Emporia, Kansas
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Emporia 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 Lyon County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 24,139. Emporia lies between Topeka and Wichita at the intersection of highways K-99,
U.S. Route 50 U.S. Route 50 or U.S. Highway 50 (US 50) is a major east–west route of the U.S. Highway system, stretching from Interstate 80 (I-80) in West Sacramento, California, to Maryland Route 528 (MD 528) in Ocean City, Maryland, on the Atlantic ...
, Interstates 335 and 35 ( Kansas Turnpike). It is home to Emporia State University and Flint Hills Technical College, and two annual sporting events: Unbound Gravel (gravel bicycle race) and Dynamic Discs Open (disc golf tournament).


History

Located on upland
prairie Prairies are ecosystems considered part of the temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands biome by ecologists, based on similar temperate climates, moderate rainfall, and a composition of grasses, herbs, and shrubs, rather than trees, as the ...
, Emporia was founded in 1857, drawing its name from
ancient Carthage Ancient Carthage ( ; , ) was an Ancient Semitic-speaking peoples, ancient Semitic civilisation based in North Africa. Initially a settlement in present-day Tunisia, it later became a city-state, and then an empire. Founded by the Phoenicians ...
, a place known in history as a prosperous center of commerce. In 1864, the Union Pacific Railway, Southern Branch (later incorporated into the Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad) received land grants to build from
Fort Riley Fort Riley is a United States Army installation located in North Central Kansas, on the Kansas River, also known as the Kaw, between Junction City and Manhattan. The Fort Riley Military Reservation covers 101,733 acres (41,170 ha) in Ge ...
to Emporia. The road eventually reached Emporia in 1869, becoming the first railroad to serve the burgeoning town. In July 1870, a second railroad, the
Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway , often referred to as the Santa Fe or AT&SF, was one of the largest Class 1 railroads in the United States between 1859 and 1996. The Santa Fe was a pioneer in intermodal freight transport; at vario ...
reached Emporia, and in the years following the
American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...
the city became a booming railroad hub. In 1888, railroad executive and educator John Byers Anderson donated his personal library to the College of Emporia to commemorate his 50th wedding anniversary, and his former mentee
Andrew Carnegie Andrew Carnegie ( , ; November 25, 1835August 11, 1919) was a Scottish-American industrialist and philanthropist. Carnegie led the expansion of the History of the iron and steel industry in the United States, American steel industry in the late ...
donated additional funds to build a library in Anderson's honor (conditioned upon the new college paying off its mortgage). In 1953, Emporia was the site of the first Veterans Day observance in the United States. At the urging of local cobbler Alvin J. King, U.S. Representative Edward Rees introduced legislation in The
United States Congress The United States Congress is the legislature, legislative branch of the federal government of the United States. It is a Bicameralism, bicameral legislature, including a Lower house, lower body, the United States House of Representatives, ...
to rename
Armistice Day Armistice Day, later known as Remembrance Day in the Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth and Veterans Day in the United States, is commemorated every year on 11 November to mark Armistice of 11 November 1918, the armistice signed between th ...
as Veterans Day. President
Dwight D. Eisenhower Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower (born David Dwight Eisenhower; October 14, 1890 – March 28, 1969) was the 34th president of the United States, serving from 1953 to 1961. During World War II, he was Supreme Commander of the Allied Expeditionar ...
signed the bill into law on October 8, 1954. On June 8, 1974, an F4
tornado A tornado is a violently rotating column of air that is in contact with the surface of 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, although the ...
struck Emporia, killing 6 people, injuring 200, and causing $25 million in damages. On March 6, 1988, an armed gunman walked into the Calvary Baptist Church during services and opened fire. Cheunphon Ji, the 29-year-old gunman, had no particular target, killing one person and injuring four others.


Geography

Emporia is located in east-central Kansas. It lies along the Kansas Turnpike at its intersection with Interstate 35 and U.S. Highway 50, southwest 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 ...
, southwest of Topeka, and northeast of Wichita on the eastern edge of the Flint Hills. 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. The Neosho River flows along the northern side of the city. The Cottonwood River, one of its tributaries, flows along the city's southern edge and of two large city parks, Peter Pan and Soden's Grove; the two rivers meet near the eastern boundary of Emporia and flow southeast to join the
Arkansas River The Arkansas River is a major tributary of the Mississippi River. It generally flows to the east and southeast as it traverses the U.S. states of Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas. The river's source basin lies in Colorado, specifically ...
in Oklahoma.


Climate

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, Emporia 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. The hottest temperature recorded in Emporia was on July 15, 1934 and August 14, 1936, while the coldest temperature recorded was on January 4, 1947.


Demographics

Emporia is the principal city of the Emporia Micropolitan Statistical Area, which includes all of Lyon and Chase counties.


