alt=demo derby at fair grounds|thumb|[[Demolition derby at fair grounds]]
Valentine is a city in and the county seat of Cherry County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 2,633 at the 2020 census. It is the hometown of former vice-presidential candidate Tim Walz.
History
Valentine was founded in 1882. The Valentine post office was established on December 4, 1882. The Sioux City and Pacific Railroad was extended to that point and train service began on April 1, 1883. It was named for Edward K. Valentine, a Nebraska representative.
As late as 1967, Valentine was split between two time zones. According to a news report, "The mountain and central time zones meet at the center of Main Street, so an hour separates the two curb lines." According to the report, when clocks were required to be set back one hour for daylight saving time, Valentine's post office (which was in the central zone) split the difference and turned back its clock by half an hour.
Valentine participates in an annual re-mailing program where thousands of pieces of mail flow into the local United States Post Office so that they can be re-mailed with a special Valentine's Day postmark and verse.
In 2007, National Geographic Adventure magazine included Valentine in its list of the best 100 adventure towns and cities.
In the Lakota language, Valentine is known as or , meaning "station stopping place" or "water and waterfall city".
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has an area of , of which is land and is water.
Valentine is immediately north of the Niobrara River, on the northern edge of the Sandhills physiographic region. Merritt Reservoir, created by a dam on the Snake River, is approximately southwest of Valentine. Snake River Falls, Nebraska's largest waterfall, is on the Snake River between the reservoir (a few miles downstream) and Valentine. Smith Falls, Nebraska's tallest waterfall, is on a small stream tributary to the Niobrara River about east of Valentine in Smith Falls State Park.
Just south of Valentine, a pair of bridges span the Niobrara River. The modern bridge carries traffic north and south along U.S. Route 83. Just to the west, an arched cantilever truss bridge named the Bryan Bridge is also open to through traffic. Designed by Josef Sorkin and built in 1932, the Bryan Bridge is made of steel and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. A large red neon heart (a star during the Christmas season) is on the pine-covered Minnechaduza Creek canyon wall at the north end of Main Street.
Climate
thumb|right|Climate chart for Valentine
With a humid continental climate (Köppen Dwa), Valentine experiences extremes of heat and cold annually; it is part of USDA Hardiness zone 4b. The normal monthly mean temperature ranges from in January to in July.
|collapsed = Y
|single line = Y
|Jan record high F = 72
|Feb record high F = 78
|Mar record high F = 87
|Apr record high F = 100
|May record high F = 102
|Jun record high F = 110
|Jul record high F = 114
|Aug record high F = 108
|Sep record high F = 106
|Oct record high F = 96
|Nov record high F = 86
|Dec record high F = 76
|year record high F = 114
|Jan avg record high F = 60.8
|Feb avg record high F = 64.8
|Mar avg record high F = 77.1
|Apr avg record high F = 84.6
|May avg record high F = 91.4
|Jun avg record high F = 97.2
|Jul avg record high F = 103.4
|Aug avg record high F = 101.2
|Sep avg record high F = 97.0
|Oct avg record high F = 87.5
|Nov avg record high F = 74.9
|Dec avg record high F = 61.1
|year avg record high F = 104.5
|Jan high F = 37.8
|Feb high F = 40.9
|Mar high F = 51.6
|Apr high F = 61.2
|May high F = 72.0
|Jun high F = 83.0
|Jul high F = 90.4
|Aug high F = 88.4
|Sep high F = 79.8
|Oct high F = 64.5
|Nov high F = 50.6
|Dec high F = 39.4
|year high F = 63.3
|Jan mean F = 24.5
|Feb mean F = 27.6
|Mar mean F = 37.6
|Apr mean F = 47.2
|May mean F = 58.1
|Jun mean F = 69.0
