Palco is a city in Rooks 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 208.

History

Palco was established in 1888 by

Union Pacific Railroad The Union Pacific Railroad is a Railroad classes, Class I freight-hauling railroad that operates 8,300 locomotives over routes in 23 U.S. states west of Chicago and New Orleans. Union Pacific is the second largest railroad in the United Stat ...

as a

train depot A train station, railroad station, or railway station is a Rail transport, railway facility where trains stop to load or unload passenger train, passengers, freight rail transport, freight, or both. It generally consists of at least one railwa ...

on a newly formed line. The town was given the name Palco as a portmanteau for railroad officials Palmer and Cole. The

post office A post office is a public facility and a retailer that provides mail services, such as accepting letter (message), letters and parcel (package), parcels, providing post office boxes, and selling postage stamps, packaging, and stationery. Post o ...

was moved from the nearby town of

Cresson ''Cresson'' is the French word for ''watercress''. It may refer to: ; Places * Battle of Cresson, a small battle fought on May 1, 1187, in what now is Israel, near Nazareth * Cresson, Kansas, a United States ghost town * Cresson, Pennsylvania, a ...

. Cresson (named for

Cresson, Pennsylvania Cresson is a borough in Cambria County, Pennsylvania, United States. Cresson is east of Pittsburgh. It is above in elevation. Lumber, coal, and coke yards were industries that had supported the population, which numbered 1,470 in 1910. The bo ...

) was granted a

in 1879. In 1887, rumors circulated that the railroad would lay track miles to the south of Cresson. Many citizens and businesses abandoned Cresson to form the community of New Cresson along the expected railroad route. When the railroad track was laid it curved to the north missing New Cresson. The town was soon abandoned. An ironic twist is that the northern route of the track passed near the original town of Cresson. In 1893, Palco was nearly wiped out by a prairie fire. The fire originated in Graham County and consumed thousands of acres along with

farmsteads A farm (also called an agricultural holding) is an area of land that is devoted primarily to agricultural processes with the primary objective of producing food and other crops; it is the basic facility in food production. The name is used fo ...

and

livestock Livestock are the Domestication, domesticated animals that are raised in an Agriculture, agricultural setting to provide labour and produce diversified products for consumption such as meat, Egg as food, eggs, milk, fur, leather, and wool. The t ...

in Graham, Rooks, Ellis and Russell Counties before being extinguished. Seven people lost their lives in the blaze. Palco filed for incorporation as a third class city in 1906 and elected Robert Kirkendall as

mayor In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a Municipal corporation, municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilitie ...

. Fire again struck Palco in 1923, destroying many businesses along Main Street including the hotel, post office, real estate office and a doctor's office.

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, Palco 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 208 people, 96 households, and 51 families in Palco. The population density was 776.1 per square mile (299.7/km). There were 134 housing units at an average density of 500.0 per square mile (193.1/km). The racial makeup was 90.38% (188)

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 ...

(90.38%

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 ...

), 0.96% (2)

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. ...

, 0.48% (1) 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, 0.48% (1)

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 7.69% (16) 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 3.37% (7) of the population. Of the 96 households, 21.9% had children under the age of 18; 44.8% were married couples living together; 21.9% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. 39.6% of households consisted of individuals and 19.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.8 and the average family size was 2.7. The percent of those with a bachelor's degree or higher was estimated to be 12.5% of the population. 24.0% of the population was under the age of 18, 2.9% from 18 to 24, 18.3% from 25 to 44, 28.4% from 45 to 64, and 26.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 49.5 years. For every 100 females, there were 103.9 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older, there were 90.4 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 $33,438 (with a margin of error of +/- $12,759) and the median family income was $41,250 (+/- $28,777). Females had a median income of $16,250 (+/- $6,367). The median income for those above 16 years old was $19,583 (+/- $14,327). Approximately, 15.6% of families and 18.0% 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 36.0% of those under the age of 18 and 3.8% 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 277 people, 112 households, and 71 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 153 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 94.2%

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 ...

, 3.2%

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 ...

, 0.4% Native American, 0.4%

, 0.4% from other races, and 1.4% from two or more races.

or Latino of any race were 5.1% of the population. There were 112 households, of which 34.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.9% 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, 15.2% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.4% had a male householder with no wife present, and 36.6% were non-families. 33.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.9% 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 3.11. The median age in the city was 32.7 years. 30.7% of residents were under the age of 18; 7.2% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 20.6% were from 25 to 44; 22.7% were from 45 to 64; and 18.8% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 46.9% male and 53.1% female.

2000 census

As of the

of 2000, there were 248 people, 126 households, and 72 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 152 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 96.37%

, 1.21%

, 1.61% Native American, and 0.81% from two or more races.

or Latino of any race were 0.40% of the population. There were 126 households, out of which 23.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.6% were

living together, 7.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 42.1% were non-families. 41.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 20.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.97 and the average family size was 2.60. 90% of residents of Palco are related to each other. In the city, the population was spread out, with 19.0% under the age of 18, 6.9% from 18 to 24, 23.0% from 25 to 44, 25.4% from 45 to 64, and 25.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 46 years. For every 100 females, there were 86.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.9 males. The median income for a household in the city was $28,036, and the median income for a family was $33,500. Males had a median income of $25,500 versus $17,500 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 $18,519. About 5.7% of families and 14.4% of the population were below the

, including 19.1% of those under the age of eighteen and 11.3% of those 65 or over. Palco Kansas High School Sign

Education

The community is served by Palco USD 269 public school district. It has two schools: Damar Elementary School is located in Damar, Palco Jr-Sr High School is located in Palco. The Palco Roosters won the Kansas State High School boys class B Indoor Track & Field championship in 1962.

References

External links

Palco - Directory of Public Officials
League of Kansas Municipalities
Historic Images
Wichita State University Library
Palco city map
KDOT {{Authority control Cities in Rooks County, Kansas Cities in Kansas 1888 establishments in Kansas Populated places established in 1888