Colby is a city in and the

county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or parish (administrative division), civil parish. The term is in use in five countries: Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, and the United States. An equiva ...

of Thomas 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 5,570.

History

In 1882, a

post office A post office is a public facility and a retailer that provides mail services, such as accepting letter (message), letters and parcel (package), parcels, providing post office boxes, and selling postage stamps, packaging, and stationery. Post o ...

was established near the center of Thomas County. Area homesteaders lived under harsh conditions in sod houses, creating demand for a town to provide lumber and other provisions to incoming settlers. J.R. Colby, a local land assessor and

preacher A preacher is a person who delivers sermons or homilies on religious topics to an assembly of people. Less common are preachers who Open-air preaching, preach on the street, or those whose message is not necessarily religious, but who preach com ...

, obtained a patent to establish the town in April 1884, and land was acquired for the town site three miles north of the post office in March 1885. The following month, the Kansas Secretary of State issued the Town Charter. Kansas Gov. John Martin named Colby the county seat in 1885, and the city was incorporated in 1886. The

Union Pacific Railroad The Union Pacific Railroad is a Railroad classes, Class I freight-hauling railroad that operates 8,300 locomotives over routes in 23 U.S. states west of Chicago and New Orleans. Union Pacific is the second largest railroad in the United Stat ...

reached the city in 1887, and the Rock Island Railroad followed the next year. In 1941 the St. Thomas Hospital was built as part of the Works Progress Administration plan to build hospitals. This was one of 130 new hospitals to be built with these funds, it was one of two built in Kansas alone. Within the last couple of years, it was renovated to apartments under the name St. Thomas Historic Residences.

Interstate 70 Interstate 70 (I-70) is a major east–west Interstate Highway in the United States that runs from Interstate 15, I-15 near Cove Fort, Utah, to Interstate 695 (Maryland), I-695 and Maryland Route 570 (MD 570) in Woodlawn, Baltimo ...

reached Colby in 1965, stimulating the growth of a local

hospitality industry The hospitality industry is a broad category of fields within the service industry that includes lodging, food and beverage services, event planning, theme parks, travel agency, tourism, hotels, restaurants, nightclubs, and bars. Sector ...

Geography

Colby lies on the south side of Prairie Dog Creek, a tributary of the Republican River, in the High Plains region of the

Great Plains The Great Plains is a broad expanse of plain, flatland in North America. The region stretches east of the Rocky Mountains, much of it covered in prairie, steppe, and grassland. They are the western part of the Interior Plains, which include th ...

. A small tributary of the creek flows northeast through the town. Located at the interchange of

and K-25 in northwestern Kansas, Colby is east-southeast of

Denver Denver ( ) is a List of municipalities in Colorado#Consolidated city and county, consolidated city and county, the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Colorado, most populous city of the U.S. state of ...

, northwest of Wichita, and west of

Kansas City The Kansas City metropolitan area is a bi-state metropolitan area anchored by Kansas City, Missouri. Its 14 counties straddle the border between the U.S. states of Missouri (9 counties) and Kansas (5 counties). With and a population of more t ...

. 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 land.

Climate

Colby has a transitional climate between a

humid continental climate A humid continental climate is a climatic region defined by Russo-German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1900, typified by four distinct seasons and large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers, and cold ...

(Köppen ''Dfa'') and a

semiarid climate A semi-arid climate, semi-desert climate, or steppe climate is a dry climate sub-type. It is located on regions that receive precipitation below potential evapotranspiration, but not as low as a desert climate. There are different kinds of se ...

(Köppen ''BSk'') with hot summers and cold, dry winters. The hottest temperature recorded in Colby was on July 25, 1940, and 28 June 2012, while the coldest temperature recorded was on December 22, 1989.

Demographics

2020 census

The 2020 United States census counted 5,570 people, 2,199 households, and 1,331 families in Colby. The population density was 1,555.4 per square mile (600.6/km). There were 2,496 housing units at an average density of 697.0 per square mile (269.1/km). The racial makeup was 88.73% (4,942)

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 ...

(86.32%

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 ...

), 1.76% (98)

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. ...

, 0.79% (44) 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 ...

, 0.61% (34) 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 ...

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 ...

