Eskridge is a city in

Wabaunsee County Wabaunsee County (standard abbreviation: WB) is a county located in the U.S. state of Kansas. As of the 2020 census, the county population was 6,877. Its county seat is Alma. The county was created by the territorial legislature of Kansas Terri ...

Kansas Kansas () is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its capital is Topeka, and its largest city is Wichita. Kansas is a landlocked state bordered by Nebraska to the north; Missouri to the east; Oklahoma to the south; and Colorado to ...

, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 439.

History

Eskridge was laid out in 1868. The town experienced growth in 1880 when the railroad was built through it. Eskridge is named for Charles V. Eskridge, an

Emporia, Kansas Emporia is a city in and the county seat 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 U.S. Route 50 with Interstates 335 ...

journalist and politician. Colonel Ephraim Sanford, the founder of the town company allowed Eskridge to buy the first lot and have the town named after him. Eskridge served in both houses of the legislature and was elected as lieutenant governor under Governor James M. Harvey in 1869. In 1943, German and Italian prisoners of

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

were brought to Kansas and other Midwest states as a means of solving the labor shortage caused by American men serving in the war effort. Large internment camps were established in Kansas:

Camp Concordia Camp Concordia was a prisoner-of-war camp that operated from 1943–1945. Its location is two miles north and one mile east of Concordia, Kansas. The camp was used primarily for German Army prisoners during World War II who were captured in battl ...

, Camp Funston (at

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 G ...

), Camp Phillips (at Salina under

established 12 smaller branch camps, including one west of Eskridge at Lake Wabaunsee.

Geography

According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy An economy is an area of th ...

, the city has a total area of , all of it land.

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 is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, nota ...

system, Eskridge has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.

Demographics

Eskridge is part of the

Topeka, Kansas Topeka ( ; Kansa: ; iow, Dópikˀe, script=Latn or ) is the capital city A capital city or capital is the municipality holding primary status in a country, state, province, department, or other subnational entity, usually as its seat ...

Metropolitan Statistical Area In the United States, a metropolitan statistical area (MSA) is a geographical region with a relatively high population density at its core and close economic ties throughout the area. Such regions are neither legally Incorporated town, incorporate ...

2010 census

As of the

census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses in ...

of 2010, there were 534 people, 187 households, and 124 families residing in the city. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: 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 geographical ...

was . There were 233 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 96.6%

White White is the lightness, lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully diffuse reflection, reflect and scattering, scatter all the ...

, 1.1%

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American ...

, 0.2% Asian, 0.4% from other races, and 1.7% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to viceroyalties for ...

or Latino of any race were 0.7% of the population. There were 187 households, of which 32.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.3% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between t ...

living together, 11.8% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.2% had a male householder with no wife present, and 33.7% were non-families. 26.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.53 and the average family size was 3.08. The median age in the city was 42.7 years. 24% of residents were under the age of 18; 6.8% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 21.6% were from 25 to 44; 31.3% were from 45 to 64; and 16.1% 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

of 2000, there were 589 people, 212 households, and 146 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 238 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 97.28%

, 1.02%

, 0.68% Native American, 0.34% Asian, 0.34% from other races, and 0.34% from two or more races.

or Latino of any race were 1.36% of the population. There were 212 households, out of which 31.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.8% were

living together, 9.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.1% were non-families. 27.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.50 and the average family size was 3.01. In the city, the population was spread out, with 23.3% under the age of 18, 7.8% from 18 to 24, 24.6% from 25 to 44, 24.8% from 45 to 64, and 19.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.5 males. The median income for a household in the city was $37,917, and the median income for a family was $43,125. Males had a median income of $29,688 versus $18,125 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...

for the city was $12,629. About 7.7% of families and 13.9% 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 14.4% of those under age 18 and 23.4% of those age 65 or over.

Education

The community is served by

Mission Valley USD 330 Mission Valley USD 330 is a public unified school district headquartered in Eskridge, Kansas, United States. The district includes the communities of Eskridge, Harveyville, Dover, Keene, Wilmington, and nearby rural areas. Schools The scho ...

public school district, which was created by school unification when Eskridge / Harveyville / Dover schools consolidated.

Mission Valley High School Mission Valley High School is a public secondary school located 6 miles northeast of Eskridge, Kansas, United States. It is operated by Mission Valley USD 330 public school district, and serves students of grades 9 to 12. History In 2008, it ...

is located approximately 6 miles northeast of Eskridge, and its mascot is Mission Valley Vikings. Eskridge High School was closed through school unification. Its last class graduated in 1971. The Eskridge High School mascot was Eskridge Dragons."Paxico Edges by Eskridge Dragons", The Manhattan Mercury, 21 January 1962, p.9.

References

External links

City of Eskridge

Eskridge - Directory of Public Officials

Eskridge city map
KDOT {{Authority control Cities in Kansas Cities in Wabaunsee County, Kansas