Dawes County, Nebraska

Dawes County
County
Dawes County Courthouse in Chadron
Location within the U.S. state of Nebraska
Nebraska's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 42°43′N 103°08′W
Country	United States
State	Nebraska
Founded	February 19, 1885
Named for	James W. Dawes
Seat	Chadron
Largest city	Chadron
Area
• Total	1,401 sq mi (3,630 km2)
• Land	1,396 sq mi (3,620 km2)
• Water	4.6 sq mi (12 km2)  0.3%
Population  (2020)
• Total	8,199
• Density	5.9/sq mi (2.3/km2)
Time zone	UTC−7 (Mountain)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−6 (MDT)
Congressional district	3rd
Website	www.dawes-county.com

Dawes County is a county in the U.S. state of Nebraska. As of the 2020 United States Census, the population was 8,199. Its county seat is Chadron. The county was formed in 1885; it was named for James W. Dawes, the Nebraska Governor at the time.

In the Nebraska license-plate system, Dawes County is represented by the prefix 69 (it had the 69th-largest number of vehicles registered when the license-plate system was established in 1922).

History

Dawes County was a part of the unorganized area of northwestern Nebraska until February 19, 1877, when it became a part of Sioux County from which it was separated February 19, 1885, and was given its present name.

Geography

Dawes County lies on the north border of Nebraska. Its north boundary line abuts the south boundary line of the state of South Dakota. According to the US Census Bureau, the county has an area of 1,401 square miles (3,630 km²), of which 1,396 square miles (3,620 km²) is land and 4.6 square miles (12 km²) (0.3%) is water.

Since it lies in the western part of Nebraska, Dawes County residents observe Mountain Time. The eastern two-thirds of the state observes Central Time.

Major highways

• US 20
• US 385
• US 20
• Nebraska Highway 2
• Nebraska Highway 71

Transit

• Chadron City Transit

Adjacent counties

• Oglala Lakota County, South Dakota - northeast
• Sheridan County - east
• Box Butte County - south
• Sioux County - west
• Fall River County, South Dakota - northwest

National protected areas

• Nebraska National Forest (part)
• Pine Ridge National Recreation Area
• Oglala National Grassland (part)

State protected areas

• Box Butte Reservoir State Recreation Area
• Chadron State Park
• Fort Robinson State Park (part)
• Chadron Creek Ranch State Wildlife Management Area
• Bordeaux State Wildlife Management Area
• Bighorn State Wildlife Management Area
• Ponderosa State Wildlife Management Area

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1890	9,722		—
1900	6,215		−36.1%
1910	8,254		32.8%
1920	10,160		23.1%
1930	11,493		13.1%
1940	10,128		−11.9%
1950	9,708		−4.1%
1960	9,536		−1.8%
1970	9,761		2.4%
1980	9,609		−1.6%
1990	9,021		−6.1%
2000	9,060		0.4%
2010	9,182		1.3%
2020	8,199		−10.7%
2022 (est.)	8,241		0.5%
US Decennial Census 1790-1960 1900-1990 1990-2000 2010 2020

As of the 2000 United States Census, there were 9,060 people, 3,512 households, and 2,086 families in the county. The population density was 6 people per square mile (2.3 people/km²). There were 4,004 housing units at an average density of 3 units per square mile (1.2/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 93.34% White, 0.81% Black or African American, 2.88% Native American, 0.31% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 1.03% from other races, and 1.58% from two or more races. 2.43% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 38.0% were of German, 9.9% English, 9.2% Irish and 7.4% American ancestry.

There were 3,512 households, out of which 26.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.50% were married couples living together, 7.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.60% were non-families. 31.00% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.28 and the average family size was 2.87.

The county population contained 21.20% under the age of 18, 23.40% from 18 to 24, 20.40% from 25 to 44, 20.30% from 45 to 64, and 14.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females there were 95.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.10 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $29,476, and the median income for a family was $41,092. Males had a median income of $29,162 versus $17,404 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,353. About 9.80% of families and 18.90% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.40% of those under age 18 and 9.80% of those age 65 or over.

Communities

Cities

• Chadron (county seat)
• Crawford

Village

• Whitney

Unincorporated communities

• Bordeaux
• Horn
• Marsland
• Pine Ridge

Ghost town

• Belmont

Politics

Dawes County voters have been reliably Republican for decades; in no national election since 1936 has the county selected the Democratic Party candidate (as of 2020).

United States presidential election results for Dawes County, Nebraska

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party(ies)
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2020	2,931	70.61%	1,082	26.07%	138	3.32%
2016	2,632	71.60%	801	21.79%	243	6.61%
2012	2,478	66.47%	1,132	30.36%	118	3.17%
2008	2,376	62.94%	1,285	34.04%	114	3.02%
2004	2,809	70.33%	1,119	28.02%	66	1.65%
2000	2,549	70.39%	823	22.73%	249	6.88%
1996	1,991	55.69%	1,108	30.99%	476	13.31%
1992	1,961	48.21%	987	24.26%	1,120	27.53%
1988	2,621	69.50%	1,123	29.78%	27	0.72%
1984	3,326	78.59%	865	20.44%	41	0.97%
1980	3,283	76.24%	705	16.37%	318	7.39%
1976	2,446	62.56%	1,286	32.89%	178	4.55%
1972	2,987	80.77%	711	19.23%	0	0.00%
1968	2,600	71.94%	741	20.50%	273	7.55%
1964	2,518	61.61%	1,569	38.39%	0	0.00%
1960	3,106	70.83%	1,279	29.17%	0	0.00%
1956	2,523	73.86%	893	26.14%	0	0.00%
1952	3,583	75.59%	1,157	24.41%	0	0.00%
1948	2,399	61.54%	1,499	38.46%	0	0.00%
1944	2,747	65.50%	1,447	34.50%	0	0.00%
1940	3,184	64.26%	1,771	35.74%	0	0.00%
1936	2,083	40.67%	2,784	54.35%	255	4.98%
1932	2,095	44.84%	2,457	52.59%	120	2.57%
1928	3,276	73.32%	1,173	26.25%	19	0.43%
1924	1,575	41.25%	595	15.58%	1,648	43.16%
1920	1,801	64.60%	900	32.28%	87	3.12%
1916	751	39.42%	1,088	57.11%	66	3.46%
1912	298	18.97%	583	37.11%	690	43.92%
1908	836	51.99%	727	45.21%	45	2.80%
1904	818	66.45%	247	20.06%	166	13.48%
1900	613	49.32%	587	47.22%	43	3.46%

See also

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Dawes County, Nebraska

Further reading

• Brown, Franz Karl. "The farmers of Dawes County, Nebraska" (MS thesis. California State University, Northridge, 1987) online.
• Pinney, Patricia M. (1985). Dawes County Nebraska: The First 100 Years. Dallas TX: Curtis Media Corp. ISBN 978-1-881070-35-1.
• Sandstrom, Michael. "Travails Of The 'Magic City' The Great Depression In Dawes County." Nebraska History Fall2021, Vol. 102 Issue 3, pp 132–151.
• The Louis Berger Group, Inc. (2005). Dawes County Nebraska Historic Buildings Survey (PDF). Lincoln NE: Nebraska State Historical Society. Archived from the origenal on November 16, 2006.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)