Shelby, Nebraska facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Quick facts for kids Shelby, Nebraska
Village
Downtown Shelby, October 2011
Location of Shelby, Nebraska
Country	United States
State	Nebraska
County	Polk
Area
• Total	0.56 sq mi (1.46 km²)
• Land	0.56 sq mi (1.46 km²)
• Water	0.00 sq mi (0.00 km²)
Elevation	1,647 ft (502 m)
Population (2020)
• Total	710
• Density	1,263.35/sq mi (487.54/km²)
Time zone	UTC-6 (Central (CST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code	68662
Area code(s)	402
FIPS code	31-44595
GNIS feature ID	2399796
Website	Shelby, Nebraska

Shelby is a small village in Polk County, Nebraska, in the United States. In 2020, about 710 people lived there. Shelby is located along U.S. Highway 81. It is about 6 miles (10 km) east of Osceola. The village is also close to Columbus, Nebraska.

History of Shelby Village

Shelby has an interesting history that goes back to the 1870s. It started with a post office and grew with the arrival of the railroad.

How Shelby Got Its Name

In 1873, a Civil War veteran named Horace A. Cowles opened a post office called Cyclone. It was located near where Shelby is today. In 1879, a new post office called Arcade was set up when the railroad came. This post office was moved a year later to the current site of Shelby.

Postal officials did not like the name "Arcade." It sounded too much like Arcadia, another town in Nebraska. So, the people chose a new name: "Shelby." This name honored an official from the Omaha and Republican Valley Railway. This railway was part of the larger Union Pacific system.

Early Days and Growth

The land for the new town of Shelby was owned by Gilbert Van Vorce and Peter Matter. They saw that the area needed a place for trade. So, they gave half of their land to the railroad company. This helped establish the town.

The railroad kept a strip of land 200 feet (61 m) wide on each side of the tracks. Eight blocks were then laid out on both sides, parallel to the tracks. The original streets still exist today. They are named after trees like Walnut, Elm, Chestnut, Pine, Cherry, and Oak.

By 1880, Shelby had 93 residents. It also had several businesses. These included a drug store, a hardware store, and a hotel. There was also a boot and shoe shop, a stable, and a doctor. J.T. Dunning built the first grain elevator near the railway depot. The first general store was owned by H.C. and Frank Dunning. Conrad Thelen and Charles Krumbach opened the first hardware store, which stayed open for 40 years.

Today, Shelby has about 690 residents. It has many businesses, community groups, and new homes. The village celebrated its 100th birthday in 1979. It had its 125th birthday celebration in 2004.

Geography of Shelby

Shelby is a small village. It covers an area of about 0.56 square miles (1.46 square kilometers). All of this area is land.

Shelby's Population

The population of Shelby has changed over the years. Here's a look at how many people have lived there:

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1890	333	—
1900	425	27.6%
1910	503	18.4%
1920	559	11.1%
1930	630	12.7%
1940	627	−0.5%
1950	624	−0.5%
1960	613	−1.8%
1970	647	5.5%
1980	724	11.9%
1990	690	−4.7%
2000	690	0.0%
2010	714	3.5%
2020	710	−0.6%
U.S. Decennial Census

What the 2010 Census Showed

In 2010, there were 714 people living in Shelby. These people lived in 290 households. About 193 of these were families. The village had about 1,275 people per square mile (492 people per square kilometer).

Most of the people in Shelby were White (95.9%). About 12.2% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.

Many households (31.4%) had children under 18 living with them. More than half (55.9%) were married couples. The average household had 2.46 people. The average family had 3.06 people.

The average age in Shelby was 40 years old. About 27.6% of residents were under 18. About 17.9% were 65 or older.

Community Life in Shelby

Shelby has several groups that help the community.

Chamber of Commerce

The village has a Chamber of Commerce. This group helps local businesses and promotes the community.

Shelby Betterment Corporation

The Shelby Betterment Corporation is a non-profit group. It was started in 1987. This group helps new businesses get started in Shelby. It also works to bring more businesses to the area.

Economy of Shelby

The main ways people make a living in Shelby involve farming. This includes growing crops, raising cattle, and raising hogs. There are also local shops and services.

Education in Shelby

Shelby has a public school district that serves students from kindergarten through 12th grade.

Shelby-Rising City Public School District

The Shelby-Rising City Public School District was formed in 2011. The main school building for all grades (K-12) is in Shelby. New elementary and activity buildings were built in 2017. The original school building was updated in 2016. The school district is supported by Educational Service Unit #7. This unit is located in Columbus and helps schools in seven counties.

Religion in Shelby

Churches have been an important part of Shelby's history.

The first church built was the Methodist Church in 1883. Its bell would ring to call people to worship. The first Catholic church was finished in 1898. The current Catholic church was built in 1930. A new Methodist Church was built in 1951.

Fun and Recreation

Shelby has a park that is about five acres (2 hectares) in size. It offers many ways to have fun.

The park has two baseball fields. There is also a covered area for grilling food. You can find a swimming pool, sand volleyball courts, and tennis/basketball courts. There is also a playground for younger kids. A path for biking and hiking is also available.

Annual Events

Shelby hosts special events that bring the community together.

Shelby Days

From 1985 until the late 1990s, Shelby held "Farm Heritage Days." This event happened every August. It featured old tractors and farm machinery. It also had demonstrations and a parade.

Today, Shelby has "Shelby Days." This event happens every two years, during Memorial Day Weekend.

Local Media

Shelby has a history with local news and entertainment.

Early Radio Station

Around 1926, Dr. John Dunning and his father built a radio station called KGBY. This station played music and shared news. It also gave weather updates, market prices, and community announcements. Local people often performed on the radio. The studio was located above the Buchholz Grocery Store. This is where the fire station is today.

The last owner of KGBY was Ervin Taddiken. He had a modern studio for that time. In 1931, Taddiken sold the station to Dr. George R. Miller. The station then combined with another station called KGBZ.

Local Newspaper

Shelby is served by the Polk County News. This newspaper is based in Stromsburg.

Notable People from Shelby

Many interesting people have come from Shelby, Nebraska:

John R. Dunning: A nuclear physicist and educator.
Howard Johansen: An American drag racer. He was inducted into the International Drag Racing Hall of Fame in 1991. He also joined the Nebraska Auto Racing Hall of Fame in 2001.
Theodore A. Kiesselbach: An agronomist (someone who studies crops and soil) and educator.
Arjay Miller: He was one of Ford Motor Company's "Whiz Kids". He served as the president of Ford from 1963 to 1968. He was also the fourth dean of Stanford Business School.
Gil Savery: A journalist.
Curtis Tomasevicz: An Olympic bobsledder for the U.S. He competed in the 2006 and 2010 Winter Olympics. He won a gold medal in 2010.
Terence Romaine von Duren: An artist.

Images for kids

Shelby, Nebraska circa 1920