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Humboldt County, Nevada facts for kids

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Humboldt County
Humboldt County
Humboldt County Courthouse in Winnemucca
Humboldt County Courthouse in Winnemucca
Map of Nevada highlighting Humboldt County
Location within the U.S. state of Nevada
Map of the United States highlighting Nevada
Nevada's location within the U.S.
Country  United States
State  Nevada
Founded 1856; 168 years ago (1856)
Named for Humboldt River
Seat Winnemucca
Largest city Winnemucca
Area
 • Total 9,658 sq mi (25,010 km2)
 • Land 9,641 sq mi (24,970 km2)
 • Water 17 sq mi (40 km2)  0.2%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 17,285
 • Density 1.78971/sq mi (0.69101/km2)
Time zone UTC−8 (Pacific)
 • Summer (DST) UTC−7 (PDT)
Congressional district 2nd

Humboldt County is a county in the U.S. state of Nevada. As of the 2020 Census, the population was 17,285. It is a largely rural county that is sparsely populated with the only major city being Winnemucca which has a population of 8,431. Humboldt County comprises the Winnemucca, NV Micropolitan Statistical Area and serves as an important crossroads in the national transportation network. Interstate 80 travels through the southeastern corner of the county, meeting US 95 in Winnemucca that serves as a primary freight corridor between Northern Nevada and Boise, Idaho and the Interstate 84 freight corridor that links much of the Pacific Northwest. The original transcontinental railway, constructed by the Central Pacific Railroad, reached Humboldt County on Sept. 16, 1868. The Western Pacific Railroad would reach Humboldt County by November 1909, providing two mainline rail links to California and the Eastern United States. Both railroads have since been acquired by the Union Pacific Railroad, who continues to serve the region today.

The county contains several areas of land belonging to regionally significant Native American communities including the Fort McDermitt Paiute and Shoshone Tribe and the Winnemucca Indian Colony of Nevada.

Largely a region with ranchers and farmers, the county came under increased attention after the 2017 proposal of the Thacker Pass Lithium Mine. The mine has been controversial locally and in the national press -- as it would be the first major lithium clay mine to open in the United States and be important to the local economy but threatens local ecosystems and indigenous heritage sites.

History

Santa Rosa Range, NV 2008
Santa Rosa Range, Humboldt National Forest.

Humboldt County is the oldest county in Nevada, created by the Utah Territorial Legislature in 1856. It was also one of Nevada's original nine counties created in 1861. The county is named after the Humboldt River, which was named by John C. Frémont, after Alexander von Humboldt, a German naturalist, traveler and statesman. Humboldt never saw the places that bear his name. Unionville was the first county seat in 1861 until the mining boom died there and it was moved to Winnemucca on the transcontinental railroad line in 1873.

The county was the site of an arrest in 2000 that led to the U.S. Supreme Court decision Hiibel v. Sixth Judicial District Court of Nevada in 2004.

Humboldt County is referenced in Brandon Flowers' 2015 song "Digging Up The Heart", in which the protagonist meets "Christie, queen of Humboldt County"

Geography

2012-10-14 14 Winnemucca Sand Dunes, north of Winnemucca in Nevada
The Winnemucca Sand Dunes, north of Winnemucca

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 9,658 square miles (25,010 km2), of which 9,641 square miles (24,970 km2) is land and 17 square miles (44 km2) (0.2%) is water. It is the fourth-largest county in Nevada by area.

The Santa Rosa Range runs through eastern Humboldt County. The highest point in the county, 9,731-ft (2966 m) Granite Peak, is located in the range. The most topographically prominent mountain in Humboldt County is unofficially known as Dan Dobbins Peak and is located in the remote Jackson Mountains.

Major highways

  • I-80 (NV).svg Interstate 80
  • Business Loop 80.svg Interstate 80 Business Loop
  • US 95.svg U.S. Route 95
  • Nevada 140.svg State Route 140
  • Nevada 289.svg State Route 289
  • Nevada 290.svg State Route 290
  • Nevada 292.svg State Route 292
  • Nevada 293.svg State Route 293
  • Nevada 294.svg State Route 294
  • Nevada 787.svg State Route 787
  • Nevada 789.svg State Route 789
  • Nevada 794.svg State Route 794
  • Nevada 795.svg State Route 795
  • Nevada 796.svg State Route 796

Adjacent counties

National protected areas

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop.
1860 40
1870 1,916 4,690.0%
1880 3,480 81.6%
1890 3,434 −1.3%
1900 4,463 30.0%
1910 6,825 52.9%
1920 3,743 −45.2%
1930 3,795 1.4%
1940 4,743 25.0%
1950 4,838 2.0%
1960 5,708 18.0%
1970 6,375 11.7%
1980 9,434 48.0%
1990 12,844 36.1%
2000 16,106 25.4%
2010 16,528 2.6%
2020 17,285 4.6%
U.S. Decennial Census
1790-1960 1900-1990
1990-2000 2010-2018

2010 census

At the 2010 census, there were 16,528 people, 6,289 households, and 4,316 families in the county. The population density was 1.7 inhabitants per square mile (0.66/km2). There were 7,123 housing units at an average density of 0.7 per square mile (0.27/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 79.0% white, 4.2% American Indian, 0.7% Asian, 0.5% black or African American, 0.1% Pacific islander, 12.7% from other races, and 2.8% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 24.4% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 15.0% were English, 14.6% were Irish, 14.1% were German, and 5.1% were American.

Of the 6,289 households, 36.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.2% were married couples living together, 8.9% had a female householder with no husband present, 31.4% were non-families, and 25.6% of households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.60 and the average family size was 3.13. The median age was 36.2 years.

The median household income was $55,656 and the median family income was $69,032. Males had a median income of $56,843 versus $33,531 for females. The per capita income for the county was $25,965. About 7.8% of families and 12.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.3% of those under age 18 and 4.6% of those age 65 or over.

Communities

City

Winnemucca is the sole incorporated city in the county.

Census-designated places

Unincorporated communities

  • Stone House
  • Tule

Economy

Lithium mine

Education

Paradise Valley wildflowers, NV
Wildflowers in Paradise Valley, 2008

Humboldt County School District serves Humboldt County.

Transportation

Major highways

  • I-80 (NV).svg Interstate 80
  • Business Loop 80.svg Interstate 80 Business Loop
  • US 95.svg U.S. Route 95
  • Nevada 140.svg State Route 140
  • Nevada 289.svg State Route 289
  • Nevada 290.svg State Route 290
  • Nevada 292.svg State Route 292
  • Nevada 293.svg State Route 293
  • Nevada 294.svg State Route 294
  • Nevada 789.svg State Route 789
  • Nevada 794.svg State Route 794
  • Nevada 795.svg State Route 795
  • Nevada 796.svg State Route 796

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Condado de Humboldt (Nevada) para niños

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