2020 census

The 2020 United States census counted 24,139 people, 9,876 households, and 5,468 families in Emporia. The population density was 1,989.7 per square mile (768.2/km). There were 11,232 housing units at an average density of 925.8 per square mile (357.5/km). The racial makeup was 67.91% (16,392)
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 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 ...
(61.96%
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 ...
), 2.61% (630)
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 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. ...
, 0.94% (226) 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 ...
, 2.26% (546) Asian, 0.07% (16)
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 ...
or
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 ...
, 15.01% (3,624) from other races, and 11.21% (2,705) 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 28.29% (6,828) of the population. Of the 9,876 households, 28.1% had children under the age of 18; 38.2% were married couples living together; 30.1% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. 34.6% of households consisted of individuals and 11.3% 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 3.1. The percent of those with a bachelor’s degree or higher was estimated to be 17.3% of the population. 22.1% of the population was under the age of 18, 17.8% from 18 to 24, 24.8% from 25 to 44, 20.7% from 45 to 64, and 14.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32.3 years. For every 100 females, there were 106.5 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older, there were 109.1 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 $43,481 (with a margin of error of +/- $3,474) and the median family income was $65,264 (+/- $3,358). Males had a median income of $30,077 (+/- $2,136) versus $16,980 (+/- $1,362) for females. The median income for those above 16 years old was $22,911 (+/- $2,542). Approximately, 8.3% of families and 19.6% 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 16.7% of those under the age of 18 and 6.1% of those ages 65 or over.


2010 census

As of the 2010 census, there were 24,916 people, 9,812 households, and 5,571 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 11,352 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 84%
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 ...
, 3.2%
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 ...
, 3.1% Asian, 0.8% American Indian, 10.5% from some other race, and 3.1% from two or more races. 14.4% of the population was
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. There were 9,812 households, of which 31.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.0% were married couples living together, 5.3% had a male householder with no wife present, 11.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 43.2% were non-families. 32.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39, and the average family size was 3.08. In the city, the population was spread out, with 23.5% under the age of 18, 19.7% from 18 to 24, 24.5% from 25 to 44, 20.9% from 45 to 64, and 11.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 29.0 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.8 males age 18 and over. The median income for a household in the city was $34,443, and the median income for a family was $47,500. Males had a median income of $32,873 versus $25,821 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 $17,485. About 12.0% of families and 22.2% 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 22.9% of those under age 18 and 11.9% of those age 65 or over.


Economy

In addition to Emporia State University and other large public-sector employers such as the city and county governments, the public schools, and the county hospital, Emporia has several large private-sector employers. Previously, a
Tyson Foods Tyson Foods, Inc. is an American multinational corporation based in Springdale, Arkansas that operates in the food industry. The company is the world's second-largest processor and marketer of broiler industry, chicken, beef, and pork after JBS ...
beef-packing plant employed more than 2,400 workers. Hostess Brands has a bakery in Emporia. Hopkins Manufacturing Corporation, founded in Emporia in 1953, by E.L. "Bud" Hopkins, and recognized in 2003 as the city's Large Employer of the Year, makes products for the automotive aftermarket. The Braum dairy store chain, based in Oklahoma City, originated in Emporia in 1952 under the name ''Peter Pan.'' Simmons Pet Food operates a multi-acre plant in Emporia that manufactures wet dog food. On January 25, 2008, Tyson unexpectedly announced the layoff of 1,500 workers (more than 60 percent) by March 25, 2008. The company said it needed to move its slaughter operations closer to where the cattle are raised in western Kansas. As the city's largest employer for 37 years, the Tyson plant creates almost 10 percent of the local economy. In December 2024, Tyson announced to the 809 remaining employees that the plant in Emporia would be permanently ceasing operations on February 14, 2025. The company plans to continue their optimization strategy of consolidating operations in western Kansas.


Education


Colleges and Universities

Emporia is home to Emporia State University and Flint Hills Technical College. From 1882 to 1974, the private College of Emporia previously existed, and since the city had two colleges during its early years, it was sometimes called the "Athens of Kansas".


Primary and secondary

The community is served by Emporia USD 253 public school district, which has one high school ( Emporia High School), one middle school, and six elementary schools, as well as an early childhood center. The community is also served by two private schools: Emporia Christian School (preschool-8th grade) and Sacred Heart Catholic School (preschool-5th grade).


Library

The Emporia Public Library has been in operation since 1869 and is the oldest in the state of Kansas to remain in operation.


Transportation


Air

The city is served by the Emporia Municipal Airport.


Bus

Bus service within the city is provided by LCAT, or Lyon County Area Transportation. The agency provides demand and deviated fixed-route bus services within the city of Emporia. Lyon County. The buses are a service of Lyon County, with significant support coming from the Kansas Department of Transportation.


Highway

Emporia is served by the following highways: , , , , .


