Tamora, Nebraska

Tamora
Census-designated place

Metal and concrete grain bins and elevators; cornfield in foreground

View of Tamora from the northeast
Tamora

Location within Nebraska

Coordinates: 40°53′38″N 97°13′30″W / 40.89389°N 97.22500°W / 40.89389; -97.22500Coordinates: 40°53′38″N 97°13′30″W / 40.89389°N 97.22500°W / 40.89389; -97.22500[1]
Country United States
State Nebraska
County Seward
First settled 1879
Elevation[1] 1,555 ft (474 m)
Population (1990)[2]
 • Total 51
Time zone Central (CST) (UTC-6)
 • Summer (DST) CDT (UTC-5)
ZIP code 68434
Area code(s) 402

Tamora (/təˈmɔːrə/ tə-MOR-ə) is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in Seward County, in the southeastern part of the state of Nebraska in the Midwestern United States. The town presently consists of a large grain elevator complex and a small residential district, with a population of about 70.

History

In 1877, the Burlington Railroad extended its tracks westward from Seward, Nebraska. In 1879, four men each donated 10 acres (4.0 ha) of land for a townsite, in order to persuade the railroad to build a siding and station there.[3] A dispute arose over the name of the new town, since each of the four wanted it to bear his name. The name eventually chosen was a frontier pronunciation of "tomorrow", apparently because the selection of the name had to be deferred until later.[4]

Within three years of the town's founding, three grain elevators had been constructed.[3] In 1884, the population was estimated at 53; the town was incorporated in 1888.[5] Eventually, Tamora's commercial district consisted of over thirty businesses, including two banks and the Tamora Times newspaper.[3]

In 1892, an abortive attempt was made to bring the Seward County seat to Tamora. A group of local promoters purchased a quarter-block and began construction of a building that they hoped would become the courthouse. However, support for the idea failed to materialize, and the building project was abandoned. A few years later, an attempt was made to build an opera house on the unfinished foundation. This, too, failed; and the basement was eventually filled in.[5]

By 1920, Tamora had a population of over 200.[5] However, it lacked a fire department. Many of its commercial buildings were destroyed by fire and not replaced.[3] The population steadily declined, to a low of 50 in 1980.[6] The post office was closed in 1970.[7]

Even as the retail sector and the population declined, the grain storage and loading facilities were expanded. In 1962, the local farmers' cooperative built a concrete grain elevator; in 1964, they replaced a feed mill that had burned down. In 1978, they built one of the largest grain elevators in Nebraska.[5]

Disharmony on the village board led to a number of recall attempts and, eventually, a petition to unincorporate the town, which was rejected by the voters in a 1990 election.[5] Feuding on the board continued; and in 1997, Tamora's electors voted 30-6 in favor of unincorporation.[8]

In 1990, the last decennial census before its unincorporation, the population of Tamora was reported as 51.[2] In 2007, the population was estimated at 70.[3]

Geography

Tamora lies 6 miles (10 km) west of the county seat of Seward,[5] about halfway between Seward and Utica. It is about half a mile (0.8 km) south of U.S. Highway 34,[9] on the BNSF Railway.[5]

Economy

Tamora has no commercial district. Its principal business is the grain elevator operated by United Farmers Cooperative. The elevator has unit train capability.[5] It has a capacity of 2,318,000 US bushels (81,700 m3), and its siding has space for 110 railroad cars.[10]

References

  1. 1 2 Geographic Names Information System Feature Detail Report. Geographic Names Information System. 1979-03-09. Retrieved 2010-09-03.
  2. 1 2 "Population of Nebraska incorporated places: Nebraska--1990 and 2000". Nebraska Department of Economic Development. Retrieved 2010-09-05.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Seward County, Nebraska Historic Buildings Survey. Nebraska State Historical Society. August 2007. Retrieved 2010-09-03.
  4. ↑ Fitzpatrick, Lilian Linder (1925). "Nebraska Place-Names". University of Nebraska Department of English. Retrieved 2010-09-02.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Ihde-Gray, Vickey. Tamora—Seward County. Nebraska... Our Towns Retrieved 2010-09-03.
  6. ↑ "Population of Nebraska incorporated places, 1930 to 1980". Nebraska Department of Economic Development. Retrieved 2010-09-05.
  7. ↑ "Place names for Seward County Nebraska". Seward County Nebraska. Retrieved 2010-09-05.
  8. ↑ Bauer, Scott. "Nebraska's Voters Often Reckless With Recalls". Los Angeles Times. 1999-10-17. Retrieved 2010-09-03.
  9. ↑ Nebraska Atlas & Gazeteer. Freeport, Maine: Delorme. 1st edition, 1996. p. 65.
  10. ↑ "United Farmers Cooperative—Tamora, Nebraska". BNSF Grain Elevator Directory. Retrieved 2010-09-05.
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