Plainville 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 1,746. It was named from its setting upon the plains.

History

Washington Irving Griffin settled along a freight trail in an area known as Paradise Flats in 1877. In order to establish a post office, Griffin completed a

US Postal Service The United States Postal Service (USPS), also known as the Post Office, U.S. Mail, or simply the Postal Service, is an independent agency of the executive branch of the United States federal government responsible for providing postal serv ...

application that required the signature of the local Justice of the Peace. While reviewing the application, Justice of the Peace Lambert P. Darland suggested the name "Plainville". Griffin operated the Plainville post office and a small store from his

sod house The sod house or soddy was a common alternative to the log cabin during frontier settlement of the Great Plains of North America in the 1800s and early 1900s. Primarily used at first for animal shelters, corrals, and fences, they came into use ...

, the first structure in what would become the city of Plainville.Dougherty, Harriet. "History of Plainville City and Township", Plainville Times, September 21, 1961, pp. 12-13. In 1888, Plainville filed for incorporation with 500 residents. Dan E. Miller was elected the first mayor. The first city council consisted of Dr. Volney M. Gray, Murray C. Knox, John Mullin, George Brooks and David E. Mickey.

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 ...

established an east–west route through Plainville in August 1888. The train tracks ran parallel to Mill Street, approximately one block to the north. The

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 ...

was located on the northwest corner of N First Street and Meridian Street. A Roundhouse was located at N First Street and Madison Street. Plainville Mill & Elevator Co., (est. 1893) was a major employer and purchaser of locally grown wheat. The original mill was destroyed by fire in 1899 and soon replaced by a larger mill. The flour produced by the mill was of such fine quality, the company won a gold medal at the

1904 World's Fair The Louisiana Purchase Exposition, informally known as the St. Louis World's Fair, was an international exposition held in St. Louis, Missouri, United States, from April 30 to December 1, 1904. Local, state, and federal funds totaling $15 mi ...

. The mill was again destroyed by fire in 1950. Plainville Mill & Elevator Co. was located on N First Street between Madison and Meridian Streets. In 1909, fire devastated the Plainville business district. The fire apparently started in a butcher shop on the south side of Mill Street in the early morning hours. Fire quickly spread to the north side of Mill Street. Seventeen structures were destroyed before the fire was contained. The burned out wooden buildings were replaced with stone and brick structures, many still standing on Mill Street today. Oil was discovered in Rooks County in 1927. The oil boom brought significant growth to Plainville in the 1940s and 1950s. The Bemis-Shutts oil field in the Saline River valley south of Plainville is one of the largest oil producers in the state of

Geography

Plainville lies in 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 ...

on the north side of Paradise Creek, a tributary of the Saline River. Southwest of the city, the creek has been dammed to form a small reservoir, Plainville Township Lake. Plainville is approximately north of the Saline River and south of the

South Fork Solomon River The South Fork Solomon River 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 entire length of the river lies i ...

. Located in north-central Kansas at the intersection of

U.S. Route 183 U.S. Route 183 (US 183) is a north–south United States highway. The highway's northern terminus is in Presho, South Dakota, at an intersection with Interstate 90. Its southern terminus is in Refugio, Texas, at the southern intersection ...

and K-18, Plainville is approximately northwest of Wichita and west of

Kansas City The Kansas City metropolitan area is a bi-state metropolitan area anchored by Kansas City, Missouri. Its 14 counties straddle the border between the U.S. states of Missouri (9 counties) and Kansas (5 counties). With and a population of more t ...

. 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

Plainville has a humid continental climate (Köppen ''Dfa'') with hot, humid summers and cold, dry winters. The average yearly temperature in Plainville is 51.9 °F (11 °C), and, on average, the city receives 23.2 inches (589 mm) of precipitation a year. Snowfall averages 23.3 inches (592 mm) per year. On average, January is the coolest month, July is the warmest month, and May is the wettest month. The hottest temperature recorded in Plainville was 114 °F (46 °C) in 1940; the coldest temperature recorded was -29 °F (-34 °C) in 1989.

