Garden County, Nebraska facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Garden County
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Garden County Courthouse in Oshkosh
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Location within the U.S. state of Nebraska
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 Nebraska's location within the U.S. |
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  Nebraska |
| Founded | 1909 |
| Named for | Garden of Eden |
| Seat | Oshkosh |
| Largest city | Oshkosh |
| Area | |
| • Total | 1,731 sq mi (4,480 km2) |
| • Land | 1,704 sq mi (4,410 km2) |
| • Water | 27 sq mi (70 km2) 1.5%% |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 1,874 |
| • Density | 1.0826/sq mi (0.41800/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−7 (Mountain) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−6 (MDT) |
| Congressional district | 3rd |
Garden County is a county located in the state of Nebraska in the United States. In 2020, about 1,874 people lived there. The main town and county seat (where the county government is) is Oshkosh.
When Nebraska set up its license plate system in 1922, Garden County was given the prefix 77. This was because it had the 77th largest number of vehicles registered in the state at that time.
Contents
History of Garden County
Garden County was created in 1909. People living in the northern part of Deuel County voted to form their own county. This happened during an election on November 2, 1909.
It is believed the county was named "Garden County" because people hoped the land would become a rich farming area, like a "garden of the West." Some also think it was named after the "Garden of Eden."
The number of people living in Garden County has gone down since the 1930s. This was a tough time known as the Great Depression and Dust Bowl. Many family farms were started on the land. However, these farms were often too small to grow enough food in the dry conditions. Early settlers did not always know the best ways to farm the prairie land. This led to a lot of valuable topsoil being lost during droughts.
Geography and Location
Garden County is in the western part of Nebraska. The North Platte River flows through the southern part of the county, heading southeast. Because it's in western Nebraska, people in Garden County use Mountain Time. Most of the eastern part of Nebraska uses Central Time.
The US Census Bureau says Garden County covers a total area of 1,731 square miles. About 1,704 square miles of this is land, and 27 square miles (1.5%) is water.
Main Roads in Garden County
U.S. Highway 26
Nebraska Highway 27
Nebraska Highway 92
Neighboring Counties
- Sheridan County - to the north
- Grant County - to the east
- Arthur County - to the east
- Keith County - to the southeast
- Deuel County - to the south
- Cheyenne County - to the southwest
- Morrill County - to the west
Protected Natural Areas
- Ash Hollow State Historical Park
- Clear Creek State Waterfowl Management Area (part of it)
- Crescent Lake National Wildlife Refuge
Population Changes
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1910 | 3,538 | — | |
| 1920 | 4,572 | 29.2% | |
| 1930 | 5,099 | 11.5% | |
| 1940 | 4,680 | −8.2% | |
| 1950 | 4,114 | −12.1% | |
| 1960 | 3,472 | −15.6% | |
| 1970 | 2,929 | −15.6% | |
| 1980 | 2,802 | −4.3% | |
| 1990 | 2,460 | −12.2% | |
| 2000 | 2,292 | −6.8% | |
| 2010 | 2,057 | −10.3% | |
| 2020 | 1,874 | −8.9% | |
| 2022 (est.) | 1,837 | −10.7% | |
| US Decennial Census 1790-1960 1900-1990 1990-2000 2010 2020 2022 |
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In 2000, there were 2,292 people living in Garden County. The population density was about 1.3 people per square mile. The median age of people in the county was 46 years old.
Towns and Villages
City
- Oshkosh (This is the county seat)
Village
Census-designated place
Other Small Places
These are places that are not officially cities or villages:
Past Communities
Some communities that used to exist in Garden County include:
- Cormick
- Kowanda
- Lutherville
- Lytle
- Orlando
- Penn
- Ruthton
- Warren
Images for kids
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Lone tree on the prairie, on Rt 92 near Lisco
See also
In Spanish: Condado de Garden para niños
