McCook, Nebraska
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McCook is a city in and the
county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or parish (administrative division), civil parish. The term is in use in five countries: Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, and the United States. An equiva ...
of Red Willow County,
Nebraska Nebraska ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders South Dakota to the north; Iowa to the east and Missouri to the southeast, both across the Missouri River; Ka ...
, United States. The population was 7,446 at the 2020 census.


History

McCook was
plat In the United States, a plat ( or ) (plan) is a cadastral map, drawn to scale, showing the divisions of a piece of land. United States General Land Office surveyors drafted township plats of Public Lands Survey System, Public Lands Surveys to ...
ted in 1882 when the Burlington and Missouri River Railroad was extended to that point. It was named in honor of Alexander McDowell McCook, a brigadier general in the Union Army during the
American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...
.


Demographics


2020 census

The 2020 United States census counted 7,446 people, 3,328 households, and 1,733 families in McCook. The population density was 1,363.7 per square mile (526.6/km). There were 3,911 housing units at an average density of 716.3 per square mile (276.6/km). The racial makeup was 90.26% (6,721)
white White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...
, 0.54% (40) black or African-American, 0.43% (32) Native American, 0.43% (32) Asian, 0.16% (12)
Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, 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 th ...
, 3.57% (266) from other races, and 4.61% (343) from two or more races.
Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...
or Latino of any race was 3.0% (289) of the population. Of the 3,328 households, 18.6% had children under the age of 18; 40.2% were married couples living together; 31.7% had a female householder with no husband present. 41.9% of households consisted of individuals and 20.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.2 and the average family size was 3.1. 22.5% of the population was under the age of 18, 10.7% from 18 to 24, 22.3% from 25 to 44, 24.8% from 45 to 64, and 21.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39.5 years. For every 100 females, the population had 94.3 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older, there were 89.6 males. The 2016-2020 5-year
American Community Survey The American Community Survey (ACS) is an annual demographics survey program conducted by the United States Census Bureau. It regularly gathers information previously contained only in the long form of the United States census, decennial census ...
estimates show that the median household income was $44,961 (with a margin of error of +/- $7,970) and the median family income $63,060 (+/- $9,769). Males had a median income of $32,135 (+/- $8,325) versus $23,056 (+/- $5,565) for females. The median income for those above 16 years old was $26,273 (+/- $3,550). Approximately, 3.1% of families and 8.2% 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 6.3% of those under the age of 18 and 2.8% of those ages 65 or over.


2010 census

As of the
census A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...
of 2010, there were 7,698 people, 3,324 households, and 2,021 families living in the city. The
population density Population density (in agriculture: Standing stock (disambiguation), 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 geog ...
was . There were 3,717 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 95.8%
White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...
, 0.5%
African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...
, 0.5% Native American, 0.4% Asian, 1.5% from other races, and 1.3% from two or more races.
Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...
or Latino of any race were 4.9% of the population. There were 3,324 households, of which 27.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.8% were
married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...
living together, 9.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.7% had a male householder with no wife present, and 39.2% were non-families. 33.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.25 and the average family size was 2.89. The median age in the city was 40.7 years. 23% of residents were under the age of 18; 9.4% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 22% were from 25 to 44; 26.2% were from 45 to 64; and 19.5% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.3% male and 51.7% female.


2000 census

As of the
census A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...
of 2000, there were 7,994 people, 3,371 households, and 2,154 families living in the city. The population density was . There were 3,754 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 97.37%
White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...
, 0.18%
African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...
, 0.45% Native American, 0.18% Asian, 0.91% from other races, and 0.91% from two or more races.
Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...
or Latino of any race were 2.53% of the population. The population was 7,410 in 2009. There were 3,371 households, out of which 29.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.7% were
married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...
living together, 8.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.1% were non-families. 31.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.29 and the average family size was 2.90. In the city, the population was spread out, with 24.1% under the age of 18, 9.7% from 18 to 24, 24.2% from 25 to 44, 21.3% from 45 to 64, and 20.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.3 males. As of 2000 the median income for a household in the city was $31,105, and the median income for a family was $40,455. Males had a median income of $28,065 versus $18,516 for females. The
per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...
for the city was $16,691. About 7.9% of families and 9.4% 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 9.7% of those under age 18 and 8.4% of those age 65 or over.


Geography

According to the
United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...
, the city has a total area of , all land.


Climate

McCook's climate is formally classified as hot-summer humid continental. Due to the very hot and humid summers typical of the
Midwest The Midwestern United States (also referred to as the Midwest, the Heartland or the American Midwest) is one of the four census regions defined by the United States Census Bureau. It occupies the northern central part of the United States. It ...
and the January daily mean averaging around it has a little bit of influence of the subtropical climates to the south, although except during periods of chinook warming winter nights are much too severe for subtropical plants to thrive. Winters are generally cold and dry and summers hot and humid. Precipitation is concentrated in spring and summer, accumulating to an annual normal of , the majority of which occurs from May through August. Snowfall is generally light, with a normal of per season, and generally occurs from November through April. Record temperatures range from on January 12, 1912, up to on June 26, 2012; the record cold maximum is on December 22, 1990 and December 22–23, 1989, while, conversely the record warm minimum is on August 1, 1935. More typically, however, there is an average of 5.4 days annually with a maximum at or above , 45 days annually with a maximum at or above , 28 days annually where the maximum stays at or below freezing, and 8.6 days annually with a minimum at or below .