Demographics

2020 census

The 2020 United States census counted 1,746 people, 784 households, and 475 families in Plainville. The population density was 1,459.9 per square mile (563.7/km). There were 921 housing units at an average density of 770.1 per square mile (297.3/km). The racial makeup was 95.42% (1,666)

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 ...

(94.33%

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 ...

), 0.34% (6)

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. ...

, 0.29% (5) 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 ...

, 0.11% (2) Asian, 0.11% (2)

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 ...

, 0.34% (6) from other races, and 3.38% (59) 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 1.95% (34) of the population. Of the 784 households, 28.4% had children under the age of 18; 45.2% were married couples living together; 28.3% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. 35.2% 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 2.3 and the average family size was 3.0. The percent of those with a bachelor's degree or higher was estimated to be 17.2% of the population. 24.1% of the population was under the age of 18, 6.7% from 18 to 24, 24.1% from 25 to 44, 24.6% from 45 to 64, and 20.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39.9 years. For every 100 females, there were 105.2 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older, there were 107.7 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 $52,946 (with a margin of error of +/- $7,568) and the median family income was $76,641 (+/- $16,219). Males had a median income of $38,851 (+/- $7,051) versus $21,875 (+/- $5,148) for females. The median income for those above 16 years old was $27,214 (+/- $3,453). Approximately, 1.5% of families and 4.4% 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 0.6% of those under the age of 18 and 15.9% 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 1,903 people, 819 households, and 516 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 949 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 98.0%

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 ...

, 0.2%

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 ...

, 0.3% Native American, 0.1% Asian, 0.1%

, 0.5% from other races, and 0.9% from two or more races.

or Latino of any race were 1.5% of the population. There were 819 households, of which 29.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.9% 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, 8.9% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.2% had a male householder with no wife present, and 37.0% were non-families. 32.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.28 and the average family size was 2.91. The median age in the city was 41.5 years. 24.7% of residents were under the age of 18; 6.8% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 22.1% were from 25 to 44; 26.2% were from 45 to 64; and 20.2% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 47.9% male and 52.1% female.

2000 census

As of the

of 2000, there were 2,029 people, 865 households, and 565 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 948 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 98.42%

, 0.39%

, 0.39% Native American, 0.20% Asian, and 0.59% from two or more races.

or Latino of any race were 0.30% of the population. There were 865 households, out of which 28.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.9% were

living together, 8.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.6% were non-families. 31.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 18.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.30 and the average family size was 2.89. In the city, the population was spread out, with 24.6% under the age of 18, 8.0% from 18 to 24, 23.7% from 25 to 44, 20.2% from 45 to 64, and 23.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.8 males. As of 2000 the median income for a household in the city was $29,402, and the median income for a family was $35,673. Males had a median income of $29,408 versus $17,245 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 $15,134. About 7.7% of families and 8.6% of the population were below the

, including 9.8% of those under age 18 and 3.4% of those age 65 or over.

Arts and culture

Points of Interest

* Plainville Township Hall (1914) * GAR Memorial (1925) * Plainville Township Lake dam (1937) * Rock Gym (1937) * Plainville Junior High School building (1939) * Plainville Rural High School (1952) * Scout House (1964) * Clarence Audburn Gilbert memorial (1966) * Veterans Memorial (2016)

Parks and Recreation

Max Malin Memorial Ballpark is a multi-field baseball complex. Plainville City Park includes a playground, basketball court and swimming pool. Plainville Township Lake is located a half mile west of town. Fishing, picnics and other outdoor recreation are popular activities. Rooks County Golf Course is a nine-hole, public course located 5 miles north of Plainville.

Education

Public schools

The community is served by Plainville USD 270 public school district. The district has two schools. * Plainville Jr-Sr High School * Plainville Elementary School Plainville High School Cardinals has won the following Kansas State High School championships: * 1980 3A Football * 1985 3A Football * 1988 3-2-1A Wrestling * 1992 3-2-1A Wrestling * 2012 2A Boys Track & Field * 2013 2A Boys Track & Field * 2017 2A Boys Track & Field

Private schools

* Sacred Heart Grade School

Library

Plainville Memorial Library is a public library serving the community since 1902.

