Rock is a
census-designated place
A census-designated place (CDP) is a Place (United States Census Bureau), concentration of population defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes only.
CDPs have been used in each decennial census since 1980 as the counte ...
(CDP) in
Cowley County, Kansas, United States.
As of the
2020 census, the population was 94.
History
19th century
The post office was established on August 12, 1870.
In 1877, the
Florence, El Dorado, and Walnut Valley Railroad Company built a branch line from
Florence
Florence ( ; ) is the capital city of the Italy, Italian region of Tuscany. It is also the most populated city in Tuscany, with 362,353 inhabitants, and 989,460 in Metropolitan City of Florence, its metropolitan province as of 2025.
Florence ...
to
El Dorado; in 1881 it was extended to
Douglass, and later to
Arkansas City. The line was leased and operated by the
Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway. The line from Florence to El Dorado was abandoned in 1942.
The original branch line connected Florence,
Burns,
De Graff, El Dorado,
Augusta, Douglass, Rock,
Akron,
Winfield and Arkansas City.
20th century
In 1905, the nearby
Bucher Bridge, on the
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...
, was built.
On August 24, 1978, the community was evacuated when a major oxidizer spill at a
Titan II ICBM site (533-7) 2.5 miles south of Rock. The spill resulted in the deaths of two airmen who were based out of the
381st Strategic Missile Wing,
McConnell Air Force Base, approximately 20 miles away.
21st century
In 2010, the
Keystone XL Pipeline was constructed about 2.5 miles west of Rock, north to south through
Butler County, with much controversy over tax exemption and environmental concerns (if a leak ever occurs).
Keystone Pipeline - ''TransCanada inspecting pipeline''; December 10, 2010.
/ref> A pumping station named ''Rock'' was built along the pipeline.
Demographics
Education
The community is served by Udall USD 463 public school district.
References
Further reading
External links
* Cowley County maps
Current
Historic
KDOT
History of Rock, Kansas
Keystone Oil Pipeline
Detailed system map (near Rock)
{{Authority control
Census-designated places in Cowley County, Kansas