Phillipsburg is a city in and 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 ...

of Phillips 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, its population was 2,337.

History

Phillipsburg was organized in 1872 and named the county seat due to its central location in the county on July 26, though the first residents did not arrive until late that year. It was named for politician and journalist

William A. Phillips William Addison Phillips (1824–1893) was a Free-State Abolitionist journalist during the "Bleeding Kansas" period. He also served in the Civil War, ending the war as a colonel. Biography Born in Paisley, Scotland, Phillips attended the common ...

. Phillipsburg was incorporated as a city in 1880. The first post office was established in Phillipsburg on December 23, 1872, with the first postmaster being Fred A Dutton, but the name of the post office was spelled Phillipsburgh until 1893. Named in honor of John Bissel, Fort Bissel was built in 1872 to protect against perceived hostility from Native Americans and closed in 1878. The Fort was reconstructed in city park in 1962. The first cemetery in the town, Close cemetery, was established on March 19, 1879 by the Fairview cemetery association and was deeded to the city on June 4, 1889. A branch of the

Chicago, Kansas and Nebraska Railway The Chicago, Kansas and Nebraska Railway (CK&N) was formed in 1885 and Marcus Low, a former attorney for the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad, was its president. The CRI&P advanced the CK&N about twenty-five million dollars to begin cons ...

was established through Phillipsburg in 1887. Also in 1887 complete telephone systems were installed in the city. A fire nearly destroyed the entire town square in 1906. The current courthouse was constructed in 1912. "Kansas' Biggest Rodeo" was first held in 1929 and is held annually on the last weekend in July or first weekend in August. In 1939, Consumer's Cooperative Association opened the world's first cooperative oil refinery on the northern edge of town, and shutdown in 1992.

Geography

Phillipsburg is located in northwestern Kansas on the western edge of the

Smoky Hills The Smoky Hills are an upland region of hills in the central Great Plains of North America. They are located in the Midwestern United States, encompassing north-central Kansas and a small portion of south-central Nebraska. The hills are a diss ...

region of 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 ...

. Phillipsburg is located in the middle of Phillips County, approximately 20 miles south of the

Nebraska Nebraska ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders South Dakota to the north; Iowa to the east and Missouri to the southeast, both across the Missouri River; Ka ...

border. The city sits on the north side of Deer Creek, a tributary of the North Fork of the

Solomon River The Solomon River, often referred to as the "Solomon Fork", is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map accessed March 29, 2011 river in the central Great Plains of North America. The e ...

. Plotner Creek, a tributary of Deer Creek, flows south along the western edge of the city. 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

Phillipsburg's climate is either classified as 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 ...

(

Köppen Köppen is a German surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Bernd Köppen (1951–2014), German pianist and composer * Carl Köppen (1833-1907), German military advisor in Meiji era Japan * Edlef Köppen (1893–1939), German author ...

''Cwa''), using the isotherm of the original Köppen scheme, or a

humid continental climate A humid continental climate is a climatic region defined by Russo-German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1900, typified by four distinct seasons and large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers, and cold ...

(

''Dwa''), using the isotherm preferred by some climatologists. Phillipsburg meets the criteria for a true winter dry season under the Köppen climate classification, which is a rarity for its region and for the United States as a whole outside of South Florida. On average, January is the coolest month, July is the warmest month, and May is the wettest month.

Demographics

2020 census

The 2020 United States census counted 2,337 people, 1,040 households, and 601 families in Phillipsburg. The population density was 1,377.9 per square mile (532.0/km). There were 1,269 housing units at an average density of 748.2 per square mile (288.9/km). The racial makeup was 93.45% (2,184)

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 ...

(91.91%

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 ...

), 0.64% (15)

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. ...

, 0.34% (8) 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 ...

, 0.51% (12) Asian, 0.04% (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 ...

, 0.51% (12) from other races, and 4.49% (105) 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 2.82% (66) of the population. Of the 1,040 households, 26.0% had children under the age of 18; 44.9% were married couples living together; 27.7% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. 38.4% of households consisted of individuals and 19.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.0 and the average family size was 2.9. The percent of those with a bachelor’s degree or higher was estimated to be 15.9% of the population. 23.8% of the population was under the age of 18, 5.7% from 18 to 24, 22.2% from 25 to 44, 23.7% from 45 to 64, and 24.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43.0 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.9 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older, there were 107.0 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 $48,241 (with a margin of error of +/- $9,352) and the median family income was $65,313 (+/- $5,414). Males had a median income of $37,833 (+/- $6,895) versus $27,393 (+/- $7,192) for females. The median income for those above 16 years old was $34,826 (+/- $5,776). Approximately, 10.4% of families and 13.1% 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 30.4% of those under the age of 18 and 5.0% 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 2,581 people, 1,116 households, and 702 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 1,307 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 96.7%

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 ...