Culture

The Harvey P. Sutton House at 602 Norris Avenue was designed by influential architect
Frank Lloyd Wright Frank Lloyd Wright Sr. (June 8, 1867 – April 9, 1959) was an American architect, designer, writer, and educator. He designed List of Frank Lloyd Wright works, more than 1,000 structures over a creative period of 70 years. Wright played a key ...
in 1905–1907 and built 1907–1908. The classic Prairie-style house is listed in the National Register of Historic Places; it is the only Wright house known to have been built in Nebraska. The house is used as a private residence, and is not open to the public. McCook Army Airfield, active from 1943 through 1945, was located nine miles northwest of McCook. McCook hosted a professional baseball team, the McCook Braves, who played in the Nebraska State League from 1956 to 1959. In their final season in 1959, the club featured future Baseball Hall of Famer
Phil Niekro Philip Henry Niekro ( ; April 1, 1939 – December 26, 2020), nicknamed "Knucksie", was an American baseball pitcher who played 24 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Atlanta Braves, Milwaukee/Atlanta Braves, Cleveland Indians, N ...
and won the NSL championship; both the Braves and the league folded at season's end. Another pitcher on the team, Pat Jordan, later became a writer for the
Sporting News ''The Sporting News'' is a website and former magazine publication owned by Sporting News Holdings, which is a U.S.-based sports media company formed in December 2020 by a private investor consortium. It was originally established in 1886 as a ...
, and wrote an autobiography dealing with his career with the Braves, ''A False Spring''. McCook is home to the first two-year junior college in Nebraska. McCook Junior College was founded in September 1926 on the second floor of the YMCA building on Main Street. The name was eventually changed to McCook Community College and was governed over the Mid-Plains Area. The McCook Economic Development Corporation works “To facilitate the formation, retention, attraction, and expansion of businesses in McCook and the surrounding area.” McCook restaurant, Sehnert's Bakery & Bieroc Cafe, is a James Beard America’s Classic Award Winner. They are the only restaurant to win this award in the whole state of Nebraska.


Events

Heritage Days is an annual event held the last full weekend in September. This event has been happening since 1971. It is the town’s largest celebration. This event includes the Heritage Day Parade, a road race, entertainment from the high schoolers, and vendors on the street. Red Willow County Fair is a five day fair held in July. This is the fair for the whole county. It includes games, rides, concerts, tractor rides, a
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 vaqu ...
, and food from local families and businesses. Crazy Days is an annual weekend event to celebrate the local businesses. It includes crazy days sales in the stores, costume contests, and a car show. On the Friday night of this weekend, the people of this small town bring out their old and fancy cars and cruise up and down the main street in town, West B St. and Norris Ave. McCook hosts the Buffalo Commons Storytelling Festival each summer.


Parks and recreation

McCook is home to Heritage Hills Golf Course. The 18-hole par-72 championship golf course was designed by Bradford Benz, ASGCA, and Richard M. Phelps, ASGCA, and opened in 1981. The links style course plays over 7,100 yards from the back tees. Heritage Hills was included in Golf Digest's Best 75 Golf Course's in 1984 and Golf Digest's Top 100 Toughest Public Course's in 1986. Heritage Hills underwent a major renovation for upgrades and modernization in 2013.


Government

McCook has a council-manager style government. Five council members are elected at large; the five elect one of their number as mayor, and a second as vice president. As of 2015, council members are Mayor Mike Gonzales, Vice-President Janet Hepp, Jerry Calvin, Bruce McDowell, and Gene Weedin. The city government operates through eight departments and offices: Administration, Building and Zoning, Fire, Library, Police, Public Works, Senior Center, and Utilities. Advisory boards and commissions, both those required by law and those created for specific purposes, are appointed by the council; as of 2015, there were fourteen such boards and commissions.


