Wilson, Kansas
Encyclopedia
Wilson is a city in Ellsworth County
, Kansas
, United States
. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 781.
built Wilson Station, named after the surrounding township
, at the modern town site. In 1871, The National Land Company surveyed and planned the first town there, naming it Bosland in the hopes of attracting the cattle trade. Settlers from Pennsylvania
, including some Pennsylvania Dutch
, arrived over the following year. The settlement never became a center of the cattle trade, however, and continued to be known as Wilson, a name the U.S. Post Office
officially codified in 1873. Beginning in 1874, Czech immigrants from Bohemia
came to Wilson to work on the railroad, establishing the town as an area center of Czech culture. Wilson was incorporated
as a city in 1883.
region of the Great Plains
approximately 2 miles (3.2 km) north of the Smoky Hill River
and 6 miles (9.7 km) south of Wilson Lake
. Wilson Creek, a tributary of the Smoky Hill, flows south along the east side of the city. Located in north-central Kansas 1.5 miles (2.4 km) south of the intersection of Interstate 70
and Kansas Highway 232 (K-232)
, Wilson is 95 miles (152.9 km) northwest of Wichita
, 205 miles (329.9 km) west of Kansas City
, and 15 miles (24.1 km) northwest of Ellsworth
, the county seat
.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 0.6 square miles (1.6 km²), all of it land.
of 2000, there were 799 people, 333 households, and 205 families residing in the city. The population density
was 1,436.7 people per square mile (550.9/km²). There were 406 housing units at an average density of 730.0 per square mile (279.9/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 98.87% White, 0.13% from other races
, and 1.00% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.13% of the population.
There were 333 households out of which 27.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.6% were married couples
living together, 5.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.4% were non-families. 35.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 21.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.26 and the average family size was 2.89.
In the city the population was spread out with 22.5% under the age of 18, 5.4% from 18 to 24, 21.5% from 25 to 44, 22.3% from 45 to 64, and 28.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 46 years. For every 100 females there were 83.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 81.0 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $34,821, and the median income for a family was $47,768. Males had a median income of $28,173 versus $23,000 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $16,622. About 2.0% of families and 7.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.0% of those under age 18 and 12.9% of those age 65 or over.
form of government. The city council
consists of the mayor
and five council members, and it meets on the first and third Monday of each month.
328, based in Lorraine, Kansas
, which operates two public schools in the city: Wilson Elementary School (Grades Pre-K-6) and Wilson High School (7-12).
and U.S. Route 40
run concurrently east-west 1.5 miles (2.4 km) north of the city, intersecting K-232
which runs north-south along the eastern edge of the city. K-232 terminates at its intersection with the old alignment of U.S. 40 which runs northwest-southeast through Wilson.
The Kansas Pacific (KP) line of the Union Pacific Railroad
runs northwest-southeast through Wilson, parallel to the old alignment of U.S. 40.
culture, such as dancers and music, as well as a carnival, a parade, sports tournaments, and other activities.
The city also holds a Halloween
festival in October and a Christmas
festival in December.
.
Newspaper
Schools
Photos
Maps
Ellsworth County, Kansas
Ellsworth County is a county located in Central Kansas, in the Central United States. As of the 2010 census, the county population was 6,497. Its county seat and most populous city is Ellsworth.-19th century:...
, 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 781.
History
The Butterfield Overland Despatch built a stagecoach station one-half mile south of present-day Wilson in 1865. Three years later, the Kansas Pacific RailwayKansas Pacific Railway
The Kansas Pacific Railway was a historic railroad company that operated in the western United States in the late 19th century. It was a federally chartered railroad, backed with government land grants. It operated many of the first long-distance lines in the state of Kansas in the 1870s,...
built Wilson Station, named after the surrounding township
Wilson Township, Ellsworth County, Kansas
Wilson Township is a township in Ellsworth County, Kansas, USA. As of the 2000 census, its population was 894.-Geography:Wilson Township covers an area of and contains one incorporated settlement, Wilson...
, at the modern town site. In 1871, The National Land Company surveyed and planned the first town there, naming it Bosland in the hopes of attracting the cattle trade. Settlers from Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, including some Pennsylvania Dutch
Pennsylvania Dutch
Pennsylvania Dutch refers to immigrants and their descendants from southwestern Germany and Switzerland who settled in Pennsylvania in the 17th and 18th centuries...