Media

Newspaper

Plainville has one weekly

newspaper A newspaper is a Periodical literature, periodical publication containing written News, information about current events and is often typed in black ink with a white or gray background. Newspapers can cover a wide variety of fields such as poli ...

, ''Plainville Times''.

Radio Station

Radio station Radio broadcasting is the broadcasting of audio (sound), sometimes with related metadata, by radio waves to radio receivers belonging to a public audience. In terrestrial radio broadcasting the radio waves are broadcast by a land-based rad ...

KFIX is

licensed A license (American English) or licence (Commonwealth English) is an official permission or permit to do, use, or own something (as well as the document of that permission or permit). A license is granted by a party (licensor) to another part ...

to Plainville, but broadcasts from

Hays, Kansas Hays is a city in and the county seat of Ellis County, Kansas, United States. The largest city in northwestern Kansas, it is the economic and cultural center of the region. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 21,116. Hays ...

playing a

Classic rock Classic rock is a radio format that developed from the album-oriented rock (AOR) format in the early 1980s. In the United States, it comprises rock music ranging generally from the mid-1960s through the early-1990s, primarily focusing on comm ...

format.

Infrastructure

Transportation

runs north–south through Plainville, intersecting highway K-18 on the northern end of town. Rooks County Regional Airport is located seven miles north of Plainville.

Healthcare

Rooks County Health Center is located on the north end of Plainville.

Notable people

Notable individuals who were born in and/or have lived in Plainville include: * Rob Beckley (1975– ), Christian artist *

Brent Collins Brent Collins (October 31, 1941 – January 6, 1988) was an American actor who played the role of Mr. Big in the daytime soap opera ''As the World Turns'' from 1982 to 1983, and Wallingford on '' Another World'', from 1984 until his death. ...

(1941–1988), actor *

Dale Dodrill Dale Fike Dodrill (February 7, 1926 – January 18, 2019) was an American professional football player who was a defensive tackle for nine seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college footbal ...

(1926–2019), NFL player *

Stephanie Grisham Stephanie Ann Grisham (née Sommerville; born July 23, 1976) is an American former White House official who was the 32nd White House press secretary and served as White House communications director from July 2019 to April 2020. She was chief of ...

(1976– ), former

White House The White House is the official residence and workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue Northwest (Washington, D.C.), NW in Washington, D.C., it has served as the residence of every U.S. president ...

official *

Jack Hartman Jack Hartman (October 7, 1925 – November 6, 1998) was an American football player and college basketball coach. Early life and education Hartman played college basketball and football at Oklahoma State University with his basketball tutelage ...

(1925–1998), basketball coach *

Jerry Moran Gerald Wesley Moran ( ; born May 29, 1954) is an American lawyer and politician who is the senior United States senator from Kansas, a seat he has held since 2011. A member of the Republican Party, he was chair of the National Republican Senato ...

(1954– ),

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

Carl Weeks Carl Weeks (1876–1962) was an American businessman, entrepreneur and philanthropist best known for founding pharmaceutical and cosmetic companies, including Weeks & Leo Co., Inc. Carl and his wife Edith built Salisbury House in Des Moines, Iowa ...

(1876–1962), entrepreneur and philanthropist

Gallery

File:Plainville Kansas Plainville Township Hall (1).jpg, Township Hall File:Plainville Kansas Rock Gym.jpg, Rock Gym File:Plainville_Kansas_GAR_Memorial.jpg, GAR Memorial File:Plainville Kansas Clarence Audburn Gilbert memorial.jpg, Clarence Audburn Gilbert Memorial File:Plainville Kansas Scout House.jpg, Scout House File:Plainville Kansas City Park.jpg, City Park

References

External links

City of Plainville

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