Highland is a city in Doniphan 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 903. It is home to Highland Community College.

History

Short summary

The Highland Township was started with the founding of the Iowa and Sac & Fox Mission State Historic Site by Reverend Samuel Irvin and Reverend William Hamilton in 1837. The mission was sponsored and funded by the Presbyterians. The Founders plan behind the town was to make it an educational town and in 1857 when the town was laid out a spot was chosen for the future university. Samuel Irvin established the first Highland Community College Building Irvin Hall with the building being built in 1858. The college was chartered and founded in 1858 and has gone through eight name changes over the course of its history. In 2011 Highland became the self proclaimed Snowflake City of Kansas

Early history

Reverend Samuel Irvin and Reverend William Hamilton found the Ioway Presbtaryian Church in 1843 with Rev. Hamilton acting as Minister. The church was moved from the Mission to Highland in 1860. John Powers Johnson builds a log home 2 miles west of the mission in 1854 due to land unavailability along the Missouri River. The Cabin was the first Building in Highland sitting on the site of the current Senior Citizen Center. Johnson left Kansas for two years as he didn't have to live in the home he only had to make improvements to the land in order to purchase it under the

Preemption Act of 1841 The Preemption Act of 1841, also known as the Distributive Preemption Act ( 27 Cong., Ch. 16; ), was a US federal law approved on September 4, 1841. It was designed to "appropriate the proceeds of the sales of public lands... and to grant ' pre-e ...

he however could not purchase the land until after the Iowa tribe members had been removed and the land had been surveyed. John Bayless preempted the land just west of Johnson and founded the Susquehanna western Immigration Company to promote anti-slavery people moving to Kansas. Samuel Irvin looked over the claims till the land could properly be purchased in 1857.

The Highland Town Company

On May 16, 1857, the Highland Town Company was formed buying town lots to resell to what they had hoped to be a bustling town. Bayless was the Company's president with Johnson acting as Secretary and Irvin as the treasurer. The town company had built some amenities such as a large hotel despite slow growth. The town struggled to gain population but despite its small size the town had a newspaper called The Highlander and the first bank arrived by 1862 being opened by Johnson. These three founding fathers hoped that Highland would become not only an educational center but also a religious center for Kansas and surrounding territories. In November 1857 the Highland Presbytery was organized as part of the Missouri

Synod A synod () is a council of a Christian denomination, usually convened to decide an issue of doctrine, administration or application. The word '' synod'' comes from the Ancient Greek () ; the term is analogous with the Latin word . Originally, ...

and eventually came to encompass all 21 old school presbyteries in the Kansas and Nebraska territories.

Highland University

At the first meeting of the presbytery, it was decided by the members that a Presbyterian academy would be established in highland. On December 26, 1857, the board had decided that the academy which could be compared to a private high school was not sufficient and voted to established Highland University instead with James Cambell as president and Samuel Irvin as Secretary. The board of trustees prepared a charter that was taken to Lecompton the Territorial capital of Kansas and was passed and signed by Governor Denver on February 9, 1858. Highland Town Company then reserved 4 blocks on the west side of town for the University. Elementary classes were held at the college until a Grade school was opened in the mid 1870s.

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 , all land.

Demographics

Highland is part of the St. Joseph,

Missouri Missouri (''see #Etymology and pronunciation, pronunciation'') is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking List of U.S. states and territories by area, 21st in land area, it border ...

–Kansas Metropolitan Statistical Area.

2020 census

The 2020 United States census counted 903 people, 251 households, and 160 families in Highland. The population density was 1,720.0 per square mile (664.1/km). There were 341 housing units at an average density of 649.5 per square mile (250.8/km). The racial makeup was 75.64% (683)

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 ...

(73.31%

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 ...

), 15.61% (141)

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. ...

, 1.55% (14) 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 ...

, 0.89% (8) 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 ...

, 2.1% (19) from other races, and 4.21% (38) 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 4.65% (42) of the population. Of the 251 households, 29.5% had children under the age of 18; 49.0% were married couples living together; 22.3% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. 33.1% of households consisted of individuals and 14.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.6 and the average family size was 3.2. The percent of those with a bachelor’s degree or higher was estimated to be 13.7% of the population. 14.0% of the population was under the age of 18, 36.3% from 18 to 24, 16.2% from 25 to 44, 16.1% from 45 to 64, and 17.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 24.9 years. For every 100 females, there were 82.4 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older, there were 79.0 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 $65,208 (with a margin of error of +/- $16,964) and the median family income was $74,063 (+/- $9,690). Males had a median income of $9,618 (+/- $2,646) versus $7,389 (+/- $2,433) for females. The median income for those above 16 years old was $8,413 (+/- $1,908). Approximately, 11.8% of families and 16.3% 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 14.0% of those ages 65 or over.

2010 census

At the 2010

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 ...

, there were 1,012 people, 296 households and 155 families living 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 372 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 84.7%

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 ...

, 10.0%

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 ...

, 1.1% Native American, 0.4% Asian, 0.8% from other races, and 3.1% from two or more races.

or Latino of any race were 2.0% of the population. There were 296 households, of which 23.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.6% 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, 7.8% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.0% had a male householder with no wife present, and 47.6% were non-families. 39.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.16 and the average family size was 2.94. The median age in the city was 21.8 years. 12.7% of residents were under the age of 18; 41.8% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 14.6% were from 25 to 44; 17.2% were from 45 to 64; and 13.8% were 65 years of age or older. The sex makeup of the city was 53.3% male and 46.7% female.

2000 census

At the 2000

, there were 976 people, 316 households and 169 families living in the city. The population density was . There were 344 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 90.27%

, 5.74%

, 1.02% Native American, 0.20% Asian, 0.92% from other races, and 1.84% from two or more races.

or Latino of any race were 1.33% of the population. There were 316 households, of which 20.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.6% were

living together, 7.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 46.5% were non-families. 41.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 22.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.02 and the average family size was 2.76. 12.3% of the population were under the age of 18, 36.5% from 18 to 24, 14.2% from 25 to 44, 15.2% from 45 to 64, and 21.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 28 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.5 males. The

median household income The median income is the income amount that divides a population into two groups, half having an income above that amount, and half having an income below that amount. It may differ from the mean (or average) income. Both of these are ways of und ...

was $25,250 and the median family income was $37,969. Males had a median income of $30,298 compared with $22,250 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 $12,341. About 9.0% of families and 17.4% of the population were below the

, including 10.6% of those under age 18 and 13.9% of those age 65 or over.

Education

Primary and secondary education

The community is served by Doniphan West USD 111 public school district, and home to Doniphan West Jr/Sr High School since 2009. The Doniphan West Jr/Sr High School mascot is Doniphan West Mustangs. Highland High School was closed through school unification. The Highland Blue Streaks won the Kansas State High School boys class 1A Track & Field championship in 1969 and 1990.

Colleges and universities

Highland Community College is a Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference (KJCCC) member school.

Notable people

* John Misse, baseball player

References

External links

City of Highland

Highland - Directory of Public Officials

Highland city map
KDOT {{Authority control Cities in Kansas Cities in Doniphan County, Kansas St. Joseph, Missouri metropolitan area 1857 establishments in Kansas Territory