Editing Friend, Nebraska

{{short description|City in Saline County, Nebraska, United States}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}}
{{Infobox settlement
|official_name            = Friend, Nebraska
|settlement_type          = [[City]]
|nickname                 = 
|motto                    =

<!-- Images -->
|image_skyline            = Friend, Nebraska police station from SW 1.JPG
|imagesize                = 
|image_caption            = Friend police station, May 2013
|image_flag               = 
|image_seal               =

<!-- Maps -->
|image_map                = Saline_County_Nebraska_Incorporated_and_Unincorporated_areas_Friend_Highlighted.svg
|mapsize                  = 250px
|map_caption              = Location of Friend, Nebraska
|image_map1               = 
|mapsize1                 = 
|map_caption1             =

<!-- 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        = [[Saline County, Nebraska|Saline]]
|government_footnotes     = 
|government_type          = 
|leader_title             = 
|leader_name              = 
|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           = 2.14
|area_land_km2            = 2.14
|area_water_km2           = 0.00
|area_total_sq_mi         = 0.83
|area_land_sq_mi          = 0.83
|area_water_sq_mi         = 0.00

<!-- Population -->
|population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
|population_est           = 
|pop_est_as_of            = 
|population_footnotes     = 
|population_total         = 954
|population_density_km2   = 445.38
|population_density_sq_mi = 1153.57

<!-- 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             = 1558
|coordinates              = {{coord|40|39|02|N|97|17|02|W|region:US_type:city|display=inline,title}}
|postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]
|postal_code              = 68359
|area_code                = [[Area code 402|402]]
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 31-17775
|blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
|blank1_info              = 2394827<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|2394827}}</ref>
|website                  = [https://www.cityoffriend.org/ City of Friend]
|footnotes                = 
|pop_est_footnotes = 
}}

'''Friend''' is a city in [[Saline County, Nebraska|Saline County]], [[Nebraska]], United States. As of the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]], the city population was 954.

==History==
The city is named for Charles E. Friend,<ref>{{cite book | url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_9V1IAAAAMAAJ | title=The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States | publisher=Govt. Print. Off. | author=Gannett, Henry | year=1905 | pages=[https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_9V1IAAAAMAAJ/page/n131 132]}}</ref> who homesteaded the land and initially named the community Friendville.  He operated a dry goods store and post office.  In 1873 the [[Burlington and Missouri River Railroad]] named its new train station there "Friend."<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.ci.friend.ne.us/geninfo.htm |title=Friend, Nebraska -ci.friend.ne.us |access-date=2009-01-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100628195414/http://www.ci.friend.ne.us/geninfo.htm |archive-date=2010-06-28 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

The [[National Greyhound Association]] was founded in the community in 1906 (called at the time National [[Coursing]] Association).<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.ngagreyhounds.com/History.asp |title=History of the Greyhound and Greyhound Racing - The Greyhound Review, February 2006 |access-date=January 28, 2009 |archive-date=July 12, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190712185021/http://www.ngagreyhounds.com/History.asp |url-status=dead }}</ref>

The Friend Police Department, which was initially housed in a tool shed during construction of [[U.S. Route 6 in Nebraska|U.S. Route 6]], was reported by ''[[Ripley's Believe It or Not!]]'' to be the smallest police station in the world. In the 1960s, the shed doubled in size so the [[Nebraska State Patrol]] could also be stationed there to issue traffic citations and make arrests. Afterwards, Friend still claimed to have the smallest combined police station. It was demolished in 2015 and replaced with a neon Friend sign.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.ci.friend.ne.us/tourism.htm |title=Friend, Nebraska -ci.friend.ne.us |access-date=2010-05-27 |archive-date=2009-04-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090425200120/http://www.ci.friend.ne.us/tourism.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==Geography==
According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the city has a total area of {{convert|0.83|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/20120702145235/http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/files/Gaz_places_national.txt |archivedate=2012-07-02 }}</ref>

==Demographics==
{{US Census population|align=left
|1880= 555
|1890= 1347
|1900= 1200
|1910= 1261
|1920= 1263
|1930= 1214
|1940= 1169
|1950= 1148
|1960= 1069
|1970= 1126
|1980= 1079
|1990= 1111
|2000= 1174
|2010= 1027
|2020= 954
|align-fn=center
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|author=United States Census Bureau|author-link=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=October 16, 2013}}</ref>
}}

===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 1,027 people, 431 households, and 292 families residing in the city. The [[population density]] was {{convert|1237.3|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|1}}. There were 501 housing units at an average density of {{convert|603.6|/sqmi|/km2|1}}. The racial makeup of the city was 98.1% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.4% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.1% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.4% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.4% from [[Race (U.S. Census)|other races]], and 0.6% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 2.4% of the population.

There were 431 households, of which 27.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.3% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 4.9% had a female householder with no husband present, 2.6% had a male householder with no wife present, and 32.3% were non-families. 30.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.30 and the average family size was 2.82.

The median age in the city was 47.9 years. 22.3% of residents were under the age of 18; 4% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 20% were from 25 to 44; 29% were from 45 to 64; and 24.7% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 47.2% male and 52.8% female.

===2000 census===
As of the [[census]] of 2000, there were 1,174 people, 475 households, and 326 families residing in the city. The population density was {{convert|1,473.4|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 516 housing units at an average density of {{convert|647.6|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the city was 98.64% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.26% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.34% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 0.77% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 0.85% of the population.

There were 475 households, out of which 29.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.9% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 4.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.2% were non-families. 29.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.4% 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 2.92.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 24.8% under the age of 18, 4.6% from 18 to 24, 22.1% from 25 to 44, 21.6% from 45 to 64, and 26.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.7 males.

As of 2000 the median income for a household in the city was $34,833, and the median income for a family was $40,667. Males had a median income of $32,946 versus $17,829 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the city was $17,422. About 4.9% of families and 6.8% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 7.3% of those under age 18 and 6.5% of those age 65 or over.

==Education==
[[Friend Public Schools]] is the local school district.

==Notable people==
* [[Elvin C. Drake]], head track and field coach of the 1956 [[National Collegiate Athletic Association|NCAA]] Champion [[UCLA Bruins]]
* [[John L. Loos]], American historian born in Friend in 1918
* [[Anna Louise Strong]], journalist and [[Left-wing politics|left-wing]] activist
* [[Thad Weber]], professional baseball player ([[Detroit Tigers]], [[San Diego Padres]], [[Toronto Blue Jays]])
* [[John William Miller (aviation)|John William Miller]], aviation engineer

==See also==
{{portal|Nebraska}}
* [[List of municipalities in Nebraska]]

==References==
{{reflist|22em}}

==External links==
{{commons category|Friend, Nebraska}}
* [http://www.friendbulldogs.org Friend schools]

{{Saline County, Nebraska}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Cities in Nebraska]]
[[Category:Cities in Saline County, Nebraska]]