Location of Kanopolis, Kansas
|• Mayor||Cherie Sauers|
|• City Clerk||Yvonne Stoppel|
|• Total||1.20 sq mi (3.11 km2)|
|• Land||1.20 sq mi (3.11 km2)|
|• Water||0 sq mi (0 km2)|
|Elevation||1,585 ft (483 m)|
|• Estimate (2012)||491|
|• Density||410.0/sq mi (158.3/km2)|
|Time zone||Central (CST) (UTC-6)|
|• Summer (DST)||CDT (UTC-5)|
|GNIS feature ID||0475464|
Kanopolis is a city in Ellsworth County, Kansas, United States. The town is built on the site of Fort Harker, a United States Army post that housed infantry and cavalry troops involved in the Indian Wars from 1867 to 1872. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 492.
Fort Ellsworth was the first frontier fort established in the Kanopolis area. It was built by the United States Army in August, 1864 at the junction of the Fort Riley-Fort Larned Road and the Smoky Hill Trail, near the Smoky Hill River. Within two years of its creation, the fort had grown in importance as a military staging post and supply depot for forts further west, and needed to expand to continue meeting its mission. On November 17, 1866, the Army ordered the construction of Fort Harker about 1.6 km (0.99 mi) northeast of Fort Ellsworth. Fort Ellsworth was closed in early 1867, and the town of Ellsworth was founded in its place. For the next five years, Fort Harker became one of the most important military stations west of the Missouri River.
With the Indian Wars and the railroads both moving further west, Fort Harker was no longer needed as a military installation. It was officially ordered closed on April 8, 1872 and over the next several months was sold to developers. The new town was given the name of Kanopolis because it was envisioned as the "Central Metropolis" of the state and in due time was to be its capitol. It was laid out to provide for a city of 150,000 people by the Kanopolis Land Company.
Kanopolis was incorporated January 6, 1887. "The Kanopolis Journal", a weekly newspaper of Kanopolis printed and distributed 50,000 sample copies that were sent back East to promote "The Future Great City" of central Kansas with an unequalled location and natural advantages. This issue dated May 24, 1890, told of two large hotels, a hardware store, roller mill, woolen mills, foundry and irons works, carriage works, an earthenware works, an elevator, the Union Pacific depot, three churches and a school.
Although Kanopolis did not reach the proportion that the early planners had hoped and worked for, the town has prospered through the years. Many of the early business places have disappeared and new ones have taken their places. It has a library and community center on the park grounds.
The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Kanopolis has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.
As of the census of 2010, there were 492 people, 235 households, and 151 families residing in the city. The population density was 410.0 inhabitants per square mile (158.3 /km2). There were 273 housing units at an average density of 227.5 per square mile (87.8 /km2). The racial makeup of the city was 94.5% White, 1.2% Native American, 0.6% from other races, and 3.7% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 10.4% of the population.
There were 235 households of which 20.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.6% were married couples living together, 7.2% had a female householder with no husband present, 6.4% had a male householder with no wife present, and 35.7% were non-families. 34.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.09 and the average family size was 2.58.
The median age in the city was 48.7 years. 16.7% of residents were under the age of 18; 7.8% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 19.9% were from 25 to 44; 34.8% were from 45 to 64; and 20.7% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 51.8% male and 48.2% female.
As of the census of 2000, there were 543 people, 248 households, and 153 families residing in the city. The population density was 453.7 people per square mile (174.7/km²). There were 295 housing units at an average density of 246.5 per square mile (94.9/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 85.21% White, 0.37% African American, 0.18% Asian, 2.76% from other races, and 1.47% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 12.71% of the population.
There were 248 households out of which 25.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.2% were married couples living together, 9.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.3% were non-families. 34.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 18.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.19 and the average family size was 2.80.
In the city the population was spread out with 22.1% under the age of 18, 6.3% from 18 to 24, 23.8% from 25 to 44, 25.2% from 45 to 64, and 22.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females there were 96.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.5 males.
As of 2000 the median income for a household in the city was $31,413, and the median income for a family was $39,531. Males had a median income of $30,170 versus $21,250 for females. The per capita income for the city was $16,161. About 4.6% of families and 6.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.7% of those under age 18 and 12.8% of those age 65 or over.
The Kanopolis government consists of a mayor and five council members. The council meets the 2nd Tuesday of each month at 7PM.
- City Hall, 119 N Kansas.
- Kanopolis - Directory of Public Officials
- "US Gazetteer files 2010". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2012-07-06.
- "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2012-07-06.
- "Population Estimates". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2013-05-29.
- "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
- "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. 2007-10-25. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
- "2010 City Population and Housing Occupancy Status". U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved April 6, 2011.
- Blackmar, Frank Wilson (1912). Kansas: A Cyclopedia of State History. Standard Publishing Company. p. 46.
- "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
- Climate Summary for Kanopolis, Kansas
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- USD 327, local school district