North Loup, Nebraska
| North Loup, Nebraska | |
|---|---|
| Village | |
Downtown North Loup: north side of 1st Street
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 Location of North Loup, Nebraska |
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| Coordinates: 41°29′41″N 98°46′17″W / 41.49472°N 98.77139°WCoordinates: 41°29′41″N 98°46′17″W / 41.49472°N 98.77139°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Nebraska |
| County | Valley |
| Area | |
| • Total | 0.41 sq mi (1.06 km2) |
| • Land | 0.41 sq mi (1.06 km2) |
| • Water | 0 sq mi (0 km2) |
| Elevation | 1,962 ft (598 m) |
| Population (2010) | |
| • Total | 297 |
| • Estimate (2016) | 291 |
| • Density | 720/sq mi (280/km2) |
| Time zone | Central (CST) (UTC-6) |
| • Summer (DST) | CDT (UTC-5) |
| ZIP code | 68859 |
| Area code(s) | 308 |
| FIPS code | 31-34825 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0831708 |
North Loup is a village in Valley County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 297 at the 2010 census.
In 1871, a party of Seventh Day Baptists from Wisconsin explored Valley County for settlement sites. In May 1872, they established a community near what is now North Loup. A post office and general store were established in 1873. In 1877, the town of North Loup was formally organized. The name was taken from the North Loup River, in whose valley the village lies.
In 1880, the Union Pacific Railroad completed a branch line from Grand Island to St. Paul, Nebraska, shortening the distance from the Valley County settlements to rail transport. In the following year, North Loup and Ord voted to issue $9,000 worth of bonds to help subsidize the railroad's extension through the two towns. The rail connection from St. Paul to North Loup was completed in 1882.
The arrival of the railroad prompted a boom in North Loup, which lasted for some four years. In the course of a single year, the village's population doubled, to two hundred residents. The boom ended in 1886, when the railway line was finally completed to the county seat of Ord.
From about 1877 to 1890, the Loup valley enjoyed a series of wet years that attracted a wave of settlers, who homesteaded even marginal agricultural land. In 1890, this ended with a series of drought years, lasting until about 1896. During this time, the valley's farmers experimented with alternative crops, among them winter wheat and alfalfa. In the North Loup valley, one such crop was popcorn. The experiment was successful; in 1901, North Loup celebrated its first "Popcorn Days" celebration, which continues to be held every August.
The village grew rapidly from about 1900 to 1920. By 1915, there were over 600 residents. Growth continued, albeit very slowly, in the 1920s; the maximum population of 643 was reached in 1930. After World War II, the population declined; in 1959, the village was no longer able to support its own school district, which was merged with that of Scotia.
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