Wahoo, Nebraska

Wahoo, Nebraska
City
Memorial to World War II submarine USS Wahoo on front lawn of Saunders County Courthouse in Wahoo
Motto: "Welcome You"
Location of Wahoo, Nebraska
Coordinates: 41°13′N 96°37′W / 41.217°N 96.617°WCoordinates: 41°13′N 96°37′W / 41.217°N 96.617°W
Country	United States
State	Nebraska
County	Saunders
Area[1]
• Total	2.65 sq mi (6.86 km^2)
• Land	2.65 sq mi (6.86 km^2)
• Water	0 sq mi (0 km^2)
Elevation	1,211 ft (369 m)
Population (2010)[2]
• Total	4,508
• Estimate (2012[3])	4,500
• Density	1,700/sq mi (660/km^2)
Time zone	Central (CST) (UTC-6)
• Summer (DST)	CDT (UTC-5)
ZIP code	68066
Area code(s)	402
FIPS code	31-50965
GNIS feature ID	0834421 [4]
Website	wahoo.ne.us

Wahoo (Dakota: wǧhu;^[5] "arrow wood") is a city and county seat of Saunders County, Nebraska, United States.^[6] The population was 4,508 at the 2010 census.

History

Wahoo was founded in 1870. The town's name comes from the eastern wahoo (Euonymus atropurpureus), a shrub found on the banks of Wahoo Creek.^[7][8] The town was founded by predominantly Czech, German, and Scandinavian settlers.^[9]

Geography

Wahoo is located at 41°13′N 96°37′W / 41.217°N 96.617°W (41.21, -96.62).^[10] According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 2.65 square miles (6.86 km²), all land.^[1]

Demographics

Historical population
Census	Pop.		%±
1880	1,064		—
1890	2,006		88.5%
1900	2,100		4.7%
1910	2,168		3.2%
1920	2,338		7.8%
1930	2,689		15.0%
1940	2,648		−1.5%
1950	3,128		18.1%
1960	3,610		15.4%
1970	3,835		6.2%
1980	3,555		−7.3%
1990	3,681		3.5%
2000	3,942		7.1%
2010	4,508		14.4%
Est. 2015	4,511	[11]	0.1%
U.S. Decennial Census[12] 2012 Estimate[13]

2010 census

As of the census^[2] of 2010, there were 4,508 people, 1,801 households, and 1,131 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,701.1 inhabitants per square mile (656.8/km²). There were 1,962 housing units at an average density of 740.4 per square mile (285.9/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 94.5% White, 0.8% African American, 0.3% Native American, 1.0% Asian, 1.4% from other races, and 1.9% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.5% of the population.

There were 1,801 households of which 31.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.8% were married couples living together, 8.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.3% had a male householder with no wife present, and 37.2% were non-families. 33.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 3.08.

The median age in the city was 38.7 years. 26.5% of residents were under the age of 18; 6.7% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 24.4% were from 25 to 44; 25.3% were from 45 to 64; and 17.2% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 49.5% male and 50.5% female.

2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 3,942 people, 1,583 households, and 992 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,841.1 people per square mile (711.2/km²). There were 1,669 housing units at an average density of 779.5 per square mile (301.1/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 98.40% White, 0.15% African American, 0.30% Native American, 0.36% Asian, 0.30% from other races, and 0.48% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.84% of the population.

There were 1,583 households, out of which 31.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.6% were married couples living together, 8.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.3% were non-families. 33.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 19.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39, and the average family size was 3.08.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 26.3% under the age of 18, 6.5% from 18 to 24, 26.4% from 25 to 44, 19.5% from 45 to 64, and 21.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.5 males.

As of 2000 the median income for a household in the city was $35,104, and the median income for a family was $46,094. Males had a median income of $31,729 versus $22,138 for females. The per capita income for the city was $16,765. About 7.5% of families and 8.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.5% of those under age 18 and 9.3% of those age 65 or over.

Cultural references

Beginning in February 1996, the city was denoted the location of the "home office" that produces the top-10 list for David Letterman's Late Show program, having relocated from Grand Rapids, Michigan. The town had lobbied Letterman for the status for months. It had the Nebraska legislature proclaim him an admiral in the Great Navy of the State of Nebraska, as well as inundate Letterman with letters, postcards, and bribes of flowers, clothing, animals, alcoholic beverages, shredded money, and free checkups at the Wahoo Medical Center. When Letterman jokingly said he wanted more, Wahoo sent him a '76 Ford Pinto with a sofa attached to the hood, a wall clock made of cow droppings, and two of the town's teenagers, brothers Jeff and Josh Price. This brought some degree of fame and tourism to the town. The nightly recap of the show on the CBS web site is titled The Wahoo Gazette.

Wahoo Public High School is the owner of the third-longest boys' high school basketball winning streak — 114 straight games — from 1987-88 through the 1991-92 seasons, winning four state championships.

Wahoo was also the home of the now defunct John F. Kennedy College.

Notable people

• Shuko Akune, American actress
• Clarence William Anderson, author and illustrator of children's books, most notably the Billy and Blaze series
• George Beadle, American geneticist and Nobel Prize laureate
• Sam Crawford, Hall-of-Fame baseball player with the Cincinnati Reds and Detroit Tigers
• Howard Hanson, Pulitzer Prize-winning composer, conductor, author, and educator
• Dave Heineman, the 39th Governor of the State of Nebraska, grew up partly in Wahoo, among other Nebraska towns^[14]
• Zach Miller, professional American football player
• Darryl F. Zanuck, Academy Award–winning producer, writer, actor, director, studio executive, co-founder of 20th Century Films^[15]

References

1. "US Gazetteer files 2010". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2012-06-24.
2. "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2012-06-24.
3. "Population Estimates". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2013-05-29.
4. "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. 2007-10-25. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
5. Bright, William (2004). Native American Placenames of the United States. Norman, OK: University of Oklahoma Press. p. 541.
6. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
7. Fitzpatrick, Lilian Linder (1925). "Nebraska Place-Names". University of Nebraska Department of English. Retrieved 2010-09-02.
8. Chicago and North Western Railway Company (1908). A History of the Origin of the Place Names Connected with the Chicago & North Western and Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha Railways. p. 135.
9. "History". City of Wahoo, Nebraska. Retrieved 18 June 2012.
10. "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
11. "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Incorporated Places: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2015". Retrieved July 2, 2016.
12. United States Census Bureau. "Census of Population and Housing". Retrieved October 18, 2013.
13. "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2012". Retrieved October 18, 2013.
14. "Governor Dave Heineman".
15. Wilson, Earl (Nov 27, 1969). "Small Towns Have Produced Many Big Stars". The Milwaukee Sentinel. pp. A33. Retrieved 22 May 2015.

External links

• City of Wahoo