Editing Cherry County, Nebraska

{{Short description|County in Nebraska, United States}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox U.S. county
| county         = Cherry County
| state              = Nebraska
| seal               =
| founded            = 1883
| seat wl            = Valentine
| largest city       = Valentine
| area_total_sq_mi   = 6009
| area_land_sq_mi    = 5960
| area_water_sq_mi   = 49
| area percentage    = 0.8%
| census yr          = 2020
| pop                = 5455
| pop_est_as_of      = 2023
| population_est     = 5492 {{gain}}
| density_sq_mi      = auto
| web      = www.co.cherry.ne.us
| ex image           = Cherry County, Nebraska courthouse from NE 1.JPG
| ex image cap       = Cherry County Courthouse in Valentine
| district           = 3rd
| time zone 1        = Central
| tz note 1          = Eastern part of county
| time zone 2        = Mountain
| tz note 2          = Western part of county
| named for          = [[Samuel A. Cherry]] }}
[[File:Cherry County Nebraska 1885 map 2719114.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|Map of 1885, with subdivision into:<br />*Boiling Springs<br />*Sharp's Ranch<br />*Valentine<br />*Seven Creeks]]
[[File:Cherry County Nebraska 1919 map.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|Map of 1919, with subdivision into ''precincts'']]
[[File:Nebrask- 2010 - cph-2-29.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|''precincts'' of 2010 (Cherry County in upper part of map)]]
'''Cherry County''' is a [[County (United States)|county]] in the [[U.S. state]] of [[Nebraska]]. As of the [[2020 United States census]], the population was 5,455.<ref name=QF>{{cite web|title=Cherry County, Nebraska Profile|url=https://data.census.gov/profile/Cherry_County,_Nebraska?g=0500000US31031|publisher=US Census Bureau|access-date=January 20, 2023}}</ref> Its [[county seat]] is [[Valentine, Nebraska|Valentine]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx|access-date=June 7, 2011|title=Find a County|publisher=National Association of Counties|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150503072804/http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx|archive-date=May 3, 2015}}</ref> The county was named for [[Lt. Samuel A. Cherry]], an [[United States Army|Army]] officer who was stationed at [[Fort Niobrara]] and was killed in [[South Dakota]] in 1881.<ref>[http://www.nacone.org/webpages/counties/countywebs/cherry.htm Cherry County] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080308082037/http://www.nacone.org/webpages/counties/countywebs/cherry.htm |date=March 8, 2008}}, Nebraska Association of County Officials, 2004. Accessed April 30, 2008.</ref> Cherry County is in the [[Sandhills (Nebraska)|Nebraska Sandhills]]. It is the state's largest county, at nearly {{convert|6,000|mi2|km2}}, larger than three states, [[Rhode Island]], [[Delaware]] and [[Connecticut]]. In the [[Vehicle registration plates of Nebraska|Nebraska license plate system]], Cherry County is represented by the prefix 66 (it had the 66th-most vehicles registered in the state when the system was established in 1922).

==Geography==
Cherry County lies on the north side of Nebraska. Its north boundary line abuts the south boundary line of [[South Dakota]]. According to the [[United States Census Bureau|US Census Bureau]], the county has an area of {{convert|6009|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|5960|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|49|sqmi}} (0.8%) is water.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geo/maps-data/data/docs/gazetteer/counties_list_31.txt|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131113024152/http://www.census.gov/geo/maps-data/data/docs/gazetteer/counties_list_31.txt |url-status=dead|archive-date=November 13, 2013|publisher=US Census Bureau|access-date=December 6, 2014|date=August 22, 2012|title=2010 Census Gazetteer Files}}</ref> It is by far Nebraska's largest county in land area and larger than the state of [[Connecticut]], or the states of [[Delaware]] and [[Rhode Island]] combined.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=l1Szc2W2w0YC&pg=PA313|title=Nebraska, a Guide to the Cornhusker State|publisher=WPA|author=Federal Writers Project|year=1939|page=313|isbn=9781623760267}}</ref> The county is in Nebraska's [[Sandhills (Nebraska)|Sandhills]] region; the [[dune]]s that give the region its name are a result of the most recent glacial period, the [[Pinedale glaciation]]. During the [[Holocene glacial retreat]], the dunes, which had been deposited by the vast continental glaciers, were exposed, and grasses eventually took over.

