Elmdale is a city in

Chase County, Kansas Chase County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kansas. Its county seat and most populous city is Cottonwood Falls. As of the 2020 census, the county population was 2,572. The county was named for Salmon Chase, a U.S. Senator from ...

, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 40. It is located along

U.S. Route 50 U.S. Route 50 or U.S. Highway 50 (US 50) is a major east–west route of the U.S. Highway system, stretching from Interstate 80 (I-80) in West Sacramento, California, to Maryland Route 528 (MD 528) in Ocean City, Maryland, on the Atlantic ...

highway.

History

In 1806,

Zebulon Pike Zebulon Montgomery Pike (January 5, 1779 – April 27, 1813) was an American brigadier general and explorer for whom Pikes Peak in Colorado is named. As a U.S. Army officer he led two expeditions through the Louisiana Purchase territory, first ...

led the Pike Expedition westward from

St Louis, Missouri St. Louis ( , sometimes referred to as St. Louis City, Saint Louis or STL) is an Independent city (United States), independent city in the U.S. state of Missouri. It lies near the confluence of the Mississippi River, Mississippi and the Miss ...

, of which part of their journey followed the Cottonwood River through Chase County near the current city of Elmdale. In 1854, the

Kansas Territory The Territory of Kansas was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from May 30, 1854, until January 29, 1861, when the eastern portion of the territory was admitted to the United States, Union as the Slave and ...

was organized, then in 1861

Kansas Kansas ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Nebraska to the north; Missouri to the east; Oklahoma to the south; and Colorado to the west. Kansas is named a ...

became the 34th

U.S. state In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its so ...

. In 1859, Chase County was established within the

, which included the land for modern day Elmdale. In 1871, the

Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway , often referred to as the Santa Fe or AT&SF, was one of the largest Class 1 railroads in the United States between 1859 and 1996. The Santa Fe was a pioneer in intermodal freight transport; at vario ...

built a main line east-west through Elmdale.Santa Fe Rail History
/ref> In 1873, a post office was relocated from Middle Creek (an extinct town), to the rail community of Elmdale. Elmdale was incorporated in 1904. In 1916, Camp Wood

YMCA YMCA, sometimes regionally called the Y, is a worldwide youth organisation based in Geneva, Switzerland, with more than 64 million beneficiaries in 120 countries. It has nearly 90,000 staff, some 920,000 volunteers and 12,000 branches w ...

was built about 1.5 miles south of Elmdale. There have been numerous floods during the history of Elmdale. In June and July 1951, due to heavy rains, rivers and streams flooded numerous cities in Kansas, including Elmdale. Many reservoirs and levees were built in Kansas as part of a response to the

Great Flood of 1951 In mid-July 1951, heavy rains led to a great rise of water in the Kansas River, Missouri River, and other surrounding areas of the Central United States. Flooding occurred in the Kansas, Neosho, Marais Des Cygnes, and Verdigris river basins. ...

. A levee was built and saved the town from numerous floods, but in 1998 a flood spilled over the levee.

Geography

Elmdale is located in the

Flint Hills The Flint Hills, historically known as Bluestem Pastures or Blue Stem Hills, are a region of hills and prairies that lie mostly in eastern Kansas. It is named for the abundant residual flint eroded from the bedrock that lies near or at the surfa ...

of the

Great Plains The Great Plains is a broad expanse of plain, flatland in North America. The region stretches east of the Rocky Mountains, much of it covered in prairie, steppe, and grassland. They are the western part of the Interior Plains, which include th ...

. According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...

, the city has a total area of , all land. The Cottonwood River is approximately 0.5 mile east of the city.

Climate

The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the

Köppen Climate Classification The Köppen climate classification divides Earth climates into five main climate groups, with each group being divided based on patterns of seasonal precipitation and temperature. The five main groups are ''A'' (tropical), ''B'' (arid), ''C'' (te ...

system, Elmdale has a

humid subtropical climate A humid subtropical climate is a subtropical -temperate climate type, characterized by long and hot summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between ...

, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.

Demographics

Elmdale is part of the Emporia Micropolitan Statistical Area.

2020 census

The 2020 United States census counted 40 people, 11 households, and 9 families in Elmdale. The population density was 242.4 per square mile (93.6/km). There were 18 housing units at an average density of 109.1 per square mile (42.1/km). The racial makeup was 82.5% (33)

white White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...

European American European Americans are Americans of European ancestry. This term includes both people who descend from the first European settlers in the area of the present-day United States and people who descend from more recent European arrivals. Since th ...

(80.0%

non-Hispanic white Non-Hispanic Whites, also referred to as White Anglo Americans or Non-Latino Whites, are White Americans who are classified by the United States census as "White" and not of Hispanic or Latino origin. According to annual estimates from the Unit ...

