Codell is an

unincorporated community An unincorporated area is a region that is not governed by a local municipal corporation. Widespread unincorporated communities and areas are a distinguishing feature of the United States and Canada. Most other countries of the world either have ...

Rooks County, Kansas Rooks County (standard abbreviation: RO) is a county located in the U.S. state of Kansas. As of the 2020 census, the county population was 4,919. The county seat is Stockton, and the largest city is Plainville. The county was named for Priva ...

, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population of the community and nearby areas was 49.

History

Codell was established as a

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 Paci ...

depot in 1887. Union Pacific could not reach agreement with the town of

Motor An engine or motor is a machine designed to convert one or more forms of energy into mechanical energy. Available energy sources include potential energy (e.g. energy of the Earth's gravitational field as exploited in hydroelectric power g ...

, so Union Pacific established the community of Codell three-quarters of a mile west of Motor. The Motor Post Office, originally established as Floreyville in 1875, was moved to Codell in 1888. The frame buildings in Motor were moved to Codell and Motor was soon abandoned. Early in its history Codell had a school, multiple churches and a business district with a bank, telephone central office, lumber yard, grain elevator, several stores, a doctor and a barber.

Tornadoes

Codell is notable for its

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, alt ...

history which earned it a mention in ''

Ripley's Believe It or Not! ''Ripley's Believe It or Not!'' is an American franchise founded by Robert Ripley, which deals in bizarre events and items so strange and unusual that readers might question the claims. Originally a newspaper panel, the ''Believe It or Not'' fea ...

''. The community was hit by tornadoes on May 20 in three consecutive years: 1916, 1917 and 1918. The 1916 tornado, estimated at F2 intensity, passed east of Codell in the early evening. The 1917 tornado reached F3 intensity and passed west of Codell, also in the early evening. In 1918, Codell took a direct hit from an F4 tornado just after dark. The school, M. E. church, hotel and several residences were completely destroyed. Many more buildings were badly damaged. Although the school was rebuilt and a new high school was built in 1938, the town never fully recovered from the devastation of the 1918 tornado.

Geography

Codell lies in Township 12 south of the city of Stockton (the

county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, Taiwan, and the United States. The equivalent term shire town is used in the US ...

of Rooks County) and near the southeastern corner of Rooks County. The community lies along the banks of Paradise Creek and an abandoned railroad line. The nearest city, Plainville, lies approximately away to the northwest by road; the community is connected via 24 Road to a state highway, K-18, which lies approximately to the north.

Demographics

For statistical purposes, 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 ...

has defined this community as a

census-designated place A census-designated place (CDP) is a 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 counterparts of incorporated places, suc ...

(CDP).

Education

Codell is served by USD 270 Plainville Schools. Codell High School was closed through school unification in 1965. The Codell High School mascot was Codell Cougars."Lincoln Branch Tourney Tuesday at Russell Gym", The Salina Journal, 11 February 1951, p.18.

References

External links

Rooks County

* Rooks County maps
CurrentHistoric
KDOT {{Authority control Unincorporated communities in Kansas Unincorporated communities in Rooks County, Kansas 1887 establishments in Kansas Populated places established in 1887