Augusta is a city in Butler County,

Kansas Kansas ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Nebraska to the north; Missouri to the east; Oklahoma to the south; and Colorado to the west. Kansas is named a ...

, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 9,256. It is located east of Wichita along U.S. Route 54 / 400 highway.

History

19th century

The confluence of the Whitewater River and the Walnut River was originally inhabited by Osage people, who found the land ideal for hunting and fishing. In 1868, C. N. James settled in the area and built a log cabin to serve also as a general store and trading post. Around that same time, a post office was established in the settlement, and as the first postmaster, C. N. James named the post office and the town in honor of his wife, Augusta James. In 1877, the Florence, El Dorado, and Walnut Valley Railroad Company built a branch line from

Florence Florence ( ; ) is the capital city of the Italy, Italian region of Tuscany. It is also the most populated city in Tuscany, with 362,353 inhabitants, and 989,460 in Metropolitan City of Florence, its metropolitan province as of 2025. Florence ...

to El Dorado. In 1881 it was extended to Douglass, and later to Arkansas City. The rail line was leased and operated by the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway. Service from

to El Dorado was abandoned in 1942.Railway Abandonment 1942
/ref> The original branch line connected

, Burns, De Graff, El Dorado, Augusta, Douglass, Rock, Akron, Winfield, Arkansas City. In 2020, the Santa Fe (now BNSF) still maintains tracks through Augusta at the 301 E. Fifth St. headquarters, a brick depot constructed in 1916–1917. The St. Louis & San Francisco (Frisco) Railroad established a depot in Augusta in 1880, serving both passengers and freight. Passenger service ended in 1960.

20th century

The discovery of oil near Augusta in 1914, and soon elsewhere in Butler County, led to the doubling of the population of Augusta between 1910 and 1920. Oil drilling and refining became a major source of employment for many years. In 1916, L. L. Marcell founded the White Eagle Oil Company in Augusta. Other early refineries were the Walnut Refining Company and the Lakeside Refinery. In 1930, White Eagle was purchased by the Standard Oil Company of New York and was known as "Socony-Vacuum" for many years, then renamed Mobil in 1966.

21st century

In 2010, the Keystone-Cushing Pipeline (Phase II) was constructed about 1.5 miles west of Augusta, north to south through Butler County, with much controversy over tax exemption and environmental concerns (if a leak ever occurs).

Geography

Augusta is located at the confluence of the Walnut and

Whitewater Whitewater forms in the context of rapids, in particular, when a river's Stream gradient, gradient changes enough to generate so much turbulence that air is trapped within the water. This forms an unstable current that foam, froths, making t ...

Rivers. It is located along the western edge of Butler County. According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...

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

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 divides Earth climates into five main climate groups, with each group being divided based on patterns of seasonal precipitation and temperature. The five main groups are ''A'' (tropical), ''B'' (arid), ''C'' (te ...

system, Augusta has a

humid subtropical climate A humid subtropical climate is a subtropical -temperate climate type, characterized by long and hot summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between ...

, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.

Demographics

2020 census

The 2020 United States census counted 9,256 people, 3,670 households, and 2,423 families in Augusta. The population density was 2,182.0 per square mile (842.5/km). There were 4,002 housing units at an average density of 943.4 per square mile (364.3/km). The racial makeup was 88.41% (8,183)

white White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...

or European American (86.11% non-Hispanic white), 0.51% (47)

black Black is a color that results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without chroma, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness.Eva Heller, ''P ...

or African-American, 0.92% (85) Native American or Alaska Native, 0.55% (51) Asian, 0.05% (5)

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, 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 th ...

Native Hawaiian Native Hawaiians (also known as Indigenous Hawaiians, Kānaka Maoli, Aboriginal Hawaiians, or simply Hawaiians; , , , and ) are the Indigenous peoples of Oceania, Indigenous Polynesians, Polynesian people of the Hawaiian Islands. Hawaiʻi was set ...

