Editing Red Cloud, Nebraska

{{short description|City in and county seat of Webster County, Nebraska, United States}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}}
{{Infobox settlement
|name                     = Red Cloud, Nebraska
|settlement_type          = [[City (Nebraska)|City]]
|nickname                 = 
|motto                    =

<!-- Images -->
|image_skyline            = Willa Cather house from NE 3.JPG
|imagesize                = 
|image_caption            = [[Willa Cather House|Willa Cather's childhood home]], May 2010
|image_flag               = 
|image_seal               =

<!-- Maps -->
|image_map                = Webster_County_Nebraska_Incorporated_and_Unincorporated_areas_Red_Cloud_Highlighted.svg
|mapsize                  = 250px
|map_caption              = Location of Red Cloud within Webster County and Nebraska
|image_map1               = 
|mapsize1                 = 
|map_caption1             =

<!-- Location -->
|subdivision_type         = Country
|subdivision_name         = United States
|subdivision_type1        = State
|subdivision_name1        = [[Nebraska]]
|subdivision_type2        = [[List of counties in Nebraska|County]]
|subdivision_name2        = [[Webster County, Nebraska|Webster]]
|government_footnotes     =

<!-- 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           = 2.66
|area_land_km2            = 2.66
|area_water_km2           = 0.00
|area_total_sq_mi         = 1.03
|area_land_sq_mi          = 1.03
|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         = 962
|population_density_km2   = 361.51
|population_density_sq_mi = 936.71

<!-- General information -->
|timezone                 = [[Central Time Zone|Central (CST)]]
|utc_offset               = -6
|timezone_DST             = CDT
|utc_offset_DST           = -5
|elevation_footnotes      = <ref name=gnis/>
|elevation_ft             = 1716
|coordinates              = {{coord|40|05|11|N|98|31|20|W|region:US_type:city|display=inline,title}}
|postal_code_type         = [[ZIP Code]]
|postal_code              = 68970
|area_code                = [[Area code 402|402]]
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standards|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 31-40920<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=2008-01-31|title=U.S. Census website}}</ref>
|blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
|blank1_info              = 2396335<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|2396335}}</ref>
|blank2_name              = [[United States Numbered Highway System|U.S. Routes]]
|blank2_info              = [[File:US 136.svg|25px|link=U.S. Route 136 in Nebraska]] [[File:US 281.svg|25px|link=U.S. Route 281 in Nebraska]]
|website                  = [http://www.visitredcloud.com/ visitredcloud.com]
|footnotes                = 
|pop_est_footnotes = 
}}

'''Red Cloud''' is a city in and the [[county seat]] of [[Webster County, Nebraska]], United States.<ref name="GR6">{{cite web|url=http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx|access-date=2011-06-07|title=Find a County|publisher=National Association of Counties}}</ref> The population was 962 at the [[United States Census, 2020|2020 census]].

==History==
[[File:Red Cloud 4th Ave and Webster NE 4.JPG|thumb|left|Main Street Historic District]]

The region of present-day Red Cloud was intermittently occupied and used as hunting grounds by the [[Pawnee people|Pawnees]] until 1833. In that year, a treaty was signed in which the Pawnees surrendered their lands south of the [[Platte River]]. According to [[George E. Hyde|George Hyde]], it is likely that the Pawnees did not realize that they were thereby giving up their lands, and that they were led to believe that they were only granting the [[Lenape|Delawares]] and other relocated tribes permission to hunt in the area.<ref name=hyde>Hyde, George E. ''Pawnee Indians''. University of Denver Press, 1951.  p. 135.</ref>

[[File:Bank (1889), Willa Cather History Center,Red Cloud, Nebraska.jpg|thumb|left|upright|Farmers' and Merchants' Bank building (1889), in Red Cloud, now property of the [[Willa Cather Foundation]]]]
In 1870, the area that is now Webster County was opened to [[Homestead Act of 1862|homesteaders]].  In that year, [[Silas Garber]] and other settlers filed claims along Crooked Creek, just east of the present-day city.  In 1871, the town, named after the renowned [[Oglala Lakota]] leader [[Red Cloud]], was voted county seat of the newly formed county.  The city was platted in 1872.<ref>{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20061116020251/http://www.nebraskahistory.org/histpres/reports/Webster%20County%20Report.pdf "Nebraska Historic Buildings Survey&ndash;Webster County".]}}  {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20110307215553/http://www.nebraskahistory.org/index.shtml Nebraska State Historical Society.]}}  Retrieved 2011-06-10.</ref><ref>{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20040702173320/http://www.nebraskahistory.org/publish/markers/texts/red_cloud.htm "Red Cloud 1871&ndash;1971".]}} {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20110307215553/http://www.nebraskahistory.org/index.shtml Nebraska State Historical Society.]}}  Retrieved 2011-06-10.</ref>

