Hope is a city in southern Dickinson 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 317.

History

Early history

For many

millennia A millennium () is a period of one thousand years, one hundred decades, or ten centuries, sometimes called a kiloannum (ka), or kiloyear (ky). Normally, the word is used specifically for periods of a thousand years that begin at the starting p ...

, the

Great Plains The Great Plains is a broad expanse of plain, flatland in North America. The region stretches east of the Rocky Mountains, much of it covered in prairie, steppe, and grassland. They are the western part of the Interior Plains, which include th ...

North America North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere, Northern and Western Hemisphere, Western hemispheres. North America is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South Ameri ...

was inhabited by

nomadic Nomads are communities without fixed habitation who regularly move to and from areas. Such groups include hunter-gatherers, pastoral nomads (owning livestock), tinkers and trader nomads. In the twentieth century, the population of nomadic pa ...

Native Americans. From the 16th century to 18th century, the

Kingdom of France The Kingdom of France is the historiographical name or umbrella term given to various political entities of France in the Middle Ages, medieval and Early modern France, early modern period. It was one of the most powerful states in Europe from th ...

claimed ownership of large parts of

. In 1762, after the

French and Indian War The French and Indian War, 1754 to 1763, was a colonial conflict in North America between Kingdom of Great Britain, Great Britain and Kingdom of France, France, along with their respective Native Americans in the United States, Native American ...

, France secretly ceded

New France New France (, ) was the territory colonized by Kingdom of France, France in North America, beginning with the exploration of the Gulf of Saint Lawrence by Jacques Cartier in 1534 and ending with the cession of New France to Kingdom of Great Br ...

Spain Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Eur ...

, per the Treaty of Fontainebleau. In 1802, Spain returned most of the land to France. In 1803, most of the land that became the state of Kansas was acquired by the United States from France as part of the 828,000 square mile

Louisiana Purchase The Louisiana Purchase () was the acquisition of the Louisiana (New France), territory of Louisiana by the United States from the French First Republic in 1803. This consisted of most of the land in the Mississippi River#Watershed, Mississipp ...

for 2.83 cents per

acre The acre ( ) is a Unit of measurement, unit of land area used in the Imperial units, British imperial and the United States customary units#Area, United States customary systems. It is traditionally defined as the area of one Chain (unit), ch ...

. In 1854, the

Kansas Territory The Territory of Kansas was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from May 30, 1854, until January 29, 1861, when the eastern portion of the territory was admitted to the United States, Union as the Slave and ...

was organized, then in 1861

became the 34th

U.S. state In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its so ...

. In 1857, Dickinson County was established within the

, which included what became Hope.

Development

In 1871, a group of about forty people, led by Newell Thurstin, began planning a townsite, named Hope after one of his sons. Its first post office was established in July 1871. David Jacob Eisenhower, the father of President Dwight David Eisenhower, lived in a ranch near Hope from 1878 until his enrollment at Lane University in Lecompton, and then he moved to Hope. On March 30, 1885, he and business partner Milton Good opened a general store in Hope called Good & Eisenhower, operated mostly by the Eisenhower family, and "balanced to the penny" by Eisenhower's mandate. The partners were leading civic boosters for Hope for years, with the community development mostly led by Good and the socially reclusive Eisenhower co-funding some projects. Hope was incorporated in 1886, with a population over 700. The arrival of the railroad one year before, brought access of bustling Chicago to tiny Hope. In early 1886, Eisenhower and Good organized a fundraiser among businesses to open an

opera house An opera house is a theater building used for performances of opera. Like many theaters, it usually includes a stage, an orchestra pit, audience seating, backstage facilities for costumes and building sets, as well as offices for the institut ...

in Hope. On November 4, 1886, Eisenhower bought out their partnership of one and a half years. 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 (3 miles west of Strong City) through Hope to Superior, Nebraska. 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 ...

. In late 1888, Good abandoned Hope, and the Eisenhower family continued the store. The Eisenhowers reported Good's "misdeeds" to have caused the later failure of the store and his departure to have been "in something of a hurry", but historians' research has improved Good's retrospective reputation. The motto of Hope is "There Will Always Be Hope In Kansas", which is also the name of a song.

