Spring Hill, Kansas
Encyclopedia
Spring Hill is a city in Johnson
and Miami
counties in the U.S. state
of Kansas
. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 5,437.
. “Being somewhat enthusiastic in my estimation of its future, it having all advantages of timber and water, and on a line that must be traveled between Olathe and Paola, I concluded to myself, as there was no one else to conclude with, that this was a good place for a town.” – J.B. Hovey, 1857 The town was incorporated in 1857, and Hovey then served as the town’s first postmaster
. Also that year, Hovey built the first building in town, the Spring Hill Hotel. The two-story structure, also known as the “Old Traveler’s Rest” was located on the highest elevation in town.
In January 1859 Celia Ann Dayton, a doctor in Vermont
, became the first woman doctor in the state of Kansas
by moving to Spring Hill. She arrived with her adopted son Hiram Eugene, also a doctor, and her husband Amos arrived a few months later. Hiram was killed in January 1862 during the American Civil War
after being discovered as a spy for the Union
. Also in 1862, Celia divorced her husband, which was very uncommon for the time period. Celia frequently aided black refugees, and is reported to have been part of the underground railroad
.
In the fall of 1862, Spring Hill avoided Quantrill's Raiders
entering the town when a farmer talked to them on their way. He calmly convinced them there were soldiers in town, when there were not. This deterred them from continuing. However, a year later in 1863, the Quantrill Raiders did march on Spring Hill, looting businesses in town and stealing from local farmers. At least one citizen was killed.
By the 1870s, Spring Hill was growing in population and commerce. However, a railroad to come right through the town wanted to bypass Spring Hill unless it paid $15,000 to grade the land there. The residents didn’t want to share the costs, and the tracks were moved to approximately a half-mile east of the original town square. The town’s businesses then quickly moved to be closer to the train depot
and tracks.
In 1874, the country’s economic depression hit Spring Hill. Also that year, swarms of grasshoppers devoured plant life, then moved on to items such as clothes, blankets and shoes. Even leather harnesses, pitch fork handles, and fence posts were not immune to them. As a result, water sources were polluted, and gardens and crops were devastated. Livestock were nearly inedible.
In the 1920s the Spring Hill Rural High School District was established, and in 1926, the original city jail was constructed by A. H. Starbuck. By the 1950s most of the rural area surrounding Spring Hill also had electricity. In the 1960s Spring Hill’s elementary and high school merged due to a state law requiring public schooling for kindergarten through the 12th grade. Spring Hill’s growth had nearly stopped by the 1980s until community leaders decided to focus on attracting industry to develop there. This strategy drew new residents, followed by increased retail and service businesses.
Incorporated in 1857, Spring Hill celebrated its sequicentennial in 2007, honoring its history. Today, many community events occur annually, and include The King of the Hill Barbeque, the Spring Hill Fall Festival, and Hometown Holidays.
, the city has a total area of 3.5 square miles (9.1 km2), of which, 3.5 square miles (8.9 km2) of it is land and 0.1 square miles (0.2 km2) of it (1.71%) is water.
As of the census
of 2000, there were 2,727 people, 973 households, and 747 families residing in the city. The population density
was 789.6 people per square mile (305.2/km2). There were 1,014 housing units at an average density of 293.6 per square mile (113.5/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 96.48% White, 0.81% African American, 0.84% Native American, 0.15% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.51% from other races
, and 1.17% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.79% of the population.
There were 973 households out of which 44.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.7% were married couples
living together, 13.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.2% were non-families. 19.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.76 and the average family size was 3.17.
In the city the population was spread out with 31.9% under the age of 18, 8.1% from 18 to 24, 34.5% from 25 to 44, 17.0% from 45 to 64, and 8.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females there were 98.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.3 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $45,052, and the median income for a family was $54,375. Males had a median income of $36,250 versus $24,713 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $19,642. About 3.5% of families and 4.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.4% of those under age 18 and 7.0% of those age 65 or over.
Beyond elementary school, students of Prairie Creek and Spring Hill Intermediate schools attend the Spring Hill Middle School and Spring Hill High School.
Prairie Creek Elementary School was a recipient of the Governor's Achievement Award in 2008, which recognizes outstanding performance on the state assessment tests. Schools receiving this award are in the top 5 percent in Kansas in both reading and mathematics.
Schools
Johnson County, Kansas
Johnson County is a county located in northeast Kansas, in the central United States. The county is largely suburban, being part of the Kansas City metropolitan area, and containing many of its affluent southwestern suburbs. As of the 2010 census, the county population was 544,179. Its county...
and Miami
Miami County, Kansas
Miami County is a county located in East Central Kansas, in the Central United States. As of the 2010 census, the county population was 32,787. Its county seat and most populous city is Paola...
counties in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of 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...
. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 5,437.
History
In 1856, James B. Hovey named the community after a town near Mobile, AlabamaMobile, Alabama
Mobile is the third most populous city in the Southern US state of Alabama and is the county seat of Mobile County. It is located on the Mobile River and the central Gulf Coast of the United States. The population within the city limits was 195,111 during the 2010 census. It is the largest...
. “Being somewhat enthusiastic in my estimation of its future, it having all advantages of timber and water, and on a line that must be traveled between Olathe and Paola, I concluded to myself, as there was no one else to conclude with, that this was a good place for a town.” – J.B. Hovey, 1857 The town was incorporated in 1857, and Hovey then served as the town’s first postmaster
Postmaster
A postmaster is the head of an individual post office. Postmistress is not used anymore in the United States, as the "master" component of the word refers to a person of authority and has no gender quality...
. Also that year, Hovey built the first building in town, the Spring Hill Hotel. The two-story structure, also known as the “Old Traveler’s Rest” was located on the highest elevation in town.
