Arthur County, Nebraska

Arthur County
County
Arthur County Courthouse in Arthur
Location within the U.S. state of Nebraska
Nebraska's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 41°34′N101°42′W / 41.57°N 101.7°W / 41.57; -101.7
Country	United States
State	Nebraska
Founded	1913
Named for	Chester A. Arthur
Seat	Arthur
Largest Community	Arthur
Area
• Total	718 sq mi (1,860 km2)
• Land	715 sq mi (1,850 km2)
• Water	3.0 sq mi (8 km2)  0.4%
Population  (2020)
• Total	430
• Density	0.6/sq mi (0.2/km2)
Time zone	UTC−7 (Mountain)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−6 (MDT)
Congressional district	3rd
Website	arthurcounty.nebraska.gov

Arthur County is a county located in the U.S. state of Nebraska. As of the 2020 United States Census, the population was 434, ^[1] making it Nebraska's third least populous county and the seventh-least populous county in the United States (behind only Loving County, Texas; Kalawao County, Hawaii; King County, Texas; Kenedy County, Texas; McPherson County, Nebraska; and Blaine County, Nebraska). Its county seat and only incorporated community is Arthur. ^[2]

In the Nebraska license plate system, Arthur County is represented by the prefix 91 (it had the 91st-largest number of vehicles registered in the state when the license plate system was established in 1922).

Arthur County contains the historic First Arthur County Courthouse and Jail, believed to be the smallest courthouse in the United States. ^[3]

History

Arthur County was established in 1913 from the western part of McPherson County following an effort to move the McPherson County seat from Tryon to the more centrally located Flats: rather than lose the county seat, the residents of Tryon, Nebraska agreed to have the county divided approximately in half, according to boundaries for sandhills counties originally proposed in 1887. The half which became Arthur County had been in the process of settlement by 1884, by ranchers seeking open grazing land. The placement of a post office at Lena in 1894 and the passage of the homesteading act in 1904 (which allowed claims of 640 acres compared to the previous 160 acres in this area) further influenced the county's founding and expedited the new county's establishment processes.

The new county was named after President Chester A. Arthur, and the village of Arthur, similarly named, was established to serve as the county seat. ^[4] Principal postal service moved from Lena to the village of Arthur in 1914, which also held the county's public schools, general store, bank and co-op, principal churches, newspaper and other businesses and services, all aimed at continuing and facilitating the county's rural lifestyle.

The 1920 United States Census counted 1,412 residents in Arthur County, which was then and has remained entirely rural, essentially ranching. Although the village of Arthur underwent electrification in the 1920s, most of the county did not see power or telephone services until 1950–1951. At that time also, highway construction and improvements facilitated transportation, which was especially dependent upon the north-south State Highway 61 and the east-west Highway 92: motor vehicles were the sole means of mechanical transportation throughout Arthur's history as it had no railroad or canal. Irrigation of the sandhills land started by 1900 and continued through the first half of the twentieth century, with center-pivot irrigation dominating. The population peaked around 1930 at 1,344 persons, but declined with the Great Depression. By 1950, the county population was down to 803, by 1980 down to 513.

Geography

According to the US Census Bureau, the county has an area of 718 square miles (1,860 km²), of which 715 square miles (1,850 km²) is land and 3.0 square miles (7.8 km²) (0.4%) is water. ^[5]

Major highways

• Nebraska Highway 61
• Nebraska Highway 92

Adjacent counties

• Grant County - north
• Hooker County - northeast
• McPherson County - east
• Keith County - south
• Garden County - west

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1920	1,412		—
1930	1,344		−4.8%
1940	1,045		−22.2%
1950	803		−23.2%
1960	680		−15.3%
1970	606		−10.9%
1980	513		−15.3%
1990	462		−9.9%
2000	444		−3.9%
2010	460		3.6%
2020	434		−5.7%
US Decennial Census [6] 1790-1960 [7] 1900-1990 [8] 1990-2000 [9] 2010-2013 [1]

As of the 2020 United States Census, ^[10] there were 430 people, 178 households in the county. The population density was .6 people per square mile (0.23 people/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 96.1% White, 0.9% Native American, 0.2% Asian, 0.00% Pacific Islander, 2.8% from two or more races. 4.2% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

As of the 2000 United States Census, ^[10] of 2000, there were 444 people, 185 households, and 138 families residing in the county. The population density was 0.618 people per square mile (0.239 people/km²). There were 273 housing units at an average density of 0.380 units per square mile (0.147/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 96.40% White, 0.23% Native American, 0.68% Asian, 0.23% Pacific Islander, 0.90% from other races, and 1.58% from two or more races. 1.35% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 50.4% were of German, 13.1% English, 6.2% Irish and 5.7% Swedish ancestry.