, arrived over the following year. The settlement never became a center of the cattle trade, however, and continued to be known as Wilson, a name the U.S. Post Office
United States Post Office Department
The Post Office Department was the name of the United States Postal Service when it was a Cabinet department. It was headed by the Postmaster General....
officially codified in 1873. Beginning in 1874, Czech immigrants from Bohemia
Bohemia
Bohemia is a historical region in central Europe, occupying the western two-thirds of the traditional Czech Lands. It is located in the contemporary Czech Republic with its capital in Prague...
came to Wilson to work on the railroad, establishing the town as an area center of Czech culture. Wilson was incorporated
Municipal corporation
A municipal corporation is the legal term for a local governing body, including cities, counties, towns, townships, charter townships, villages, and boroughs. Municipal incorporation occurs when such municipalities become self-governing entities under the laws of the state or province in which...
as a city in 1883.
Geography
Wilson is located at 38°49′32"N 98°28′29"W (38.825619, -98.474748) at an elevation of 1,683 feet (513 m). It lies in the Smoky HillsSmoky Hills
The Smoky Hills are an upland region of hills in the central Great Plains of North America. They are located in the central United States, encompassing north-central Kansas and a small portion of south-central Nebraska. The hills are a dissected plain covered by tallgrass and mixed-grass prairie...
region of the Great Plains
Great Plains
The Great Plains are a broad expanse of flat land, much of it covered in prairie, steppe and grassland, which lies west of the Mississippi River and east of the Rocky Mountains in the United States and Canada. This area covers parts of the U.S...
approximately 2 miles (3.2 km) north of the Smoky Hill River
Smoky Hill River
The Smoky Hill River is a river in the central Great Plains of North America, running through the U.S. states of Colorado and Kansas.-Names:The Smoky Hill gets its name from the Smoky Hills region of north-central Kansas through which it flows...
and 6 miles (9.7 km) south of Wilson Lake
Wilson Lake (Kansas)
Wilson Lake or Wilson Reservoir is a lake in the U.S. state of Kansas, on the border of Russell County and Lincoln County. It is a reservoir formed by the 130 ft high Wilson Dam on Saline River. The dam was built in 1964 for flood control...
. Wilson Creek, a tributary of the Smoky Hill, flows south along the east side of the city. Located in north-central Kansas 1.5 miles (2.4 km) south of the intersection of Interstate 70
Interstate 70
Interstate 70 is an Interstate Highway in the United States that runs from Interstate 15 near Cove Fort, Utah, to a Park and Ride near Baltimore, Maryland. It was the first Interstate Highway project in the United States. I-70 approximately traces the path of U.S. Route 40 east of the Rocky...
and Kansas Highway 232 (K-232)
K-232 (Kansas highway)
K-232 is a north–south state highway in central Kansas connecting the towns of Wilson and Lucas. The highway is designated by the Kansas Department of Transportation as the Post Rock Scenic Byway. The byway derives its name from the abundant limestone in the area which early settlers used as...
, Wilson is 95 miles (152.9 km) northwest of Wichita
Wichita, Kansas
Wichita is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kansas.As of the 2010 census, the city population was 382,368. Located in south-central Kansas on the Arkansas River, Wichita is the county seat of Sedgwick County and the principal city of the Wichita metropolitan area...
, 205 miles (329.9 km) west of Kansas City
Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties...
, and 15 miles (24.1 km) northwest of Ellsworth
Ellsworth, Kansas
Ellsworth is a city in and the county seat of Ellsworth County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 3,120.-19th century:...
, the county seat
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....
.
According to the United States Census Bureau
United 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 0.6 square miles (1.6 km²), all of it 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 799 people, 333 households, and 205 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 1,436.7 people per square mile (550.9/km²). There were 406 housing units at an average density of 730.0 per square mile (279.9/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 98.87% White, 0.13% 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 1.00% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.13% of the population.
There were 333 households out of which 27.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.6% 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, 5.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.4% were non-families. 35.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 21.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.26 and the average family size was 2.89.
In the city the population was spread out with 22.5% under the age of 18, 5.4% from 18 to 24, 21.5% from 25 to 44, 22.3% from 45 to 64, and 28.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 46 years. For every 100 females there were 83.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 81.0 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $34,821, and the median income for a family was $47,768. Males had a median income of $28,173 versus $23,000 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 $16,622. About 2.0% of families and 7.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.0% of those under age 18 and 12.9% of those age 65 or over.
