Garden County, Nebraska

"Garden County" redirects here. For the county in Ireland that is referred to as the Garden County, see County Wicklow.

Garden County
County
Garden County Courthouse in Oshkosh
Location within the U.S. state of Nebraska
Nebraska's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 41°37′N102°20′W / 41.62°N 102.34°W / 41.62; -102.34
Country	United States
State	Nebraska
Founded	1909
Named for	Garden of Eden
Seat	Oshkosh
Largest city	Oshkosh
Area
• Total	1,731 sq mi (4,480 km2)
• Land	1,704 sq mi (4,410 km2)
• Water	27 sq mi (70 km2)  1.5%
Population  (2020)
• Total	1,874
• Density	1.1/sq mi (0.42/km2)
Time zone	UTC−7 (Mountain)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−6 (MDT)
Congressional district	3rd
Website	gardencounty.ne.gov

Garden County is a county in the U.S. state of Nebraska. As of the 2020 United States Census, the population was 1,874. ^[1] Its county seat is Oshkosh. ^[2]

In the Nebraska license plate system, Garden County is represented by the prefix 77 (it had the seventy-seventh-largest number of vehicles registered in the state when the license plate system was established in 1922).

History

Garden County was formed in 1909 by popular vote. Voters in the general election of November 2, 1909, approved making the northern part of Deuel County into its own county. ^[3] It is said the county was so named in the hope that this land should become the garden of the West or with allusion to the "Garden of Eden". ^[4]

The county has lost population since the Great Depression and Dust Bowl of the 1930s. The land was homesteaded for family farms that often turned out to be too small for subsistence farming under the arid conditions of the region. In the early decades of settlement by immigrants and migrants from the East, farmers did not know how to work the land on the prairies. Tons of topsoil were lost after droughts.

Geography

The North Platte River runs ESE through the south part of Garden County. Since the county is in the western portion of Nebraska, its residents observe Mountain Time. The eastern two-thirds portion of the state observes Central Time.

According to the US Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,731 square miles (4,480 km²), of which 1,704 square miles (4,410 km²) is land and 27 square miles (70 km²) (1.5%) is water. ^[5]

Major highways

• U.S. Highway 26
• Nebraska Highway 27
• Nebraska Highway 92

Adjacent counties

• Sheridan County - north
• Grant County - east
• Arthur County - east
• Keith County - southeast
• Deuel County - south
• Cheyenne County - southwest
• Morrill County - west

Protected areas

• Ash Hollow State Historical Park
• Clear Creek State Waterfowl Management Area (partial) ^[6]
• Crescent Lake National Wildlife Refuge

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1910	3,538		—
1920	4,572		29.2%
1930	5,099		11.5%
1940	4,680		−8.2%
1950	4,114		−12.1%
1960	3,472		−15.6%
1970	2,929		−15.6%
1980	2,802		−4.3%
1990	2,460		−12.2%
2000	2,292		−6.8%
2010	2,057		−10.3%
2020	1,874		−8.9%
2022 (est.)	1,837		−2.0%
US Decennial Census [7] 1790-1960 [8] 1900-1990 [9] 1990-2000 [10] 2010 [11] 2020 2022 [12]

Lone tree on the prairie, on Rt 92 near Lisco

As of the 2000 United States Census, ^[13] there were 2,292 people, 1,020 households, and 658 families in the county. The population density was 1.3 people per square mile (0.50 people/km²). There were 1,298 housing units at an average density of 0.8 units per square mile (0.31/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 98.34% White, 0.13% Black or African American, 0.26% Native American, 0.26% Asian, 0.52% from other races, and 0.48% from two or more races. 1.44% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 43.5% were of German, 10.0% Irish, 9.6% American and 9.2% English ancestry.

There were 1,020 households, out of which 24.80% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.90% were married couples living together, 6.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.40% were non-families. 32.50% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.20% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.19 and the average family size was 2.77.

