Reading is a city in
Lyon County,
Kansas
Kansas () is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its capital is Topeka, and its largest city is Wichita. Kansas is a landlocked state bordered by Nebraska to the north; Missouri to the east; Oklahoma to the south; and Colorado to the ...
, United States.
As of the
2020 census, the population of the city was 181.
![Reading Kansas community center and grain elevator](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/54/Reading_Kansas_community_center_and_grain_elevator.jpg)
History
For millennia, the land that is currently Kansas was inhabited by
Native Americans. In 1803, the United States secured most of modern
Kansas
Kansas () is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its capital is Topeka, and its largest city is Wichita. Kansas is a landlocked state bordered by Nebraska to the north; Missouri to the east; Oklahoma to the south; and Colorado to the ...
as part of the
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 ...
. In 1854, Congress organized 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 ...
and in 1861,
Kansas
Kansas () is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its capital is Topeka, and its largest city is Wichita. Kansas is a landlocked state bordered by Nebraska to the north; Missouri to the east; Oklahoma to the south; and Colorado to the ...
became the 34th state.
In 1863, by Act of Congress and similarly by an act of the State of Kansas, 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 larger railroads in the United States. The railroad was chartered in February 1859 to serve the cities of Atchison, Kansas, Atchison and Top ...
was granted 3,000,000 acres of Kansas land on the condition that it would build a continuous line to the western border of Kansas by March 1, 1873. On Oct. 30, 1868, construction began at Topeka. By Sept. 14, 1870, the first Santa Fe train reached Emporia, fifteen miles past the present site of Reading. James Fagan, agent for the railroad lands, and T. J. Peter and M. S. Sargent, who represented the railroad interest, organized a town company, with James Fagan as president. The land was owned by McMann & Co., of
Reading, Pennsylvania
Reading ( ; Pennsylvania Dutch: ''Reddin'') is a city in and the county seat of Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States. The city had a population of 95,112 as of the 2020 census and is the fourth-largest city in Pennsylvania after Philade ...
. The town was platted on sixty acres of Section 3, Township 18, Range 13, and called it Reading, after
Reading, Pennsylvania
Reading ( ; Pennsylvania Dutch: ''Reddin'') is a city in and the county seat of Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States. The city had a population of 95,112 as of the 2020 census and is the fourth-largest city in Pennsylvania after Philade ...
. In summer 1870, the town site was surveyed.
The first post office in Reading was established in August 1870. Reading was incorporated as a city in September 1890.
2011 tornado
![May 21, 2011 Reading, Kansas tornado](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/56/May_21%2C_2011_Reading%2C_Kansas_tornado.jpg)
On May 21, 2011 around 9:15PM, an
EF3 tornado
A tornado is a violently rotating column of air that is in contact with both the surface of the Earth and a cumulonimbus cloud or, in rare cases, the base of a cumulus cloud. It is often referred to as a twister, whirlwind or cyclone, altho ...
hit Reading. It was three blocks wide and stayed on the ground for about four miles. The tornado destroyed at least 56 of 110 homes and 14 of 21 businesses. The post office and fire station suffered major damage. One person died and two were hospitalized. Early damage estimates topped $2.2 million.
In just over a year, the community rebuilt itself with some help of the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Most of the town has been rebuilt as of 2023.
Geography
Reading is located at (38.519102, -95.959091)
at the eastern edge of
Lyon County. It is fifteen miles northeast of
Emporia and fourteen miles southwest of
Osage City along Highway 170. 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. The Census Bureau is part of the ...
, the city has a total area of , all of it land.
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 is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, notabl ...
system, Reading has a
humid subtropical climate
A humid subtropical climate is a zone of climate characterized by hot and humid summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between latitudes 25° and 40° ...
, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.
Demographics
Reading is part of the
Emporia Micropolitan Statistical Area.
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 incl ...
of 2010, there were 231 people, 86 households, and 62 families residing in the city. The
population density
Population density (in agriculture: 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 term.Matt RosenberPopul ...
was . There were 103 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 100.0%
White
White is the 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 reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White on ...
