Lyons, Kansas
Encyclopedia
Lyons is a city in and the county seat
of Rice County
, Kansas
, United States
. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 3,739.
's exact route across the plains is uncertain and has been widely disputed, he and his men are thought to have camped near the present location of Lyons on their quest for Quivira
, a Native American place which Indians to the southwest had told them was fabulously wealthy in gold. West of Lyons is a cross commemorating Juan de Padilla
, a member of Coronado's expedition, who returned the following year as a missionary. He was killed in 1542 by Native Americans after establishing a church in the area, and is considered the first Christian
martyr
in North America
.
Lyons Main Street (U.S. Highway 56
) is based on the Santa Fe Trail
.
In 1878, the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway
and parties from Marion County
and McPherson County
chartered the Marion and McPherson Railway Company. In 1879, a branch line was built from Florence
to McPherson
, in 1880 it was extended to Lyons
, and in 1881 it was extended to Ellinwood
. The original branch line connected Florence, Marion, Canada
, Hillsboro
, Lehigh
, Canton
, Galva
, McPherson, Conway
, Windom
, Little River
, Mitchell
, Lyons, Chase
, and Ellinwood.The line was leased and operated by the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway.
After major changes in the industry in the 1950s and 1960s, the line from Florence to Marion was abandoned in 1968. In 1992, the line from Marion to McPherson was sold to Central Kansas Railway
. In 1993, after extensive damage from the Great Flood of 1993
, the line from Marion to McPherson was abandoned.
, the city has a total area of 2.2 square miles (5.7 km²), all land.
of 2000, there were 3,732 people, 1,546 households, and 1,032 families residing in the city. The population density
was 1,732.5 people per square mile (670.2/km²). There were 1,738 housing units at an average density of 806.8 per square mile (312.1/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 91.16% White, 1.96% African American, 0.75% Native American, 0.32% Asian, 0.11% Pacific Islander, 3.75% from other races
, and 1.96% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 12.03% of the population.
There were 1,546 households out of which 31.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.3% were married couples
living together, 8.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.2% were non-families. 30.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 18.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 2.96.
In the city the population was spread out with 26.5% under the age of 18, 7.9% from 18 to 24, 24.7% from 25 to 44, 20.9% from 45 to 64, and 19.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 93.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.4 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $32,945, and the median income for a family was $39,639. Males had a median income of $30,765 versus $17,778 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $16,206. About 9.1% of families and 11.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.0% of those under age 18 and 8.1% of those age 65 or over.
USA
Schools
Historical
Maps
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
of Rice County
Rice County, Kansas
Rice County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kansas; it was named in memory of Samuel Allen Rice, Brigadier-General, United States volunteers, killed April 30, 1864, at Jenkins Ferry, Arkansas. As of the 2010 census, the county population was 10,083...
, Kansas
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 3,739.
History
Although CoronadoFrancisco Vásquez de Coronado
Francisco Vásquez de Coronado y Luján was a Spanish conquistador, who visited New Mexico and other parts of what are now the southwestern United States between 1540 and 1542...
's exact route across the plains is uncertain and has been widely disputed, he and his men are thought to have camped near the present location of Lyons on their quest for Quivira
Quivira
Quivira may refer to:*Quivira, a place first visited by Francisco Vazquez de Coronado while in search of the mythical Seven Cities of Gold*Quivira National Wildlife Refuge, a salt marsh located in south central Kansas...
, a Native American place which Indians to the southwest had told them was fabulously wealthy in gold. West of Lyons is a cross commemorating Juan de Padilla
Juan de Padilla
Father Juan de Padilla , born in Andalusia, was a Spanish Roman Catholic missionary who spent much of his life exploring North America with Francisco Vasquez de Coronado....
, a member of Coronado's expedition, who returned the following year as a missionary. He was killed in 1542 by Native Americans after establishing a church in the area, and is considered the first Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
martyr
Martyr
A martyr is somebody who suffers persecution and death for refusing to renounce, or accept, a belief or cause, usually religious.-Meaning:...
in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
.
