Rulo, Nebraska

Rulo, Nebraska
Village

Rulo during the 2011 Missouri River floods. The Rulo Bridges cross the river

Location of Rulo, Nebraska
Coordinates: 40°3′7″N 95°25′49″W / 40.05194°N 95.43028°WCoordinates: 40°3′7″N 95°25′49″W / 40.05194°N 95.43028°W
Country United States
State Nebraska
County Richardson
Area[1]
  Total 0.63 sq mi (1.63 km2)
  Land 0.63 sq mi (1.63 km2)
  Water 0 sq mi (0 km2)
Elevation 886 ft (270 m)
Population (2010)[2]
  Total 172
  Estimate (2012[3]) 171
  Density 273.0/sq mi (105.4/km2)
Time zone Central (CST) (UTC-6)
  Summer (DST) CDT (UTC-5)
ZIP code 68431
Area code(s) 402
FIPS code 31-42670[4]
GNIS feature ID 0832769[5]

Rulo is a village in Richardson County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 172 at the 2010 census.

History

Rulo was laid out in 1857.[6] It was named for Charlie Rouleau, the original owner of the town site.[7]

Steel bridge with three through truss spans
1939 Rulo bridge

In 1933 the foundation for "the Rulo Bridge" was laid, a toll bridge across the Missouri River. The owner of the bridge was originally John Mullen from Falls City, together with a group of investors, the "Kansas City Bridge Company". In 1938 the construction started after the "Works Progress Administration" had decided to finance half the cost. In November 1939 the construction of the bridge was finished.

During the early 1980s, a small group of Christian Identity survivalists, lead by Michael W. Ryan, began living in a religious cult located on a farm two miles north of Rulo, along the Missouri River. The farm was converted into a compound and the members of the cult would commit thefts throughout the Nebraska-Missouri-Kansas area. The stolen property would be sold in order to buy weapons and survival equipment for the group.[8] Ryan was ultimately arrested and sentenced to Nebraska's death row after the Nebraska State Patrol discovered that he was responsible for the torture murders of a 26-year-old cult member and a five-year-old boy.[9] Ryan is currently appealing his death sentence.[10]

Concrete bridge on concrete double pillars
2013 Rulo bridge

In 2013, a new bridge carrying U.S. Highway 159 across the Missouri River was opened. The 1939 bridge, deemed too narrow for semi-trailers and farm machinery, was demolished in 2014.[11]

Geography

Rulo is located at 40°3′7″N 95°25′49″W / 40.05194°N 95.43028°W (40.052029, -95.430239).[12] According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of 0.63 square miles (1.63 km2), all of it land.[1] None of it is covered by water.

Demographics

2010 census

As of the census[2] of 2010, there were 172 people, 85 households, and 43 families residing in the village. The population density was 273.0 inhabitants per square mile (105.4/km2). There were 116 housing units at an average density of 184.1 per square mile (71.1/km2). The racial makeup of the village was 70.9% White, 23.8% Native American, 0.6% Pacific Islander, and 4.7% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.6% of the population.

There were 85 households of which 22.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 35.3% were married couples living together, 11.8% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.5% had a male householder with no wife present, and 49.4% were non-families. 40.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 18.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.02 and the average family size was 2.63.

The median age in the village was 48 years. 18.6% of residents were under the age of 18; 7% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 18.6% were from 25 to 44; 34.4% were from 45 to 64; and 21.5% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the village was 50.0% male and 50.0% female.

2000 census

As of the census[4] of 2000, there were 226 people, 97 households, and 62 families residing in the village. The population density was 359.9 people per square mile (138.5/km²). There were 132 housing units at an average density of 210.2 per square mile (80.9/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 75.66% White, 23.45% Native American, and 0.88% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.44% of the population. In 2006 the population by the United States Census Bureau estimated at 197 [2], a decrease of 29 (-12.8%). The average age was 39.2 years in 2010.

There were 97 households out of which 24.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.5% were married couples living together, 13.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.1% were non-families. 29.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.33 and the average family size was 2.86.

The median age in Rulo was 39 years. 24.8% of the residents were under the age of 18; 6.6% were between 18 and 24 years old; 23.9% were aged between 25 and 44; 27.4% from 45 to 64; and 17.3% were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 85.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.9 males.

As of 2000 the median income for a household in the village was $21,719, and the median income for a family was $30,000. Males had a median income of $20,357 versus $17,292 for females. The per capita income for the village was $11,971. About 20.0% of families and 28.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 52.5% of those under the age of eighteen and 20.4% of those sixty five or over.

See also

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 "US Gazetteer files 2010". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2012-06-24.
  2. 2.0 2.1 "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2012-06-24.
  3. "Population Estimates". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2013-05-29.
  4. 4.0 4.1 "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  5. "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. 2007-10-25. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  6. Fitzpatrick, Lillian L. (1960). Nebraska Place-Names. University of Nebraska Press. p. 120. ISBN 0-8032-5060-6. A 1925 edition is available for download at University of Nebraska—Lincoln Digital Commons.
  7. "Rulo, Richardson". Center for Advanced Land Management Information Technologies. University of Nebraska. Retrieved 22 August 2014.
  8. Rod Colvin (1992). Evil harvest: The shocking true story of cult murder in the American heartland. Bantam. ISBN 0-553-29868-2.
  9. "James Wickstrom Faces Attacks, Continues to Preach Christian Identity Doctrine". Southern Poverty Law Center Intelligence Report, Winter 2004, Issue Number 116. Retrieved 2013-03-12.
  10. Bergin, Michael. "Attorney asks for death sentence to be lifted." Lincoln Journal Star. 2012-02-13. Retrieved 2013-03-12.
  11. Laukaitis, Algis J. "Span of historic Rulo bridge destroyed". Lincoln Journal Star. 2014-01-19. Retrieved 2014-08-02.
  12. "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. Retrieved 2011-04-23.