, 1.44% (133) from other races, and 8.12% (752) from two or more races.

Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...

or Latino of any race was 5.55% (514) of the population. Of the 3,670 households, 33.1% had children under the age of 18; 48.3% were married couples living together; 27.4% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. 29.6% of households consisted of individuals and 14.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.5 and the average family size was 2.9. The percent of those with a bachelor's degree or higher was estimated to be 15.5% of the population. 26.4% of the population was under the age of 18, 7.8% from 18 to 24, 25.0% from 25 to 44, 22.7% from 45 to 64, and 18.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37.7 years. For every 100 females, there were 104.6 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older, there were 109.5 males. The 2016-2020 5-year American Community Survey estimates show that the median household income was $52,274 (with a margin of error of +/- $5,044) and the median family income was $64,386 (+/- $7,473). Males had a median income of $40,083 (+/- $9,827) versus $25,148 (+/- $8,132) for females. The median income for those above 16 years old was $30,611 (+/- $3,528). Approximately, 8.4% of families and 8.5% 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 ...

, including 8.5% of those under the age of 18 and 5.2% of those ages 65 or over.

2010 census

As of the

census A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...

of 2010, there were 9,274 people, 3,669 households, and 2,448 families living in the city. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: Standing stock (disambiguation), 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 geog ...

was . There were 3,951 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 94.2%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...

, 0.4%

African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...

, 1.3% Native American, 0.6% Asian, 0.1%

, 1.1% from other races, and 2.3% from two or more races.

or Latino of any race were 4% of the population. There were 3,669 households, of which 35.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.1% were married couples living together, 12.4% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.2% had a male householder with no wife present, and 33.3% were non-families. 29.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.50 and the average family size was 3.10. The median age in the city was 35.7 years. 27.9% of residents were under the age of 18; 8.4% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 25% were from 25 to 44; 23.2% were from 45 to 64; and 15.6% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 47.2% male and 52.8% female.

2000 census

As of the

of 2000, there were 8,423 people, 3,277 households, and 2,307 families living in the city. The population density was . There were 3,585 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 96.07%

, 0.18%

, 0.83% Native American, 0.36% Asian, 0.68% from other races, and 1.89% from two or more races.

or Latino of any race were 2.59% of the population. There were 3,277 households, out of which 35.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.6% were married couples living together, 10.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.6% were non-families. 26.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.53 and the average family size was 3.06. In the city, the population was spread out, with 28.0% under the age of 18, 8.9% from 18 to 24, 27.9% from 25 to 44, 19.4% from 45 to 64, and 15.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 90.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.6 males. The median income for a household in the city was $41,818, and the median income for a family was $51,886. Males had a median income of $36,465 versus $24,747 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...

for the city was $19,094. About 4.1% of families and 5.7% of the population were below the

, including 5.8% of those under age 18 and 7.5% of those age 65 or over.

Education

The community is served by Augusta USD 402 public school district.

Landmarks

Th
Augusta Historic Theater
now home to the Augusta Arts Council, is a classic example of Art Deco. Augusta is also home to th
Kansas Museum of Military History
(formerl

. Th
Augusta Historical Museum
and th
C.N. James Log Cabin
are on the National Register of Historic Places. Als
Henry's Sculpture Hill
is located outside the cities limit. Augusta does offer an airport called th
Augusta Municipal Airport

Media

Augusta is home to the
Butler County Times-Gazette
' (formerly various local newspaper companies including the Augusta Gazette, Andover American, and El Dorado Times), a tri-weekly newspaper covering Augusta and neighboring towns.

Notable people

* Madelyn Dunham — banker, grandmother of Barack Obama * Edward R. Weidlein (1887–1983) — chemist * Bob Whittaker — U.S. Representative; resident of Augusta

References

External links

City of Augusta

Augusta - Directory of Public Officials
{{Authority control Cities in Kansas Cities in Butler County, Kansas Wichita, KS Metropolitan Statistical Area Populated places established in 1868 1868 establishments in Kansas