Duncan is a village in Platte County, Nebraska, United States. As of the 2020 census, Duncan had a population of 392.

History

The transcontinental railroad reached the site of Duncan in 1866. Among the first settlers in the area were Polish and Swiss immigrants.

In June 1869, the post office of Cherry Hill was established on the site. Jackson was chosen in 1879 as the southern terminus of the Omaha, Niobrara, and Black Hills Railroad, a Union Pacific subsidiary, purportedly because railroad magnate Jay Gould was angry at the town of Columbus for promoting a rival railroad in the region.

The new name honored General Wood B. Duncan, a prominent onetime local resident.

In the following year, an ice jam destroyed the Omaha, Niobrara, and Black Hills Railroad bridge across the Loup River; the line was later moved to branch off the main line of the Union Pacific at Columbus.

In 1883, St. Paul's Methodist Episcopal Church was established.

Geography

Duncan lies between the Loup River and the Platte River, on U.S. Route 30, west of Columbus.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of , all land.

Demographics

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 351 people, 137 households, and 99 families residing in the village. The population density was . There were 142 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the village was 98.0% White, 0.3% Native American, 0.3% Asian, and 1.4% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.3% of the population.

There were 137 households, of which 31.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.3% were married couples living together, 4.4% had a female householder with no husband present, 6.6% had a male householder with no wife present, and 27.7% were non-families. 21.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 2.96.

The median age in the village was 39.4 years. 24.8% of residents were under the age of 18; 8% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 22.9% were from 25 to 44; 30.4% were from 45 to 64; and 14% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the village was 54.1% male and 45.9% female.

2000 census

As of the census

The current church was built in 1939; the patron saint's name is inscribed on the cornerstone in Polish.

In the past 25 years, many changes have taken place in the parish. 1971 saw the formation of the first Parish Council which assists the pastor and congregation in decision making and leadership. A parish center was constructed and dedicated in 1979. Also in 1980, a senior citizen group named the Golden Age Club was formed.

In 1913, the cross-country Lincoln Highway was established. The highway, which paralleled the Union Pacific tracks through Duncan, was enthusiastically supported by the citizenry. It ran through central Duncan until 1928, when it was shifted to the south side of the tracks in order to eliminate grade-level crossings between Columbus and Grand Island. The south-side route is now used by U.S. Highway 30.

Notable person

  • Cory Schlesinger (June 23, 1972-), NFL fullback, former Nebraska Cornhusker football player

See also

  • List of municipalities in Nebraska

References

  • Village website