Train

The former Southern Transcon main line of
BNSF Railway BNSF Railway is the largest freight railroad in the United States. One of six North American Class I railroads, BNSF has 36,000 employees, of track in 28 states, and over 8,000 locomotives. It has three Transcontinental railroad, transcontine ...
(ex- Santa Fe) passes east-west through Emporia. A
yard The yard (symbol: yd) is an English units, English unit of length in both the British imperial units, imperial and US United States customary units, customary systems of measurement equalling 3 foot (unit), feet or 36 inches. Sinc ...
is located in Emporia. The city was served by Santa Fe passenger trains until the creation of
Amtrak The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, Trade name, doing business as Amtrak (; ), is the national Passenger train, passenger railroad company of the United States. It operates intercity rail service in 46 of the 48 contiguous United Stat ...
in 1971. The daily ''
Southwest Chief The ''Southwest Chief'' (formerly the ''Southwest Limited'' and ''Super Chief'') is a Amtrak Long Distance, long-distance passenger train operated by Amtrak on a route between Chicago and Los Angeles through the Midwest and American Southwest ...
'' served the city from 1971–1997. Service to Emporia station was eliminated in 1997, two years before a fire destroyed the 1884-built station. In 2014, local efforts were started to bring back the station. the future of revitalized service and a new station is still uncertain.


Media

The '' Emporia Gazette'' is the city's main newspaper, published six days a week. The ''Gazette'' also publishes a
Spanish language Spanish () or Castilian () is a Romance languages, Romance language of the Indo-European languages, Indo-European language family that evolved from the Vulgar Latin spoken on the Iberian Peninsula of Europe. Today, it is a world language, gl ...
monthly paper, ''La Voz''. Emporia State University publishes a bi-weekly student newspaper, the ''Emporia State University Bulletin''. Emporia is a center of broadcast media for east-central Kansas. One AM radio station and ten FM radio stations are licensed to and/or broadcast from the city. Emporia is in the Topeka, Kansas television market, and one television station, a translator of the Fox affiliate in Topeka, broadcasts from the city.


Culture


Points of interest

Emporia has 14 structures 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 ...
. They are the Old Emporia Public Library, the Finney (Warren Wesley) House, the Granada Theater (also known as the Fox Theater), the Harris-Borman House, the Howe (Richard) House, the Keebler-Stone House, the Kress Building, the Mason (Walt) House, the Anderson Carnegie Memorial Library, the Plumb (Mrs. Preston B.) House, the Soden's Grove Bridge, the Soden (Hallie B.) House, the William Allen White House (also known as Red Rocks), and the Col. Harrison C. and Susan Cross House. There is also an authentic one-room school house located on the Emporia State University campus (near Merchant Street) that is available for tours through the ESU Teachers College and The National Teachers Hall of Fame. At the Emporia service area of the Kansas Turnpike is a Kansas Historical Marker named ''Emporia - Home of William Allen White''.


Events

* " Unbound Gravel" (formerly Dirty Kanza) is a gravel bicycle race through the Flint Hills, starting and ending in Emporia. There are race events for 25, 50, 100, 200, 350 miles. It is held every first weekend after
Memorial Day Memorial Day (originally known as Decoration Day) is a federal holiday in the United States for mourning the U.S. military personnel who died while serving in the United States Armed Forces. It is observed on the last Monday of May. It i ...
. * "Dynamic Discs Open" is one of the largest disc golf tournaments. * "The Taste" gives people the chance to visit with wineries, breweries and distilleries from all across Kansas and to taste their products * "Great American Market" is a large market in downtown Emporia held on the second Saturday each September – vendors of antiques, collectibles, artwork, crafts, and food.


In popular culture

The 1987 CBS miniseries '' Murder Ordained'' was filmed in Emporia. It dramatized an actual event in Emporia involving the 1983 death of Sandra Bird.


Notable people

Notable individuals who were born in and/or have lived in Emporia include actor
R. Lee Ermey Ronald Lee Ermey (March 24, 1944 – April 15, 2018) was an American actor and United States Marine Corps, U.S. Marine drill instructor. He achieved fame for his role as Gunnery sergeant, Gunnery Sergeant Hartman in the 1987 film ''Full Met ...
, journalist
William Allen White William Allen White (February 10, 1868 – January 29, 1944) was an American newspaper editor, politician, author, and leader of the Progressive movement. Between 1896 and his death, White became a spokesman for Middle America (United States), ...
, college basketball coach
Dean Smith Dean Edwards Smith (February 28, 1931 – February 7, 2015) was an American men's college basketball Coach (basketball), head coach. Called a "coaching legend" by the Basketball Hall of Fame, he coached for 36 years at the University of North C ...
, and circus performer/tattoo artist Maud Wagner.


See also

* June 1974 Great Plains tornado outbreak * Great Flood of 1951


References


Further reading


External links

*
Emporia - Directory of Public Officials

Emporia Main Street

Emporia Area Chamber of Commerce

Emporia Convention & Visitors Bureau

Lyon County History Center & Historical Society
* Highway maps
Emporia city mapLyon County map (includes Emporia)Kansas map
{{Authority control Cities in Kansas County seats in Kansas Cities in Lyon County, Kansas Populated places established in 1857 Emporia, Kansas micropolitan area 1857 establishments in Kansas Territory