Cawker City is a city in Mitchell 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 457. The city is located along the north shore of Waconda Lake and Glen Elder State Park. It is one of several places claiming to be home of the largest ball of twine in the world.

History

Cawker City was founded in 1870. According to tradition, Colonel E. H. Cawker won naming rights for the town with a winning hand at poker. Cawker City was incorporated as a city in 1874. The first post office in Cawker City was established in June 1870. The city previously served many families living on small farms. A resident stated that Cawker City had three grocery stores in the 1960s. By 2017 the community had no grocery stores. Many young adults were leaving to find work elsewhere. In the area family sizes decreased and farm plot sizes increased. These factors caused the community's population to decline.

Geography

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 , all of it land. The city is located along the north shore of Waconda Lake.

Demographics

2020 census

The 2020 United States census counted 457 people, 215 households, and 110 families in Cawker City. The population density was 454.3 per square mile (175.4/km). There were 292 housing units at an average density of 290.3 per square mile (112.1/km). The racial makeup was 96.28% (440)

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 ...

European American European Americans are Americans of European ancestry. This term includes both people who descend from the first European settlers in the area of the present-day United States and people who descend from more recent European arrivals. Since th ...

(96.28%

non-Hispanic white Non-Hispanic Whites, also referred to as White Anglo Americans or Non-Latino Whites, are White Americans who are classified by the United States census as "White" and not of Hispanic or Latino origin. According to annual estimates from the Unit ...

), 0.22% (1)

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 ...

African-American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from any of the Black racial groups of Africa. ...

, 0.0% (0) Native American or

Alaska Native Alaska Natives (also known as Native Alaskans, Alaskan Indians, or Indigenous Alaskans) are the Indigenous peoples of the Americas, Indigenous peoples of Alaska that encompass a diverse arena of cultural and linguistic groups, including the I ...

, 0.0% (0) Asian, 0.0% (0)

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 ...

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, 0.0% (0) from other races, and 3.5% (16) 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 0.66% (3) of the population. Of the 215 households, 20.0% had children under the age of 18; 40.0% were married couples living together; 26.0% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. 46.5% of households consisted of individuals and 25.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.3 and the average family size was 2.9. The percent of those with a bachelor’s degree or higher was estimated to be 10.3% of the population. 22.8% of the population was under the age of 18, 3.7% from 18 to 24, 19.5% from 25 to 44, 27.4% from 45 to 64, and 26.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 47.6 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.0 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older, there were 95.0 males. The 2016-2020 5-year

American Community Survey The American Community Survey (ACS) is an annual demographics survey program conducted by the United States Census Bureau. It regularly gathers information previously contained only in the long form of the United States census, decennial census ...

estimates show that the median household income was $40,125 (with a margin of error of +/- $19,649) and the median family income was $45,250 (+/- $6,979). Males had a median income of $29,750 (+/- $10,771) versus $16,250 (+/- $7,840) for females. The median income for those above 16 years old was $25,000 (+/- $6,753). Approximately, 19.2% of families and 23.7% 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 47.9% of those under the age of 18 and 14.4% 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 469 people, 244 households, and 132 families residing 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 315 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 97.0%

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 ...

, 0.2%

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 ...

, 0.2% Asian, 0.9% from other races, and 1.7% from two or more races.

or Latino of any race were 2.1% of the population. There were 244 households, of which 19.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.6% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...

living together, 7.0% had a female householder with no husband present, 6.6% had a male householder with no wife present, and 45.9% were non-families. 41.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 19.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.92 and the average family size was 2.52. The median age in the city was 50.1 years. 18.6% of residents were under the age of 18; 4.5% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 17.9% were from 25 to 44; 32.4% were from 45 to 64; and 26.7% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 51.4% male and 48.6% female.

2000 census

As of the

of 2000, there were 521 people, 261 households, and 151 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 335 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 97.50%

, 0.19%

, 1.73% Native American, 0.38% from other races, and 0.19% from two or more races.

or Latino of any race were 0.77% of the population. There were 261 households, out of which 17.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.7% were

living together, 6.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.8% were non-families. 37.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 21.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.00 and the average family size was 2.61. In the city, the population was spread out, with 18.0% under the age of 18, 5.0% from 18 to 24, 19.8% from 25 to 44, 27.4% from 45 to 64, and 29.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 49 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.7 males. The median income for a household in the city was $24,833, and the median income for a family was $30,769. Males had a median income of $25,893 versus $17,813 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 $13,693. About 12.3% of families and 11.6% of the population were below the

, including 14.7% of those under age 18 and 8.3% of those age 65 or over.

Attractions

* Cawker City is one of several places claiming to be home of the largest ball of twine in the world. Each year a twine-a-thon is held in August to increase the size of the ball. * Waconda Lake * Eyegore's Curiosities and Monster Museum

Education

The community is served by Waconda USD 272 public school district. The district elementary school is Lakeside Elementary school in Cawker City. The district high school is Lakeside High School (Kansas), Lakeside High School in Downs with the mascot Knights. School unification combined Cawker City High School with Glen Elder High School in 1971 forming Waconda East High School. The Waconda East High School mascot was Vikings. Waconda East High School was then unified with Downs High School in 2003 forming USD 272. Prior to school unification, the Cawker City High School mascot was Cawker City Pirates. The elementary building was formerly known as Cawker City Elementary School. Its name changed to the current one in 2015.

Notable people

* Emma B. Alrich (1845-1925), teacher and superintendent in Cawker City * Martia L. Davis Berry (1844-1894), social reformer * Merwin Coad (b1924), Iowa politician * Claire Windsor (1892–1972),

silent film A silent film is a film without synchronized recorded sound (or more generally, no audible dialogue). Though silent films convey narrative and emotion visually, various plot elements (such as a setting or era) or key lines of dialogue may, w ...

actress

References

External links

City of Cawker City

Cawker City - Directory of Public Officials

Cawker City's Biggest Attraction: World's Largest Ball of Twine

Historic Images of Cawker City
Wichita State University Library
Cawker city map
KDOT {{Authority control Cities in Kansas Cities in Mitchell County, Kansas Populated places established in 1870 1870 establishments in Kansas