Elsmore is a

city A city is a human settlement of a substantial size. The term "city" has different meanings around the world and in some places the settlement can be very small. Even where the term is limited to larger settlements, there is no universally agree ...

in Elsmore Township, Allen 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 50. The name Elsmore is a corruption of Elsinore, where Shakespeare's play ''

Hamlet ''The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark'', often shortened to ''Hamlet'' (), is a Shakespearean tragedy, tragedy written by William Shakespeare sometime between 1599 and 1601. It is Shakespeare's longest play. Set in Denmark, the play (the ...

'' was set.

History

The old town of Elsmore, which for several years was the center of attraction for the citizens of Elsmore Township, was located farther west, not far from Big Creek. On August 25, 1888, after the route of the Missouri, Kansas & Texas R.R. from

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 ...

to Parsons had been definitely settled, N.L. Ard, J.L. Roberts, J.A. Nicholson, W.D. and H.W. Cox, and O.P. Mattson purchased where the present town of Elsmore stands, and platted the town. It soon became a popular trading center and shipping point for that section of the county, and in 1909 was incorporated. In 1910 it reported a population of 216 and had a money order post office (first opened in November 1866) with two rural delivery routes, a bank, several good stores, some small manufacturing enterprises, telegraph and express facilities.

Geography

Elsmore is located in Section 7, Township 26 south, Range 21 east. Elsmore is situated in the southeastern part of the county in Elsmore Township, some southeast of the city of Iola (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 ...

U.S. Route 59 U.S. Route 59 (US 59) is a north–south U.S. highway (though it was signed east–west in parts of Texas). A latecomer to the U.S. Highway System, US 59 is now a border-to-border route, part of the NAFTA Corridor Highway System. It par ...

passes west of the city, and K-203 is a short connector (less than a mile) between US-59 and the city. The small city of Savonburg lies about to the south, and the larger city of Moran is about to the north (along US-59). 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.

Demographics

2020 census

The 2020 United States census counted 50 people, 29 households, and 16 families in Elsmore. The population density was 328.9 per square mile (127.0/km). There were 39 housing units at an average density of 256.6 per square mile (99.1/km). The racial makeup was 98.0% (49)

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 ...

(98.0%

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 ...

), 0.0% (0)

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 ...

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 ...

, 0.0% (0) from other races, and 2.0% (1) 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 0.0% (0) of the population. Of the 29 households, 37.9% had children under the age of 18; 31.0% were married couples living together; 27.6% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. 34.5% of households consisted of individuals and 17.2% 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 3.4. The percent of those with a bachelor's degree or higher was estimated to be 6.0% of the population. 22.0% of the population was under the age of 18, 6.0% from 18 to 24, 22.0% from 25 to 44, 24.0% from 45 to 64, and 26.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 45.0 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.3 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older, there were 85.7 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 family income was $51,875 (+/- $39,023). Males had a median income of $27,188 (+/- $20,514) versus $26,667 (+/- $7,052) for females. The median income for those above 16 years old was $26,964 (+/- $3,440).

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 77 people, 35 households, and 22 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 47 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 100.0%

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 ...

. There were 35 households, of which 25.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.7% 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, 8.6% had a female householder with no husband present, 8.6% had a male householder with no wife present, and 37.1% were non-families. 34.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 22.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.20 and the average family size was 2.68. The median age in the city was 47.8 years. 22.1% of residents were under the age of 18; 5.2% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 19.5% were from 25 to 44; 23.4% were from 45 to 64; and 29.9% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.1% male and 51.9% female.

2000 census

As of the U.S. Census in 2000, there were 73 people, 35 households, and 21 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 43 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 95.89%

, 2.74% Native American, and 1.37% from two or more races. There were 35

household A household consists of one or more persons who live in the same dwelling. It may be of a single family or another type of person group. The household is the basic unit of analysis in many social, microeconomic and government models, and is im ...

s, out of which 11.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.7% were

living together, 2.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.0% were non-families. 31.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.09 and the average family size was 2.43. In the city, the population was spread out, with 15.1% under the age of 18, 8.2% from 18 to 24, 23.3% from 25 to 44, 23.3% from 45 to 64, and 30.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 52 years. For every 100 females, there were 143.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 138.5 males. The median income for a household in the city was $29,375, and the median income for a family was $33,750. Males had a median income of $30,417 versus $20,625 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 $20,600. There were 16.7% of families and 11.9% of the population living 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 50.0% of under eighteens and none of those over 64.

Education

Elsmore is a part of

USD The United States dollar (symbol: $; currency code: USD) is the official currency of the United States and several other countries. The Coinage Act of 1792 introduced the U.S. dollar at par with the Spanish silver dollar, divided it int ...

256 Marmaton Valley Schools. The district high school is Marmaton Valley High School located in Moran. Marmaton Valley High School mascot is Wildcats. Elsmore schools were closed through school unification. The Elsmore High School mascot was Elsmore Dragons."Elsmore Routes Altoona", The Iola Register, 5 November 1964, p.8.

References

External links

City of Elsmore

Elsmore - Directory of Public Officials

USD 256
local school district
Elsmore city map
KDOT {{Authority control Cities in Kansas Cities in Allen County, Kansas Populated places established in 1888 1888 establishments in Kansas Kronborg