Scott City 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 Scott 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 4,113.

History

Early history

For

millennia A millennium () is a period of one thousand years, one hundred decades, or ten centuries, sometimes called a kiloannum (ka), or kiloyear (ky). Normally, the word is used specifically for periods of a thousand years that begin at the starting p ...

, 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 ...

North America North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere, Northern and Western Hemisphere, Western hemispheres. North America is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South Ameri ...

were inhabited by

nomadic Nomads are communities without fixed habitation who regularly move to and from areas. Such groups include hunter-gatherers, pastoral nomads (owning livestock), tinkers and trader nomads. In the twentieth century, the population of nomadic pa ...

Native Americans. From the 16th to 18th centuries, the

Kingdom of France The Kingdom of France is the historiographical name or umbrella term given to various political entities of France in the Middle Ages, medieval and Early modern France, early modern period. It was one of the most powerful states in Europe from th ...

claimed ownership of large parts of

. In 1762, after the

French and Indian War The French and Indian War, 1754 to 1763, was a colonial conflict in North America between Kingdom of Great Britain, Great Britain and Kingdom of France, France, along with their respective Native Americans in the United States, Native American ...

, France secretly ceded

New France New France (, ) was the territory colonized by Kingdom of France, France in North America, beginning with the exploration of the Gulf of Saint Lawrence by Jacques Cartier in 1534 and ending with the cession of New France to Kingdom of Great Br ...

Spain Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Eur ...

, by the Treaty of Fontainebleau.

19th century

In 1802, Spain returned most of the land to France, keeping title to about 7,500 square miles. In 1803, most of the land for modern day Kansas was acquired by the United States from France as part of the 828,000 square mile

Louisiana Purchase The Louisiana Purchase () was the acquisition of the Louisiana (New France), territory of Louisiana by the United States from the French First Republic in 1803. This consisted of most of the land in the Mississippi River#Watershed, Mississipp ...

. In 1854, the

Kansas Territory The Territory of Kansas was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from May 30, 1854, until January 29, 1861, when the eastern portion of the territory was admitted to the United States, Union as the Slave and ...

was organized under the provisions of the

Kansas–Nebraska Act The Kansas–Nebraska Act of 1854 () was a territorial organic act that created the territories of Kansas and Nebraska. It was drafted by Democratic Senator Stephen A. Douglas, passed by the 33rd United States Congress, and signed into law b ...

, then in 1861

became the 34th

U.S. state In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its so ...

. In 1873, Scott County was established, which included the land for modern day Scott City. Scott City was founded in 1885. Like Scott County, the city is named in recognition of a United States General,

Winfield Scott Winfield Scott (June 13, 1786May 29, 1866) was an American military commander and political candidate. He served as Commanding General of the United States Army from 1841 to 1861, and was a veteran of the War of 1812, American Indian Wars, Mexica ...

. In October 1884, two women from Chicago, Illinois claimed the land that Scott City is on and built a cabin. The following February, two men from Chicago came to the cabin and settled. Soon after, many people started arriving in the county and Scott City was then founded in 1885. Before being founded, Mrs. M.E. De Geer, one of the women that came from Chicago, started a newspaper called the ''Western Times'' in March 1885. The county then started to fill rapidly. Scott County was legally instituted in 1873 by an act of legislature. At this time it was named in honor of General Winfield Scott. Since it was such a small town with a small population, there was no need for a local government. Therefore, it was connected to Ford County for judicial matters.

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. It is located in the Great Plains and at the elevation of 2979 ft.

Climate

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, Scott City has a

semi-arid climate A semi-arid climate, semi-desert climate, or steppe climate is a dry climate sub-type. It is located on regions that receive precipitation below potential evapotranspiration, but not as low as a desert climate. There are different kinds of se ...

, abbreviated "BSk" on climate maps.

Demographics

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 3,816 people, 1,583 households, and 1,029 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 1,710 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 89.4%

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 ...

, 0.4%

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 ...

, 0.5% Native American, 0.5% Asian, 7.8% from other races, and 1.4% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 17.3% of the population. There were 1,583 households, of which 29.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.0% 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, 6.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.7% had a male householder with no wife present, and 35.0% were non-families. 30.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.34 and the average family size was 2.93. The median age in the city was 42 years. 24% of residents were under the age of 18; 7% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 22.4% were from 25 to 44; 27% were from 45 to 64; and 19.7% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 49.8% male and 50.2% female.

2000 census

As of the

of 2000, there were 3,855 people, 1,595 households, and 1,060 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 1,761 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 95.18%

, 0.13%

, 0.49% Native American, 0.16% Asian, 2.88% from other races, and 1.17% from two or more races.

