Ramona is a city in Marion County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 78. The city name is a Spanish name. It is located southwest of Herington next to a railroad.

History

Stouffer's Railroad Map of Kansas 1915-1918 Marion County

Early history

For many millennia, the

Great Plains The Great Plains (french: Grandes Plaines), sometimes simply "the Plains", is a broad expanse of flatland in North America. It is located west of the Mississippi River and east of the Rocky Mountains, much of it covered in prairie, steppe, an ...

North America North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere and almost entirely within the Western Hemisphere. It is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South America and the Car ...

was inhabited by nomadic Native Americans. From the 16th century to 18th century, the Kingdom of France claimed ownership of large parts of

. In 1762, after the French and Indian War, France secretly ceded New France to Spain, per the Treaty of Fontainebleau.

19th century

In 1802, Spain returned most of the land to France. In 1803, most of the land for modern day Kansas was acquired by the United States from France as part of the 828,000 square mile

Louisiana Purchase The Louisiana Purchase (french: Vente de la Louisiane, translation=Sale of Louisiana) was the acquisition of the territory of Louisiana by the United States from the French First Republic in 1803. In return for fifteen million dollars, or app ...

for 2.83 cents per

acre The acre is a unit of land area used in the imperial and US customary systems. It is traditionally defined as the area of one chain by one furlong (66 by 660 feet), which is exactly equal to 10 square chains, of a square mile, 4,840 square ...

. In 1854, the Kansas Territory was organized, then in 1861 Kansas 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 sove ...

. In 1855, Marion County was established within the Kansas Territory, which included the land for modern day Ramona.The History of Marion County and Courthouse
/ref> The city name Ramona is a Spanish name. Land ownership of the Ramona area dates back when the area belonged to Spain. Manuel De Lisa, a New Orleans merchant, petitioned his government for a large land grant in the Ramona area on July 16, 1799. In 1887, the

Chicago, Kansas and Nebraska Railway The Chicago, Kansas and Nebraska Railway (originally ''Railroad'') was formed in 1885 with Marcus Low, a former attorney for the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad, as its president. The CRI&P advanced the CK&N about twenty-five million dol ...

built a main line from Herington through Ramona to

Pratt Pratt is an English surname. Notable people with the surname include: A–F * Abner Pratt (1801–1863), American diplomat, jurist, politician, lawyer * Al Pratt (baseball) (1847–1937), American baseball player * Andy Pratt (baseball) (bor ...

.Rock Island Rail History
/ref> In 1888, this line was extended to

Liberal Liberal or liberalism may refer to: Politics * a supporter of liberalism ** Liberalism by country * an adherent of a Liberal Party * Liberalism (international relations) * Sexually liberal feminism * Social liberalism Arts, entertainment and m ...

. Later, it was extended to

Tucumcari, New Mexico Tucumcari (; ) is a city in and the county seat of Quay County, New Mexico, United States. The population was 5,278 at the 2020 census. Tucumcari was founded in 1901, two years before Quay County was established. History In 1901, the Chicago, ...

and

El Paso, Texas El Paso (; "the pass") is a city in and the seat of El Paso County in the western corner of the U.S. state of Texas. The 2020 population of the city from the U.S. Census Bureau was 678,815, making it the 23rd-largest city in the U.S., the ...

. It foreclosed in 1891 and taken over by Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railway, which shut down in 1980 and reorganized as

Oklahoma, Kansas and Texas Railroad The Oklahoma, Kansas and Texas Railroad (OKT) was a railroad operating in its namesake states in the 1980s. OKT I The Oklahoma, Kansas and Texas Railroad was originally created on May 29, 1980, after the demise of the Chicago, Rock Island and Pa ...

, merged in 1988 with

Missouri Pacific Railroad The Missouri Pacific Railroad , commonly abbreviated as MoPac, was one of the first railroads in the United States west of the Mississippi River. MoPac was a Class I railroad growing from dozens of predecessors and mergers. In 1967, the railroad ...

, and finally merged in 1997 with

Union Pacific Railroad The Union Pacific Railroad , legally Union Pacific Railroad Company and often called simply Union Pacific, is a freight-hauling railroad that operates 8,300 locomotives over routes in 23 U.S. states west of Chicago and New Orleans. Union Pac ...