Lyons Main Street (U.S. Highway 56
U.S. Route 56
U.S. Route 56 is an east–west United States highway that runs for in the Midwestern United States. The highway's eastern terminus is at U.S. Route 71 in Kansas City, Missouri. Its western terminus is at Interstate 25 Business in Springer, New Mexico. Much of it follows the Santa Fe...
) is based on the Santa Fe Trail
Santa Fe Trail
The Santa Fe Trail was a 19th-century transportation route through central North America that connected Missouri with Santa Fe, New Mexico. Pioneered in 1822 by William Becknell, it served as a vital commercial and military highway until the introduction of the railroad to Santa Fe in 1880...
.
In 1878, the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway
Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway
The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway , often abbreviated as Santa Fe, was one of the larger railroads in the United States. The company was first chartered in February 1859...
and parties from Marion County
Marion County, Kansas
Marion County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kansas. As of the 2010 census, the county population was 12,660. The county seat is Marion...
and McPherson County
McPherson County, Kansas
McPherson County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kansas. As of the 2010 census, the county population was 29,180. The largest city and county seat is McPherson. The county is named for Civil War General James B. McPherson...
chartered the Marion and McPherson Railway Company. In 1879, a branch line was built from Florence
Florence, Kansas
Florence is a city in Marion County, Kansas, United States. The city was named after the daughter of former Kansas Governor Samuel J. Crawford. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 465.-19th century:...
to McPherson
McPherson, Kansas
McPherson is a city in and the county seat of McPherson County, Kansas, United States, in the central part of the state. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 13,155. The city is named after Union General James Birdseye McPherson, a Civil War general...
, in 1880 it was extended to Lyons
Lyons, Kansas
Lyons is a city in and the county seat of Rice County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 3,739.-History:Although Coronado's exact route across the plains is uncertain and has been widely disputed, he and his men are thought to have camped near the present...
, and in 1881 it was extended to Ellinwood
Ellinwood, Kansas
Ellinwood is a city in the southeast corner of Barton County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 2,131.-History:...
. The original branch line connected Florence, Marion, Canada
Canada, Kansas
Canada is an unincorporated community in Marion County, Kansas, United States. It is named for many Canadian immigrants coming to the area.-19th century:...
, Hillsboro
Hillsboro, Kansas
Hillsboro is a city in Marion County, Kansas, United States. Hillsboro was named after John Gillespie Hill, who homesteaded in the area in 1871. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 2,993. Hillsboro is home of Tabor College, which has approximately 550 students.-19th century:For...
, Lehigh
Lehigh, Kansas
Lehigh is a city in Marion County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 175.-19th century:For millennia, the land that is currently Kansas was inhabited by Native Americans. In 1803, most of modern Kansas was secured by the United States as part of the Louisiana...
, Canton
Canton, Kansas
Canton is a city in McPherson County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 748.-19th century:As early as 1875, city leaders of Marion held a meeting to consider a branch railroad from Florence. In 1878, Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway and parties from Marion...
, Galva
Galva, Kansas
Galva is a city in McPherson County, Kansas, in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 870.-19th century:As early as 1875, city leaders of Marion held a meeting to consider a branch railroad from Florence. In 1878, Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway and parties from...
, McPherson, Conway
Conway, Kansas
Conway is an unincorporated community in southwestern Jackson Township, McPherson County, Kansas, United States. It lies along U.S. Route 56 and a Kansas and Oklahoma Railroad line, west of the city of McPherson, the county seat of McPherson County...
, Windom
Windom, Kansas
Windom is a city in McPherson County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 130.-19th century:In 1878, Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway and parties from Marion County and McPherson County chartered the Marion and McPherson Railway Company...
, Little River
Little River, Kansas
Little River is a city in Rice County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 557.-History:In 1878, Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway and parties from Marion County and McPherson County chartered the Marion and McPherson Railway Company...
, Mitchell
Mitchell, Kansas
Mitchell is an unincorporated community in Mitchell Township, Rice County, Kansas, United States. Located about east-northeast of the city of Lyons, the county seat, it lies along local roads a fraction of a mile north of U.S...