.
Hispanic
The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, 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 Vic ...
or
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 3.9% of the population.
There were 86 households, of which 46.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.3% 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, 12.8% had a female householder with no husband present, 7.0% had a male householder with no wife present, and 27.9% were non-families. 24.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.69 and the average family size was 3.15.
The median age in the city was 32.9 years. 33.8% of residents were under the age of 18; 5.1% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 27.2% were from 25 to 44; 26.4% were from 45 to 64; and 7.4% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 53.7% male and 46.3% female.
2000 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 incl ...
of 2000, there were 247 people, 92 households, and 63 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 108 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 97.98%
White
White is the 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 reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White on ...
, 0.40%
African American
African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
, and 1.62% from two or more races.
Hispanic
The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, 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 Vic ...
or
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 1.62% of the population.
There were 92 households, out of which 39.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.3% 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, 7.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.5% were non-families. 26.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.68 and the average family size was 3.29.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 33.2% under the age of 18, 6.5% from 18 to 24, 34.4% from 25 to 44, 16.6% from 45 to 64, and 9.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 108.9 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $25,000, and the median income for a family was $29,500. Males had a median income of $18,750 versus $25,536 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 $11,673. About 15.6% of families and 13.3% of the population 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 t ...
, including 14.4% of those under the age of eighteen and none of those 65 or over.
Government
The Reading government consists of a mayor and five council members. The council meets the first Thursday of each month at 7PM.
* City Hall, 413 First Street.
* U.S. Post Office, 404 First Street.
* Kansas Department of Wildlife & Park, 2272 Road 250.
Education
The community is served by
North Lyon County USD 251 public school district.
The city previously had a school located at 424 First Street. Reading High School was closed through school unification in 1980. The Reading High School mascot was "The Reading Lions". The Reading Elementary School closed at the end of the 2017-2018 academic year. Students previously attending Reading generally attend the USD 251 school in
Americus. High school students attend Northern Heights High School located near
Allen Allen, Allen's or Allens may refer to:
Buildings
* Allen Arena, an indoor arena at Lipscomb University in Nashville, Tennessee
* Allen Center, a skyscraper complex in downtown Houston, Texas
* Allen Fieldhouse, an indoor sports arena on the Univer ...
. The Northern Heights High School mascot is Wildcats. As of March 21, 2019 the school district had not made a decision as to the disposition of the school building in Reading.
Notable people
*
Jim Barnett, unsuccessful 2006
Republican
Republican can refer to:
Political ideology
* An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law.
** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...
candidate for
governor of Kansas
A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political r ...
, grew up on a farm near Reading and graduated from Reading High School.
*
Robert D. "Bob" Price (1927–2004),
U.S. Representative
The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they c ...
from the
Texas Panhandle
The Texas Panhandle is a region of the U.S. state of Texas consisting of the northernmost 26 counties in the state. The panhandle is a square-shaped area bordered by New Mexico to the west and Oklahoma to the north and east. It is adjacent to ...
from 1967 to 1975, was born in Reading.
See also
*
Tornado outbreak sequence of May 21–26, 2011
The tornado outbreak sequence of May 21–26, 2011 was one of the largest tornado outbreaks on record which affected the Midwestern and Southern regions of the United States. Most of the tornadoes developed in a corridor from Lake Superior southw ...
References
Further reading
External links
;City
City of ReadingReading - Directory of Public Officials;Historical
; May 2011 Tornado
kansastravel.org
Kansas officials inspect damage in Reading The Topeka Capital-Journal
The Kansas City Star
The Wichita Eagle
Numerous photos of Reading tornado damage Flickr
Video of Reading tornado seen from a TV tower KSN
;Maps
Reading city map KDOT
{{Authority control
Cities in Kansas
Cities in Lyon County, Kansas
Emporia, Kansas micropolitan area
Populated places established in 1870
1870 establishments in Kansas