Sidney, Nebraska

Sidney is a city in the U.S. state of Nebraska. It is the county seat of Cheyenne County. The population was 6,757 at the 2010 census.

History 
The city was founded in 1867 by the Union Pacific railroad company. It grew up around the military base called Fort Sidney (also known as Sidney Barracks). The soldiers there were stationed to guard transcontinental railroad from potential Indian attacks. When the railroad reached Sidney, it was the end of a sub-division of the rail line and played host to a roundhouse, repair facilities, and a railroad hotel for passengers.

The city was named after Sidney Dillon. He was president of the Union Pacific Railroad at that time.

The town became the southern terminus of the Sidney Black Hills Stage Road in the late 1870s and 1880s.

Sidney has one of the Old West's Boot Hill cemeteries; many of those interred there were soldiers from the fort.

In the first two decades of the twenty-first century, the largest employer in the city was Cabela's, a company that makes items for outdoor recreation. In 2016, it was sold to Bass Pro Shops. Then it moved out of Sidney. Many jobs were lost.

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

Sidney is near the western edge of the midwestern wheat-growing region. West of the city, the land is increasingly used for cattle ranching. Sidney is located along Lodgepole Creek, which is along present-day Interstate 80.

Commerce 
Near the city is the junction of two major highways: US 385 and I-80. This junction is about halfway between Cheyenne, Wyoming, and North Platte, Nebraska. This location has encouraged the growth of Sidney as a major transportation service area on the Interstate highway. Because the I-80/US 385 interchange is many miles southeast of the town center, a new commercial area has developed. This are includes truck stops, convenience stores, shopping centers, motels, restaurants, and other commercial enterprises.

Companies in Sidney include: Adams Industries, 21st Century Water Technologies, KISST Organics-Health & Wellness Store/Firearms Division, Nexgen Outfitters, Highby Outdoors, Lukjan Great Plains, Agri-Plastics, 308 Ag LLC and Sidney Foundry.

Demographics

2010 census 
As of the 2010 census, there were 6,757 people, 2,893 households, and 1,764 families living in the city. The population density was . There were 3,184 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 92.3% White, 0.2% African American, 0.8% Native American, 2.3% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 2.7% from other races, and 1.5% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 7.4% of the population.

There were 2,893 households of which 30.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.3% were married couples living together, 9.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.9% had a male householder with no wife present, and 39.0% were non-families. 33.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.30 and the average family size was 2.95.

The median age in the city was 37.1 years. 25.1% of residents were under the age of 18; 7% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 27.4% were from 25 to 44; 25% were from 45 to 64; and 15.3% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.5% male and 51.5% female.

Education 
The Sidney public schools educate 1,200 children from pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade. Western Nebraska Community College has a campus in Sidney.

Services

Library
Sidney has a public library.  It is at  1112 12th Avenue.  The library has almost 50,000 volumes.  its services include a bookmobile serving all of Cheyenne County, a genealogy room, and reading programs.

Medical care
The Sidney Regional Medical Center provides various medical care at a number of sites in Chappell and Sidney.

Activities
The Cheyenne County Community Center, 627 Toledo St, provides sports facilities, daycare, and other activites.

References

Other websites 

 City of Sidney

Cities in Nebraska
County seats in Nebraska