Grand Island, Nebraska

Infobox Settlement
official_name = Grand Island, Nebraska
settlement_type = City
nickname =
motto =

imagesize =
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mapsize = 250px
map_caption = Location of Grand Island, Nebraska


mapsize1 =
map_caption1 =

subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = United States
subdivision_type1 = State
subdivision_name1 = Nebraska
subdivision_type2 = County
subdivision_name2 = Hall
government_footnotes =
government_type =
leader_title = Mayor
leader_name = Margaret Hornady
leader_title1 =
leader_name1 =
established_title =
established_date =

unit_pref = Imperial
area_footnotes =
area_magnitude =
area_total_km2 = 55.9
area_land_km2 = 55.6
area_water_km2 = 0.3
area_total_sq_mi = 21.6
area_land_sq_mi = 21.5
area_water_sq_mi = 0.1

population_as_of = 2000
population_footnotes =
population_total = 42940
population_density_km2 = 772.3
population_density_sq_mi = 2000.2

timezone = Central (CST)
utc_offset = -6
timezone_DST = CDT
utc_offset_DST = -5
elevation_footnotes =
elevation_m = 567
elevation_ft = 1860
latd = 40 |latm = 55 |lats = 20 |latNS = N
longd = 98 |longm = 21 |longs = 29 |longEW = W

postal_code_type = ZIP codes
postal_code = 68801-68803
area_code = 308
blank_name = FIPS code
blank_info = 31-19595GR|2
blank1_name = GNIS feature ID
blank1_info = 0829622GR|3
website =
footnotes =

Grand Island is a city in and the county seat of Hall County, Nebraska, United States.GR|6 The population was 42,940 at the 2000 census.

Grand Island is home to the Nebraska Law Enforcement Training Center (NLETC) which is the sole agency responsible for training law enforcement officers throughout the state, as well as the Southern Power District serving southern Nebraska.

Grand Island has been given the All-American City Award three times (1955, 1967, and 1981-82) by the National Civic League.

Grand Island is the principal city of the Grand Island Micropolitan Statistical Area, which consists of Hall, Merrick, and Howard counties.

Geography and climate

Grand Island is located at coor dms|40|55|20|N|98|21|29|W|city (40.922316, -98.357996)GR|1.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 21.6 square miles (55.9 km²), of which, 21.5 square miles (55.6 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square miles (0.3 km²) of it (0.60%) is water.

A famous location among locals is Tornado Hill. It is a popular place during the winter after a fresh layer of snow is on it. It is a strange feature to people passing by the city since Grand Island is relatively flat. It is, in fact, burnt debris from the 1980 tornados (see below). The city dug into the earth and piled the ashes and whatever was left from the burnt debris in the hole. The dirt from the hole was then spread over the top of the pile. A myth about the hill is that pieces of debris (i.e. car bumpers) could be sticking out but this is impossible since all the debris was burnt and all the metals were recycled.

History

In 1857, thirty-five German settlers left Davenport, Iowa, and headed west to Nebraska to start a new settlement in an area of land known by French traders as La Grande Isle.Fact|date=September 2007 It was called this because Grand Island is located on the largest inland island in the world. The island is formed by the Wood River and the North Platte River. Part of the reason for this expedition was because the Railroad had to have stops every 150 miles so that railroad engines could refuel. On July 4 1857 they reached their destination and had built more permanent housing by September using local timber.

Over the next 9 years, the settlers had to battle many hardships including blizzards and conflicts with the local Native American populations. A fire set by a prospector who hated Germans destroyed the first settlement in 1859.cite book | last =Bain | first =David Haward | title =The Old Iron Road: An Epic of Rails, Roads, and the Urge to Go West | publisher =Penguin Books | year =2004 | location =New York City, New York | pages =60-2 | id =ISBN 0143035266] When the Union Pacific Railroad was built through the area, the population moved the settlement north of the Platte River, which is the present location of the town today. While no longer an island, they kept the name.

Railroad workers accompanied the many trains for freight traffic that ran through the town. Fact|date=September 2007

In 1886, construction of the railroad reached the town, bringing increased trade and business. Population and industry began to grow.

