Editing Ponca, Nebraska

{{short description|City in and county seat of Dixon County, Nebraska, U.S.}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name                     = Ponca, Nebraska
| settlement_type          = [[City]]
<!-- Images -->
| image_skyline            = Ponca HD SW corner 3rd-East 2.JPG
| image_caption            = The downtown Ponca Historic District is listed in the [[National Register of Historic Places]].<ref>{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20000412011046/http://nebraskahistory.org/histpres/nebraska/dixon.htm "Nebraska National Register Sites in Dixon County".]}}  {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/19990129073714/http://www.nebraskahistory.org/index.htm Nebraska State Historical Society.]}}  Retrieved 2010-11-26.</ref>
| image_flag               = 
| image_seal               = 
| motto                    = "A Great Place To Visit, A Better Place To Live"<ref name="Ponca Nebraska">{{cite web|url= http://www.ci.ponca.ne.us/|title=Ponca Nebraska|publisher= Ponca Nebraska |accessdate= October 19, 2012}}</ref>
<!-- Maps -->
| image_map                = Dixon_County_Nebraska_Incorporated_and_Unincorporated_areas_Ponca_Highlighted.svg
| mapsize                  = 250px
| map_caption              = Location within [[Dixon County, Nebraska|Dixon County]] (left) and [[Nebraska]] (right)
<!-- Location -->
| coordinates              = {{coord|42|33|54|N|96|42|33|W|region:US|display=inline,title}}
| 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        = [[Dixon County, Nebraska|Dixon]]
| established_title        = Established
| established_date         = 1856<ref name="Ponca Nebraska"/>
| established_title1       = Incorporated
| established_date1        = 1871<ref name="city-data.com">{{cite web|url= http://www.city-data.com/city/Ponca-Nebraska.html|title=Ponca Nebraska|publisher= City-Data.com|accessdate= October 19, 2012}}</ref>
| leader_title             = 
| leader_name              = 
<!-- 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_total_km2           = 2.00
| area_total_sq_mi         = 0.77
| area_land_km2            = 2.00
| area_land_sq_mi          = 0.77
| area_water_km2           = 0.00
| area_water_sq_mi         = 0.00
| elevation_footnotes      = <ref name=gnis/>
| elevation_ft             = 1201
<!-- Population -->
| population_footnotes     = 
| population_total         = 907
| population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
| population_est           = 
| pop_est_as_of            = 
| population_density_km2   = 453.02
| population_density_sq_mi = 1173.35
<!-- General information -->
| timezone                 = [[North American Central Time Zone|Central (CST)]]
| utc_offset               = -6
| timezone_DST             = CDT
| utc_offset_DST           = -5
<!-- Area/postal codes & others -->
| postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]
| postal_code              = 68770
| area_code                = [[Area code 402|402]]
| blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
| blank_info               = 31-39695<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              = 838195<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|838195}}</ref> 
| website                  = {{URL|http://www.ci.ponca.ne.us/}}
|pop_est_footnotes = 
}}

'''Ponca''' is a city in and the [[county seat]] of [[Dixon County, Nebraska|Dixon County]], [[Nebraska]], United States.<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}}</ref>  The population was 961 at the [[United States Census, 2010|2010 census]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.yankton.net/articles/2011/03/03/community/doc4d6f181b374f9967268554.txt|title = Many Area Neb. Counties Lose Population}}</ref>

==History==
Ponca was established in 1856 and is Nebraska's fourth oldest town.<ref name="Ponca Nebraska"/> It was named for the [[Ponca]] Indian tribe native to the region.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.epodunk.com/cgi-bin/genInfo.php?locIndex=27539|title= Profile for Ponca, Nebraska, NE|publisher= ePodunk|accessdate= October 19, 2012|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160829173824/http://www.epodunk.com/cgi-bin/genInfo.php?locIndex=27539|archive-date= August 29, 2016|url-status= dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|author=Chicago and North Western Railway Company|title=A History of the Origin of the Place Names Connected with the Chicago & North Western and Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha Railways|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OspBAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA160|year=1908|page=160}}</ref> Ponca was incorporated as a village in 1871.<ref name="city-data.com"/>

Ponca experienced growth when the [[Covington, Columbus and Black Hills Railroad]] was extended to it in 1876.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.casde.unl.edu/history/counties/dixon/ponca/ | title=Ponca, Dixon County | publisher=University of Nebraska | work=Center for Advanced Land Management Information Technologies | accessdate=4 August 2014}}</ref>

