Niobrara (;

Omaha Omaha ( ) is the List of cities in Nebraska, most populous city in the U.S. state of Nebraska. It is located in the Midwestern United States along the Missouri River, about north of the mouth of the Platte River. The nation's List of United S ...

: ''Ní Ubthátha'' ''Tʰáⁿwaⁿgthaⁿ'' , meaning "water spread-out village")Dorsey, James Owen (1890)''The Cegiha Language: Contributions to North American Ethnology'' 4. Washington: US Department of the Interior: Government Printing Office, p. 214, line 10. is a village in Knox 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 363 at the 2020 census.

History

Niobrara was founded in 1856, when a group of men headed by a Dr. Benneville Yeakel Shelly marked their claim to an area on the banks of the

Missouri River The Missouri River is a river in the Central United States, Central and Mountain states, Mountain West regions of the United States. The nation's longest, it rises in the eastern Centennial Mountains of the Bitterroot Range of the Rocky Moun ...

. There, a fort was built to protect the early settlers from Indian attacks. The settlement took its name from the

Niobrara River The Niobrara River (; , , literally "water spread-out horizontal-the" or "The Wide-Spreading Water") is a tributary of the Missouri River, approximately long,U.S. Geological Survey. Many early settlers, such as Mari Sandoz, referred to the rive ...

. The village has been moved twice. It was first moved after a winter flood destroyed parts of the original settlement in 1881. It was moved again after a ruling in 1976 by the US Court of Claims, in the case of ''Barnes v. United States''. The court ruled that US Corps of Engineers was responsible for ground water related damage driven by sediment build up caused by the Gavins Point Dam.

Geography

Nebraska highways 12 and 14 run through the village, Highway 14 connects Nebraska with

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 the Chief Standing Bear Memorial Bridge, just east of the village across the

. 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 village has a total area of , all land. The

, which is right next to the town, actually courses through the Mormon Canal rather than its original riverbed.

Demographics

2010 census

At the 2010 census there were 370 people, 193 households, and 93 families in the village. The population density was . There were 251 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the village was 84.3% White, 0.3% African American, 11.6% Native American, and 3.8% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.4%. Of the 193 households 15.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 37.3% were married couples living together, 7.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.6% had a male householder with no wife present, and 51.8% were non-families. 45.6% of households were one person and 23.3% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 1.92 and the average family size was 2.70. The median age in the village was 54.8 years. 16.8% of residents were under the age of 18; 4.5% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 17.1% were from 25 to 44; 32.4% were from 45 to 64; and 29.2% were 65 or older. The gender makeup of the village was 51.4% male and 48.6% female.

2000 census

At the 2000 census there were 379 people, 184 households, and 107 families in the village. The population density was . There were 230 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the village was 86.54% White, 10.29% Native American, 0.53% Pacific Islander, 0.53% from other races, and 2.11% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.37%. Of the 184 households 22.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.7% were married couples living together, 8.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.8% were non-families. 39.7% of households were one person and 22.8% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.06 and the average family size was 2.72. The age distribution was 22.7% under the age of 18, 3.4% from 18 to 24, 17.9% from 25 to 44, 32.2% from 45 to 64, and 23.7% 65 or older. The median age was 49 years. For every 100 females, there were 103.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.0 males. The median household income was $26,000, and the median family income was $36,250. Males had a median income of $26,042 versus $21,250 for females. The per capita income for the village was $15,299. About 9.3% of families and 13.8% 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 28.4% of those under age 18 and 7.4% of those age 65 or over.

Climate

This climatic region is typified by large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers and cold (sometimes severely cold) winters. According to the

Köppen Climate Classification The Köppen climate classification divides Earth climates into five main climate groups, with each group being divided based on patterns of seasonal precipitation and temperature. The five main groups are ''A'' (tropical), ''B'' (arid), ''C'' (te ...

system, Niobrara has a

humid continental climate A humid continental climate is a climatic region defined by Russo-German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1900, typified by four distinct seasons and large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers, and cold ...

, abbreviated "Dfa" on climate maps.Climate Summary for Niobrara, Nebraska
/ref>

Notable people

Anton Krupicka Anton Krupicka (born 2 August 1983) is an American ultra-runner. He has won the Leadville 100 twice, the Miwok 100K, the Rocky Raccoon 100 Miler, the Collegiate Peaks 50 Miler, the White River 50 Miler twice (Set 2010 CR 6:25:29), the High Moun ...

, ultrarunner * James Tufts, acting governor of

Montana Territory The Territory of Montana was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from May 26, 1864, until November 8, 1889, when it was admitted as the 41st state in the Union as the state of Montana. Original boundaries ...

References

External links

* {{authority control Villages in Knox County, Nebraska Villages in Nebraska Seats of government of American Indian reservations Populated places established in 1856 Nebraska populated places on the Missouri River 1856 establishments in Nebraska Territory