Editing Alma, Nebraska

{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}}
{{Infobox settlement
|name                     = Alma, Nebraska
|settlement_type          = [[City]]
|nickname                 = 
|motto                    =

<!-- Images -->
|image_skyline            = Alma, Nebraska Main Street face NW 1.JPG
|image_caption            = Main Street
|image_flag               = 
|image_seal               =

<!-- Maps -->
|image_map                = Harlan_County_Nebraska_Incorporated_and_Unincorporated_areas_Alma_Highlighted.svg
|map_caption              = Location of Alma within [[Harlan County, Nebraska|Harlan County]] and [[Nebraska]]

<!-- Location -->
|subdivision_type         = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
|subdivision_name         = United States
|subdivision_type1        = [[U.S. state|State]]
|subdivision_name1        = [[Nebraska]]
|subdivision_type2        = [[List of counties in Nebraska|County]]
|subdivision_name2        = [[Harlan County, Nebraska|Harlan]]

|government_footnotes     = 
|government_type          = 
|leader_title             = [[Mayor]]
|leader_name              = Hal Haeker
|leader_title1            = 
|leader_name1             = 
|established_title        = 
|established_date         =

<!-- Area -->
|unit_pref                = Imperial
|area_footnotes           = <ref name="TigerWebMapServer">{{cite web|title=ArcGIS REST Services Directory|url=https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=September 18, 2022}}</ref>
|area_magnitude           = 
|area_total_km2           = 2.98
|area_land_km2            = 2.98
|area_water_km2           = 0.00
|area_total_sq_mi         = 1.15
|area_land_sq_mi          = 1.15
|area_water_sq_mi         = 0.00

<!-- Population -->
|population_footnotes     = 
|population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
|population_est           = 
|pop_est_as_of            = 
|pop_est_footnotes        = 
|population_total         = 1043
|population_density_km2   = 350.15
|population_density_sq_mi = 906.96

<!-- General information -->
|timezone                 = [[North American Central Time Zone|Central (CST)]]
|utc_offset               = -6
|timezone_DST             = CDT
|utc_offset_DST           = -5
|elevation_footnotes      = <ref name=gnis/>
|elevation_ft             = 2005
|coordinates              = {{coord|40|06|13|N|99|21|57|W|region:US_type:city|display=inline,title}}
|postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]
|postal_code              = 68920
|area_code                = [[Area code 308|308]]
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 31-00975 <ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |accessdate=2008-01-31 |title=U.S. Census website }}</ref>
|blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
|blank1_info              = 837849<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|837849}}</ref>
|website                  = {{URL|https://www.almacity.com/|almacity.com}}
}}

'''Alma''' is a city in [[Harlan County, Nebraska]], United States. The population was 1,133 at the [[United States Census, 2010|2010 census]]. It is the [[county seat]] of Harlan County.<ref name="GR6">{{cite web|url=http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |accessdate=2011-06-07 |title=Find a County |publisher=National Association of Counties |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110531210815/http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |archivedate=2011-05-31 }}</ref>

==History==
Alma was founded in the spring of 1871 by a group of [[Union Pacific]] railroad laborers originally from [[Cheyenne, Wyoming]].  [[Harlan County, Nebraska|Harlan County]] was created by the [[Nebraska Legislature]] on June 3, 1871, and Alma was made the county seat on July 3, 1871.  A dispute among the original settlers led to a dissolution of the town, but it was re-organized in 1874.

Alma's status as county seat was challenged by residents of [[Orleans, Nebraska|Orleans]], but an 1884 [[Nebraska Supreme Court]] decision affirmed Alma's status as seat of Harlan County.  Alma officially incorporated in July 1881.  The town was named after a daughter of one of the early settlers.<ref>Fitzpatrick, Lilian Linder (1925).  [http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1000&context=englishunsllc "Nebraska Place-Names".]  University of Nebraska Department of English.  Retrieved 2013-04-06.</ref><ref>{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=InM_AAAAYAAJ&pg=PA117 | title=History of Hamilton and Clay Counties, Nebraska, Volume 1 | publisher=S.J. Clarke Publishing Company | author=Burr, George L. | year=1921 | pages=117}}</ref>

On January 13, 1880, the [[Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad]] reached Alma, providing a significant boost for local commerce and industry.  In 1887, the Kansas City and Omaha Railroad also reached Alma.  Telephone service reached Alma in June 1899.  [[Electricity]] arrived with a steam power plant in 1906 and water service followed in 1907.

In 1935, major flooding of the nearby [[Republican River]] provided an impetus to build a dam on the river.  The [[United States Army Corps of Engineers|Army Corps of Engineers]] started construction of the Harlan County Dam on August 1, 1946, and completed work in November 1952. The lake thus created, [[Harlan County Reservoir]], became one of Alma's top recreation destinations.

During [[World War II]], Alma hosted a small number of captured [[Germany|German]] [[prisoners of war]] who were interned at [[Camp Atlanta]] in neighboring [[Phelps County, Nebraska|Phelps County]] and who were employed for farm work and other tasks in Harlan County.

