Norfolk, Nebraska
Encyclopedia : N : NO : NOR : Norfolk, Nebraska
Norfolk is a city in Madison County, Nebraska, 113 miles northwest of Omaha at the intersection of U.S. Route 81 and U.S. Route 275. The 2005 population estimate was 23,946. It is the only micropolitan area in northeast Nebraska.
Norfolk is the eastern terminus of the Cowboy Trail.
History
In the late summer of 1865, three scouts were sent from a German Lutheran settlement near Ixonia, Wisconsin near Watertown to find productive, inexpensive farmland. They traveled from Chicago to St. Joseph, Missouri by train, and then traveled by ferry to Omaha to begin their search. After initially spurning West Point as too crowded, they finally laid claim to land about four miles north of where the North Fork of the Elkhorn River joined the main branch in September of that year.On May 23, 1866, 124 settlers representing 42 families set out for Northeast Nebraska in three wagon trains. They arrived a few months later, on July 15. (Pangle, 1929)
The name "Norfolk" is traditionally pronounced "Norfork" by Nebraskans. When the city was incorporated (as a village) in 1881, it was named after the "north fork" tributary of the Elkhorn River on which it lies, but abbreviated as "Norfork". The United States Postal Service assumed that "Norfork" was a mistake and changed the name to "Norfolk". This became the official spelling, but the local pronunciation did not change.
Norfolk briefly held the county seat for Madison county, from approximately 1867 to 1875. In a four-city election, nearby Battle Creek and Madison eliminated Norfolk from consideration, and after Madison won the runoff election, the county seat permanently moved there. Norfolk has tried unsuccessfully to win back the county government: unsuccessfully contesting the 1875 election to the Nebraska Supreme Court; failing to gain enough of a majority in a new vote in 1886; and most recently, losing an election to Madison for placement of a county courthouse in the 1970s.
On September 26, 2002, Norfolk was the site of one of the deadliest bank robberies in the 2000s when three gunmen robbed a US Bank branch, killing five people in the process. [link]
In 1980, Norfolk was home to another murder. The Almarez angels: Odelia 10 years, Antoinette 7 years, and twins Stella and Gloria 2 years were murdered while home sleeping in their beds by their mother. Stella Almarez was convicted as being innocent by reason of insanity. She tried to commit suicide after the murders. This killing rocked the community.
Geography
Norfolk is located at (42.0283379, -97.4169964)[Geographic references#1GR1], along the Elkhorn River at the spot where its north fork tributary enters the main stream.According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 26.1 km² (10.1 mi²). 25.8 km² (10.0 mi²) of it is land and 0.3 km² (0.1 mi²) of it (0.99%) is water.
Demographics
As of the census[Geographic references#2GR2] of 2000, there were 23,516 people, 9,360 households, and 5,868 families residing in the city. The population density was 910.7/km² (2,358.0/mi²). There were 10,072 housing units at an average density of 390.1/km² (1,009.9/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 91.41% White, 1.16% African American, 1.53% Native American, 0.48% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 4.19% from other races, and 1.19% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 7.61% of the population.There were 9,360 households out of which 31.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.0% were married couples living together, 9.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.3% were non-families. 30.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.43 and the average family size was 3.06.
In the city the population was spread out with 25.9% under the age of 18, 13.4% from 18 to 24, 27.4% from 25 to 44, 19.0% from 45 to 64, and 14.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 94.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.2 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $34,609, and the median income for a family was $45,460. Males had a median income of $31,445 versus $21,397 for females. The per capita income for the city was $16,990. About 7.0% of families and 11.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.6% of those under age 18 and 12.2% of those age 65 or over.
Economy
Norfolk's economy is heavily rooted in manufacturing. Its largest employers include:Education
Elementary and secondary eduaction
- ::
Colleges and universities
Media
Norfolk has one television station, KXNE-TV 19 (DTV 16), which is part of the NET Telvision network.Norfolk has one AM station: WJAG 780 (news/talk). There are seven FM stations: KXNE-FM 89.3 (public radio); KPNO-FM 90.9 (Christian talk); K219DW 91.9 (Christian talk); KUSO 92.7 (country); KNEN 94.7 (Top 40); and KEXL 106.7 (adult contemporary).
The Norfolk Daily News is the city's daily newspaper.
Notable residents
- Norfolk is the birthplace of Thurl Ravenscroft, best known as the voice of "Tony the Tiger".
- Johnny Carson (born in Corning, Iowa) grew up in Norfolk.
- Max Carl (Gronenthal), singer and songwriter for .38 Special, grew up in Humphrey, and graduated from a Norfolk High School. He was with the band for its Rock & Roll Strategy and Bone Against Steel albums, and co-wrote the #1 hit song "Second Chance".
- Model rocketry was invented in Norfolk in 1954 by Orville Carlisle, working in the basement of his shoe store on 420 Norfolk Avenue.
- Joyce Ballantyne, painter of pin-up art, was born in Norfolk.
- Joyce Hall, created the Norfolk Post Card Company in 1908, eventually moving the company to Kansas City, Missouri to become Hallmark Cards.
- Scott Munter, pitcher for the San Francisco Giants, was born in Norfolk.
- Shane Osborn, pilot of the plane downed in the U.S.-China spy plane incident, was raised in Norfolk and graduated from Norfolk High School.
References
- Pangle, Mary Ellen. (1929). Norfolk Daily News, History of Norfolk. [History of Norfolk]
External links
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