Riverton is a

census-designated place A census-designated place (CDP) is a Place (United States Census Bureau), concentration of population defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes only. CDPs have been used in each decennial census since 1980 as the counte ...

(CDP) in Cherokee County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 771. It is located at the junction of K-66 (former

U.S. Route 66 U.S. Route 66 or U.S. Highway 66 (US 66 or Route 66) is one of the original highways in the United States Numbered Highway System. It was established on November 11, 1926, with road signs erected the following year. The high ...

) and U.S. Route 69 Alternate and U.S. Route 400, near the Spring River. It is one of only three communities in Kansas along former

History

The first post office in Riverton was established in 1919.

Geography

Riverton is located in southeastern Cherokee County near the southeastern corner of Kansas. Along K-66, Galena, Kansas, is to the east, and

Joplin, Missouri Joplin is a city in Jasper County, Missouri, Jasper and Newton County, Missouri, Newton counties in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Missouri. The bulk of the city is in Jasper County, while the southern portion is in Newton County. J ...

, is to the east.

Pittsburg, Kansas Pittsburg is a city in Crawford County, Kansas, Crawford County, Kansas, United States, located in southeast Kansas near the Missouri state border. It is the most populous city in Crawford County and southeast Kansas. As of the 2020 United S ...

, is to the north via US 400 and US 69. Baxter Springs, Kansas, is to the southwest, and Miami, Oklahoma, is to the southwest via US 69A. The eastern and southern edges of the CDP ars formed by the Spring River, which flows south to the Neosho River in Oklahoma. The CDP of Lowell is to the south across the Spring River.

Demographics

Area attractions

The famous Rainbow Bridge, about west of town, was the site where in the year 2000, musician

Brad Paisley Brad Douglas Paisley (born October 28, 1972) is an American country music singer, songwriter, and guitarist. His first success came in 1997 as the writer of David Kersh's "Another You (David Kersh song), Another You". After this, he signed with ...

performed the song "(Get Your Kicks on) Route 66" for the

TLC TLC may refer to: Arts and entertainment Television * ''TLC'' (TV series), a 2002 British situational comedy television series that aired on BBC2 * TLC (TV network), formerly the Learning Channel, an American cable TV network ** TLC (Asia), an A ...

special "Route 66: Main Street America". The Eisler Brothers Country Store in Riverton was one of the stops on

Pixar Pixar (), doing business as Pixar Animation Studios, is an American animation studio based in Emeryville, California, known for its critically and commercially successful computer-animated feature films. Pixar is a subsidiary of Walt Disney ...

's US 66 research trips for the 2006 film ''Cars''. The filmmakers met with Dean Walker, then president of the Kansas Route 66 Association, who is known to twist his feet backwards 180° and walk in reverse. He became one of many inspirations for the Mater character, a rusty old

tow truck A tow truck (also called a wrecker, a breakdown truck, recovery vehicle or a breakdown lorry) is a truck used to move disabled, improperly parked, Vehicle impoundment, impounded, or otherwise indisposed motor vehicles. This may involve recoverin ...

who teaches

NASCAR The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, LLC (NASCAR) is an American auto racing sanctioning and operating company that is best known for stock car racing. It is considered to be one of the top ranked motorsports organizations in ...

rookie Lightning McQueen to drive in reverse. The original boom truck is currently based at a restored Kan-O-Tex Service Station in nearby Galena.

Education

The community is served by Riverton USD 404 public school district.

Gallery

Image:Eisler's in Riverton, KS.jpg, Eisler Brothers Country Store in Riverton, mentioned in the credits for the movie ''Cars'' Image:Rainbow Marsh Bridge.jpg, Rainbow Bridge near Riverton, 2008

References

External links

USD 404
local school district * Cherokee County maps
CurrentHistoric
KDOT {{Authority control Census-designated places in Cherokee County, Kansas U.S. Route 66 in Kansas