Shelton, Nebraska facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Shelton, Nebraska
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Village
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Shelton Historical Interpretive Centre in Meisner Bank Building
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Location of Shelton, Nebraska
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| Country | United States |
| State | Nebraska |
| County | Buffalo, Hall |
| Area | |
| • Total | 0.97 sq mi (2.52 km2) |
| • Land | 0.97 sq mi (2.52 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) |
| Elevation | 2,018 ft (615 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 1,034 |
| • Density | 1,063.79/sq mi (410.82/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP code |
68876
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| Area code(s) | 308 |
| FIPS code | 31-44700 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2399798 |
Shelton is a small village located in Buffalo and Hall counties, Nebraska, in the United States. It is part of the Kearney, Nebraska Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is a group of nearby communities connected by jobs and daily life.
In 2020, about 1,034 people lived in Shelton. The village is west of Grand Island. It sits along the Union Pacific Railroad tracks and U.S. Route 30. You can also reach Shelton from Interstate 80 using Nebraska Link 10-D.
Contents
Geography of Shelton
Shelton covers a total area of about 0.97 square miles (2.52 square kilometers). All of this area is land.
The main business part of Shelton is close to the Wood River. The historic Lincoln Highway, which is now U.S. Highway 30, also runs through the village.
History of Shelton
Shelton is one of Nebraska's older communities. It used to be called Wood River Centre.
Early Settlers and First Newspaper
The first European settler in the area was Joseph Johnson in 1858. He was a Mormon. Johnson's Ranche was a very important stop for pioneers and travelers. It had a store, a blacksmith shop, and even a place to get meals.
In April 1860, Johnson started a newspaper called "The Huntsman's Echo." This was the first newspaper printed west of Omaha.
Becoming a County Seat
In 1860, The Great Western Stage Company set up a stagecoach station in Wood River Center. This helped people travel to Fort Kearny. The Union Pacific Railroad arrived in 1866, bringing more settlers.
In 1869, people like Patrick Walsh and Martin Slattery asked the governor to create Buffalo County. Wood River Centre (Shelton) was chosen as the county seat through an election. However, within a year, the county seat moved to Gibbon.
How Shelton Got Its Name
In 1873, Patrick Walsh, who was the local postman, asked to change the name of Wood River Centre. He wanted to avoid confusion with Wood River, another town to the east.
On February 3, 1873, the post office name officially changed to Shelton. The name "Shelton" came from Nathan Shelton, an auditor for the Union Pacific Railroad.
Growth and Community Services
The original town area was surveyed from Patrick Walsh's farm. In 1876, the Union Pacific Railway Company set up a train station. Shelton officially became a village in 1882.
The community grew and had its own newspaper, "The Shelton Clipper." It also had several banks and a school. People in the Shelton area started the first schoolhouse in Buffalo County as early as 1866. A new school district was formed in 1876.
In 1908, the Shelton Public Library was officially created. A special tax helped support it. A Carnegie Library building, funded by Andrew Carnegie, was built on April 7, 1913.
Shelton's population has stayed around 1,000 people for many years. In 1910, for example, 1,005 people lived there.
Population of Shelton
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1890 | 706 | — | |
| 1900 | 861 | 22.0% | |
| 1910 | 1,005 | 16.7% | |
| 1920 | 1,087 | 8.2% | |
| 1930 | 927 | −14.7% | |
| 1940 | 983 | 6.0% | |
| 1950 | 1,032 | 5.0% | |
| 1960 | 904 | −12.4% | |
| 1970 | 1,028 | 13.7% | |
| 1980 | 1,046 | 1.8% | |
| 1990 | 954 | −8.8% | |
| 2000 | 1,140 | 19.5% | |
| 2010 | 1,059 | −7.1% | |
| 2020 | 1,034 | −2.4% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
Shelton in 2010
According to the census from 2010, Shelton had 1,059 people living in 391 households. About 283 of these were families. The village had about 1,451 people per square mile.
Most residents (85.6%) were White. About 12.1% were from other races. People of Hispanic or Latino background made up 18.4% of the population.
In Shelton, 43% of households had children under 18. Most households (58.3%) were married couples living together. The average household had 2.71 people, and the average family had 3.23 people.
The average age in Shelton was 34.7 years. About 31.5% of residents were under 18. Also, 11.8% were 65 years old or older. The population was almost evenly split between males (50.1%) and females (49.9%).
See also
In Spanish: Shelton (Nebraska) para niños
