Columbus, Kansas

city in and county seat of Cherokee County, Kansas, United States

Columbus is the second biggest city Cherokee County, Kansas, United States. It is about 15 miles south-southwest of Pittsburg. It is also the county seat of Cherokee County. In 2020, 2,929 people lived there.[4]

Columbus, Kansas
Columbus Carnegie Library (2013)
Motto: 
"Help America Discover Columbus..."[1]
Location within Cherokee County and Kansas
Location within Cherokee County and Kansas
KDOT map of Cherokee County (legend)
Coordinates: 37°10′18″N 94°50′39″W / 37.17167°N 94.84417°W / 37.17167; -94.84417[2]
CountryUnited States
StateKansas
CountyCherokee
Founded1868
Incorporated1871
Named forColumbus, Ohio
Area
 • Total2.43 sq mi (6.30 km2)
 • Land2.43 sq mi (6.30 km2)
 • Water0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation912 ft (278 m)
Population
 • Total2,929
 • Density1,200/sq mi (460/km2)
Time zoneUTC-6 (CST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code
66725
Area code620
FIPS code20-15075
GNIS ID485558[2]
Websitecolumbusks.gov

History

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The first settlement at Columbus was created in 1868.[5] The first post office in Columbus was created in 1869.[6]

Columbus was a railroad junction for the Saint Louis and San Francisco, and the Missouri, Kansas, and Texas railroads. It was named Columbus by A.L. Peters, one of the European-American creators of the city. It was named after his hometown of Columbus, Ohio; the name is indirectly named after Christopher Columbus, the explorer.[7][8] Coal, lead and zinc were found in the area. Columbus had a big trade in agricultural products. Its businesses had machine shops, grain elevators, flour mills, a cigar factory, bottle works (soft drinks), a canning factory, and a big brick-making factory.[9]

In 1875, Robert A. Long and Victor Bell created the Long-Bell Lumber Company in Columbus. From one lumberyard, Long-Bell grew their businesses and holdings to become one of the biggest vertically integrated lumber companies in the United States. In 1956, it was bought by International Paper.[10]

Geography

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Columbus is at 37°10′18″N 94°50′39″W / 37.17167°N 94.84417°W / 37.17167; -94.84417 (37.171614, -94.844076). The United States Census Bureau says that the city has a total area of 2.43 square miles (6.29 km2). All of it is land.[3]

Weather

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Columbus has hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. The Köppen Climate Classification system says that Columbus has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.[11]

People

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Historical population
Census Pop.
1870402
18801,164189.6%
18902,16085.6%
19002,3106.9%
19103,06432.6%
19203,1553.0%
19303,2352.5%
19403,4025.2%
19503,4902.6%
19603,395−2.7%
19703,356−1.1%
19803,4262.1%
19903,268−4.6%
20003,3963.9%
20103,312−2.5%
20202,929−11.6%
U.S. Decennial Census

2020 census

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The 2020 census says that there were 2,929 people, 1,251 households, and 746 families living in Columbus. Of the households, 63.5% owned their home and 36.5% rented their home.

The median age was 39.8 years. Of the people, 86.8% were White, 3.1% were Native American, 0.5% were Black, 0.2% were Asian, 0.8% were from some other race, and 8.7% were two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.4% of the people.[4][12]

2010 census

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The 2010 census says that there were 3,312 people, 1,424 households, and 850 families living in Columbus.[13]

Famous people

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References

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  1. "Columbus Chamber of Commerce". Columbus Chamber of Commerce. Archived from the original on July 22, 2012. Retrieved August 17, 2012.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Columbus, Kansas
  3. 3.0 3.1 "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 20, 2023.
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 "DP1: PROFILE OF GENERAL POPULATION AND HOUSING CHARACTERISTICS". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 20, 2023.
  5. Blackmar, Frank Wilson (1912). Kansas: A Cyclopedia of State History, Embracing Events, Institutions, Industries, Counties, Cities, Towns, Prominent Persons, Etc. Standard Publishing Company. p. 391. ISBN 9780722249055.
  6. "Kansas Post Offices, 1828-1961 (archived)". Kansas Historical Society. Archived from the original on October 9, 2013. Retrieved 6 June 2014.
  7. Rydjord, John (1972). Kansas Place-names. ISBN 978-0-8061-0994-7.
  8. The Modern Light, Columbus, August 16, 1951
  9. "1904 History of Cherokee County Kansas, Chapter 12". Archived from the original on 2009-07-02. Retrieved 2009-03-28.
  10. William E. Connelley, A Standard History of Kansas and Kansans,, Chicago: Lewis Publishing Company, 1918
  11. Climate Summary for Columbus, Kansas
  12. "P16: HOUSEHOLD TYPE". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved December 30, 2023.
  13. "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2012-07-06.

Other websites

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City
Schools
Historical
Maps