. Most locals still refer to this railroad as the "Rock Island". A post office was established in Ramona on August 9, 1887.

21st century

In 2010, the Keystone-Cushing Pipeline (Phase II) was constructed near Ramona, north to south through Marion County, with much controversy over road damage, tax exemption, and environmental concerns (if a leak ever occurs).

Geography

Ramona is located in the scenic

Flint Hills The Flint Hills, historically known as Bluestem Pastures or Blue Stem Hills, are a region in eastern Kansas and north-central Oklahoma named for the abundant residual flint eroded from the bedrock that lies near or at the surface. It consists ...

and

of the state of Kansas. According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy An economy is an area of th ...

, the city has a total area of , all of it land. The county line is 0.5 miles north of Ramona.

Demographics

2010 census

As of the

census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses in ...

of 2010, there were 187 people, 66 households, and 45 families residing in the city. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: 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 geographical ...

was . There were 90 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 93.0%

White White is the lightness, lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully diffuse reflection, reflect and scattering, scatter all the ...

, 2.1%

Native American Native Americans or Native American may refer to: Ethnic groups * Indigenous peoples of the Americas, the pre-Columbian peoples of North and South America and their descendants * Native Americans in the United States * Indigenous peoples in Cana ...

, and 4.8% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to viceroyalties for ...

Latino Latino or Latinos most often refers to: * Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America * Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States * The people or cultures of Latin America; ** Latin A ...

of any race were 1.6% of the population. There were 66 households, of which 36.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.0% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between t ...

living together, 9.1% had a female householder with no husband present, 12.1% had a male householder with no wife present, and 31.8% were non-families. 19.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.83 and the average family size was 3.36. The median age in the city was 33.5 years. 35.3% of residents were under the age of 18; 2.2% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 21.9% were from 25 to 44; 27.8% were from 45 to 64; and 12.8% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 54.5% male and 45.5% female.

2000 census

As of the

of 2000, there were 94 people, 40 households, and 27 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 57 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 95.74%

, 4.26% from

other races Other often refers to: * Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy Other or The Other may also refer to: Film and television * ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack * ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...

of any race were 6.38% of the population. There were 40 households, out of which 20.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.5% were

living together, 12.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.5% were non-families. 25.0% 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 2.35 and the average family size was 2.74. In the city, the population was spread out, with 25.5% under the age of 18, 6.4% from 18 to 24, 24.5% from 25 to 44, 14.9% from 45 to 64, and 28.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 104.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 112.1 males. As of 2000 the median income for a household in the city was $26,458, and the median income for a family was $33,125. Males had a median income of $28,750 versus $26,875 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...

for the city was $17,345. None of the population and none of the families were 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 ...

Government

The Ramona government consists of a mayor and five council members. The council meets the 2nd and last Monday of each month at 7PM.Ramona - Directory of Public Officials
/ref> * City Hall, 311 "D" Street. * U.S. Post Office, 215 "D" Street.

Education

The community is served by

Centre USD 397 Centre USD 397 is a public unified school district headquartered in a rural area between Lost Springs and Lincolnville in Kansas. The district includes the communities of Lincolnville, Lost Springs, Pilsen, Tampa, Ramona, Antelope, Burd ...

public school district. The high school is a member of T.E.E.N., a shared video teaching network between five area high schools.T.E.E.N. video teaching network
/ref> * Centre School; 2374 310th St, Lost Springs, KS; between Lost Springs and Lincolnville, east of U.S. 77 highway.

Media

Print

* ''The Herington Times'', newspaper from Herington. * ''

Marion County Record The Marion County Record is a weekly newspaper published in Marion, Kansas, and serves as the official newspaper of City of Marion and Marion County. The paper publishes every Wednesday. History Origins The newspaper's first issue came off the ...

'', newspaper from

Marion Marion may refer to: People *Marion (given name) * Marion (surname) *Marion Silva Fernandes, Brazilian footballer known simply as "Marion" *Marion (singer), Filipino singer-songwriter and pianist Marion Aunor (born 1992) Places Antarctica * Mari ...

