St. Paul, Nebraska

Infobox Settlement
official_name = St. Paul, Nebraska
settlement_type = City
nickname =
motto =

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image_

mapsize = 250px
map_caption = Location of St. Paul, Nebraska


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subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = United States
subdivision_type1 = State
subdivision_name1 = Nebraska
subdivision_type2 = County
subdivision_name2 = Howard
government_footnotes =
government_type =
leader_title =
leader_name =
leader_title1 =
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established_date =

unit_pref = Imperial
area_footnotes =

area_magnitude =
area_total_km2 = 2.8
area_land_km2 = 2.8
area_water_km2 = 0.0
area_total_sq_mi = 1.1
area_land_sq_mi = 1.1
area_water_sq_mi = 0.0

population_as_of = 2000
population_footnotes =
population_total = 2218
population_density_km2 = 804.6
population_density_sq_mi = 2083.8

timezone = Central (CST)
utc_offset = -6
timezone_DST = CDT
utc_offset_DST = -5
elevation_footnotes =
elevation_m = 553
elevation_ft = 1814
latd = 41 |latm = 12 |lats = 49 |latNS = N
longd = 98 |longm = 27 |longs = 36 |longEW = W

postal_code_type =
postal_code =
area_code =
blank_name = FIPS code
blank_info = 31-43265GR|2
blank1_name = GNIS feature ID
blank1_info = 0833046GR|3
website =
footnotes =

St. Paul is a city in and the county seat of Howard County, Nebraska, United States.GR|6 The population was 2,218 at the 2000 census.

St. Paul is part of the Grand Island, Nebraska Micropolitan Statistical Area.

Geography

St. Paul is located at coor dms|41|12|49|N|98|27|36|W|city (41.213709, -98.459881)GR|1.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.1 square miles (2.7 km²), all of it land.

Demographics

As of the censusGR|2 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/sq mi (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.

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 our 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 found 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.

Trivia

Baseball Hall of Famer Grover Cleveland Alexander 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.

References

External links

* [http://www.stpaulnebraska.com Community website]
* [http://www.howardcounty.ne.gov County website]
* [http://www.nebraskabaseballmuseum.com Nebraska Baseball Museum]
* [http://www.historichc.us Howard County Historical Society]