, 2.39% (133) from other races, and 5.73% (319) 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 8.11% (452) of the population. Of the 2,199 households, 29.7% had children under the age of 18; 45.5% were married couples living together; 27.8% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. 32.9% of households consisted of individuals and 12.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.2 and the average family size was 2.7. The percent of those with a bachelor’s degree or higher was estimated to be 14.2% of the population. 23.4% of the population was under the age of 18, 13.8% from 18 to 24, 24.4% from 25 to 44, 21.7% from 45 to 64, and 16.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34.6 years. For every 100 females, there were 108.5 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older, there were 113.4 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 $62,001 (with a margin of error of +/- $7,250) and the median family income was $74,980 (+/- $13,070). Males had a median income of $45,696 (+/- $10,972) versus $28,368 (+/- $5,092) for females. The median income for those above 16 years old was $32,780 (+/- $3,641). Approximately, 6.3% of families and 7.2% 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 1.4% of those under the age of 18 and 10.3% 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 5,387 people, 2,211 households, and 1,320 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 2,423 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 95.7%

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 ...

, 0.7%

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 ...

, 0.4% Native American, 0.6% Asian, 0.1%

, 1.3% from other races, and 1.2% from two or more races.

or Latino of any race were 4.0% of the population. There were 2,211 households, of which 28.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.0% 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, 9.2% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.5% had a male householder with no wife present, and 40.3% were non-families. 33.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.28 and the average family size was 2.89. The median age in the city was 34.5 years. 22.2% of residents were under the age of 18; 16.3% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 21.5% were from 25 to 44; 24.2% were from 45 to 64; and 15.7% 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 5,450 people, 2,223 households, and 1,367 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 2,405 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 96.73%

, 0.64%

, 0.39% Native American, 0.39% Asian, 0.02%

, 1.01% from other races, and 0.83% from two or more races.

or Latino of any race were 1.98% of the population. There were 2,223 households, out of which 30.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.3% were

living together, 8.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.5% were non-families. 31.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.33 and the average family size was 2.96. In the city, the population was spread out, with 24.1% under the age of 18, 16.4% from 18 to 24, 24.3% from 25 to 44, 19.7% from 45 to 64, and 15.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 88.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.6 males. The median income for a household in the city was $34,615, and the median income for a family was $45,127. Males had a median income of $34,097 versus $21,706 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 $18,872. About 8.1% of families and 12.4% of the population were below the

, including 7.3% of those under age 18 and 9.2% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Colby has a mayor-council form of government. Elected

at-large At large (''before a noun'': at-large) is a description for members of a governing body who are elected or appointed to represent a whole membership or population (notably a city, county, state, province, nation, club or association), rather tha ...

, the

mayor In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a Municipal corporation, municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilitie ...

presides over the

city council A municipal council is the legislative body of a municipality or local government area. Depending on the location and classification of the municipality it may be known as a city council, town council, town board, community council, borough counc ...

and has final approval over ordinances the council passes. The mayor shares responsibility for setting policy and approving the city budget with the council. With the council's consent, the mayor appoints all members of the city boards and, if necessary, serves as the tie-breaking vote on council business. The city council consists of eight members elected by ward every four years. The

city manager A city manager is an official appointed as the administrative manager of a city in the council–manager form of city government. Local officials serving in this position are referred to as the chief executive officer (CEO) or chief administ ...

is hired by the council and is responsible for preparing the budget, administering day-to-day operations, and managing city government personnel.

Education

Colleges and universities

* Colby Community College

Primary and secondary education

The community is served by Colby USD 315 public school district, and operates four

public In public relations and communication science, publics are groups of individual people, and the public (a.k.a. the general public) is the totality of such groupings. This is a different concept to the sociology, sociological concept of the ''Öf ...

schools in the city: * Colby High School (9-12). * Colby Middle School (5-8). * Colby Grade School ( Grades K-4). * Thomas County Academy (5-9),

charter school A charter school is a school that receives government funding but operates independently of the established state school system in which it is located. It is independent in the sense that it operates according to the basic principle of autono ...

. There are also two private schools in Colby: * Sacred Heart Catholic School (Pre-K-5). * Heartland Christian School (K-12).

Transportation

runs east–west, immediately south of Colby. U.S. Route 24 runs east–west through the city, intersecting K-25 which runs north–south. Colby Municipal Airport is located on K-25, approximately two miles (3 km) north of the city.

Kyle Railroad The Kyle Railroad is a regional railroad line that runs from North Central Kansas into Eastern Colorado. It is based in Phillipsburg, Kansas and runs on of track, mostly the former Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad's Chicago to Denve ...

operates rail via the former Rock Island Railroad, which runs east–west through Colby. A

branch line ends in Colby, entering the city from the southeast.

Media

The '' Colby Free Press'' is Colby's local newspaper, published four days a week. In addition, Colby Community College publishes a bi-weekly student newspaper, the ''Trojan Express''. Colby is a center of broadcast media for northwestern Kansas. One AM and four FM stations are licensed to and/or broadcast from the city. Colby is in the Wichita-Hutchinson television market, and two television stations broadcast from the city: KLBY, a satellite of the ABC affiliate in Wichita, and KWKS, a satellite of Smoky Hills Public Television in Bunker Hill, Kansas.