Ponca also hosts one of the oldest [[rodeo]]s in Nebraska, called the “Days of ‘56” to honor the founding members of the community. The rodeo is held at the town's rodeo grounds during the last full weekend in June. The 2018 rodeo marked the 50th anniversary of the event.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.daysof56.com/ |title=Daysof56.com |access-date=2022-07-15 |archive-date=2021-11-30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211130102802/http://daysof56.com/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==Geography==

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the city has a total area of {{convert|0.73|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>

==Demographics==
{{US Census population|align=left
|1880= 594
|1890= 1009
|1900= 1043
|1910= 1000
|1920= 1014
|1930= 920
|1940= 1003
|1950= 893
|1960= 924
|1970= 984
|1980= 1057
|1990= 877
|2000= 1062
|2010= 961
|2020= 907
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|accessdate=June 4, 2015}}</ref>
}}
Ponca is part of the [[Sioux City, Iowa|Sioux City]], [[Iowa|IA]]&ndash;NE&ndash;[[South Dakota|SD]] [[Sioux City metropolitan area|Metropolitan Statistical Area]].

===2010 census===
At the [[2010 United States Census|2010 census]] there were 961 people in 403 households, including 256 families, in the city. The population density was {{convert|1316.4|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|1}}. There were 428 housing units at an average density of {{convert|586.3|/sqmi|/km2|1}}. The [[Race and ethnicity in the United States Census#2010 census|racial makeup]] of the city was 97.8% White, 0.4% African American, 0.2% Native American, 0.1% from other races, and 1.5% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.8%.<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 the 403 households 30.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.9% were married couples living together, 8.4% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.2% had a male householder with no wife present, and 36.5% were non-families. 32.8% of households were one person and 19.1% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.28 and the average family size was 2.88.

The median age was 43.9 years. 24.3% of residents were under the age of 18; 6.2% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 21% were from 25 to 44; 27.1% were from 45 to 64; and 21.5% were 65 or older. The gender makeup of the city was 49.1% male and 50.9% female.

===2000 census===
At the [[2000 United States Census|2000 census]] there were 1,062 people in 403 households, including 286 families, in the city. The population density was {{convert|1,508.2|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 425 housing units at an average density of {{convert|603.5|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}.  The [[Race and ethnicity in the United States Census#2000 census|racial makeup]] of the city was 96.89% White, 0.56% Native American, 0.94% from other races, and 1.60% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.64%.<ref name="GR2" />

Of the 403 households 35.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.1% were married couples living together, 11.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.8% were non-families. 25.6% of households were one person and 13.4% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.51 and the average family size was 3.00.

The age distribution was 26.6% under the age of 18, 7.9% from 18 to 24, 25.1% from 25 to 44, 20.6% from 45 to 64, and 19.8% 65 or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.5 males.

The median household income was $31,750, and the median family income  was $41,250. Males had a median income of $28,472 versus $21,681 for females. The per capita income for the city was $15,782. About 7.0% of families and 8.6% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 10.5% of those under age 18 and 12.1% of those age 65 or over.

==Parks and recreation==
[[Ponca State Park]] is two miles north of the city. The park is located on the heavily forested high bluffs and steep hills along the [[Nebraska]] banks of the [[Missouri River]]. Ponca State Park is the eastern terminus for float trips through the federally designated National [[Wild and Scenic River]].<ref name="Ponca Nebraska"/>

==Notable people==
* [[Tommy Atkins (baseball)|Tommy Atkins]], Baseball player<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=atkinto01|title=Tommy Atkins Stats |publisher= Baseball Almanac|accessdate= October 19, 2012}}</ref>
* [[Pug Bennett]], Baseball player<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=bennepu01|title= Pug Bennett Stats |publisher= Baseball Almanac|accessdate= October 19, 2012}}</ref>

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

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

==External links==
{{Commons category|Ponca, Nebraska}} 
* [http://www.ci.ponca.ne.us City of Ponca]
* [http://www.city-data.com/city/Ponca-Nebraska.html City-Data.com]

{{Dixon County, Nebraska}}
{{Nebraska county seats}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Cities in Dixon County, Nebraska]]
[[Category:Cities in Nebraska]]
[[Category:County seats in Nebraska]]
[[Category:Sioux City metropolitan area]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1856]]