==Geography==
According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the city has a total area of {{convert|0.85|sqmi|sqkm|2}}, all land.<ref name="Gazetteer files">{{cite web|title=US Gazetteer files 2010 |url=https://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/files/Gaz_places_national.txt |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |accessdate=2012-06-24 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120125061959/http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/files/Gaz_places_national.txt |archivedate=2012-01-25 }}</ref>

Alma is located at the junction of [[U.S. Route 136#Nebraska|U.S. routes 136]] and [[U.S. Route 183 in Nebraska|183]], at the northwest end of the [[Harlan County Reservoir]].

===Climate===
{{Weather box
| location = Alma, Nebraska (coordinates:{{coord|40.0983|N|99.3626|W}}, 1991-2020 precipitation normals)
| source = NOAA<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&stations=US10harl008&format=pdf&dataTypes=MLY-TMAX-NORMAL,MLY-TMIN-NORMAL,MLY-TAVG-NORMAL,MLY-PRCP-NORMAL,MLY-SNOW-NORMAL |title=Station: ALMA 0.1 NNW, NE US US10harl008 |access-date=September 1, 2024 |work=Summary of Monthly Normals 1991-2020 |publisher=[[NCEI|National Centers for Environmental Information]] |page=1 |format=PDF}}</ref>
| single line = Y
| width = 60%
| collapsed = 
| precipitation colour    =  
| Jan precipitation inch  =0.50
| Feb precipitation inch  =0.68
| Mar precipitation inch  =1.36
| Apr precipitation inch  =2.56
| May precipitation inch  =3.98
| Jun precipitation inch  =3.78
| Jul precipitation inch  =3.82
| Aug precipitation inch  =3.29
| Sep precipitation inch  =1.91
| Oct precipitation inch  =2.12
| Nov precipitation inch  =0.90
| Dec precipitation inch  =0.73
| year precipitation inch =
}}

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|align=left
|1880= 298
|1890= 905
|1900= 923
|1910= 1066
|1920= 1058
|1930= 1235
|1940= 1272
|1950= 1768
|1960= 1342
|1970= 1299
|1980= 1369
|1990= 1226
|2000= 1214
|2010= 1133
|2020= 1043
|align-fn=center
|footnote=[https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html U.S. Decennial Census]
}}

===2010 census===
As of the [[census]]<ref name ="wwwcensusgov">{{cite web|title=U.S. Census website|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|accessdate=2012-06-24}}</ref> of 2010, there were 1,133 people, 502 households, and 303 families living in the city. The [[population density]] was {{convert|1332.9|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|1}}. There were 597 housing units at an average density of {{convert|702.4|/sqmi|/km2|1}}. The racial makeup of the city was 99.1% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.1% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.4% from [[Race (U.S. Census)|other races]], and 0.4% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 0.6% of the population.

There were 502 households, of which 25.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.0% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 6.2% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.2% had a male householder with no wife present, and 39.6% were non-families. 36.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 20.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.17 and the average family size was 2.83.

The median age in the city was 49.6 years. 22.5% of residents were under the age of 18; 4.1% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 17.9% were from 25 to 44; 27.3% were from 45 to 64; and 28.2% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.3% male and 51.7% female.

===2000 census===
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2" /> of 2000, there were 1,214 people, 520 households, and 318 families living in the city.  The population density was {{convert|1,744.7|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}.  There were 594 housing units at an average density of {{convert|853.7|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}.  The racial makeup of the city was 99.18% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.08% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.08% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.08% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 0.58% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 0.58% of the population.

There were 520 households, out of which 25.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.0% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 5.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.8% were non-families. 36.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 22.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.  The average household size was 2.23 and the average family size was 2.93.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 24.3% under the age of 18, 3.4% from 18 to 24, 19.8% from 25 to 44, 23.9% from 45 to 64, and 28.7% who were 65 years of age or older.  The median age was 46 years. For every 100 females, there were 83.9 males.  For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.3 males.

As of 2000 the median income for a household in the city was $27,315, and the median income for a family was $36,250. Males had a median income of $26,786 versus $17,065 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the city was $14,795.  About 9.5% of families and 13.1% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 17.5% of those under age 18 and 10.0% of those age 65 or over.

==Transportation==

===Major highways===
*[[File:US 136.svg|20px]] [[U.S. Route 136|U.S. Highway 136]]
*[[File:US 183.svg|20px]] [[U.S. Route 183|U.S. Highway 183]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
* Flasnick, Bob, editor (1992). ''Alma: Towards the Year 2000''.  Harlan County Journal.

==External links==
* [https://www.almacity.com/ City of Alma]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20070906014553/http://www.ci.alma.ne.us/  NPPD website for Alma]
* [http://www.almalibrary.com/ Hoesch Memorial Public Library]

{{Harlan County, Nebraska}}
{{Nebraska county seats}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Cities in Nebraska]]
[[Category:Cities in Harlan County, Nebraska]]
[[Category:County seats in Nebraska]]