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 were 7.26% of the population. There were 1,595 households, out of which 31.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.6% were

living together, 7.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.5% were non-families. 30.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.36 and the average family size was 2.96. In the city, the population was spread out, with 26.0% under the age of 18, 6.5% from 18 to 24, 25.1% from 25 to 44, 23.8% from 45 to 64, and 18.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.5 males. The median income for a household in the city was $36,047 and the median income for a family was $48,750. Males had a median income of $32,287 versus $19,900 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 $19,227. About 2.8% of families and 6.8% 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 8.5% of those under age 18 and 9.8% of those age 65 or over.

Economy

The top employers are: * Agriculture * Healthcare * Education

Government

Scott City is governed by a mayor and a city council who are elected by the residents of Scott City. The mayor and city council compose the governing body and control the government affairs of the city. The council consists of eight elected members. The mayor serves for two years and the council members serve for four. The current mayor is Everett Green (2017-).

Education

The community is served by Scott County USD 466 public school district. The mascot is the beaver, and a giant welded beaver is on display at the football field.

Arts and culture

The El Quartelejo Museum and the Jerry Thomas Gallery and Collection are co-located in the city. Their collections cover much of the region's

geologic Geology (). is a branch of natural science concerned with the Earth and other astronomical objects, the rocks of which they are composed, and the processes by which they change over time. Modern geology significantly overlaps all other Earth s ...

, Indian, and pioneer history. The Gallery also contains artwork by Jerry Thomas, an artist originally from Scott City. Many of the paintings are inspired by local history or artifacts in the collection. The Apache and Puebloan site,

El Cuartelejo El Cuartelejo, or El Quartelejo (from Spanish ''cuartelejo'', meaning ''old building'' or ''barracks''), is a region in eastern Colorado and western Kansas where Plains Apache cohabited with Puebloans. Subject to religious persecution, Puebloan ...

(also spelled El Quartelejo), can be found in the eastern section of

Lake Scott State Park Lake Scott State Park is a List of Kansas state parks, Kansas state park in Scott County, Kansas, Scott County, Kansas in the United States. The park was established in 1928 following a donation of the land by the Herbert Steele family. The park ...

Sister City

On September 23, 2023, the City of Scott City entered into an agreement with the Northern Cheyenne Tribe to form a Sister City relationship. Scott City is only the second U.S. city to form a Sister City union with a sovereign tribal nation.

Annual events

The Scott County Free Fair is an annual event held in Scott City. There is a livestock show as well as many events. The Whimmydiddle Arts and Crafts Fair is held on the last Saturday of September in the Scott City Park. Beefiesta is held yearly to celebrate the beef industry in Scott County, one of the largest cattle feeding counties in the state. The Beefiesta BBQ is held during the Scott County Free Fair. The city also hosts Beef Tasting Booths at the city park immediately following the parade. Every July 4, a fireworks show is exhibited on the east side of town near the baseball fields. Nearby Scott County Lake also holds a fireworks show on the lake shore. On the third weekend in August, the Lake Scott Car Club hosts the Lake Scott Rod Run. One weekend every fall, the Sunflower Futurity and Derby is held at the Scott City Indoor Arena. Barrel Racers compete against a few hundred others. Open Barrel Race, Seniors Barrel Race, and Juniors & Pee-Wee Barrel Races are put on as well as the actual barrel races. The annual Carp Contest is held at Lake Scott State Park one weekend during the summer months. The event is put on by the Chamber of Commerce, Lake Scott State Park, and Friends of Lake Scott. The M.A.S.H. Golf Tournament is typically held on the second weekend in June. This tournament is limited to 18 teams and lasts for about 6 hours.

Media

The official newspaper is The Scott County Record. This weekly publication has been in business since 1993. In 2016, editor Rod Haxton was honored by the Kansas Press Association with the Clyde M. Reed Master Editor Award.

Infrastructure

Transportation

K-96 and US-83 highways intersect the city. The Scott City Airport is a rapidly growing mode of transportation in Scott County. In 2009, the runway was repaved and now measures 75 ft x 5002 ft. The airport is publicly owned and located on the SE side of Scott City.

Notable people

* Ron Baker, former

NBA The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada). The NBA is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Ca ...

player for the

New York Knicks The New York Knickerbockers, shortened and more commonly referred to as the New York Knicks, are an American professional basketball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of Manhattan. The Knicks compete in the Na ...

and

Washington Wizards The Washington Wizards are an American professional basketball team based in Washington, D.C. The Wizards compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference. The team plays i ...

References

External links

*
Scott City - Directory of Public Officials

El Quartelejo Museum
- local history
USD 466
local school district
Scott City map
KDOT {{Authority control Cities in Scott County, Kansas Cities in Kansas County seats in Kansas 1885 establishments in Kansas Populated places established in 1885