SCOTTSBLUFF, NE

Scottsbluff is a city in Scotts Bluff County, in the western part of the state of Nebraska, in the Great Plains region of the United States. The population was 15,039 at the 2010 census. Scottsbluff is the largest city in the Nebraska Panhandle, and the 13th largest city in Nebraska.

Scottsbluff was founded in 1899 across the North Platte River from its namesake, a bluff that is now a U.S. National Park called Scotts Bluff National Monument. The monument was named after Hiram Scott (1805–1828), a fur trader with the Rocky Mountain Fur Company who was found dead in the vicinity on the return trip from a fur expedition. The smaller town of Gering had been founded south of the river in 1887. The two cities have since grown together to form the 7th largest urban area (the Scottsbluff Micropolitan Statistical Area) in Nebraska.

History

Scottsbluff was founded in 1899 by the Lincoln Land Company, a subsidiary of the Burlington Railroad. By 1900, the Burlington Railroad laid tracks into the town, and placed a discarded boxcar next to the tracks as a temporary depot. Scottsbluff was the first town in the region to be located along a railroad line, resulting in some older businesses relocating from Gering to Scottsbluff.

Other names

In the Lakota language, Scottsbluff is called pȟaŋkéska wakpá otȟúŋwahe ("Platte River City", lit. "abalone river city").

Geography and climate

Scottsbluff is located at (41.867140, −103.660709).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which is land and is water.

Scottsbluff has a cold semi-arid climate (Köppen climate classification BSk), bordering on a hot-summer humid continental climate (Koppen: Dfa) with wide seasonal and day-to-day variation as well as a large diurnal temperature variation, and is located in USDA Plant Hardiness Zone 5a. Summers are hot, and winters dry and cold, though chinook winds can loosen the cold's grip, often bringing temperatures above . The monthly daily average temperature ranges from in December to in July. Over the course of a year, there is an average 6 days with maxima or above, 49.1 days with maxima reaching at least , 27.4 days with a maximum at or below the freezing mark, and 11.6 days with minima at or below .

Extremes in temperature have ranged from on July 11, 1939, down to on February 12, 1899. The year 1989 saw temperatures as extreme as and (during the December 1989 United States cold wave), while the month of February 1962 saw temperatures as hot as on the 11th and as cold as on the 28th.

Precipitation is heavily concentrated in the spring and summer months, with only May and June averaging over . The wettest single day has been June 7, 1953, with of rain, while the wettest calendar month on record has been June 1947 with and the wettest calendar year 1915 with . The months of November 1939 and March 2012 did not see even a trace of precipitation, while nineteen other months since 1893 have seen only a trace. The driest calendar year has been 2012 with . Snow typically falls in light amounts, with a 1991−2020 seasonal average of ; the most snow in one month has been in October 2009, and the greatest depth of snow on the ground on April 14, 1927. The most snowfall in a season is between July 2009 and June 2010; the least snow being between July 1933 and June 1934.

Demographics

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 15,039 people, 6,168 households, and 3,672 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 6,712 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 83.0% White, 0.8% African American, 3.4% Native American, 0.8% Asian, 9.8% from other races, and 2.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 29.1% of the population.

There were 6,168 households, of which 30.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.7% were married couples living together, 12.5% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.3% had a male householder with no wife present, and 40.5% were non-families. 34.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.35 and the average family size was 3.04.

The median age in the city was 36 years. 24.9% of residents were under the age of 18; 10.7% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 23.8% were from 25 to 44; 23.7% were from 45 to 64; and 16.7% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 47.6% male and 52.4% female.

According to a 2008 article in Quality Health entitled 10 Fattest Cities in America, 31% of Scottsbluff's population is obese, making it the 7th fattest city in America.

2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 14,732 people, 6,088 households, and 3,841 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,504.5 people per square mile (967.4/km). There were 6,559 housing units at an average density of 1,115.1 per square mile (430.7/km). The racial makeup of the city was 81.88% White, 0.44% African American, 3.20% Native American, 0.75% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 11.60% from other races, and 2.10% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 23.59% of the population.

There were 6,088 households, out of which 30.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.7% were married couples living together, 12.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.9% were non-families. 32.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.36 and the average family size was 2.99.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 26.5% under the age of 18, 9.8% from 18 to 24, 25.2% from 25 to 44, 20.7% from 45 to 64, and 17.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 87.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.1 males.

As of 2000 the median income for a household in the city was $29,938, and the median income for a family was $37,778. Males had a median income of $30,307 versus $20,854 for females. The per capita income for the city was $17,065. About 14.5% of families and 18.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 28.5% of those under age 18 and 10.0% of those age 65 or over.

Education

Scottsbluff is home to the main campus of Western Nebraska Community College. In addition, several other Nebraska institutions maintain centers and offer select courses or programs in the city, including the University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Nursing, Chadron State College, and the University of Nebraska (Panhandle Research and Extension Center).

The now-defunct Hiram Scott College was located a few miles north of the city.

Points of interest

Landmark buildings

Media

Major highways

Airport

The Scottsbluff area is served by Western Nebraska Regional Airport. United Express serves the airport with twice-daily service to Denver International Airport.

Notable people

Sister city