Chanute () is a city in Neosho County,

Kansas Kansas () is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. Its Capital city, capital is Topeka, Kansas, Topeka, and its largest city is Wichita, Kansas, Wichita. Kansas is a landlocked state bordered by Nebras ...

, United States. Founded on January 1, 1873, it was named after railroad engineer and aviation pioneer

Octave Chanute Octave Chanute (February 18, 1832 – November 23, 1910) was a French-American civil engineer and aviation pioneer. He provided many budding enthusiasts, including the Wright brothers, with help and advice, and helped to publicize their flying ...

. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 8,722. Chanute is home of

Neosho County Community College Neosho County Community College (NCCC) is a Public college, public community college in Chanute, Kansas. It has a secondary campus in Ottawa, Kansas. It is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. History In 1936, it was established as Chan ...

History

In 1870 when the Leavenworth, Lawrence & Galveston Rail Road (later the

Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe 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 and Topeka, Kansas, and ...

, now the

BNSF Railway BNSF Railway is one of the largest freight railroads in North America. One of seven North American Class I railroads, BNSF has 35,000 employees, of track in 28 states, and nearly 8,000 locomotives. It has three transcontinental routes that ...

) crossed the Missouri, Kansas and Texas line within the limits of Neosho county four rival towns sprang up, in the vicinity of the junction: New Chicago, Chicago Junction, Alliance, and Tioga. Two years of the most bitter animosity ensued until the four were consolidated in 1872, and the name of Chanute given it in honor of Octave Chanute, a railroad civil engineer. Settlers had begun populating the area as early as 1856. With the LL&G Railroad set to arrive shortly thereafter, the early residents of the towns of Tioga, Chicago Junction, Alliance, and New Chicago needed an innovative solution to an escalating dispute over which town would claim the right to house the LL&G Railroad's new land office. The towns were unable to settle their differences until an individual by the name of

came to town. Octave was the Chief Engineer and General Superintendent of the LL&G Railroad. In 1872, he suggested the towns merge to end the bickering. On January 1, 1873 the towns merged and became Chanute. With the Southern Kansas Railroad locating a division headquarters in Chanute, the city began to flourish. In 1887, Chanute boasted a rapid growth in flourmills,

grain elevator A grain elevator is a facility designed to stockpile or store grain. In the grain trade, the term "grain elevator" also describes a tower containing a bucket elevator or a pneumatic conveyor, which scoops up grain from a lower level and deposi ...

s, banks, drug and hardware stores, and natural gas. In 1903, the City of Chanute established the electric utility, and in the years to follow, established the gas, water, wastewater, refuse utilities.

Ash Grove Cement Company Ash Grove Cement Company is a cement manufacturer based in Overland Park, Kansas. It is the sixth largest cement manufacturer in North America, and was the largest US-owned cement company until it was acquired in 2018 by CRH plc, a global build ...

, the sixth largest cement manufacturer in North America, commenced cement manufacture in 1908 in Chanute. In September 2011 Spirit AeroSystems announced the expansion of an assembly facility which will grow to 150 employees in five years and boost the local economy.

Geography

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 th ...

, the city has a total area of , of which is land and is water.

Climate

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 inc ...

of 2010, there were 9,119 people, 3,720 households, and 2,322 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 RosenberPopu ...

was . There were 4,178 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 92.4%

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 ...

, 1.9%

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 ...

, 1.2% Native American, 0.8% Asian, 0.1%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the Pacific Islands. As an ethnic/ racial term, it is used to describe the original peoples—inhabitants and diasporas—of any of the three major subregions of O ...

, 1.4% from other races, and 2.2% 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 ...

or Latino of any race were 5.4% of the population. There were 3,720 households, of which 32.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.1% 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 ...

living together, 12.6% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.7% had a male householder with no wife present, and 37.6% were non-families. 33.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.1% 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 2.93. The median age in the city was 37.2 years. 25.3% of residents were under the age of 18; 10.5% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 23% were from 25 to 44; 24.5% were from 45 to 64; and 16.8% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.0% male and 52.0% female.