In January 1859 Celia Ann Dayton, a doctor in Vermont
Vermont
Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...
, became the first woman doctor in the state of 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...
by moving to Spring Hill. She arrived with her adopted son Hiram Eugene, also a doctor, and her husband Amos arrived a few months later. Hiram was killed in January 1862 during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
after being discovered as a spy for the Union
Union (American Civil War)
During the American Civil War, the Union was a name used to refer to the federal government of the United States, which was supported by the twenty free states and five border slave states. It was opposed by 11 southern slave states that had declared a secession to join together to form the...
. Also in 1862, Celia divorced her husband, which was very uncommon for the time period. Celia frequently aided black refugees, and is reported to have been part of the underground railroad
Underground Railroad
The Underground Railroad was an informal network of secret routes and safe houses used by 19th-century black slaves in the United States to escape to free states and Canada with the aid of abolitionists and allies who were sympathetic to their cause. The term is also applied to the abolitionists,...
.
In the fall of 1862, Spring Hill avoided Quantrill's Raiders
Quantrill's Raiders
Quantrill's Raiders were a loosely organized force of pro-Confederate Partisan rangers, "bushwhackers", who fought in the American Civil War under the leadership of William Clarke Quantrill...
entering the town when a farmer talked to them on their way. He calmly convinced them there were soldiers in town, when there were not. This deterred them from continuing. However, a year later in 1863, the Quantrill Raiders did march on Spring Hill, looting businesses in town and stealing from local farmers. At least one citizen was killed.
By the 1870s, Spring Hill was growing in population and commerce. However, a railroad to come right through the town wanted to bypass Spring Hill unless it paid $15,000 to grade the land there. The residents didn’t want to share the costs, and the tracks were moved to approximately a half-mile east of the original town square. The town’s businesses then quickly moved to be closer to the train depot
Train station
A train station, also called a railroad station or railway station and often shortened to just station,"Station" is commonly understood to mean "train station" unless otherwise qualified. This is evident from dictionary entries e.g...
and tracks.
In 1874, the country’s economic depression hit Spring Hill. Also that year, swarms of grasshoppers devoured plant life, then moved on to items such as clothes, blankets and shoes. Even leather harnesses, pitch fork handles, and fence posts were not immune to them. As a result, water sources were polluted, and gardens and crops were devastated. Livestock were nearly inedible.
In the 1920s the Spring Hill Rural High School District was established, and in 1926, the original city jail was constructed by A. H. Starbuck. By the 1950s most of the rural area surrounding Spring Hill also had electricity. In the 1960s Spring Hill’s elementary and high school merged due to a state law requiring public schooling for kindergarten through the 12th grade. Spring Hill’s growth had nearly stopped by the 1980s until community leaders decided to focus on attracting industry to develop there. This strategy drew new residents, followed by increased retail and service businesses.
Incorporated in 1857, Spring Hill celebrated its sequicentennial in 2007, honoring its history. Today, many community events occur annually, and include The King of the Hill Barbeque, the Spring Hill Fall Festival, and Hometown Holidays.
Community
Today, many community events occur annually in Spring Hill, and include The King of the Hill Barbeque, the Spring Hill Fall Festival, and Hometown Holidays. Also located in Spring Hill is an award-winning golf course, Sycamore Ridge. Several of Spring Hill's community organizations and businesses hold golf tournaments at Sycamore Ridge on a regular basis.Geography
Spring Hill is located at 38.745316°N 94.829261°W (38.745316, -94.829261). 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 3.5 square miles (9.1 km2), of which, 3.5 square miles (8.9 km2) of it is land and 0.1 square miles (0.2 km2) of it (1.71%) is water.
Demographics
2009 population estimates resleased by the census bureau estimate Spring Hill's population to be 5,281. 4,316 residing in the Johnson County part and 965 in the Miami County portion. Until 2010 census numbers are released, however, the official numbers are as follows:As of the census
Census
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 2,727 people, 973 households, and 747 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 789.6 people per square mile (305.2/km2). There were 1,014 housing units at an average density of 293.6 per square mile (113.5/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 96.48% White, 0.81% African American, 0.84% Native American, 0.15% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.51% 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 1.17% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.79% of the population.
There were 973 households out of which 44.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.7% 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, 13.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.2% were non-families. 19.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.76 and the average family size was 3.17.
In the city the population was spread out with 31.9% under the age of 18, 8.1% from 18 to 24, 34.5% from 25 to 44, 17.0% from 45 to 64, and 8.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females there were 98.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.3 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $45,052, and the median income for a family was $54,375. Males had a median income of $36,250 versus $24,713 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 $19,642. About 3.5% of families and 4.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.4% of those under age 18 and 7.0% of those age 65 or over.
Government
The Spring Hill government consists of a mayor and five council members. The council meets the 2nd and 4th Thursday of each month at 7PM.Education
Spring Hill serves as the center of the Spring Hill School District (USD 230), which includes 2 elementary schools, 1 intermediate school, 1 middle school, and 1 high school. Schools included in the district are:- Prairie Creek Elementary School (grades K-5)
- Spring Hill Elementary School (grades K-2)
- Spring Hill Intermediate School (grades 3-5)
- Spring Hill Middle School (grades 6-8)
- Spring Hill High School (grades 9-12)
Beyond elementary school, students of Prairie Creek and Spring Hill Intermediate schools attend the Spring Hill Middle School and Spring Hill High School.
Prairie Creek Elementary School was a recipient of the Governor's Achievement Award in 2008, which recognizes outstanding performance on the state assessment tests. Schools receiving this award are in the top 5 percent in Kansas in both reading and mathematics.
Libraries
The Johnson County Library includes 13 locations throughout Johnson County, including the Spring Hill Library.External links
CitySchools