===Major highways===
{{div col}}
* [[File:US 20.svg|20px]] [[U.S. Route 20 in Nebraska|U.S. Highway 20]]
* [[File:US 83.svg|20px]] [[U.S. Route 83 in Nebraska|U.S. Highway 83]]
* [[File:N-12.svg|20px]] [[Nebraska Highway 12]]
* [[File:N-61.svg|20px]] [[Nebraska Highway 61]]
* [[File:N-97.svg|20px]] [[Nebraska Highway 97]]
{{div col end}}

===National protected areas===
{{div col}}
* [[Fort Niobrara National Wildlife Refuge]]
** [[Fort Niobrara Wilderness]]
* [[Niobrara National Scenic River]] (part)
* [[Samuel R. McKelvie National Forest]]
* [[Valentine National Wildlife Refuge]]
{{div col end}}

===State protected areas===
* [[Bowring Ranch State Historical Park]]
* [[Cottonwood Lake State Recreation Area]]
* [[Merritt Reservoir State Recreation Area]] 
* [[Smith Falls State Park]]

===Adjacent counties===
Nebraska's largest county by area, Cherry County borders 11 counties, more than any other county in Nebraska. Seven of them are in Nebraska and four in South Dakota. The adjacent counties are:
{{div col}}
* [[Bennett County, South Dakota]] – north
* [[Todd County, South Dakota]] – north
* [[Tripp County, South Dakota]] – northeast
* [[Brown County, Nebraska|Brown County]] – east
* [[Keya Paha County, Nebraska|Keya Paha County]] – east
* [[Blaine County, Nebraska|Blaine County]] – southeast
* [[Grant County, Nebraska|Grant County]] – south
* [[Thomas County, Nebraska|Thomas County]] – south
* [[Hooker County, Nebraska|Hooker County]] – south
* [[Sheridan County, Nebraska|Sheridan County]] – west
* [[Oglala Lakota County, South Dakota]] – northwest
{{div col end}}

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
| 1890 = 6428
| 1900 = 6541
| 1910 = 10414
| 1920 = 11753
| 1930 = 10898
| 1940 = 9637
| 1950 = 8397
| 1960 = 8218
| 1970 = 6846
| 1980 = 6758
| 1990 = 6307
| 2000 = 6148
| 2010 = 5713
| 2020 = 5455
| 2020n = 
| estyear = 2023
| estimate = 5492
| align-fn = center
| footnote = US Decennial Census<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=US Decennial Census|publisher=US Census Bureau|access-date=December 6, 2014}}</ref><br>1790-1960<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu/|title=Historical Census Browser|publisher=University of Virginia Library|access-date=December 6, 2014|archive-date=August 11, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120811110448/http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu/|url-status=dead}}</ref> 1900-1990<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/cencounts/ne190090.txt|title=Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990|publisher=US Census Bureau|access-date=December 6, 2014}}</ref><br>1990-2000<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100327165705/http://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf |archive-date=March 27, 2010 |url-status=live|title=Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000|publisher=US Census Bureau|access-date=December 6, 2014}}</ref> 2010-2013<ref name=QF/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/cherrycountynebraska/PST045222 |title=U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Cherry County, Nebraska }}</ref> 2020-2023<ref name=QF/>
}}

As of the [[2000 United States Census]],<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=US Census Bureau|access-date=January 31, 2008|title=U.S. Census website}}</ref> there were 6,148 people, 2,508 households, and 1,710 families in the county. The [[population density]] was {{convert|1.02|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|people&nbsp;|people|}}. There were 3,220 housing units at an average density of {{convert|0|/mi2|/km2|adj=pre|units&nbsp;}}. The racial makeup of the county was 94.19% [[Race (United States Census)|White]], 0.07% [[Race (United States Census)|Black]] or [[Race (United States Census)|African American]], 3.25% [[Race (United States Census)|Native American]], 0.42% [[Race (United States Census)|Asian]], 0.02% [[Race (United States Census)|Pacific Islander]], 0.33% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 1.72% from two or more races. 0.93% of the population were [[Race (United States Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Race (United States Census)|Latino]] of any race. 38.5% were of [[Germany|German]], 12.6% [[England|English]], 11.1% [[Ireland|Irish]] and 7.3% [[American ancestry]].