2000 census

As of the

of 2000, there were 9,411 people, 3,864 households, and 2,496 families residing in the city. The

was 1,533.7 people per square mile (591.8 per km²). There were 4,262 housing units at an average density of 694.6 per square mile (268.0 per km²). The racial makeup of the city was 93.20%

, 1.42%

, 1.11% Native American, 0.47% Asian, 0.04%

, 1.39% from other races, and 2.37% from two or more races.

or Latino of any race were 3.89% of the population. There were 3,864 households, out of which 30.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.9% were

living together, 10.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.4% were non-families. 31.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.34 and the average family size was 2.92. In the city, the population was spread out, with 25.2% under the age of 18, 10.1% from 18 to 24, 25.2% from 25 to 44, 20.5% from 45 to 64, and 18.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 88.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.8 males. The median income for a household in the city was $29,912, and the median income for a family was $36,630. Males had a median income of $25,696 versus $17,938 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 $16,288. About 12.0% of families and 15.0% 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 ...

, including 20.3% of those under age 18 and 9.9% of those age 65 or over.

Education

Aerial photo of Chanute High School, Chanute Kansas 09-04-2013

Colleges

Chanute's only college is the

known locally as NCCC, or sometimes as NC³. Neosho County Community College is a public, two-year institution, that currently provides post-secondary education for just under 3,200 students.

Primary and secondary

The community is served by Chanute USD 413 public school district, which includes one elementary school, one middle school, and one high school. Chanute Elementary School is the city's elementary school, Royster Middle School is the city's middle school, and Chanute High School is the city's high school. Chanute's public school system also includes Chanute High School-affiliated New Beginnings Academy, a program for students lacking credits to graduate and designed for individuals who have dropped out or are in danger of dropping out of high school. High school credits for New Beginnings Academy are provided by Chanute High School. In 1961 Chanute had at least 3 elementary schools, Alcot, Murray Hill and James B Hutton. Alcot was located in the northwest section of Chanute in the vicinity of Highland Park. Murray Hill was located on 3rd Street bounded on the East by Garfield Avenue. It is now listed in the National Register of Historic Places also is a senior living home. The front of James B. Hutton was located on Ashby Avenue on the west side and Katy Avenue on the east side between 6th and 7th Streets. It is currently used as a religious center noted by web maps. Chanute is home to two private schools: Saint Patrick Catholic School and Chanute Christian Academy. Saint Patrick Catholic School provides schooling for students from pre-school (ages three to four) through the sixth grade while Chanute Christian Academy (CCA) provides schooling for students from kindergarten through the twelfth grade. The Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) recognizes Saint Patrick Catholic School as an accredited, non-public school. Chanute Christian Academy is not listed as an accredited school on the KSDE website.

Area attractions

The Chanute area has many tourist attractions known for their historical significance. ;Martin and Osa Johnson Safari Museum The Martin and Osa Johnson Safari Museum offers exhibits and programs that highlight the achievements of

Martin and Osa Johnson Martin Elmer Johnson (October 9, 1884 – January 13, 1937) and Osa Helen Johnson (née Leighty, March 14, 1894 – January 7, 1953) were married American adventurers and documentary filmmakers. In the first half of the 20th century the couple ...

, pioneering documentary filmmakers, photographers, authors, explorers, and Kansans. A trip to the museum allows one to relive the Johnsons' 1917–1936 adventures in Africa,

Borneo Borneo (; id, Kalimantan) is the third-largest island in the world and the largest in Asia. At the geographic centre of Maritime Southeast Asia, in relation to major Indonesian islands, it is located north of Java, west of Sulawesi, and e ...

