Tamora, Nebraska
Encyclopedia
Tamora is an unincorporated community in Seward County
, in the southeastern part of the state of Nebraska
in the United States
. The town presently consists of a large grain elevator
complex and a small residential district, with a population of about 70.
extended its tracks westward from Seward, Nebraska
. In 1879, four men each donated 10 acres (4 ha) of land for a townsite,in order to persuade the railroad to build a siding and station there.
A dispute arose over the name of the new town, since each of the four wanted it to bear his name. The name eventually chosen was a frontier pronunciation of "tomorrow", apparently because the selection of the name had to be deferred until later.
Within three years of the town's founding, three grain elevators had been constructed.
In 1884, the population was estimated at 53; the town was incorporated in 1888.
Eventually, Tamora's commercial district consisted of over thirty businesses, including two banks and the Tamora Times newspaper.
In 1892, an abortive attempt was made to bring the Seward County seat to Tamora. A group of local promoters purchased a quarter-block and began construction of a building that they hoped would become the courthouse. However, support for the idea failed to materialize, and the building project was abandoned. A few years later, an attempt was made to build an opera house on the unfinished foundation. This, too, failed; and the basement was eventually filled in.
By 1920, Tamora had a population of over 200.
However, it lacked a fire department. Many of its commercial buildings were destroyed by fire and not replaced.
The population steadily declined, to a low of 50 in 1980.
The post office was closed in 1970.
Even as the retail sector and the population declined, the grain storage and loading facilities were expanded. In 1962, the local farmers' cooperative built a concrete grain elevator; in 1964, they replaced a feed mill that had burned down. In 1978, they built one of the largest grain elevators in Nebraska.
Disharmony on the village board led to a number of recall attempts and, eventually, a petition to unincorporate the town, which was rejected by the voters in a 1990 election.
Feuding on the board continued; and in 1997, Tamora's electors voted 30-6 in favor of unincorporation.
In 1990, the last decennial census
before its unincorporation, the population of Tamora was reported as 51. In 2007, the population was estimated at 70.
,
about halfway between Seward and Utica
. It is about half a mile (0.8 km) south of U.S. Highway 34,
on the BNSF Railway
.
capability. It has a capacity of 2318000 USbu, and its siding has space for 110 railroad cars.
Seward County, Nebraska
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 16,496 people, 6,013 households, and 4,215 families residing in the county. The population density was 29 people per square mile . There were 6,428 housing units at an average density of 11 per square mile...
, in the southeastern part of the state of 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....
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The town presently consists of a large grain elevator
Grain elevator
A grain elevator is a tower containing a bucket elevator, which scoops up, elevates, and then uses gravity to deposit grain in a silo or other storage facility...
complex and a small residential district, with a population of about 70.
History
In 1877, the Burlington RailroadChicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad
The Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad was a railroad that operated in the Midwestern United States. Commonly referred to as the Burlington or as the Q, the Burlington Route served a large area, including extensive trackage in the states of Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Missouri,...
extended its tracks westward from Seward, Nebraska
Seward, Nebraska
Seward is a city in Seward County, Nebraska, United States. It is part of the Lincoln, Nebraska Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 6,133 at the 2000 census...
. In 1879, four men each donated 10 acres (4 ha) of land for a townsite,in order to persuade the railroad to build a siding and station there.
A dispute arose over the name of the new town, since each of the four wanted it to bear his name. The name eventually chosen was a frontier pronunciation of "tomorrow", apparently because the selection of the name had to be deferred until later.
Within three years of the town's founding, three grain elevators had been constructed.
In 1884, the population was estimated at 53; the town was incorporated in 1888.
Eventually, Tamora's commercial district consisted of over thirty businesses, including two banks and the Tamora Times newspaper.
In 1892, an abortive attempt was made to bring the Seward County seat to Tamora. A group of local promoters purchased a quarter-block and began construction of a building that they hoped would become the courthouse. However, support for the idea failed to materialize, and the building project was abandoned. A few years later, an attempt was made to build an opera house on the unfinished foundation. This, too, failed; and the basement was eventually filled in.
By 1920, Tamora had a population of over 200.
However, it lacked a fire department. Many of its commercial buildings were destroyed by fire and not replaced.
The population steadily declined, to a low of 50 in 1980.
The post office was closed in 1970.
Even as the retail sector and the population declined, the grain storage and loading facilities were expanded. In 1962, the local farmers' cooperative built a concrete grain elevator; in 1964, they replaced a feed mill that had burned down. In 1978, they built one of the largest grain elevators in Nebraska.
Disharmony on the village board led to a number of recall attempts and, eventually, a petition to unincorporate the town, which was rejected by the voters in a 1990 election.
Feuding on the board continued; and in 1997, Tamora's electors voted 30-6 in favor of unincorporation.
In 1990, the last decennial census
United States Census
The United States Census is a decennial census mandated by the United States Constitution. The population is enumerated every 10 years and the results are used to allocate Congressional seats , electoral votes, and government program funding. The United States Census Bureau The United States Census...
before its unincorporation, the population of Tamora was reported as 51. In 2007, the population was estimated at 70.
Geography
Tamora lies 6 miles (9.7 km) west of the county seat of SewardSeward, Nebraska
Seward is a city in Seward County, Nebraska, United States. It is part of the Lincoln, Nebraska Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 6,133 at the 2000 census...
,
about halfway between Seward and Utica
Utica, Nebraska
Utica is a village in Seward County, Nebraska, United States. It is part of the Lincoln, Nebraska Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 844 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Utica is located at ....
. It is about half a mile (0.8 km) south of U.S. Highway 34,
on the BNSF Railway
BNSF Railway
The BNSF Railway is a wholly owned subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway Inc., and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas. It is one of seven North American Class I railroads and the second largest freight railroad network in North America, second only to the Union Pacific Railroad, its primary...
.
Economy
Tamora has no commercial district. Its principal business is the grain elevator operated by United Farmers Cooperative. The elevator has unit trainUnit train
A unit train, also called a block train, is a railway train in which all the cars making it up are shipped from the same origin to the same destination, without being split up or stored en route...
capability. It has a capacity of 2318000 USbu, and its siding has space for 110 railroad cars.