There were 2,508 households, out of which 31.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.90% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 6.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.80% were non-families. 28.90% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.70% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 2.98.

The county population contained 27.00% under the age of 18, 6.20% from 18 to 24, 25.50% from 25 to 44, 24.00% from 45 to 64, and 17.30% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 98.80 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.60 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $29,268, and the median income for a family was $36,500. Males had a median income of $23,705 versus $17,277 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the county was $15,943. About 9.60% of families and 12.30% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 13.40% of those under age 18 and 14.20% of those age 65 or over.

==Communities==
===City===
* [[Valentine, Nebraska|Valentine]] (county seat)

===Villages===
{{div col}}
* [[Cody, Nebraska|Cody]]
* [[Crookston, Nebraska|Crookston]]
* [[Kilgore, Nebraska|Kilgore]]
* [[Merriman, Nebraska|Merriman]]
* [[Nenzel, Nebraska|Nenzel]]
* [[Wood Lake, Nebraska|Wood Lake]]
{{div col end}}

===Census-designated place===
* [[Brownlee, Nebraska|Brownlee]]

===Other unincorporated communities===
{{div col}}
* [[DeWitty, Nebraska|DeWitty]]
* [[Elsmere, Nebraska|Elsmere]]
* [[Sparks, Nebraska|Sparks]]
* [[Thatcher, Nebraska|Thatcher]]<ref>
[https://www.google.com/maps/place/Thatcher,+NE+69201/@42.8061145,-100.4749969,15z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m13!1m7!3m6!1s0x8779b72c41f2aafb:0x389f0726ef32539a!2sCherry+County,+NE!3b1!8m2!3d42.474114!4d-101.1617356!3m4!1s0x87827b19366e7fa1:0x12aa6f666470185b!8m2!3d42.8062325!4d-100.4661942 ''Thatcher NE''  Google Maps (accessed 17 January 2019)]</ref>
* [[Barley, Nebraska|Barley]]
{{div col end}}

===Notable ranches===
{{div col}}
* Abbott Ranch<ref>[https://www.google.com/maps/place/Abbott+Ranch/@42.550187,-101.7139834,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x87799f8befd93631:0x68375bb3d37cdf43!8m2!3d42.550187!4d-101.7117947 ''Abbott Ranch NE''  Google Maps (accessed 17 January 2019)]</ref>
* [[Bowring Ranch State Historical Park|Bowring Ranch]]
* [[Spade Ranch (Nebraska)|Spade Ranch]]
* [[Deb Fischer#Personal life|Sunny Slope Ranch]]
{{div col end}}

==Time zones==
{{Further|Time in Nebraska}}
Cherry County residents observe two time zones, Central and Mountain. The eastern third of the county, including county seat [[Valentine, Nebraska|Valentine]], is in the Central Time Zone, while the western two thirds, including [[Merriman, Nebraska|Merriman]], are in the Mountain Time Zone.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.timetemperature.com/tzus/nebraska_time_zone.shtml|title=Nebraska Time Zone|website=www.timetemperature.com|access-date=January 20, 2017}}</ref>

