St. Paul, Nebraska
Encyclopedia
St. Paul is a city in and the county seat
of Howard County
, Nebraska
, United States
. The population was 2,218 at the 2000 census.
St. Paul is part of the Grand Island, Nebraska
Micropolitan Statistical Area.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 1.1 square miles (2.8 km²), all of it land.
of 2000, there were 2,218 people, 935 households, and 584 families residing in the city. The population density
was 2,083.8 people per square mile (807.9/km²). There were 1,020 housing units at an average density of 958.3 per square mile (371.5/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 99.37% White, 0.23% African American, 0.18% Native American, 0.14% Asian, and 0.09% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.86% of the population.
There were 935 households out of which 32.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.8% were married couples
living together, 9.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.5% were non-families. 34.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 22.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.33 and the average family size was 3.01.
In the city the population was spread out with 27.1% under the age of 18, 6.8% from 18 to 24, 24.0% from 25 to 44, 19.3% from 45 to 64, and 22.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 92.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 81.8 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $31,818, and the median income for a family was $43,571. Males had a median income of $32,051 versus $19,776 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $17,596. About 5.8% of families and 8.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.3% of those under age 18 and 17.2% of those age 65 or over.
When the town was to be named, a committee collected the suggested names in a hat and the name Athens was drawn. Since an Athens already existed in the state, Nebraska Senator Phineas W. Hitchcock suggested the name St. Paul in honor of the Paul brothers who founded it. It officially became the county seat by vote in 1874 and was incorporated in 1881. The first mayor was E.F. Clapp.
During its first twenty years, Howard County was a typical western frontier with covered wagons, cowboys, huge cattle herds, rowdy railroad construction gangs, and Army detachments stationed within its borders. As settlers and the railroad extended north and west, the town of St. Paul served as an important trade center and quickly grew to a population of 2,000 residents. From 1882 until 1917, St. Paul was the home of Frank Iams, the nation's largest importer of European draft horses. Three-star General C.S. Irvine set record-shattering, long-distance flights in a B-29 shortly after World War II. Herbert Paul was Adjutant General of the Nebraska National Guard for 19 years.
St. Paul had a broom factory, canning factory, brick factory, cigar factory, two flour mills, hatchery and more. Through the years innovation like the first self-rising flour was developed at one of the flour mills. The first chicken hatchery in Nebraska started in Cushing in 1901, moved to St. Paul in 1922, and operated until 1956. Pirus, a cure for many kidney and liver ailments, was invented in St. Paul. Dorothy Lynch invented her famous salad dressing in St. Paul, which is now sold nationally.
The first two people executed in Nebraska's electric chair were sentenced for a murder they committed within Howard County.
Grover Cleveland Alexander
, who was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame, was born on a farm in the area and retired to St. Paul at the end of his sports career. The American Legion baseball field was dedicated on June 15, 1971, and named after Alexander. Each year St. Paul honors Alexander with the celebration of Grover Cleveland Alexander (GCA) Days, the weekend following the 4th of July.
lived in St. Paul and is buried in Elmwood Cemetery, south of the city.
New York political strategist, writer and radio commentator Bob Geiger http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bob-geiger/#blogger_bio graduated from St. Paul High School in 1975.
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
of Howard County
Howard County, Nebraska
-History:Howard County was formed in 1871. It was named after the Union General Oliver Otis Howard.-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 6,567 people, 2,546 households, and 1,797 families residing in the county. The population density was 12 people per square mile . There were 2,782...
, Nebraska
Nebraska
Nebraska is a state on the Great Plains of the Midwestern United States. The state's capital is Lincoln and its largest city is Omaha, on the Missouri River....
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 2,218 at the 2000 census.
St. Paul is part of the Grand Island, Nebraska
Grand Island, Nebraska
Grand Island is a city in and the county seat of Hall County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 48,520 at the 2010 census.Grand Island is home to the Nebraska Law Enforcement Training Center which is the sole agency responsible for training law enforcement officers throughout the state,...
Micropolitan Statistical Area.