|Jul mean F = 75.7
|Aug mean F = 73.6
|Sep mean F = 64.2
|Oct mean F = 49.3
|Nov mean F = 36.2
|Dec mean F = 26.3
|year mean F = 49.1
|Jan low F = 11.2
|Feb low F = 14.2
|Mar low F = 23.5
|Apr low F = 33.1
|May low F = 44.2
|Jun low F = 54.9
|Jul low F = 61.0
|Aug low F = 58.7
|Sep low F = 48.6
|Oct low F = 34.2
|Nov low F = 21.8
|Dec low F = 13.1
|year low F = 34.9
|Jan avg record low F = -14.0
|Feb avg record low F = -10.2
|Mar avg record low F = 0.1
|Apr avg record low F = 14.6
|May avg record low F = 27.6
|Jun avg record low F = 40.8
|Jul avg record low F = 47.9
|Aug avg record low F = 44.9
|Sep avg record low F = 31.5
|Oct avg record low F = 15.1
|Nov avg record low F = 0.1
|Dec avg record low F = -9.9
|year avg record low F = -20.3
|Jan record low F = −38
|Feb record low F = −37
|Mar record low F = −29
|Apr record low F = −8
|May record low F = 17
|Jun record low F = 30
|Jul record low F = 38
|Aug record low F = 34
|Sep record low F = 12
|Oct record low F = −6
|Nov record low F = −22
|Dec record low F = −39
|year record low F = −39
|precipitation colour = green
|Jan precipitation inch = 0.32
|Feb precipitation inch = 0.61
|Mar precipitation inch = 1.01
|Apr precipitation inch = 2.48
|May precipitation inch = 3.52
|Jun precipitation inch = 3.96
|Jul precipitation inch = 2.82
|Aug precipitation inch = 2.04
|Sep precipitation inch = 1.72
|Oct precipitation inch = 1.42
|Nov precipitation inch = 0.57
|Dec precipitation inch = 0.43
|year precipitation inch = 20.90
|Jan snow inch = 4.4
|Feb snow inch = 6.5
|Mar snow inch = 6.0
|Apr snow inch = 5.6
|May snow inch = 0.1
|Jun snow inch = 0.0
|Jul snow inch = 0.0
|Aug snow inch = 0.0
|Sep snow inch = 0.0
|Oct snow inch = 2.0
|Nov snow inch = 4.6
|Dec snow inch = 5.0
|year snow inch = 34.2
|unit precipitation days = 0.01 in
|Jan precipitation days = 4.9
|Feb precipitation days = 5.7
|Mar precipitation days = 6.9
|Apr precipitation days = 9.6
|May precipitation days = 11.8
|Jun precipitation days = 11.2
|Jul precipitation days = 9.3
|Aug precipitation days = 8.1
|Sep precipitation days = 6.8
|Oct precipitation days = 7.2
|Nov precipitation days = 4.8
|Dec precipitation days = 4.8
|year precipitation days = 91.1
|unit snow days = 0.1 in
|Jan snow days = 3.8
|Feb snow days = 4.7
|Mar snow days = 4.0
|Apr snow days = 2.4
|May snow days = 0.1
|Jun snow days = 0.0
|Jul snow days = 0.0
|Aug snow days = 0.0
|Sep snow days = 0.0
|Oct snow days = 1.1
|Nov snow days = 2.9
|Dec snow days = 3.9
|year snow days = 22.9
|Jan humidity = 64.4
|Feb humidity = 64.6
|Mar humidity = 62.9
|Apr humidity = 55.4
|May humidity = 57.4
|Jun humidity = 55.7
|Jul humidity = 54.9
|Aug humidity = 57.6
|Sep humidity = 54.5
|Oct humidity = 57.3
|Nov humidity = 62.4
|Dec humidity = 64.3
|year humidity = 59.3
|Jan sun = 181.7
|Feb sun = 183.2
|Mar sun = 216.2
|Apr sun = 239.8
|May sun = 284.4
|Jun sun = 317.2
|Jul sun = 349.6
|Aug sun = 325.4
|Sep sun = 264.0
|Oct sun = 232.5
|Nov sun = 175.0
|Dec sun = 163.0
|year sun = 2932.0
|Jan percentsun = 62
|Feb percentsun = 62
|Mar percentsun = 58
|Apr percentsun = 60
|May percentsun = 63
|Jun percentsun = 69
|Jul percentsun = 75
|Aug percentsun = 75
|Sep percentsun = 70
|Oct percentsun = 68
|Nov percentsun = 60
|Dec percentsun = 58
|year percentsun = 66
|Jan dew point C = -12.9
|Feb dew point C = -10.7
|Mar dew point C = -5.8
|Apr dew point C = -1.5
|May dew point C = 4.9
|Jun dew point C = 10.0
|Jul dew point C = 12.8
|Aug dew point C = 12.2
|Sep dew point C = 6.0
|Oct dew point C = -0.6
|Nov dew point C = -6.8
|Dec dew point C = -12.1
|source 1 = NOAA (relative humidity and dew point 1976–1990, sun 1961–1990)
Demographics
2020 census
As of the 2020 census, Valentine had a population of 2,633. The median age was 42.2 years. 22.1% of residents were under the age of 18 and 24.4% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 92.3 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 92.1 males age 18 and over.
