Enterprise is a city in

Dickinson County Dickinson County is the name of three counties in the United States: * Dickinson County, Iowa * Dickinson County, Kansas * Dickinson County, Michigan See also * Dickenson County, Virginia Dickenson County is a county located in the Commo ...

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 708.

History

The first settlement at Enterprise was in 1868, and Enterprise was laid out in 1872. It was named for the enterprising qualities of the pioneer settlers. The first post office in Enterprise was established in January 1873. On January 10, 1883, the Enterprise Town Company, with capital of $50,000, was organized. The following officers were elected: V. P. Wilson, president; John Johntz, vice-president; C. Hoffman, treasurer; T. C. Henry, secretary. In 1867, the Kansas Pacific Railroad reached Dickinson County, and the KP built a spur to connect Enterprise with the mainline at

Detroit Detroit ( , ) is the List of municipalities in Michigan, most populous city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is situated on the bank of the Detroit River across from Windsor, Ontario. It had a population of 639,111 at the 2020 United State ...

, three miles away. In 1886, the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad built a tertiary line through Enterprise to connect the Rock Island's main line at Herington to the grain elevators and flour mills in Salina. Today, that track is still in use, owned by the Abilene and Smoky Valley, a heritage railroad that runs excursion trains between Abilene and Enterprise. In 1887,

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 ...

built a branch line from

Neva The Neva ( , ; , ) is a river in northwestern Russia flowing from Lake Ladoga through the western part of Leningrad Oblast (historical region of Ingria) to the Neva Bay of the Gulf of Finland. Despite its modest length of , it is the fourth- ...

(three miles west of Strong City) through Enterprise to

Superior, Nebraska Superior is a city in Nuckolls County, Nebraska, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 1,957. Superior bills itself as the "Victorian Capital of Nebraska", and holds an annual Victorian Festival.

. In 1996, the

merged with

Burlington Northern Railroad The Burlington Northern Railroad was a United States–based railroad company formed from a merger of four major U.S. railroads. Burlington Northern operated between 1970 and 1995. Its historical lineage begins in the earliest days of railroad ...

and renamed to the current

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 ...

. Most locals still refer to this railroad as the "Santa Fe". On January 23, 1901,

temperance movement The temperance movement is a social movement promoting Temperance (virtue), temperance or total abstinence from consumption of alcoholic beverages. Participants in the movement typically criticize alcohol intoxication or promote teetotalism, and ...

leader

Carrie Nation Caroline Amelia Nation (November 25, 1846June 9, 1911), often referred to as Carrie, Carry Nation, Carrie A. Nation, or Hatchet Granny, was an American who was a radical member of the temperance movement, which opposed alcohol before the advent ...

and her followers wrecked a saloon in Enterprise.

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 , 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, Enterprise 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 708 people, 271 households, and 188 families in Enterprise. The population density was 1,056.7 per square mile (408.0/km). There were 316 housing units at an average density of 471.6 per square mile (182.1/km). The racial makeup was 89.12% (631)

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 ...

(86.72%

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. ...

, 0.56% (4) 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 ...

, 0.28% (2) Asian, 0.14% (1)

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 ...

, 1.13% (8) from other races, and 8.76% (62) from

two or more races Multiracial Americans, also known as mixed-race Americans, are Americans who have mixed ancestry of two or more races. The term may also include Americans of mixed-race ancestry who self-identify with just one group culturally and socially (cf. t ...

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 5.23% (37) of the population. Of the 271 households, 33.9% had children under the age of 18; 49.1% were married couples living together; 21.4% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. 24.7% of households consisted of individuals and 8.9% 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 3.1. The percent of those with a bachelor’s degree or higher was estimated to be 9.7% of the population. 23.7% of the population was under the age of 18, 7.2% from 18 to 24, 24.3% from 25 to 44, 26.8% from 45 to 64, and 17.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40.3 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.4 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older, there were 100.0 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 $49,333 (with a margin of error of +/- $13,594) and the median family income was $54,306 (+/- $20,848). Males had a median income of $32,823 (+/- $2,934) versus $15,601 (+/- $2,310) for females. The median income for those above 16 years old was $22,176 (+/- $5,977). Approximately, 13.9% of families and 15.9% 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 26.1% of those under the age of 18 and 12.3% 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 855 people, 294 households, and 221 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 335 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 93.3%

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 ...

, 0.9%

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, 0.4% Asian, 0.1%

, 1.6% from other races, and 3.3% from two or more races.

or Latino of any race were 4.1% of the population. There were 294 households, of which 37.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.1% 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, 12.9% had a female householder with no husband present, 6.1% had a male householder with no wife present, and 24.8% were non-families. 22.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.66 and the average family size was 3.03. The median age in the city was 34.9 years. 28.1% of residents were under the age of 18; 8.3% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 23.1% were from 25 to 44; 23.6% were from 45 to 64; and 16.7% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 46.7% male and 53.3% female.

2000 census

As of the

of 2000, there were 836 people, 299 households, and 218 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 334 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 96.77%

, 0.24%

, 0.84% Native American, 0.12% Asian, and 2.03% from two or more races.

or Latino of any race were 0.84% of the population. There were 299 households, out of which 37.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.5% were

living together, 9.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.8% were non-families. 23.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.64 and the average family size was 3.11. In the city, the population was spread out, with 27.6% under the age of 18, 7.3% from 18 to 24, 23.9% from 25 to 44, 21.5% from 45 to 64, and 19.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 82.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 80.6 males. As of 2000 the median income for a household in the city was $36,613, and the median income for a family was $39,479. Males had a median income of $28,214 versus $20,357 for females. The per capita income for the city was $15,619. About 7.8% of families and 8.5% of the population were below the

, including 7.0% of those under age 18 and 11.3% of those age 65 or over.

Education

The community is served by Chapman USD 473 public school district. The Chapman High School mascot is Chapman Fighting Irish. Enterprise claims the title of the first town to offer kindergarten in the state. Enterprise High School was closed through school unification. The Enterprise High School mascot was Enterprise Bulldogs."The good ole days", The Salina Journal, 1 December 1994, p.17.

References

External links

;City
City of Enterprise

Enterprise - Directory of Public Officials
;Historical
Historic Images of Enterprise
Special Photo Collections at Wichita State University Library
J.B. Ehrsam building was demolished in 2011
{{Authority control Cities in Kansas Cities in Dickinson County, Kansas Populated places established in 1883 1883 establishments in Kansas