, 0.5%

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 ...

, 0.2% Native American, 1.1% Asian, 0.4% from other races, and 1.1% from two or more races.

or Latino of any race were 2.6% of the population. There were 1,116 households, of which 28.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.9% 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, 9.4% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.6% had a male householder with no wife present, and 37.1% were non-families. 34.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.25 and the average family size was 2.86. The median age in the city was 43 years. 24.7% of residents were under the age of 18; 6.4% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 21.2% were from 25 to 44; 26.1% were from 45 to 64; and 21.7% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.0% male and 52.0% female.

2000 census

As of the

of 2000, there were 2,668 people, 1,144 households, and 723 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 1,379 housing units at an average density of 861.9/sq mi (336.3/km). The racial makeup of the city was 97.5%

, 0.3%

and 0.1% Native American.

or Latino of any race were 0.9% of the population. There were 1,144 households, out of which 27.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.1% were

living together, 6.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.8% were non-families. 34.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 19.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.25 and the average family size was 2.90. In the city, the population was spread out, with 24.1% under the age of 18, 6.6% from 18 to 24, 23.4% from 25 to 44, 22.0% from 45 to 64, and 23.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females, there were 89 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85 males. The median income for a household in the city was $36,356, and the median income for a family was $43,816. Males had a median income of $30,898 versus $16,379 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 $17,902. About 6.2% of families and 10.3% of the population were below the

, including 13.3% of those under the age of 18 and 10.1% of those 65 or over.

Economy

TAMKO Building Products is now the largest manufacturer in the city. In 2006, an

ethanol Ethanol (also called ethyl alcohol, grain alcohol, drinking alcohol, or simply alcohol) is an organic compound with the chemical formula . It is an Alcohol (chemistry), alcohol, with its formula also written as , or EtOH, where Et is the ps ...

plant was built at the east side of Phillipsburg.

Education

The community is served by Phillipsburg USD 325 public school district. The Phillipsburg Panthers have won the following Kansas State High School championships: * 2014 Boys Track & Field - Class 3A * 2015 Football - Class 2-1A

Culture

The Riverless Festival is held in June and is a take on other communities that have river or lake festivals. Since Phillipsburg is a dry climate area, the city celebrates its lack of rivers in a tongue-in-cheek way through its annual Riverless Festival. The courthouse square hosts craft booths, food stands line the roads, and children line up for the games and rides, which are sponsored by local area businesses. The rodeo is promoted as the biggest in Kansas. Phillipsburg hosts the rodeo each year, typically during the first week of August.

Notable people

Notable individuals who were born in or have lived in Phillipsburg include: * McDill "Huck" Boyd, newspaper editor, Kansas politician * Nelson B. McCormick,

U.S. Representative The United States House of Representatives is a chamber of the bicameral United States Congress; it is the lower house, with the U.S. Senate being the upper house. Together, the House and Senate have the authority under Article One of th ...

from Kansas *

Wallace Pratt Wallace Everette Pratt (1885–1981) was a pioneer American petroleum geologist. When he started his position at Standard Oil in 1937, the company named one of their tankers after him, the SS Wallace E Pratt. He is also notable for helping establ ...

, geologist *

Mark Simoneau Mark Lee Simoneau (born January 16, 1977) is an American former professional football player who was a linebacker for 10 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Kansas State Wildcats, earning consensus ...

, former

National Football League The National Football League (NFL) is a Professional gridiron football, professional American football league in the United States. Composed of 32 teams, it is divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National ...

linebacker

References

External links

City of Phillipsburg

Phillipsburg - Directory of Public Officials

USD 325
local school district
Phillipsburg city map
KDOT
Kansas's Biggest Rodeo
{{Authority control Cities in Phillips County, Kansas Cities in Kansas County seats in Kansas Populated places established in 1872 1872 establishments in Kansas