==Politics==
Cherry County voters are reliably [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]. The county has not voted for a [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrat]] in a presidential election since [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]]'s [[1936 United States presidential election in Nebraska|1936 landslide]], and even then, the county was decided by less than four points. Republicans have carried the county by a double-digit margin in every presidential election since, and no Democratic nominee since [[Harry S. Truman]] in [[1948 United States presidential election in Nebraska|1948]] has even mustered 40% of the vote. Republicans also hold a massive advantage in voter registration in Cherry County, with 2,947, as opposed to 325 registered Democrats.<ref>{{Cite web |date=August 1, 2023 |title=VR Statistics Count Report |url=https://sos.nebraska.gov/sites/sos.nebraska.gov/files/doc/elections/vrstats/2023VR/Statewide-August-2023.pdf |website=Nebraska Secretary of State}}</ref>
{{PresHead|place=Cherry County, Nebraska|whig=no|source1=<ref>[http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS ''Election Results'']</ref>}}
<!-- PresRow should be {{PresRow|Year|Winning party|GOP/Whig vote #|Dem vote #|3rd party vote #|State}} -->
{{PresRow|2024|Republican|2,687|349|42|Nebraska}}
{{PresRow|2020|Republican|2,844|373|52|Nebraska}}
{{PresRow|2016|Republican|2,623|317|178|Nebraska}}
{{PresRow|2012|Republican|2,557|436|71|Nebraska}}
{{PresRow|2008|Republican|2,360|599|100|Nebraska}}
{{PresRow|2004|Republican|2,509|483|50|Nebraska}}
{{PresRow|2000|Republican|2,322|446|79|Nebraska}}
{{PresRow|1996|Republican|1,905|551|344|Nebraska}}
{{PresRow|1992|Republican|1,707|563|738|Nebraska}}
{{PresRow|1988|Republican|2,240|642|14|Nebraska}}
{{PresRow|1984|Republican|2,720|463|15|Nebraska}}
{{PresRow|1980|Republican|2,517|489|149|Nebraska}}
{{PresRow|1976|Republican|2,197|906|89|Nebraska}}
{{PresRow|1972|Republican|2,610|463|0|Nebraska}}
{{PresRow|1968|Republican|2,199|582|222|Nebraska}}
{{PresRow|1964|Republican|2,244|1,428|0|Nebraska}}
{{PresRow|1960|Republican|2,695|1,044|0|Nebraska}}
{{PresRow|1956|Republican|2,414|884|0|Nebraska}}
{{PresRow|1952|Republican|3,148|960|0|Nebraska}}
{{PresRow|1948|Republican|2,141|1,492|0|Nebraska}}
{{PresRow|1944|Republican|2,314|1,371|0|Nebraska}}
{{PresRow|1940|Republican|2,705|1,781|0|Nebraska}}
{{PresRow|1936|Democratic|1,874|2,010|55|Nebraska}}
{{PresRow|1932|Democratic|1,754|2,912|37|Nebraska}}
{{PresRow|1928|Republican|2,905|1,285|18|Nebraska}}
{{PresRow|1924|Republican|1,663|1,169|974|Nebraska}}
{{PresRow|1920|Republican|1,636|711|118|Nebraska}}
{{PresRow|1916|Democratic|1,091|1,734|169|Nebraska}}
{{PresRow|1912|Democratic|679|1,047|896|Nebraska}}
{{PresRow|1908|Republican|1,048|1,021|99|Nebraska}}
{{PresRow|1904|Republican|978|325|158|Nebraska}}
{{PresFoot|1900|Republican|922|698|49|Nebraska}}

==See also==
* [[National Register of Historic Places listings in Cherry County, Nebraska]]
* [[Lt. Samuel A. Cherry]]

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

==External links==
* [http://www.co.cherry.ne.us County website]

{{Geographic Location
|Centre    = Cherry County, Nebraska
|North     = [[Bennett County, South Dakota]] and [[Todd County, South Dakota]]
|Northeast = [[Tripp County, South Dakota]]
|East      = [[Brown County, Nebraska|Brown County]] and [[Keya Paha County, Nebraska|Keya Paha County]]
|Southeast = [[Blaine County, Nebraska|Blaine County]]
|South     = [[Grant County, Nebraska|Grant County]], [[Thomas County, Nebraska|Thomas County]], and [[Hooker County, Nebraska|Hooker County]]
|West      = [[Sheridan County, Nebraska|Sheridan County]]
|Northwest = [[Oglala Lakota County, South Dakota]]
}}

{{Cherry County, Nebraska}}
{{Nebraska}}
{{Authority control}}
{{coord|42.54|-101.12|display=title|type:adm2nd_region:US-NE_source:UScensus1990}}

[[Category:Cherry County, Nebraska| ]]
[[Category:Nebraska counties]]
[[Category:Counties in multiple time zones]]
[[Category:1883 establishments in Nebraska]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1883]]