford include the Peabody Hale

Fiddle A fiddle is a bowed string musical instrument, most often a violin. It is a colloquial term for the violin, used by players in all genres, including classical music. Although in many cases violins and fiddles are essentially synonymous, th ...

Contest, the Old West Trail PRCA

Rodeo Rodeo () is a competitive equestrian sport that arose out of the working practices of cattle herding in Spain and Mexico, expanding throughout the Americas and to other nations. It was originally based on the skills required of the working va ...

, the Northwest Nebraska Rock Swap, numerous Independence Day activities, and the Fort Robinson Western & Wildlife Art Show.

Parks and recreation

Crawford's city park is located in Northwest Crawford, along the White River. The other park, Peabody Hale Memorial Park, is the location of the city's swimming pool and baseball diamonds.

Fort Robinson State Park Fort Robinson is a former U.S. Army fort and now a major feature of Fort Robinson State Park, a public recreation and historic preservation area located west of Crawford on U.S. Route 20 in the Pine Ridge region of northwest Nebraska. The for ...

and the

Nebraska National Forest The Nebraska National Forest is a United States National Forest located within the U.S. state of Nebraska. The total area of the national forest is 141,864 acres, or 222 sq miles (574 km2). The forest is managed by the U.S. Forest Service's ...

are also local recreational areas. Finally, Crawford has a golfing facility, the Legends Buttes Golf Course. The local rodeo grounds are west of the city park and are the location of a yearly PRCA rodeo.

Rail transportation

Crawford is served by two freight railroads,

BNSF Railway BNSF Railway is one of the largest freight railroads in North America. One of seven North American Class I railroads, BNSF has 35,000 employees, of track in 28 states, and nearly 8,000 locomotives. It has three transcontinental routes that ...

via Crawford Hill and the Nebraska Northwestern Railroad. The original

line was abandoned west of Crawford in 1992 by modern successor Chicago and North Western. There is no passenger service to or from Crawford, and the original depot has long ago been demolished. The city still remains an important point on the railroad with

still basing teams of one man, engineer only crews at Crawford to assist in pushing trains up the grade over Crawford Hill.

Notable people

Kermit Brashear Kermit Brashear (born March 16, 1944) is an American politician and lawyer from Omaha, Nebraska. He was a member of the unicameral Nebraska Legislature from 1995 to 2007, and he served as its speaker from 2005 to 2007. __NOTOC__ Personal lif ...

, former

speaker Speaker may refer to: Society and politics * Speaker (politics), the presiding officer in a legislative assembly * Public speaker, one who gives a speech or lecture * A person producing speech: the producer of a given utterance, especially: ** I ...

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 ...

Roger Hughes Roger A. Hughes (born September 4, 1960) is an American football coach and former player. He served as the head coach at Princeton University from 2000 to 2009, and amassed a 47–52 record. He was the head coach at Stetson University, which re ...

football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly c ...

coach * Jerry D. Mahlman,

meteorologist A meteorologist is a scientist who studies and works in the field of meteorology aiming to understand or predict Earth's atmospheric phenomena including the weather. Those who study meteorological phenomena are meteorologists in research, while t ...

and

climatologist Climatology (from Greek , ''klima'', "place, zone"; and , ''-logia'') or climate science is the scientific study of Earth's climate, typically defined as weather conditions averaged over a period of at least 30 years. This modern field of study ...

* Robert L. Wheeler,

Hall of Fame A hall, wall, or walk of fame is a list of individuals, achievements, or other entities, usually chosen by a group of electors, to mark their excellence or Wiktionary:fame, fame in their field. In some cases, these halls of fame consist of actu ...

trainer of

Thoroughbred The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word ''thoroughbred'' is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed. Thoroughbreds are c ...

racehorses

References

External links

History of Crawford
on the Crawford Historical Society & Museum website
Crawford Chamber of CommerceCity of CrawfordCrawford photos at Nebraska Memories
{{authority control Cities in Nebraska Cities in Dawes County, Nebraska