and the South Seas. Additional exhibits feature the cultures and art of West Africa. ;The Tioga Suites Hotel The Tioga Suites Hotel, on the National Register of Historic Places listings in Neosho County, Kansas as the Tioga Inn, was built in 1929 boasting "modern fireproof construction" consisting of concrete framing, ceramic block fire walls, firehose connections on each floor, fire extinguishers and even "complete fire fighting apparatus" in the roof-top elevator penthouse. It is located on the northeast corner of Lincoln and Main Streets. It has been remodeled and modernized. Currently, it operates as th
Tioga Hotel
the largest hotel in town. ;Chanute Art Gallery The Chanute Art Gallery includes more than 1,500 square feet of exhibit area and houses a Permanent Core Collection of more than 500 works of art that includes 25 mediums, representing 135 artists. Special exhibits change every month. Collections include: The Luigi Kasimir Etchings, European and Oriental Art, The Kansas Prairie Printmakers and local and area artists. ;Chanute Historical Museum The Chanute Historical Museum, run by the Chanute Historical Society, is located south of the historic Santa Fe Railroad Depot in what is commonly known as the Flat Iron Building. Exhibits include a replica of Octave Chanute's 1896 biplane glider that was once displayed at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC, historic artifacts from the Santa Fe Railroad and the Harvey House restaurant, and more. ;Downtown & Historic Homes Both the downtown and historic home districts offer a variety of architectural styles and examples of restoration. The James and Ella Truitt House, located at 305 N. Steuben Ave., was listed on the National Register of Historic Places listings in Neosho County, Kansas in 2014. Chanute also has several examples of WPA projects. ;Cardinal Drug Store The Cardinal Drug Store in downtown Chanute is the home of one of the oldest original soda fountains in Kansas. It has a collection of Coke memorabilia and medicine bottles. Cardinal is located at 103 East Main Street. ;Austin Bridge The King Bridge Company constructed the Austin Bridge in 1872. The 160-foot bowstring arch design spanned the Neosho River east of what is now Chanute. Local pioneers invested $15,000 in the bridge for their economic future of getting livestock and crops to the railhead. In 1910 the bridge was moved downstream to the community of Austin. In 1972 it was closed to vehicular traffic, remaining open to foot traffic. On September 15, 1977 the bridge was added to the National Register of Historic Places. In August 1999 the bridge was moved into Santa Fe Park to become the southern terminus of a 3.11 mile hike/bike path. A Federal grant, Neosho County and the City of Chanute funded the project. ;Summit Hill Gardens Summit Hill Gardens was the first school in Neosho County. Summit Hill was restored and a historic home and modern structure were added to the family residence. It has a flower and herb garden. It is located at 2605 160th Road. ;Chanute–Wright Brothers Memorial Located at 1 West Main, this sculpture was dedicated in September 2003 by the Chanute High School Class of 1941. The sculpture honors engineer and city namesake, Octave Chanute, a railroad designer who built the railroad through the town (now next to the memorial site), and whose work inspired the Wright Brothers. The replica sculpture of the Wright Brothers plane measures 23 feet from wing tip to wing tip and 20 feet from nose to tail. The project was in partnership with the City of Chanute.

Transportation

Highways

Major highways running through Chanute are north–south route US-169 and east–west route K-39 (East-West). Chanute is also within 10 miles of two other major north–south highways: US-75 and US-59. These highways provide easy access to I-70 and

I-35 Interstate 35 (I-35) is a major Interstate Highway in the central United States. As with most primary Interstates that end in a five, it is a major cross-country, north–south route. It stretches from Laredo, Texas, near the Mexican border ...

, the two Interstate highways passing through Kansas, as well as east–west highway US-400.

Bus

Bus service is provided northward towards

Kansas City, Missouri Kansas City (abbreviated KC or KCMO) is the largest city in Missouri by population and area. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the city had a population of 508,090 in 2020, making it the List of United States cities by populat ...

and southward towards

Tulsa, Oklahoma Tulsa () is the second-largest city in the state of Oklahoma and 47th-most populous city in the United States. The population was 413,066 as of the 2020 census. It is the principal municipality of the Tulsa Metropolitan Area, a region wit ...

by Jefferson Lines (subcontractor of

Greyhound Lines Greyhound Lines, Inc. (commonly known as simply Greyhound) operates the largest intercity bus service in North America, including Greyhound Mexico. It also operates charter bus services, Amtrak Thruway services, commuter bus services, and ...

Railways

The South Kansas and Oklahoma Railroad (SKO) serves Chanute, as well as Southern and Eastern Kansas and Northern Oklahoma. The SKO connects to several major railroads allowing local businesses the opportunity to bid and negotiate their rail transportation costs to acquire the best possible price to all locations throughout North America.

Airports

Chanute Martin Johnson Airport Chanute Martin Johnson Airport is a city-owned airport located two miles southwest of Chanute, in Neosho County, Kansas. It is named for Martin Johnson, of the husband-and-wife explorers Martin and Osa Johnson, although it was Osa and not Ma ...