. * ''

Hillsboro Free Press The ''Hillsboro Free Press'' is a local weekly newspaper A weekly newspaper is a general-news or Current affairs (news format), current affairs publication that is issued once or twice a week in a wide variety broadsheet, magazine, and elec ...

'', free newspaper for greater Marion County area.

Infrastructure

Transportation

Ramona is served by the

, formerly the Southern Pacific, and prior, the

Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad The Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad (CRI&P RW, sometimes called ''Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railway'') was an American Class I railroad. It was also known as the Rock Island Line, or, in its final years, The Rock. At the end ...

. Ramona is located on UP's Golden State main line to

, and has a

rail siding A siding, in rail terminology, is a low-speed track section distinct from a running line or through route such as a main line, branch line, or spur. It may connect to through track or to other sidings at either end. Sidings often have lighte ...

for train meets before entering UP's

Herington, Kansas Herington is a city in Dickinson and Morris counties in the U.S. state of Kansas. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 2,109. History 19th century Herington was named after its founder, Monroe Davis Herington. His name at ...

Yard. The line was originally built by the

Chicago, Kansas and Nebraska Railroad The Chicago, Kansas and Nebraska Railway (originally ''Railroad'') was formed in 1885 with Marcus Low, a former attorney for the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad, as its president. The CRI&P advanced the CK&N about twenty-five million dol ...

Utilities

* Internet ** Fiber Optics is provided b
TCT
** Satellite is provided by

HughesNet Hughes Network Systems, LLC is a wholly owned subsidiary of EchoStar. It is headquartered in Germantown, Maryland and provides satellite internet service. HughesNet has over 1.3 million subscribers in the Americas. History Hughes Communications ...

StarBand StarBand was a two-way satellite broadband Internet service available in the U.S. from 2000–2015. StarBand ceased operations effective September 30, 2015 citing increased competition from other internet providers. The StarBand satellite Internet ...

WildBlue Viasat Inc. is an American communications company based in Carlsbad, California, with additional operations across the United States and worldwide. Viasat is a provider of high-speed satellite broadband services and secure networking systems c ...

. * TV ** Fiber Optics is provided b
TCT
** Satellite is provided by

DirecTV DirecTV (trademarked as DIRECTV) is an American Multichannel television in the United States, multichannel video programming distributor based in El Segundo, California, El Segundo, California. Originally launched on June 17, 1994, its primary ...

Dish Network DISH Network Corporation (DISH, an acronym for DIgital Sky Highway) is an American television provider and the owner of the direct-broadcast satellite provider Dish, commonly known as Dish Network, and the over-the-top IPTV service, Sling TV ...

. ** Terrestrial is provided by regional

digital TV Digital television (DTV) is the transmission of television signals using digital encoding, in contrast to the earlier analog television technology which used analog signals. At the time of its development it was considered an innovative advanc ...

stations. * Telephone ** Fiber Optics is provided b
TCT
* Electricity ** City is provided by

Westar Energy Evergy, Inc. is an American investor-owned utility (IOU) with publicly traded stock that has its headquarters in Topeka, Kansas, and in Kansas City, Missouri. The company was formed from a merger of Westar Energy of Topeka and Great Plains E ...

. ** Rural is provided b
Flint Hills RECA
* Natural Gas is provided by

Atmos Energy Atmos Energy Corporation, headquartered in Dallas, Texas, is one of the United States' largest natural-gas-only distributors, serving about three million natural gas distribution customers in over 1,400 communities in nine states from the Blue Ri ...

. * Water ** City is provided by Marion County RWD #1, billed by City of Ramona. ** Rural is provided by Marion County RWD #1. * Sewer ** Service is provided by City of Ramona. * Trash ** Service is provided by M&K Trash.

Notable people

* Glenn Strickler, (1901–1979),

Kansas House of Representatives The Kansas House of Representatives is the lower house of the legislature of the U.S. state of Kansas Kansas () is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its capital is Topeka, and its largest city is Wichita. Kansas is a landlocke ...

,Kansas Legislators Past & Present
/ref> Merchant.