La Harpe is a

city A city is a human settlement of a substantial size. The term "city" has different meanings around the world and in some places the settlement can be very small. Even where the term is limited to larger settlements, there is no universally agree ...

in Allen 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 480.

History

La Harpe was founded by the Fort Scott, Wichita & Western Railroad company (later the Missouri Pacific), and was platted in 1881. It was named after

La Harpe, Illinois La Harpe is a town in Hancock County, Illinois, Hancock County, Illinois, United States. The population was 1,175 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. History During the 18th century, French explorers headed by Bernard de la Harpe we ...

and they both commemorate a prominent French explorer of the southern Great Plains of North America,

Bernard de la Harpe Bernard (''Bernhard'') is a French and West Germanic masculine given name. It has West Germanic origin and is also a surname. The name is attested from at least the 9th century. West Germanic ''Bernhard'' is composed from the two elements ''bern ...

When

natural gas Natural gas (also fossil gas, methane gas, and gas) is a naturally occurring compound of gaseous hydrocarbons, primarily methane (95%), small amounts of higher alkanes, and traces of carbon dioxide and nitrogen, hydrogen sulfide and helium ...

was discovered in the immediate vicinity in 1899 the city began to grow more rapidly and soon rose to be a city of importance. It was incorporated as a city of the second class, and in 1910 had some of the largest zinc smelters in the world, two banks, an opera house, several good mercantile establishments, a newspaper, and all the municipal improvements usually found in cities of that class. The population that year was 2,080. Its post office, first opened in November 1881, was authorized to issue international money orders, and two rural routes supplied mail to the surrounding country.

Geography

La Harpe is situated along

U.S. Route 54 U.S. Route 54 (US 54) is an east–west United States Highway that runs northeast–southwest for from El Paso, Texas, to Griggsville, Illinois. The Union Pacific Railroad's Tucumcari Line (former Southern Pacific Railroad, Southern Pacific an ...

in the central part of Allen County, La Harpe is about miles east of the city of

Iola Iola or IOLA may refer to: Places in the United States *Iola, Colorado, a ghost town *Iola, Florida, an unincorporated community *Iola, Illinois, a village *Iola, Kansas, a city *Iola, Pennsylvania, a census-designated place *Iola, Texas, a city *I ...

(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 ...

), miles east of

Gas Gas is a state of matter that has neither a fixed volume nor a fixed shape and is a compressible fluid. A ''pure gas'' is made up of individual atoms (e.g. a noble gas like neon) or molecules of either a single type of atom ( elements such as ...

, and about seven miles west of the junction of U.S. Routes 54 and 59 and the city of

Moran Moran may refer to: Places Antarctica * Moran Bluff, Marie Byrd Land * Moran Buttress, Marie Byrd Land * Moran Glacier, Alexander Island Asia * Moran Town, Assam, India * Moran, Israel, a kibbutz * Moran Hill, North Korea * Moran Station, a s ...

. 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 of it land.

Demographics

2020 census

The 2020 United States census counted 480 people, 207 households, and 133 families in La Harpe. The population density was 602.3 per square mile (232.5/km). There were 234 housing units at an average density of 293.6 per square mile (113.4/km). The racial makeup was 92.71% (445)

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 ...

(91.88%

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 ...

), 0.21% (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. ...

, 1.88% (9) 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 ...

, 0.42% (2) 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 ...

, 0.42% (2) from other races, and 4.38% (21) 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 2.29% (11) of the population. Of the 207 households, 28.5% had children under the age of 18; 47.3% were married couples living together; 17.9% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. 29.5% of households consisted of individuals and 8.7% 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 2.9. The percent of those with a bachelor’s degree or higher was estimated to be 5.6% of the population. 19.8% of the population was under the age of 18, 8.8% from 18 to 24, 21.9% from 25 to 44, 30.2% from 45 to 64, and 19.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44.7 years. For every 100 females, there were 103.4 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older, there were 96.4 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 $34,583 (with a margin of error of +/- $4,323) and the median family income was $43,125 (+/- $18,550). Males had a median income of $27,292 (+/- $7,377) versus $17,130 (+/- $3,177) for females. The median income for those above 16 years old was $21,797 (+/- $5,632). Approximately, 10.1% of families and 12.5% 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 20.5% of those under the age of 18 and 8.9% 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 578 people, 234 households, and 161 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 273 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 93.6%

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 ...

, 1.4%

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 ...

, 1.2% Native American, 0.9% Asian, 1.0% from other races, and 1.9% from two or more races.

or Latino of any race were 1.6% of the population. There were 234 households, of which 28.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.6% 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, 12.0% had a female householder with no husband present, 7.3% had a male householder with no wife present, and 31.2% were non-families. 26.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.47 and the average family size was 2.91. The median age in the city was 42.2 years. 22.3% of residents were under the age of 18; 9% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 24.1% were from 25 to 44; 27.9% were from 45 to 64; and 16.8% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 52.1% male and 47.9% female.

2000 census

As of the

of 2000, there were 706 people, 268 households, and 191 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 298 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 93.77%

, 0.99%

, 2.12% Native American, and 3.12% from two or more races.

or Latino of any race were 0.85% of the population. There were 268 households, out of which 35.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.1% were

living together, 9.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.4% were non-families. 23.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.63 and the average family size was 3.08. In the city, the population was spread out, with 28.6% under the age of 18, 9.8% from 18 to 24, 29.6% from 25 to 44, 21.4% from 45 to 64, and 10.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 103.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.8 males. The median income for a household in the city was $24,219, and the median income for a family was $32,981. Males had a median income of $22,102 versus $16,058 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 $12,196. About 8.9% of families and 13.4% of the population were below the

, including 16.1% of those under age 18 and 11.8% of those age 65 or over.

Education

La Harpe is a part of

USD The United States dollar (symbol: $; currency code: USD) is the official currency of the United States and several other countries. The Coinage Act of 1792 introduced the U.S. dollar at par with the Spanish silver dollar, divided it int ...

257 Iola. The Iola High School mascot is Mustangs. La Harpe schools were closed through school unification. The La Harpe High School mascot was La Harpe Panthers.

Transportation

The nearest

intercity bus An intercity bus service (North American English) or intercity coach service (British English and Commonwealth English), also called a long-distance, express, over-the-road, commercial, long-haul, or highway bus or coach service, is a public t ...

stop is located in

. Service is provided by

Jefferson Lines Jefferson Lines (JL or JLI) is a regional intercity bus company operating in 14 states in the Midwest and the West of the United States. History The company is operated by Jefferson Partners L.P., located in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Jefferson P ...

on a route from Minneapolis to Tulsa.

Notable people

* Ad Brennan, baseball player

References

External links

City of La Harpe

La Harpe - Directory of Public Officials

USD 257
local school district
La Harpe city map
KDOT {{Authority control Cities in Kansas Cities in Allen County, Kansas Populated places established in 1881 1881 establishments in Kansas