Geography

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 ...

reports a total area of , all land.

Climate

The climate has 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, Hope 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 317 people, 146 households, and 82 families in Hope. The population density was 814.9 per square mile (314.6/km). There were 175 housing units at an average density of 449.9 per square mile (173.7/km). The racial makeup was 92.74% (294)

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 ...

(91.8%

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 ...

), 0.32% (1)

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. ...

, 0.63% (2) 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 ...

, 0.32% (1) 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 ...

, 1.26% (4) from other races, and 4.73% (15) 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 2.52% (8) of the population. Of the 146 households, 22.6% had children under the age of 18; 46.6% were married couples living together; 24.0% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. 41.1% of households consisted of individuals and 18.5% 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 3.7. The percent of those with a bachelor’s degree or higher was estimated to be 13.9% of the population. 21.8% of the population was under the age of 18, 4.4% from 18 to 24, 18.3% from 25 to 44, 28.1% from 45 to 64, and 27.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 51.5 years. For every 100 females, there were 112.8 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older, there were 103.3 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 $40,833 (with a margin of error of +/- $11,846) and the median family income was $63,750 (+/- $13,471). Males had a median income of $34,306 (+/- $5,297) versus $29,375 (+/- $28,309) for females. The median income for those above 16 years old was $34,028 (+/- $5,808). Approximately, 18.9% of families and 27.3% 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 36.9% of those under the age of 18 and 3.2% of those ages 65 or over.

2010 census

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 reports 368 people, 166 households, and 104 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 192 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 93.5%

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 ...

, 2.4%

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 ...

, 0.8% Native American, 0.3% Asian, and 3.0% from two or more races.

or Latino of any race were 0.3% of the population. There were 166 households, of which 22.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.2% 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, 6.0% had a female householder with no husband present, 2.4% had a male householder with no wife present, and 37.3% were non-families. 33.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 18.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.22 and the average family size was 2.81. The median age in the city was 48.7 years. 19.8% of residents were under the age of 18; 6.9% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 16.3% were from 25 to 44; 34% were from 45 to 64; and 23.1% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 49.7% male and 50.3% female.

2000 census

The

of 2000 reports 372 people, 164 households, and 106 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 185 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 98.12%

, 0.81%

, 0.54% Native American, 0.27% Asian, and 0.27% from two or more races.

or Latino of any race were 0.27% of the population. There were 164 households, out of which 29.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.3% were

living together, 5.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.8% were non-families. 32.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 21.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.27 and the average family size was 2.88. In the city, the population was spread out, with 24.5% under the age of 18, 3.8% from 18 to 24, 25.3% from 25 to 44, 24.2% from 45 to 64, and 22.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females, there were 84.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.5 males. The median income for a household in the city was $28,365, and the median income for a family was $32,813. Males had a median income of $27,639 versus $18,036 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 $14,300. About 4.8% of families and 7.4% of the population were below the

, including 4.6% of those under age 18 and 14.0% of those age 65 or over.

Government

The Hope government consists of a mayor and five council members.Hope – Government
/ref>Hope – Directory of Public Officials
/ref> The community is served by Rural Vista USD 481 public school district.Kansas School District Boundary Map

Transportation

Hope is located on K-4, the longest highway in the state. It was once at the junction of the

BNSF 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 routes that provide ...

and

Missouri Pacific The Missouri Pacific Railroad , commonly abbreviated as MoPac, was one of the first railroads in the United States west of the Mississippi River. MoPac was a Class I railroad growing from dozens of predecessors and mergers. In 1967, the railroad ...

railroads, but is no longer served by either Railroad.

Notable people

* Edgar Eisenhower, brother of 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 ...

, was born in Hope, Kansas. * Don Ihde, philosopher, was born in Hope, Kansas, in 1934.

References

External links

*
Hope – Directory of Public Officials

Historic Images of Hope
Special Photo Collections at Wichita State University Library. {{Authority control Cities in Kansas Cities in Dickinson County, Kansas Populated places established in 1871 1871 establishments in Kansas