There were 185 households, out of which 27.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.20% were married couples living together, 7.60% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.40% were non-families. 21.60% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.80% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 2.80.

The county population contained 23.90% under the age of 18, 5.40% from 18 to 24, 29.50% from 25 to 44, 24.80% from 45 to 64, and 16.40% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 101.80 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 107.40 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $27,375, and the median income for a family was $31,979. Males had a median income of $21,544 versus $13,125 for females. The per capita income for the county was $15,810. About 7.90% of families and 13.80% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.10% of those under age 18 and 7.80% of those age 65 or over.

Religion

More than 50% of the county residents are Baptists, making it the northernmost Baptist majority county in the United States. ^[11]

Politics

Arthur County has voted strongly for Republican presidential candidates since 1936. Each one since 1952 has gotten over 60% of the vote, with the exception of George H. W. Bush in 1992.

United States presidential election results for Arthur County, Nebraska ^[12]

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party(ies)
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2024	264	93.29%	17	6.01%	2	0.71%
2020	260	91.23%	21	7.37%	4	1.40%
2016	244	89.38%	17	6.23%	12	4.40%
2012	227	86.64%	30	11.45%	5	1.91%
2008	217	82.51%	39	14.83%	7	2.66%
2004	240	90.23%	24	9.02%	2	0.75%
2000	235	86.40%	26	9.56%	11	4.04%
1996	187	72.48%	25	9.69%	46	17.83%
1992	148	56.06%	18	6.82%	98	37.12%
1988	210	78.07%	58	21.56%	1	0.37%
1984	248	88.26%	33	11.74%	0	0.00%
1980	245	76.80%	57	17.87%	17	5.33%
1976	193	73.66%	64	24.43%	5	1.91%
1972	236	83.99%	45	16.01%	0	0.00%
1968	218	77.86%	47	16.79%	15	5.36%
1964	243	65.85%	126	34.15%	0	0.00%
1960	283	80.63%	68	19.37%	0	0.00%
1956	248	78.48%	68	21.52%	0	0.00%
1952	307	83.20%	62	16.80%	0	0.00%
1948	199	57.51%	147	42.49%	0	0.00%
1944	268	63.66%	153	36.34%	0	0.00%
1940	348	64.21%	194	35.79%	0	0.00%
1936	312	56.73%	235	42.73%	3	0.55%
1932	237	39.77%	338	56.71%	21	3.52%
1928	402	69.43%	169	29.19%	8	1.38%
1924	143	34.88%	101	24.63%	166	40.49%
1920	167	57.00%	94	32.08%	32	10.92%
1916	143	32.13%	286	64.27%	16	3.60%

Communities

Village

• Arthur (county seat)

Unincorporated communities

• Bucktail
• Calora
• Lena
• Velma

See also

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Arthur County, Nebraska

References

1. "State & County QuickFacts". US Census Bureau. Archived from the original on September 5, 2015. Retrieved September 17, 2013.
2. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
3. Jones, Melissa (2005). Superlatives USA: The Largest, Smallest, Longest, Shortest, and Wackiest Sites in America . Capital Books. p.  82. ISBN   978-1-931868-85-3.
4. "Arthur County". Archived from the original on July 4, 2008. Retrieved March 15, 2008.
5. "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". US Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Archived from the original on November 13, 2013. Retrieved December 3, 2014.
6. "US Decennial Census". US Census Bureau. Retrieved December 3, 2014.
7. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved December 3, 2014.
8. "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". US Census Bureau. Retrieved December 3, 2014.
9. "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). US Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 27, 2010. Retrieved December 3, 2014.
10. "U.S. Census website". US Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
11. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on May 22, 2010. Retrieved September 27, 2004.
12. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections".

External links

• Arthur County official website

41°34′N101°42′W / 41.57°N 101.70°W / 41.57; -101.70