Towanda is a city in Butler 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 1,447.

History

Towanda was established in 1870 and incorporated in 1905. Towanda is an Osage-language name meaning "big village". An F4 tornado devastated the town on March 31, 1892, killing at least nine people and injuring 60.

21st century

In 2010, the Keystone-Cushing Pipeline (Phase II) was constructed a few blocks west of Towanda (immediately west of SW River Valley Rd), running north to south through Butler County.Keystone Pipeline - ''TransCanada inspecting pipeline''; December 10, 2010.
/ref> With much controversy over tax exemption and environmental concerns (if a leak ever occurs).

Geography

Towanda is located at (37.795921, -96.999380), along the Whitewater River. 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.

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 incl ...

of 2010, there were 1,450 people, 524 households, and 397 families living 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 577 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 95.3%

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 ...

, 0.3%

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 ...

, 1.1% Native American, 0.5%

Asian Asian may refer to: * Items from or related to the continent of Asia: ** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia ** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia ** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...

, 0.4%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, 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 the original p ...

, 0.5% 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 ...

, and 1.9% 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 ...

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 2.7% of the population. There were 524 households, of which 39.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.9% 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, 9.4% had a female householder with no husband present, 6.5% had a male householder with no wife present, and 24.2% were non-families. 20.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.77 and the average family size was 3.15. The median age in the city was 34.5 years. 30% of residents were under the age of 18; 8.9% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 24.4% were from 25 to 44; 25.1% were from 45 to 64; and 11.7% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 50.0% male and 50.0% female.

2000 census

As of the

of 2000, there were 1,338 people, 492 households, and 383 families living in the city. The population density was . There were 537 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 96.79%

, 0.37%

, 0.37% Native American, 0.22%

, 0.22% from

, and 2.02% from two or more races.

of any race were 0.75% of the population. There were 492 households, out of which 39.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 66.1% were

living together, 8.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.0% were non-families. 20.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.72 and the average family size was 3.14. In the city, the population was spread out, with 29.3% under the age of 18, 9.2% from 18 to 24, 29.0% from 25 to 44, 20.5% from 45 to 64, and 12.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.7 males. The median income for a household in the city was $41,875, and the median income for a family was $47,188. Males had a median income of $32,250 versus $24,167 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 $17,815. About 5.1% of families and 6.5% 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 9.0% of those under age 18 and 5.0% of those ages 65 or over.

Education

The community is served by

Circle USD 375 Circle USD 375 is a public unified school district headquartered in Towanda, Kansas, United States. The district includes the communities of Towanda, Benton, Greenwich, Midian, western El Dorado, eastern Bel Aire, and nearby rural areas. Scho ...

public school district. Circle High School, located in Towanda, has one of the top graphic arts departments in the state. They are the top computer art school recognized at the Scholastics Art and Writing Awards, since 2005. The Circle High School mascot is the Thunderbirds.

Notable people

Garner E. Shriver Garner E. Shriver (July 6, 1912 – March 1, 1998) was a U.S. Representative from Kansas. Biography Born in Towanda, Kansas, Shriver attended the public schools of Towanda and Wichita. He moved to Wichita, Kansas, in 1925. He was in the Universi ...

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

Jordan Phillips Jordan Phillips (born September 21, 1992) is an American football defensive tackle who is a free agent. He played college football at Oklahoma. Early years Phillips attended Circle High School in Towanda, Kansas, where he played high school ...

, defensive lineman for the

Arizona Cardinals The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in the Phoenix metropolitan area. The Cardinals compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) West division, and play t ...

References

External links

City website

Towanda - Directory of Public Officials

Towanda City Map
KDOT {{Authority control Cities in Kansas Cities in Butler County, Kansas Wichita, KS Metropolitan Statistical Area 1870 establishments in Kansas Populated places established in 1870