, Lyons, Chase
Chase, Kansas
Chase is a city in Rice County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 477.The city should not be confused with Chase County.-History:...
, and Ellinwood.The line was leased and operated by the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway.
After major changes in the industry in the 1950s and 1960s, the line from Florence to Marion was abandoned in 1968. In 1992, the line from Marion to McPherson was sold to Central Kansas Railway
Central Kansas Railway
The Central Kansas Railway was a short-line railroad operating of trackage in the U.S. state of Kansas and west to Towner, Colorado, most all of which were former Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway lines...
. In 1993, after extensive damage from the Great Flood of 1993
Great Flood of 1993
The Great Mississippi and Missouri Rivers Flood of 1993 occurred in the American Midwest, along the Mississippi and Missouri rivers and their tributaries, from April to October 1993. The flood was among the most costly and devastating to ever occur in the United States, with $15 billion in damages...
, the line from Marion to McPherson was abandoned.
Geography
Lyons is located at 38°20′42"N 98°12′9"W (38.344962, -98.202493). According to the United States Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 2.2 square miles (5.7 km²), all land.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 3,732 people, 1,546 households, and 1,032 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 1,732.5 people per square mile (670.2/km²). There were 1,738 housing units at an average density of 806.8 per square mile (312.1/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 91.16% White, 1.96% African American, 0.75% Native American, 0.32% Asian, 0.11% Pacific Islander, 3.75% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 1.96% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 12.03% of the population.
There were 1,546 households out of which 31.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.3% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 8.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.2% were non-families. 30.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 18.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 2.96.
In the city the population was spread out with 26.5% under the age of 18, 7.9% from 18 to 24, 24.7% from 25 to 44, 20.9% from 45 to 64, and 19.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 93.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.4 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $32,945, and the median income for a family was $39,639. Males had a median income of $30,765 versus $17,778 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $16,206. About 9.1% of families and 11.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.0% of those under age 18 and 8.1% of those age 65 or over.
See also
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Rice County, KansasNational Register of Historic Places listings in Rice County, KansasThis is a list of the National Register of Historic Places listings in Rice County, Kansas.This is intended to be a complete list of the properties and districts on the National Register of Historic Places in Rice County, Kansas, United States...
- Santa Fe TrailSanta Fe TrailThe Santa Fe Trail was a 19th-century transportation route through central North America that connected Missouri with Santa Fe, New Mexico. Pioneered in 1822 by William Becknell, it served as a vital commercial and military highway until the introduction of the railroad to Santa Fe in 1880...
Further reading
Kansas- History of the State of Kansas; William G. Cutler; A.T. Andreas Publisher; 1883. (Online HTML eBook)
- Kansas : A Cyclopedia of State History, Embracing Events, Institutions, Industries, Counties, Cities, Towns, Prominent Persons, Etc; 3 Volumes; Frank W. Blackmar; Standard Publishing Co; 944 / 955 / 824 pages; 1912. (Volume1 - Download 54MB PDF eBook),(Volume2 - Download 53MB PDF eBook), (Volume3 - Download 33MB PDF eBook)
USA
- The Story of the Marking of the Santa Fe TrailSanta Fe TrailThe Santa Fe Trail was a 19th-century transportation route through central North America that connected Missouri with Santa Fe, New Mexico. Pioneered in 1822 by William Becknell, it served as a vital commercial and military highway until the introduction of the railroad to Santa Fe in 1880...
by the Daughters of the American RevolutionDaughters of the American RevolutionThe Daughters of the American Revolution is a lineage-based membership organization for women who are descended from a person involved in United States' independence....
in Kansas and the State of Kansas; Almira Cordry; Crane Co; 164 pages; 1915. (Download 4MB PDF eBook) - The National Old Trails Road To Southern California, Part 1 (LA to KC); Automobile Club Of Southern California; 64 pages; 1916. (Download 6.8MB PDF eBook)
External links
CitySchools
- USD 405, local school district
Historical
Maps
- Lyons City Map, KDOT
- Rice County Map, KDOT