0.0% of residents lived in urban areas, while 100.0% lived in rural areas.
There were 1,217 households in Valentine, of which 25.9% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 42.6% were married-couple households, 22.0% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 30.2% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 40.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 19.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. of 2010, there were 2,737 people, 1,259 households, and 719 families living in the city. The population density was . There were 1,430 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 86.3% White, 0.1% African American, 9.1% Native American, 0.5% Asian, 0.7% from other races, and 3.3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.6% of the population.
There were 1,259 households, of which 24.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.6% were married couples living together, 10.0% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.5% had a male householder with no wife present, and 42.9% were non-families. 38.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 18.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.13 and the average family size was 2.78.
The median age in the city was 46 years. 21.3% of residents were under the age of 18; 6.3% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 21.2% were from 25 to 44; 27.2% were from 45 to 64; and 24% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 47.2% male and 52.8% female.
2000 census
As of the census of 2000, there were 2,820 people, 1,209 households, and 733 families living in the city. The population density was . There were 1,373 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 92.20% White, 0.04% African American, 5.78% Native American, 0.57% Asian, 0.21% from other races, and 1.21% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.89% of the population.
There were 1,209 households, out of which 28.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.8% were married couples living together, 9.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.3% were non-families. 36.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.27 and the average family size was 2.95.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 26.0% under the age of 18, 6.7% from 18 to 24, 24.0% from 25 to 44, 21.8% from 45 to 64, and 21.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 87.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 80.8 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $47,639, and the median income for a family was $52,632. Males had a median income of $38,188 versus $24,636 for females. The per capita income for the city was $22,715. About 1.6% of families and 6.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 0% of those under age 18 and 16.0% of those age 65 or over.
Valentine City Schools was the school district until it merged into Valentine Community Schools in 2006.
Schools include:
- Valentine Elementary School
- Valentine Middle School
- Valentine High School
Private schools:
- Grace Lutheran School
- Zion Lutheran School
Transportation
Valentine Bike Share operates a bikeshare station along the Cowboy Trail. Open Plains Transit provides dial-a-ride transit service on weekdays.
Notable people
- Lyman Lloyd Bryson, CBS Radio broadcaster and American educator. Bryson moderated CBS Radio's The American School of the Air during the 1940s.
- Edward Day Cohota was a Chinese-born and ethnic Chinese veteran who fought in the American Civil War and later served thirty years in the Army.
- James Dahlman was mayor of Omaha from 1906 to 1930.
- Clayton Danks, model of the Wyoming state symbol of the cowboy on a bucking horse, homesteaded near Valentine.
- Patrick Deuel was formerly among the world's heaviest people.
- Rebecca Donaldson, fictional character on Full House, states that her hometown was Valentine.
- Deb Fischer, U.S. Senator, operates a ranch near Valentine.
- Tim Walz, Governor of Minnesota, former U.S. Representative and 2024 Democratic nominee for Vice President.
Culture
In 2011/2012, an independent feature film, The Aviation Cocktail, had its principal photography in Valentine.
Notes
References
External links
- City of Valentine
- Valentine Community Schools