The county population contained 21.80% under the age of 18, 4.60% from 18 to 24, 22.70% from 25 to 44, 27.00% from 45 to 64, and 24.00% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 46 years. For every 100 females there were 94.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.40 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $26,458, and the median income for a family was $32,546. Males had a median income of $21,495 versus $17,000 for females. The per capita income for the county was $15,414. About 10.80% of families and 14.80% of the population were below the poverty line, including 22.00% of those under age 18 and 8.70% of those age 65 or over.

Politics

Like much of the Nebraska Panhandle, Garden County has been a Republican-leaning county since the late 20th century. It was one of only two counties that Ben Nelson failed to carry in 1994. ^[14] In Presidential elections, the last Democratic candidate to carry the county was Franklin D. Roosevelt, in 1932. ^[15] As part of Nebraska's 3rd congressional district, Garden County has been represented by Republicans since 1961.

United States presidential election results for Garden County, Nebraska ^[16]

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party(ies)
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2020	1,016	84.67%	161	13.42%	23	1.92%
2016	869	80.84%	153	14.23%	53	4.93%
2012	829	75.99%	242	22.18%	20	1.83%
2008	844	74.17%	283	24.87%	11	0.97%
2004	970	81.99%	201	16.99%	12	1.01%
2000	963	79.00%	203	16.65%	53	4.35%
1996	851	65.61%	279	21.51%	167	12.88%
1992	697	53.49%	212	16.27%	394	30.24%
1988	986	72.39%	366	26.87%	10	0.73%
1984	1,158	85.71%	180	13.32%	13	0.96%
1980	1,297	82.09%	202	12.78%	81	5.13%
1976	928	64.36%	445	30.86%	69	4.79%
1972	1,161	85.05%	204	14.95%	0	0.00%
1968	1,120	78.60%	206	14.46%	99	6.95%
1964	1,106	66.43%	559	33.57%	0	0.00%
1960	1,376	76.36%	426	23.64%	0	0.00%
1956	1,167	77.70%	335	22.30%	0	0.00%
1952	1,457	81.03%	341	18.97%	0	0.00%
1948	923	64.01%	519	35.99%	0	0.00%
1944	1,248	69.76%	541	30.24%	0	0.00%
1940	1,351	64.73%	736	35.27%	0	0.00%
1936	996	49.63%	986	49.13%	25	1.25%
1932	768	38.21%	1,204	59.90%	38	1.89%
1928	1,470	77.82%	404	21.39%	15	0.79%
1924	725	46.68%	459	29.56%	369	23.76%
1920	924	66.24%	421	30.18%	50	3.58%
1916	306	32.01%	598	62.55%	52	5.44%
1912	136	15.94%	282	33.06%	435	51.00%

Communities

City

• Oshkosh (county seat)

Village

• Lewellen

Census-designated place

• Lisco

Other unincorporated places

• Mumper
• Rackett

Former Communities

• Cormick
• Kowanda
• Lutherville
• Lytle
• Orlando
• Penn
• Ruthton
• Warren

See also

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

References

1. "Garden County, Nebraska". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved June 17, 2023.
2. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
3. Joseph Nathan Kane, The American Counties (4th Ed.), (The Scarecrow Press, 1983), pp. 130, 479
4. "Garden County". Archived from the original on July 20, 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 7, 2014.
6. Clear Creek State Waterfowl Management Area, Lewellen NE Google Maps (accessed 21 January 2019)
7. "US Decennial Census". US Census Bureau. Retrieved December 7, 2014.
8. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved December 7, 2014.
9. "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". US Census Bureau. Retrieved December 7, 2014.
10. "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 7, 2014.
11. https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/gardencountynebraska/PST045222.{{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
12. "State & County QuickFacts". US Census Bureau. Archived from the original on June 7, 2011. Retrieved September 20, 2013.
13. "U.S. Census website". US Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
14. David Leip Electoral Atlas (Maps for Nebraska gubernatorial races)
15. Geographie Electorale
16. Election Results

41°37′N102°20′W / 41.62°N 102.34°W / 41.62; -102.34