Peru

History

The first attempt to settle the community took place in 1853, by some residents of Peru, Illinois. However, troops from Fort Kearny forced them to leave because Nebraska Territory belonged to the Otoe tribe. The settlers then temporarily settled across the Missouri River at Sonora. In 1857, a community formed around a trading post called Mount Vernon on the bluffs above the river on the Nebraska side. In 1857, settlers founded Peru down the hill from Mount Vernon directly on the Missouri River. In 1861, a Methodist school called Mount Vernon Academy opened. In 1867, the school (which became Peru State College) became the state's first normal school. Floods in the 1860s changed the course of the river, pushing it nearly a mile from Peru. An 1867 flood caused the Nebraska community of McKissick Island, northeast of Peru, to be surrounded by Missouri land and precipitated a border dispute that would not be resolved until 1999.

Geography

Peru is located at (40.480055, -95.731286). According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all land.

Race & ethnicity

Most-observed species

• Turkey Vulture

  Cathartes aura (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  337
• Red-winged Blackbird

  Agelaius phoeniceus (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  313
• Northern Cardinal

  Cardinalis cardinalis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  304
• Blue Jay

  Cyanocitta cristata (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  296
• American Robin

  Turdus migratorius Linnaeus, 1766 · Aves
  286
• European Starling

  Sturnus vulgaris Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  267
• Mourning Dove

  Zenaida macroura (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  246
• Red-tailed Hawk

  Buteo jamaicensis (Gmelin, 1788) · Aves
  239

Largest nearby schools

• CALVERT ELEMENTARY
  Elementary · AUBURN · 577 students · 18.6:1 ratio
• AUBURN HIGH SCHOOL
  High · AUBURN · 247 students · 13:1 ratio
• AUBURN MIDDLE SCHOOL
  Middle · AUBURN · 190 students · 13.6:1 ratio
• LITTLE LEARNERS PRESCHOOL
  Other · AUBURN · 37 students
• LEARNING CENTER
  Other · AUBURN

Most recent

• M 2.9 — 2014-01-06
  5 km NW of Liberty, Nebraska
• M 3.6 — 2009-12-17
  2 km NW of Auburn, Nebraska
• M 3.5 — 2004-07-16
  6 km SSE of Riverton, Iowa