), 2.5% (1)

black Black is a color that results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without chroma, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness.Eva Heller, ''P ...

African-American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from any of the Black racial groups of Africa. ...

, 5.0% (2) Native American or

Alaska Native Alaska Natives (also known as Native Alaskans, Alaskan Indians, or Indigenous Alaskans) are the Indigenous peoples of the Americas, Indigenous peoples of Alaska that encompass a diverse arena of cultural and linguistic groups, including the I ...

, 0.0% (0) Asian, 0.0% (0)

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...

Native Hawaiian Native Hawaiians (also known as Indigenous Hawaiians, Kānaka Maoli, Aboriginal Hawaiians, or simply Hawaiians; , , , and ) are the Indigenous peoples of Oceania, Indigenous Polynesians, Polynesian people of the Hawaiian Islands. Hawaiʻi was set ...

, 0.0% (0) from other races, and 10.0% (4) from

two or more races Multiracial Americans, also known as mixed-race Americans, are Americans who have mixed ancestry of two or more races. The term may also include Americans of mixed-race ancestry who self-identify with just one group culturally and socially (cf. t ...

Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...

or Latino of any race was 7.5% (3) of the population. Of the 11 households, 36.4% had children under the age of 18; 54.5% were married couples living together; 36.4% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. 18.2% of households consisted of individuals and 9.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 4.5 and the average family size was 5.4. 42.5% of the population was under the age of 18, 5.0% from 18 to 24, 20.0% from 25 to 44, 27.5% from 45 to 64, and 5.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 26.5 years. For every 100 females, there were 100.0 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older, there were 109.1 males. The 2016-2020 5-year

American Community Survey The American Community Survey (ACS) is an annual demographics survey program conducted by the United States Census Bureau. It regularly gathers information previously contained only in the long form of the United States census, decennial census ...

estimates show that the median household income was $43,750 (with a margin of error of +/- $12,788). The median income for those above 16 years old was $16,250 (+/- $12,575).

2010 census

As of the

census A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...

of 2010, there were 55 people, 23 households, and 11 families residing in the city. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: Standing stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geog ...

was . There were 27 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 96.4%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...

and 3.6% from two or more races.

or Latino of any race were 9.1% of the population. There were 23 households, of which 26.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.1% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...

living together, 4.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.3% had a male householder with no wife present, and 52.2% were non-families. 43.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13% 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 3.09. The median age in the city was 45.3 years. 23.6% of residents were under the age of 18; 9.1% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 16.3% were from 25 to 44; 38.2% were from 45 to 64; and 12.7% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 56.4% male and 43.6% female.

2000 census

As of the

of 2000, there were 50 people, 25 households, and 11 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 36 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 100.00%

or Latino of any race were 4.00% of the population. There were 25 households, out of which 20.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.0% were

living together, and 56.0% were non-families. 48.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 20.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.00 and the average family size was 2.91. In the city, the population was spread out, with 20.0% under the age of 18, 6.0% from 18 to 24, 22.0% from 25 to 44, 34.0% from 45 to 64, and 18.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 47 years. For every 100 females, there were 108.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 81.8 males. As of 2000 the median income for a household in the city was $21,250, and the median income for a family was $22,250. Males had a median income of $22,917 versus $12,083 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...

for the city was $13,083. There were no families and 19.2% of the population living below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line, or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...

, including no under eighteen and none of those over 64.

Arts and culture

The Clover Cliff Ranch House is listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...

. It is located 4 miles southwest of Elmdale along the north side of

highway.

Government

Elmdale government consists of a mayor and five council members.

Education

The community is served by

Chase County USD 284 Chase County USD 284 is a public unified school district headquartered in Cottonwood Falls, Kansas, United States. The district includes the communities of Cottonwood Falls, Strong City, Cedar Point, Elmdale, Matfield Green, Bazaar, Cleme ...

public school district. It has two schools. * Chase County Junior/Senior High School, 600 Main St in Cottonwood Falls.
Chase County Elementary School
410 Palmer St in Strong City. Before the creation of USD 284, the Elmdale Cougars won the Kansas State High School class B baseball championship in 1961. In 1967, the high school closed, then later the grade school.

Infrastructure

Transportation

highway and

BNSF Railway BNSF Railway is the largest freight railroad in the United States. One of six North American Class I railroads, BNSF has 36,000 employees, of track in 28 states, and over 8,000 locomotives. It has three Transcontinental railroad, transcontine ...

pass through the city.

References

External links

Elmdale - Directory of Public Officials

History and photographs.
Historic Images of Elmdale
Special Photo Collections at Wichita State University Library.
Topo Map of Elmdale / Clements area
USGS {{Authority control Cities in Chase County, Kansas Cities in Kansas Emporia, Kansas micropolitan area