In 1872 the city was incorporated, and in 1887 an intercity railway was established. In about 1890, sugar beets were introduced as a crop in Nebraska. A sugar beet processing factory was built in the southwest part of Grand Island. This was the first sugar beet factory built and operated in the United States. [ [http://www.grand-island.com/Home/History/history_home.htm History] . ]

1980 tornadoes

On June 3, 1980, Grand Island was hit by a massive supercell storm. Through the course of the evening, the city was ravaged by seven tornadoes. The hardest hit area of town was the South Locust business district. There were five deaths as a result of the tornadoes, the worst of which was rated F4 on the Fujita Scale.

Demographics

As of the censusGR|2 of 2000, there were 42,940 people, 16,426 households, and 11,038 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,000.2 people per square mile (772.2/km²). There were 17,421 housing units at an average density of 811.5/sq mi (313.3/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 86.72% White, 0.42% African American, 0.33% Native American, 1.31% Asian, 0.17% Pacific Islander, 9.64% from other races, and 1.42% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 15.94% of the population.

There were 16,426 households out of which 34.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.0% were married couples living together, 10.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.8% were non-families. 27.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.55 and the average family size was 3.09.

In the city the population was spread out with 27.0% under the age of 18, 9.5% from 18 to 24, 28.6% from 25 to 44, 20.8% from 45 to 64, and 14.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 98.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.0 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $36,044, and the median income for a family was $43,197. Males had a median income of $28,925 versus $20,521 for females. The per capita income for the city was $17,071. About 9.9% of families and 12.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.7% of those under age 18 and 8.1% of those age 65 or over.

Special Events

Started in 1941, on the first Saturday of October is the annual Harvest of Harmony parade. School bands from all over Nebraska come to play in this parade. In the afternoons they hold band competitions at the local high schools. Floats also travel the parade routes. Also, Andy Mcvicker, performs the following Sunday.

Every mid-September are the Husker Harvest Days. This is a show of the latest farm techniques and equipment. According to superstition, it will always rain during Husker Harvest Days.

Grand Island recently acquired the rights to host the State Fair. The state fair will be held in its traditional site of Lincoln until 2009. In 2010 Grand Island will begin hosting the State Fair.

Transportation

Interstate 80 runs through the city.

Central Nebraska Regional Airport is located in Grand Island. On September 4, 2008, Allegiant Air will begin nonstop service from Grand Island to Las Vegas, Nevada.

Grand Island in the news

On December 12, 2006 the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (I.C.E) staged a coordinated predawn raid at the Swift and Co. meat packing plant in Grand Island and at five other Swift plants in western states. They interviewed workers and took away suspected illegals in number. [ [http://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/13/us/13raid.html "U.S. Raids 6 Meat Plants in ID Case"] , article New York Times by Julia Preston, December 13, 2006] [ [http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/scripts/getcase.pl?court=us&vol=322&invol=369 FindLaw for Legal Professionals - Case Law, Federal and State Resources, Forms, and Code ] ]

A February 16, 1952 issue of "Look Magazine" listed Grand Island as one of 26 cities that tolerated sinful behavior. [ [http://www.nebar.com/pdfs/nelawyer/2000/020004.pdf Article] . Nebraska Law Association. Retrieved 9/23/06.] After this issue, Grand Island took measures to clean up its image.

Religion

*Roman Catholic Diocese of Grand Island

ites of interest

* Stuhr Museum of the Prairie Pioneer

School districts

* Grand Island Public Schools

High schools

* [http://www.ginorthwest.org/ Northwest High School]
* [http://www.gips.org/senior/ Grand Island Senior High School]
* Central Catholic High School (Grand Island, Nebraska)
* [http://www.lutheransonline.com/servlet/lo_ProcServ/dbpage=page&mode=display&gid=01287001361029550791897793 Heartland Lutheran High School]

Notable people

* Tom Rathman, former NFL Running Back for the San Francisco 49ers & Los Angeles Raiders, current Running Backs coach for the Oakland Raiders (born October 7, 1962)
* Mary Martin McLaughlin, Medieval history scholar, born April 15, 1919.
* Henry Fonda, Academy Award-winning American film actor, born May 16, 1905.
* Sociologists, authors, social workers and educators Edith Abbott (born September 26, 1876) and Grace Abbott (born November 17, 1878).
* John Parrella, born November 22, 1969, former Defensive Tackle for the Oakland Raiders and San Diego Chargers, played in Super Bowl XXXVII
* Computer pioneer Bo Evans
* Tenor Joe Feeney

References

* http://www.grand-island.com/Home/History/history_home.htm

External links

* [http://www.grand-island.com/ City of Grand Island Site]
* [http://www.gi.lib.ne.us Grand Island Public Library]