Longford is a city in

Clay County Clay County is the name of 18 counties in the United States. Most are named for Henry Clay, U.S. Senator and statesman: * Clay County, Alabama * Clay County, Arkansas (named for John Clayton, and originally named Clayton County) * Clay County, Fl ...

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 73.

History

Longford was founded in 1870. The first post office in Longford was established in 1875. 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- ...

( west of Strong City) through Longford 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 Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe 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 was 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".

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.

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, Longford 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 73 people, 39 households, and 25 families in Longford. The population density was 514.1 per square mile (198.5/km). There were 47 housing units at an average density of 331.0 per square mile (127.8/km). The racial makeup was 89.04% (65)

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 ...

(89.04%

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. ...

, 0.0% (0) 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 ...

, 0.0% (0) 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 ...

, 0.0% (0) from other races, and 10.96% (8) 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 0.0% (0) of the population. Of the 39 households, 48.7% had children under the age of 18; 43.6% were married couples living together; 17.9% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. 28.2% of households consisted of individuals and 15.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.9 and the average family size was 3.6. The percent of those with a bachelor’s degree or higher was estimated to be 17.8% of the population. 21.9% of the population was under the age of 18, 11.0% from 18 to 24, 21.9% from 25 to 44, 21.9% from 45 to 64, and 23.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44.3 years. For every 100 females, there were 78.0 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older, there were 72.7 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 $40,938 (with a margin of error of +/- $10,248) and the median family income was $44,583 (+/- $18,683). Males had a median income of $24,375 (+/- $20,722). Approximately, 7.4% of families and 10.7% 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 6.1% of those under the age of 18 and 0.0% 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 79 people, 34 households, and 17 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 49 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 97.5%

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 ...

, 1.3% Native American, and 1.3% from two or more races.

or Latino people of any race were 6.3% of the population. There were 34 households, of which 26.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.1% 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, 2.9% had a female householder with no husband present, 2.9% had a male householder with no wife present, and 50.0% were non-families. 41.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.32 and the average family size was 3.41. The median age in the city was 39.5 years. 32.9% of residents were under the age of 18; 1.3% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 21.6% were from 25 to 44; 29.2% were from 45 to 64; and 15.2% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 49.4% male and 50.6% female.

2000 census

As of the

of 2000, there were 94 people, 41 households, and 25 families living in the city. The population density was . There were 54 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 96.81%

, 2.13%

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 ...

, and 1.06% from two or more races. There were 41 households, out of which 26.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.5% were

living together, and 36.6% were non-families. 31.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 22.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.29 and the average family size was 2.88. In the city, the population was spread out, with 24.5% under the age of 18, 7.4% from 18 to 24, 27.7% from 25 to 44, 19.1% from 45 to 64, and 21.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 88.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.2 males. The median income for a household in the city was $20,833, and the median income for a family was $24,375. Males had a median income of $22,500 versus $10,000 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 $12,072. There were 11.1% of families and 13.6% of the population living below the

, including no under eighteens and 33.3% of those over 64.

Culture

Longford is known for their annual PRCA-sanctioned rodeo. The Longford Rodeo started in 1955. There is a mural paying homage to the local rodeo clowns in downtown Longford as a part of the local "Mural Movement".

Education

The community is served by

Clay County USD 379 Clay County USD 379 is a public unified school district headquartered in Clay Center, Kansas, United States. The district includes the communities of Clay Center, Green, Longford, Morganville, Oak Hill, Wakefield Wakefield is a cathe ...

public school district. Longford schools were closed through school unification. The Longford High School mascot was Longford Lions.

Notable people

Bob Cain Robert Max "Sugar" Cain (October 16, 1924 – April 8, 1997) was an American Major League Baseball pitcher with the Chicago White Sox, Detroit Tigers and St. Louis Browns between 1949 and 1954. He batted and threw left-handed. On August 19, 1951 ...

, baseball player, famous for pitching to

Eddie Gaedel Edward Carl Gaedel (June 8, 1925 – June 18, 1961) was the smallest player to appear in a Major League Baseball game. Gaedel gained recognition in the second game of a St. Louis Browns doubleheader on August 19, 1951. Weighing and standing t ...

, the shortest person to appear in a Major League Baseball game

Gallery

File:Longford, Kansas.jpg, Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway depot in Longford, circa 1887-1897 File:Theguardianlongfordks.jpg, ''The Guardian'' by Whitney Kerr III (2021)''The Guardian'' by Whitney Kerr III (2021)
/ref>

References

External links

*
Longford - Directory of Public Officials

Longford Rodeo

Smithalo monument
* Clay County maps
CurrentHistoric
KDOT {{Authority control Cities in Kansas Cities in Clay County, Kansas