(FAA Identifier: CNU) is a

general aviation General aviation (GA) is defined by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) as all civil aviation aircraft operations with the exception of commercial air transport or aerial work, which is defined as specialized aviation services ...

airport with a 4,255-foot runway and taxiway. Expansion of services and infrastructure is in the planning stages, including new T-hangars and pavement improvements.

Infrastructure

In October 2014, the City of Chanute announced it planned to establish a municipal-operated

broadband In telecommunications, broadband is wide bandwidth data transmission which transports multiple signals at a wide range of frequencies and Internet traffic types, that enables messages to be sent simultaneously, used in fast internet connections. ...

network, offering 1 Gigabit Internet connectivity for about US$40 per month.

AT&T AT&T Inc. is an American multinational telecommunications holding company headquartered at Whitacre Tower in Downtown Dallas, Texas. It is the world's largest telecommunications company by revenue and the third largest provider of mobile ...

, which currently offers only 6 megabit DSL service to the town (at a higher price), filed a petition with the

Kansas Corporation Commission The Kansas Corporation Commission (KCC) is the public utilities commission of the state of Kansas run by three Commissioners appointed by the Governor with the approval of the Senate. The Commission has the responsibility of ensuring that natural g ...

to intervene in the city's proposed offering, arguing it has the right to intervene since a 1947 law requires the Commission to approve any bond issue the city would use to finance the construction. In April 2015, incoming city commissioners voted not to issue bonds and to temporarily halt the plans on municipal operated broadband, pending further public discussion and a public vote

Notable people

* Eden Ahbez (1908–1995), songwriter and mystic, lived in Chanute in his youth as George McGrew * Jimmy Allen, former lead guitarist for Puddle of Mudd * Gilbert Baker, LGBT activist, created the rainbow flag * Edith Bideau, singer and music educator *

Edwin Bideau Edwin 'Ed' H. Bideau III (October 1, 1950 – September 5, 2013) was a lawyer, farmer, rancher, and Republican member of the Kansas House of Representatives, representing the 9th district (Neosho County, Kansas and Allen County, Kansas). Bideau ...

, lawyer and politician * Osa Johnson, adventurer, author, and documentary filmmaker *

Jennifer Knapp Jennifer Lynn Knapp (born April 12, 1974) is an American-Australian folk rock, and contemporary Christian musician. She is best known for her first single "Undo Me" from her debut album, ''Kansas'' (1998), and the song "A Little More" from her ...

, singer-songwriter * Paul Lindblad, MLB player *

Ralph Miller Ralph H. Miller (March 9, 1919 – May 15, 2001) was an American college basketball coach, a head coach for 38 years at three universities: Wichita (now known as Wichita State), Iowa, and Oregon State. With an overall record of , his teams had ...

, basketball coach, Hall of Fame *

Grace Olive Wiley Grace Olive Wiley (1884 – July 20, 1948) was an American herpetologist best known for her work with venomous snakes. She died of a snakebite she received while posing for a photographer at the age of 64.. Background Wiley originally worked as ...

, herpetologist *

Kustom Amplification Kustom Amplification or Kustom Electronics is a manufacturer of guitar and bass amplifiers and PA equipment and accessories. Since 1999, Kustom has been owned by the Hanser Music Group headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio. History "Kustom ...

, had a factory in Chanute. "Kustom" was a brand of Ross Inc, a company founded in 1964 by Bud Ross in Chanute.History of Kustom Amps
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Gallery

Image:Santa Fe Park, Chanute KS 2.jpg,

Steam locomotive A steam locomotive is a locomotive that provides the force to move itself and other vehicles by means of the expansion of steam. It is fuelled by burning combustible material (usually coal, oil or, rarely, wood) to heat water in the loco ...

in Santa Fe Park Image:Santa Fe Park, Chanute KS.jpg, Lake in Santa Fe Park

References

External links

*
Chanute - Directory of Public Officials

Chanute city map
KDOT {{Authority control Cities in Kansas Cities in Neosho County, Kansas Populated places established in 1873 1873 establishments in Kansas