Points of interest

The Prairie Museum of Art and History, 1905 S. Franklin St., serves as a cultural center. The museum is a private, nonprofit museum governed by the Thomas County

Historical Society A historical society is non-profit organization dedicated to collecting, preserving, interpreting, and promoting the history of a particular place, group of people, or topic. They play a crucial role in promoting historical awareness and understan ...

. The Society was founded in 1959 to preserve the history of Thomas County, Kansas. The museum occupies a site just north of

, between exits 53 and 54. The Cooper Barn located at the museum complex is known as the "Largest Barn in Kansas." Thomas County Courthouse which was constructed in 1907 by local firms Holland, JC & Squires, Frank, Crosby, and L. & Son. It is currently listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...

and is at 300 N. Court in Colby. Other city buildings joining the courthouse on the

include the Colby Community High School at 750 West 3rd St. (which is now used as an elementary/junior high school), and the art-deco sand-colored Colby City Hall, which was built in the 1920s by the architecture firm Suite & Blanchard. Throughout its 80-year history, the city hall has served as a correctional facility,

fire station __NOTOC__ A fire station (also called a fire house, fire hall, firemen's hall, or engine house) is a structure or other area for storing firefighting apparatuses such as fire apparatus, fire engines and related vehicles, personal protective equ ...

library A library is a collection of Book, books, and possibly other Document, materials and Media (communication), media, that is accessible for use by its members and members of allied institutions. Libraries provide physical (hard copies) or electron ...

and meeting hall. Another feature of Colby is Villa High Lake. The city-made reservoir is situated on the South Side of Villa High Park, which was created in the 1960s by the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks. The park has playground equipment, picnic shelters, disc golf, and fishing. Fike Park is located just north of City Hall at the intersection of Franklin Avenue and Eighth Street. The park area was formerly known as Carp Lake. The park has gazebos, a volleyball area, horseshoe pitching pits, and tennis courts. In 1998 and 1999, over $100,000 was raised by civic groups and parents, with assistance from the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks and the City of Colby, for new playground equipment. In 2000, the tennis courts in this area were replaced and are used by Colby Community College and Unified School District #315. Colby Swimming Pool was located just south of the park, but has since been converted into a parking lot. Pioneer Memorial Library is at 375 W. 4th St., named in honor of the pioneers who built the community. Colby Aquatic Park was opened in 2012 at 1610 S. Franklin, featuring a lazy river, lap pool, water slides and curly slides. The Colby Event Center opened in July 2021. The facility features two gyms, meeting room space and indoor playground. The Event Center is home to all Colby High School and Colby Community College basketball and volleyball games.

Notable people

Notable individuals who were born in and/or have lived in Colby include: * Mary Brooks (1907-2002), Director of the U.S. Mint * John Connelly (1870-1940), U.S. Representative from Kansas * Sheila Frahm (1945- ), U.S. Senator from Kansas, Lieutenant Governor of Kansas * Mike Hayden (1944- ), 41st Governor of Kansas * Zelma Henderson (1920-2008), school desegregation activist * Wayne Munn (1896-1931), professional wrestler * Samuel Ramey (1942- ),

opera Opera is a form of History of theatre#European theatre, Western theatre in which music is a fundamental component and dramatic roles are taken by Singing, singers. Such a "work" (the literal translation of the Italian word "opera") is typically ...

singer * Mark Schultz (1970- ),

Contemporary Christian Contemporary history, in English-language historiography, is a subset of modern history that describes the historical period from about 1945 to the present. In the social sciences, contemporary history is also continuous with, and related t ...

singer/songwriter * Ken Summers (1953- ),

Colorado Colorado is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States. It is one of the Mountain states, sharing the Four Corners region with Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah. It is also bordered by Wyoming to the north, Nebraska to the northeast, Kansas ...

state legislator * John Thomas (1874-1945), U.S. Senator from

Idaho Idaho ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Pacific Northwest and Mountain states, Mountain West subregions of the Western United States. It borders Montana and Wyoming to the east, Nevada and Utah to the south, and Washington (state), ...

* Carol Voisin (1947- ),

Oregon Oregon ( , ) is a U.S. state, state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is a part of the Western U.S., with the Columbia River delineating much of Oregon's northern boundary with Washington (state), Washington, while t ...

politician

References

External links

City of Colby

Colby - Directory of Public Officials

Colby Chamber of Commerce

Colby city map
KDOT {{Authority control Cities in Thomas County, Kansas Cities in Kansas County seats in Kansas Populated places established in 1885 1885 establishments in Kansas