Shelby is a village in Polk 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 714 at the 2010 census. Shelby lies along the north side of U.S. Highway 81 near the eastern edge of Polk County. It is east of Osceola, and just south and west of Columbus. Nebraska's

center of population In Demography, demographics, the center of population (or population center) of a region is a geographical point that describes a centerpoint of the region's population. There are several ways of defining such a "center point", leading to dif ...

is near Shelby.

History

In 1873,

Civil War A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same Sovereign state, state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies.J ...

veteran Horace A. Cowles set up the Cyclone post office in his home one mile east and one mile south of present-day Shelby. In 1879, with the coming of the railroad, a second post office named Arcade was established one mile east of the present site of Shelby. In the winter of 1880, the post office was moved again a mile west to where Shelby is today. Postal authorities objected to the name "Arcade" due to confusion with the town of Arcadia in Valley County. In search of a new name for the settlement, the people chose "Shelby", after the name of an official with the Omaha and Republican Valley Railway (a branch of the

Union Pacific The Union Pacific Railroad is a Class I freight-hauling railroad that operates 8,300 locomotives over routes in 23 U.S. states west of Chicago and New Orleans. Union Pacific is the second largest railroad in the United States after BNSF, ...

). The land which Arcade was established on was owned by Gilbert Van Vorce and Peter Matter. Seeing a need for a trade center in the area, these men gave the railroad company half interest in their property and the town was established. After the railroad retained its on each side and closest to the tracks, eight blocks were located on each side parallel to the tracks. The original streets are still present and retain the names of Walnut, Elm, Chestnut, Pine, Cherry, and Oak. In 1880 the town of Shelby boasted a population of 93 with businesses which included a drug store, hardware store, hotel, boot and shoe shop, livery stable, and physician. J.T. Dunning built the first elevator, located on the south side of the tracks along with the railway depot. The first store, owned by H.C. and Frank Dunning, sold general merchandise. Conrad Thelen and Charles Krumbach opened the first hardware store, which would run for 40 years. Today Shelby has 690 residents, businesses, programs, community organizations, and a new housing development subdivision. Shelby celebrated its centennial in 1979 and its quasquicentennial in 2004.

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 village has a total area of , all land.

Demographics

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 714 people, 290 households, and 193 families residing in the village. 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 322 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the village was 95.9%

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 ...

, 0.1%

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 ...

, 0.3% Native American, 0.1% Asian, 2.0% from other races, and 1.5% 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 people of any race were 12.2% of the population. There were 290 households, of which 31.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.9% 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, 7.9% had a female householder with no husband present, 2.8% had a male householder with no wife present, and 33.4% were non-families. 28.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 3.06. The median age in the village was 40 years. 27.6% of residents were under the age of 18; 6.3% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 23.7% were from 25 to 44; 24.4% were from 45 to 64; and 17.9% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the village was 47.5% male and 52.5% female.

2000 census

As of the

of 2000, there were 690 people, 299 households, and 199 families residing in the village. The population density was . There were 323 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the village was 98.55%

, 0.14%

, 0.29% Asian, 0.29% from other races, and 0.72% from two or more races.

or Latino people of any race were 1.59% of the population. There were 299 households, out of which 29.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.5% were

living together, 4.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.4% were non-families. 29.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 19.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.31 and the average family size was 2.88. In the village, the population was spread out, with 25.2% under the age of 18, 8.1% from 18 to 24, 24.3% from 25 to 44, 21.6% from 45 to 64, and 20.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.3 males. As of 2000 the median income for a household in the village was $36,071, and the median income for a family was $42,434. Males had a median income of $30,625 versus $21,979 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 village was $15,900. About 2.5% of families and 4.8% 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 5.9% of those under age 18 and 2.9% of those age 65 or over.

Local government

The Village of Shelby is governed by a

board of trustees A board of directors is a governing body that supervises the activities of a business, a nonprofit organization, or a government agency. The powers, duties, and responsibilities of a board of directors are determined by government regulatio ...

. Municipal officials include a board chairperson and four board members who are elected for a term of four years. Polk County has 14 townships, and is governed by three county commissioners elected by popular vote for four-year terms. Shelby is a member of the Mid-State Interlocal Communities, together with Stromsburg, Gresham, Benedict, Hampton, Bradshaw, and Polk. Representatives of the member communities meet on a quarterly basis to manage sharing of resources.

Community organizations

Shelby has a

Chamber of Commerce A chamber of commerce, or board of trade, is a form of business network. For example, a local organization of businesses whose goal is to further the interests of businesses. Business owners in towns and cities form these local societies to a ...

. The Shelby Betterment Corporation, a non-profit organization, was organized in 1987 with 20 stockholders. The corporation has helped finance new business ventures in the community and attract new businesses to it.

Economy

The basic economic activities of Shelby include farming, cattle feeding, hog production and retailing.

Education

Shelby-Rising City Public School District

Shelby-Rising City Public School District was consolidated in 2011. The K-12 building is located in Shelby. The school site includes a new elementary and activity facilities constructed in 2017 and the original building was renovated in 2016. It is served by Educational Service Unit #7, which is headquartered in Columbus and serves seven counties.

Religion

The Methodist Church was the first to be built, ringing its bell to call worshipers in 1883. In 1898 the Catholics completed their first church; the current Catholic church was built in 1930. A new Methodist Church was built in 1951.

Recreation

Shelby has one park approximately five acres in size. Facilities in the park include two ball fields, a roofed shelter for grilling out, a swimming pool, courts for sand volleyball and for tennis/basketball, a playground, and a recreational bike/hike trail.

Annual events

In 1985, Farm Heritage Days was initiated. This was an annual event held on the first weekend in August; it brought large crowds to Shelby for the old tractor and machinery displays, demonstrations, and a parade. The last Farm Heritage Days event was held in the late 90s. Today Shelby has "Shelby Days", a biennial event held over Memorial Day Weekend.

Local media

Between 1926 and 1929, Dr. John Dunning and his father built radio station KGBY. The station provided entertainment, news, weather, markets and community announcements using local talent. The studio was located above the Buchholz Grocery Store, where the fire station is today. The last owner of the radio station was Ervin Taddiken of Shelby, with a modern broadcast studio for the era. Taddiken sold the rights, privileges and radio broadcasting equipment to Dr. George R. Miller of York, Nebraska, for the purpose of consolidating with KGBZ, in 1931. Shelby is served by the ''Polk County News'', based in Stromsburg.

Notable people

* John R. Dunning, nuclear physicist and educator * Howard Johansen, American drag racer, Inducted into International Drag Racing Hall of Fame in 1991 & Nebraska Auto Racing Hall of Fame in 2001. * Theodore A. Kiesselbach, agronomist and educator * Arjay Miller, one of Ford Motor Company's "Whiz Kids", Ford president (1963-1968); fourth dean of Stanford Business School (1969-1979)"Arjay Miller, 'Inspirational 100' Alumnus".

UCLA Anderson School of Management.
Retrieved October 16, 2013. * Gil Savery, journalist * Curtis Tomasevicz, 2006 and 2010 U.S. Olympic bobsledder; won a gold medal in the 2010 Winter Olympics * Terence Romaine von Duren, artist

References

External links

Community Fast Facts Profile

Community GIS Information on Shelby, Nebraska

Shelby-Rising City Public Schools

Shelby Census Population Characteristics
{{authority control Villages in Polk County, Nebraska Villages in Nebraska 1879 establishments in Nebraska