The author [[Willa Cather]] lived in Red Cloud with her family for seven years, starting in 1883 at age nine, and later visited often.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Willa Cather Timeline: Major Events and Milestones |url=https://www.willacather.org/about/willa-cather-timeline |access-date=June 27, 2024 |website=The Willa Cather Center}}</ref> She used the town as inspiration for several in her novels, including Black Hawk in ''[[My Ántonia]]''.<ref name="Red Cloud - Webster County">[http://www.casde.unl.edu/history/counties/webster/redcloud/ "Red Cloud - Webster County"], ''Nebraska Towns'', University of Nebraska - Lincoln, accessed 10 Aug 2010</ref> Early articles by Cather were published in the city's first newspaper, ''The'' ''Red Cloud Chief''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Walter |first=Katherine |title=About The Red Cloud Chief |url=http://nebnewspapers.unl.edu/lccn/sn84022835/ |website=Nebraska Newspapers |publisher=University of Nebraska-Lincoln}}</ref> Several 19th-century buildings described in her books are part of the Willa Cather Historic District, the largest district dedicated to an author listed in the [[National Register of Historic Places]]. Her [[Willa Cather House|childhood home]] is also part of the district.<ref name="Red Cloud - Webster County" />

== Geography ==
According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the city has a total area of {{convert|1.02|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]]|access-date=2012-06-24|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120125061959/http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/files/Gaz_places_national.txt|archive-date=2012-01-25}}</ref>

===Climate===
{{Weather box
|location = Red Cloud, Nebraska (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1901–present) 
|single line = Y
|width = auto
| Jan record high F = 77
| Feb record high F = 83
| Mar record high F = 98
| Apr record high F = 100
| May record high F = 106
| Jun record high F = 113
| Jul record high F = 117
| Aug record high F = 113
| Sep record high F = 110
| Oct record high F = 100
| Nov record high F = 84
| Dec record high F = 80
| year record high F = 117
| Jan high F = 37.3
| Feb high F = 41.8
| Mar high F = 53.6
| Apr high F = 64.2
| May high F = 74.1
| Jun high F = 85.6
| Jul high F = 90.5
| Aug high F = 87.9
| Sep high F = 80.2
| Oct high F = 66.8
| Nov high F = 52.2
| Dec high F = 40.0
| year high F = 64.5
| Jan mean F = 24.9
| Feb mean F = 28.7
| Mar mean F = 39.4
| Apr mean F = 49.8
| May mean F = 60.8
| Jun mean F = 72.2
| Jul mean F = 77.2
| Aug mean F = 74.7
| Sep mean F = 65.6
| Oct mean F = 52.1
| Nov mean F = 38.3
| Dec mean F = 27.7
| year mean F = 50.9
| Jan low F = 12.5
| Feb low F = 15.6
| Mar low F = 25.1
| Apr low F = 35.4
| May low F = 47.4
| Jun low F = 58.8
| Jul low F = 64.0
| Aug low F = 61.4
| Sep low F = 51.1
| Oct low F = 37.3
| Nov low F = 24.5
| Dec low F = 15.4
| year low F = 37.4
| Jan record low F = −28
| Feb record low F = −30
| Mar record low F = −22
| Apr record low F = 4
| May record low F = 20
| Jun record low F = 27
| Jul record low F = 38
| Aug record low F = 36
| Sep record low F = 20
| Oct record low F = 2
| Nov record low F = −13
| Dec record low F = −36
| year record low F = −36
| precipitation colour = green
| Jan precipitation inch = 0.52
| Feb precipitation inch = 0.65
| Mar precipitation inch = 1.25
| Apr precipitation inch = 2.22
| May precipitation inch = 4.19
| Jun precipitation inch = 3.61
| Jul precipitation inch = 3.88
| Aug precipitation inch = 3.38
| Sep precipitation inch = 1.96
| Oct precipitation inch = 1.98
| Nov precipitation inch = 1.11
| Dec precipitation inch = 0.71
| year precipitation inch = 25.46
| Jan snow inch = 4.9
| Feb snow inch = 5.6
| Mar snow inch = 2.4
| Apr snow inch = 0.8
| May snow inch = 0.0
| Jun snow inch = 0.0
| Jul snow inch = 0.0
| Aug snow inch = 0.0
| Sep snow inch = 0.0
| Oct snow inch = 0.8
| Nov snow inch = 1.1
| Dec snow inch = 3.0
| year snow inch = 18.6
| unit precipitation days = 0.01 in
| Jan precipitation days = 3.1
| Feb precipitation days = 3.2
| Mar precipitation days = 4.4
| Apr precipitation days = 6.3
| May precipitation days = 8.8
| Jun precipitation days = 8.5
| Jul precipitation days = 7.6
| Aug precipitation days = 6.5
| Sep precipitation days = 4.7
| Oct precipitation days = 5.1
| Nov precipitation days = 3.6
| Dec precipitation days = 2.9
| year precipitation days = 64.7
| unit snow days = 0.1 in
| Jan snow days = 2.8
| Feb snow days = 2.7
| Mar snow days = 1.2
| Apr snow days = 0.3
| May snow days = 0.0
| Jun snow days = 0.0
| Jul snow days = 0.0
| Aug snow days = 0.0
| Sep snow days = 0.0
| Oct snow days = 0.2
| Nov snow days = 0.8
| Dec snow days = 2.2
| year snow days = 10.2
|source 1 = [[NOAA]]<ref name = NOAA>
{{cite web 
| url = https://www.weather.gov/wrh/Climate?wfo=gid
| title = NOWData - NOAA Online Weather Data
| publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
| accessdate = January 15, 2022}}</ref><ref name = NCEI>
{{cite web
| url = https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&startDate=0001-01-01&endDate=9996-12-31&stations=USC00257070&format=pdf
| title = Station: Red Cloud, NE
| work = U.S. Climate Normals 2020: U.S. Monthly Climate Normals (1991-2020)
| publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
| access-date = January 15, 2022}}</ref>
}}

