Elko, Nevada
Encyclopedia : E : EL : ELK : Elko, Nevada
Elko is a city in Elko County, Nevada, United States. The population was 16,708 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Elko County[Geographic references#6GR6]. The city is served primarily by Amtrak and also offers limited passenger air service via the Elko Regional Airport.
Geography
Elko is located at (40.836396, -115.765525)[Geographic references#1GR1].According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 37.5 km² (14.5 mi²), all land.
Demographics
There were 6,200 households out of which 39.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.5% were married couples living together, 9.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.0% were non-families. 25.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.66 and the average family size was 3.24.
In the city the population was spread out with 30.3% under the age of 18, 9.8% from 18 to 24, 31.2% from 25 to 44, 21.0% from 45 to 64, and 7.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females there were 104.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 105.3 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $48,608, and the median income for a family was $52,754. Males had a median income of $43,397 versus $27,366 for females. The per capita income for the city was $20,101. About 6.1% of families and 8.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.9% of those under age 18 and 8.4% of those age 65 or over.
Culture
Each January, Elko is the host to the National Cowboy Poetry Gathering. This festival is a week-long celebration of life in the rural West, featuring the contemporary and traditional arts that arise from lives lived close to the land. Poetry, music, stories, gear, film, photography, food – all contribute to the texture of an event that has become an annual ritual for thousands of people who value the people and cultures that live and work in the American West.Elko is the home to the Western Folklife Center, which is regional nonprofit organization that works to expand our understanding of the everyday traditions of people who live and work in the American West. The Western Folklife Center is located Downtown in the old Pioneer hotel.
Every July, Elko is host to a Basque Festival. The Basque people are a rich culture that has roots deep in the Elko community. The "Basco Fiasco" as it is humorously referred to, is a celebration on traditional Basque culture and its ties to the Elko community. The festival includes strong man competitions, a running from the bulls, traditional food and wine, and Basque Dancing.
Elko is home to a number of casinos, including Stockmen's, the Commercial, the Red Lion, and the Gold Country Motor Inn. The Commercial Casino is notable for having a stuffed ten foot tall polar bear on display. The Commercial was the first casino ever to offer live entertainment. For many years the Red Lion brought gamblers to Elko from many parts of the country on junket flights. The flights to Elko ended in February of 2006.
Elko is also home to legal prostitution and contains five active brothels (Mona Lisa, Inez's, Mona's Ranch[link], Sharon's Brothel & Bar and Sue's Fantasy Club). Under Nevada law, any county with a population of less than 400,000 is allowed to license brothels if it so chooses.
Transportation
Amtrak passenger rail is the main source of transportation into and out of the City of Elko. The city's passenger rail station is centrally located near the intersection of 12th and Silver Streets. Amtrak Train 5, the westbound California Zephyr, departs Elko early every morning and serves the cities of Winnemucca, Sparks, Reno, Truckee, Colfax, Roseville, Sacramento, Davis, Martinez, Emeryville, and Sacramento. Amtrak Train 6, the eastbound California Zephyr, departs Elko every evening and serves the cities of Salt Lake, Provo, Helper, Green River, Grand Junction, Glenwood Springs, Denver, Omaha, Galesburg, and Chicago.Elko is also served by Elko Regional Airport with daily air service to Salt Lake City (Delta Air Lines operated by SkyWest), Reno (Scenic Airlines), and Las Vegas (Scenic Airlines).
External links
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