Valentine is a city in Cherry County, Nebraska. The population was 2,737 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Cherry County.
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. As described in one 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 only 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 Adventuremagazine included Valentine in its list of the best 100 adventure towns and cities.
In the Lakota language, Valentine is known as Oínažiŋ or Mnináȟaȟa Otȟúŋwahe, meaning "station stopping place" or "water and waterfall city".
Demographics
2010 census
As of the census of 2010, there were 2,737 people, 1,259 households, and 719 families living in the city. There were 1,430 housing units at an average density of 644.1 per square mile. 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.
In 2000, 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.
Culture
In 2011/2012, an independent feature film, The Aviation Cocktail, had its principal photography in Valentine.
Economy
I wish more Wikipedia entries described the economy of the community.
Valentine is the place to come from the surrounding remoteness. There are auto parts stores, gas stations, several hotels (two star types), a clothing (Western wear) store, a Bomgaars (department store), a canoe and tubing business and several banks (including a large Wells Fargo). I've heard that farmers like to deal in cash, even for capital equipment. There are also several saloons, a mom & pop truck stop (where I spent the night) with a McDonalds.
It's not meant to be a pretty town. It's a place where work gets done.
US 20 and 83 pass through town.
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