Geography
St. Paul is located at 41°12′49"N 98°27′36"W (41.213709, -98.459881).According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 1.1 square miles (2.8 km²), all of it land.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 2,218 people, 935 households, and 584 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 2,083.8 people per square mile (807.9/km²). There were 1,020 housing units at an average density of 958.3 per square mile (371.5/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 99.37% White, 0.23% African American, 0.18% Native American, 0.14% Asian, and 0.09% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.86% of the population.
There were 935 households out of which 32.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.8% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 9.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.5% were non-families. 34.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 22.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.33 and the average family size was 3.01.
In the city the population was spread out with 27.1% under the age of 18, 6.8% from 18 to 24, 24.0% from 25 to 44, 19.3% from 45 to 64, and 22.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 92.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 81.8 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $31,818, and the median income for a family was $43,571. Males had a median income of $32,051 versus $19,776 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $17,596. About 5.8% of families and 8.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.3% of those under age 18 and 17.2% of those age 65 or over.
History
St. Paul was founded by two young surveyors, James N. and Nicholas J. Paul, who had been surveying in Nebraska and the surrounding areas as the land opened to settlers. Struck by the beauty and the prospects of the Loup valley, they took out homesteads, successfully petitioned the state legislature to form a new county to be known as Howard County, and laid out the townsite. They brought the first settlers to the county in March 1871 and established the seat of government in St. Paul. Stillman Hazeltine put up the first building for a general store and town hall in the summer of 1871. That first building burned a few years later and the brick building which replaced it is still in use with his name and date 1871 on the front.When the town was to be named, a committee collected the suggested names in a hat and the name Athens was drawn. Since an Athens already existed in the state, Nebraska Senator Phineas W. Hitchcock suggested the name St. Paul in honor of the Paul brothers who founded it. It officially became the county seat by vote in 1874 and was incorporated in 1881. The first mayor was E.F. Clapp.
During its first twenty years, Howard County was a typical western frontier with covered wagons, cowboys, huge cattle herds, rowdy railroad construction gangs, and Army detachments stationed within its borders. As settlers and the railroad extended north and west, the town of St. Paul served as an important trade center and quickly grew to a population of 2,000 residents. From 1882 until 1917, St. Paul was the home of Frank Iams, the nation's largest importer of European draft horses. Three-star General C.S. Irvine set record-shattering, long-distance flights in a B-29 shortly after World War II. Herbert Paul was Adjutant General of the Nebraska National Guard for 19 years.
St. Paul had a broom factory, canning factory, brick factory, cigar factory, two flour mills, hatchery and more. Through the years innovation like the first self-rising flour was developed at one of the flour mills. The first chicken hatchery in Nebraska started in Cushing in 1901, moved to St. Paul in 1922, and operated until 1956. Pirus, a cure for many kidney and liver ailments, was invented in St. Paul. Dorothy Lynch invented her famous salad dressing in St. Paul, which is now sold nationally.
The first two people executed in Nebraska's electric chair were sentenced for a murder they committed within Howard County.
Grover Cleveland Alexander
Grover Cleveland Alexander
Grover Cleveland Alexander , nicknamed "Old Pete", was an American Major League Baseball pitcher. He played for the Philadelphia Phillies, Chicago Cubs, and St. Louis Cardinals and was elected into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1938.-Career:Alexander was born in Elba, Nebraska, one of thirteen...
, who was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame, was born on a farm in the area and retired to St. Paul at the end of his sports career. The American Legion baseball field was dedicated on June 15, 1971, and named after Alexander. Each year St. Paul honors Alexander with the celebration of Grover Cleveland Alexander (GCA) Days, the weekend following the 4th of July.
Notable residents
Baseball Hall of Famer Grover Cleveland AlexanderGrover Cleveland Alexander
Grover Cleveland Alexander , nicknamed "Old Pete", was an American Major League Baseball pitcher. He played for the Philadelphia Phillies, Chicago Cubs, and St. Louis Cardinals and was elected into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1938.-Career:Alexander was born in Elba, Nebraska, one of thirteen...
lived in St. Paul and is buried in Elmwood Cemetery, south of the city.
New York political strategist, writer and radio commentator Bob Geiger http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bob-geiger/#blogger_bio graduated from St. Paul High School in 1975.