Government
Wilson is a city of the third class, according to state statute, with a mayor-councilMayor-council government
The mayor–council government system, sometimes called the mayor–commission government system, is one of the two most common forms of local government for municipalities...
form of government. The city council
City council
A city council or town council is the legislative body that governs a city, town, municipality or local government area.-Australia & NZ:Because of the differences in legislation between the States, the exact definition of a City Council varies...
consists of the mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
and five council members, and it meets on the first and third Monday of each month.
Education
Wilson lies within Unified School District (USD)Unified school district
A unified school district or unit school district is a school district which includes both primary school and high school under the same district control....
328, based in Lorraine, Kansas
Lorraine, Kansas
Lorraine is a city in Ellsworth County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 138.-Geography:Lorraine is located at . According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land.-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 136...
, which operates two public schools in the city: Wilson Elementary School (Grades Pre-K-6) and Wilson High School (7-12).
Infrastructure
Transportation
Interstate 70Interstate 70
Interstate 70 is an Interstate Highway in the United States that runs from Interstate 15 near Cove Fort, Utah, to a Park and Ride near Baltimore, Maryland. It was the first Interstate Highway project in the United States. I-70 approximately traces the path of U.S. Route 40 east of the Rocky...
and U.S. Route 40
U.S. Route 40
U.S. Route 40 is an east–west United States highway. As with most routes whose numbers end in a zero, U.S. 40 once traversed the entire United States. It is one of the original 1920s U.S. Highways, and its first termini were San Francisco, California, and Atlantic City, New Jersey...
run concurrently east-west 1.5 miles (2.4 km) north of the city, intersecting K-232
K-232 (Kansas highway)
K-232 is a north–south state highway in central Kansas connecting the towns of Wilson and Lucas. The highway is designated by the Kansas Department of Transportation as the Post Rock Scenic Byway. The byway derives its name from the abundant limestone in the area which early settlers used as...
which runs north-south along the eastern edge of the city. K-232 terminates at its intersection with the old alignment of U.S. 40 which runs northwest-southeast through Wilson.
The Kansas Pacific (KP) line of the Union Pacific Railroad
Union Pacific Railroad
The Union Pacific Railroad , headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, is the largest railroad network in the United States. James R. Young is president, CEO and Chairman....
runs northwest-southeast through Wilson, parallel to the old alignment of U.S. 40.
Events
Due to the number of Czech immigrants who settled the area in the 1870s, Wilson was nicknamed the "Czech Capital of Kansas" in 1974. As of 2009, 18% of the city population claimed Czech ancestry. To celebrate this heritage, the city holds an annual After Harvest Czech Festival on the last Saturday in July. The festival includes displays of Czech AmericanCzech American
Czech Americans are citizens of the United States who were born in, or who descended from, the territory of the historic Czech lands, , or succession states, now known as the Czech Republic...
culture, such as dancers and music, as well as a carnival, a parade, sports tournaments, and other activities.
The city also holds a Halloween
Halloween
Hallowe'en , also known as Halloween or All Hallows' Eve, is a yearly holiday observed around the world on October 31, the night before All Saints' Day...
festival in October and a Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
festival in December.
In popular culture and the arts
The Midland Hotel, located in Wilson, served as a filming location for the 1973 film Paper MoonPaper Moon (film)
Paper Moon is a 1973 American comedy film directed by Peter Bogdanovich and released by Paramount Pictures. The screenplay was adapted from the novel Addie Pray by Joe David Brown, and the film was shot in black-and-white. The film is set during the Great Depression in the U.S. states of Kansas and...
.
Notable people
Notable individuals who were born in and/or have lived in Wilson include:- Neva EganNeva EganDesdia Neva Egan was an American educator who served as the first First Lady of Alaska from the state's creation in 1959 to 1966, and again from 1970 to 1974...
, First Lady of Alaska - John KuckJohn KuckJohn Henry Kuck was an American athlete who mainly competed in the shot put.Born in Wilson, Kansas, Kuck competed for the United States at the 1928 Summer Olympics held in Amsterdam, Netherlands where he won the gold medal in the men's shot put event.-References:*...
, Olympic shot putter
Gallery
- Historic Images of Wilson, Special Photo Collections at Wichita State University Library
External links
CityNewspaper
Schools
- USD 328, local school district
Photos
Maps
- Wilson City Map, KDOT
- Ellsworth County Map, KDOT