== Demographics ==
{{US Census population|align=left
|1880= 677
|1890= 1839
|1900= 1554
|1910= 1686
|1920= 1856
|1930= 1519
|1940= 1610
|1950= 1744
|1960= 1525
|1970= 1531
|1980= 1300
|1990= 1204
|2000= 1131
|2010= 1020
|2020= 962
|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]]|access-date=2012-06-24}}</ref> of 2010, there were 1,020 people, 480 households, and 267 families living in the city. The population density was {{convert|1000|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|1}}. There were 594 housing units at an average density of {{convert|582.4|/sqmi|/km2|1}}. The racial makeup of the city was 95.5% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.8% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.3% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.4% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 1.2% from [[Race (U.S. Census)|other races]], and 1.9% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 4.3% of the population.

There were 480 households, of which 22.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.1% were married couples living together, 8.8% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.8% had a male householder with no wife present, and 44.4% were non-families. 40.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 24.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.04 and the average family size was 2.73.

The median age in the city was 50.5 years. 20.3% of residents were under the age of 18; 6.3% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 15.2% were from 25 to 44; 27.1% were from 45 to 64; and 31.2% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 45.8% male and 54.2% female.

===2000 census===
As of the census<ref name="GR2" /> of 2000, there were 1,131 people, 520 households, and 302 families living in the city. The population density was {{convert|1,108|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 618 housing units at an average density of {{convert|605.7|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the city was 97.35% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.18% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.97% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.18% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 1.33% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 0.97% of the population.

There were 520 households, out of which 24.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.5% were married couples living together, 6.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.9% were non-families. 39.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 23.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.09 and the average family size was 2.78.

The median age in the city was 47 years.  22.3% of the population was under the age of 18; 3.8% were between 18 and 24 years old; 21.0% were from 25 to 44; 22.5% were from 45 to 64; and 30.4% were 65 years old or older.  For every 100 females, there were 89.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.4 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $26,389, and the median income for a family was $34,038. Males had a median income of $26,364 versus $17,232 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the city was $14,772. About 8.4% of families and 13.3% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 20.9% of those under age 18 and 10.1% of those age 65 or over.

==Education==
Its school district is [[Red Cloud Community Schools]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st31_ne/schooldistrict_maps/c31181_webster/DC20SD_C31181.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221127071544/https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st31_ne/schooldistrict_maps/c31181_webster/DC20SD_C31181.pdf |archive-date=2022-11-27 |url-status=live|title=2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Webster County, NE|publisher=[[U.S. Census Bureau]]|accessdate=2022-11-27}}</ref>

==Recreation==
The city owns and operates a [[swimming pool]] in its park,<ref>[http://www.redcloudnebraska.com/Swimming%20Pool.htm Red Cloud Swimming Pool], City of Red Cloud.  Accessed 2008-08-05.</ref> and it maintains a nine-hole [[golf]] course that is claimed to be the third-best such course in the state.<ref>[http://www.redcloudnebraska.com/about_red_cloud_golf_course%20rs.htm About Red Cloud Golf Course], City of Red Cloud.  Accessed 2008-08-05.</ref>

==Notable people==
* [[Willa Cather]], [[Pulitzer Prize]]-winning writer <ref>{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20040702173320/http://www.nebraskahistory.org/publish/markers/texts/red_cloud.htm "Red Cloud 1871-1971".]}}  {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/19990129073714/http://www.nebraskahistory.org/index.htm Nebraska State Historical Society.]}}  Retrieved 2010-08-11.</ref>
* [[Silas Garber]], governor of Nebraska
* [[Gilbert E. McKeeby]], Nebraska and Wisconsin state legislator
* [[William A. McKeighan]], member of the United States House of Representatives
* [[William Norris (CEO)|William Norris]], computer pioneer
* [[Les Seiler]], Nebraska legislator
* [[Robert T. Smith]], flight leader and [[Flying ace|ace]] with the [[American Volunteer Group]]
* [[Donald Stratton]], [[USS Arizona (BB-39)|USS ''Arizona'']] survivor.

==See also==
{{portal|Nebraska}}
* [[List of municipalities in Nebraska]]
* [[National Register of Historic Places listings in Webster County, Nebraska]]

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

==External links==
{{commons category|Red Cloud, Nebraska}}
* [http://www.redcloudnebraska.com/ City of Red Cloud]

{{Webster County, Nebraska}}
{{Nebraska county seats}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Cities in Webster County, Nebraska]]
[[Category:Cities in Nebraska]]
[[Category:County seats in Nebraska]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1870]]
[[Category:1870 establishments in Nebraska]]