Transportation


Highway

McCook sits on 3 important US Highway routes. The north-south road is U.S. Route 83 which travels north 14.5 miles from the
Kansas Kansas ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Nebraska to the north; Missouri to the east; Oklahoma to the south; and Colorado to the west. Kansas is named a ...
border to
South Dakota South Dakota (; Sioux language, Sioux: , ) is a U.S. state, state in the West North Central states, North Central region of the United States. It is also part of the Great Plains. South Dakota is named after the Dakota people, Dakota Sioux ...
via North Platte (where it meets Interstate 80 and Valentine. US6 and US34 are cosigned through McCook travelling east-west. U.S. Route 34 serves as a connection to
Colorado Colorado is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States. It is one of the Mountain states, sharing the Four Corners region with Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah. It is also bordered by Wyoming to the north, Nebraska to the northeast, Kansas ...
and
Denver Denver ( ) is a List of municipalities in Colorado#Consolidated city and county, consolidated city and county, the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Colorado, most populous city of the U.S. state of ...
to the West and is a key in state link to Lincoln via a number of other mid-sized Nebraska cities such as Holdrege,
Hastings Hastings ( ) is a seaside town and Borough status in the United Kingdom, borough in East Sussex on the south coast of England, east of Lewes and south east of London. The town gives its name to the Battle of Hastings, which took place to th ...
, Grand Island, and Seward. U.S. Route 6 traveling west splits from US34 15 miles out of town and heads Northwest to Colorado. Traveling east it splits from US34 at Hastings and is an alternate route for I-80 to Omaha and Lincoln.


Rail

Amtrak The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, Trade name, doing business as Amtrak (; ), is the national Passenger train, passenger railroad company of the United States. It operates intercity rail service in 46 of the 48 contiguous United Stat ...
, the national passenger rail system, provides service through McCook, operating its
California Zephyr The ''California Zephyr'' is a Amtrak Long Distance, long-distance passenger train operated by Amtrak between Chicago, Illinois, Chicago and the San Francisco Bay Area (at Emeryville station, Emeryville), via Omaha, Nebraska, Omaha, Denver, Sa ...
daily in both directions between
Chicago Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...
and Emeryville ( Oakland), California, with stops in Omaha, Lincoln, and Hastings. The service stops at McCook station.


Air

Commuter airline Denver Air Connection is currently serving the McCook Regional Airport with daily nonstop round trip commercial flights to
Denver, Colorado Denver ( ) is a List of municipalities in Colorado#Consolidated city and county, consolidated city and county, the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Colorado, most populous city of the U.S. state of ...
.


Media


Newspapers

The '' McCook Daily Gazette'' is the city's newspaper, published five days a week. In 1929, the newspaper became one of the first in the world to be delivered regularly by air: for several months its airplane, named the Newsboy, flew a daily route, dropping bundles of newspapers to carriers in outlying towns.


Radio


Notable people

Three governors of Nebraska made their homes in McCook: Ralph G. Brooks, Frank Morrison, and Ben Nelson, who represented Nebraska in the U.S. Senate for two terms, from 2000 to 2012. Frank B. Morrison Jr., Montana Supreme Court justice and son of Frank Morrison, was born in McCook. Former professional
football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, football (word), the word ''football'' generally means the form of football t ...
player Jeff Kinney is a 1968 graduate of McCook High School. TV evangelist
Bob Larson Bob Larson (born May 28, 1944) is an American radio and Televangelism, television evangelist, and a pastor of Spiritual Freedom Church in Phoenix, Arizona. Larson has authored numerous books critical of rock music and Satanism. Life and career ...
was raised in McCook. John R. McCarl, the first Comptroller General of the United States, was raised in McCook. He is also buried there."John R. McCarl Dies of Heart Attack at 60." ''Washington Post''. August 3, 1940; Hein, Linda. "Norris, McCarl Considered for Presidency in '36 Election." ''McCook Gazette.'' January 11, 2002. George W. Norris, who held seats in the U.S. House of Representatives and
Senate A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the el ...
from 1903 to 1943, was a resident of McCook. Norris was the driving force behind the conversion of Nebraska's legislature to a
unicameral Unicameralism (from ''uni''- "one" + Latin ''camera'' "chamber") is a type of legislature consisting of one house or assembly that legislates and votes as one. Unicameralism has become an increasingly common type of legislature, making up nearly ...
system; in the Senate, he was a leading figure behind the creation of the
Tennessee Valley Authority The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) is a federally owned electric utility corporation in the United States. TVA's service area covers all of Tennessee, portions of Alabama, Mississippi, and Kentucky, and small areas of Georgia, North Carolin ...
. His house in McCook is operated as a museum by the Nebraska State Historical Society, and is listed in the
National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...
. Originally named Main, the principal north–south thoroughfare through central McCook was renamed Norris Avenue in his honor.


Tornado History

On May 17, 2019, a large EF2 tornado tore through parts of McCook, Nebraska. It had destroyed a farmhouse, tearing off the roof and completely demolishing the garage. The storm formed around 4:30 p.m. Central Time and quickly developed into a large, wedge tornado. The tornado boasted 0 fatalities and 0 injuries/severe injuries. The storm is also called the Perry EF2, originally forming in Perry, Nebraska.


See also

* List of municipalities in Nebraska * National Register of Historic Places listings in Red Willow County, Nebraska


References


External links


City of McCook

Visit McCook, Tourist Site

McCook Daily Gazette, Newspaper
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mccook, Nebraska Cities in Nebraska Cities in Red Willow County, Nebraska County seats in Nebraska Populated places established in 1882 1882 establishments in Nebraska