Columbus, Kansas - Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Columbus, Kansas
City and County seat
Columbus Carnegie Library (2013)
Columbus Carnegie Library (2013)
Motto: 
"Help America Discover Columbus..."[1]
Location within Cherokee County and Kansas
Location within Cherokee County and Kansas
KDOT map of Cherokee County (legend)
KDOT map of Cherokee County (legend)
Coordinates: 37°10′18″N 94°50′39″W / 37.17167°N 94.84417°W / 37.17167; -94.84417[2]
CountryUnited States
StateKansas
CountyCherokee
Founded1868
Incorporated1871
Named forColumbus, Ohio
Area
[3]
 • Total2.43 sq mi (6.30 km2)
 • Land2.43 sq mi (6.30 km2)
 • Water0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation
[2]
912 ft (278 m)
Population
 (2020)[4]
 • Total2,929
 • Density1,200/sq mi (460/km2)
Time zoneUTC-6 (CST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code
66725
Area code620
FIPS code20-15075
GNIS ID485558[2]
Websitecolumbusks.gov

Columbus is the second biggest city Cherokee County, Kansas, United States. It is about 15 miles south-southwest of Pittsburg. It is also the county seat of Cherokee County. In 2020, 2,929 people lived there.[4]

History[change | change source]

The first settlement at Columbus was created in 1868.[5] The first post office in Columbus was created in 1869.[6]

Columbus was a railroad junction for the Saint Louis and San Francisco, and the Missouri, Kansas, and Texas railroads. It was named Columbus by A.L. Peters, one of the European-American creators of the city. It was named after his hometown of Columbus, Ohio; the name is indirectly named after Christopher Columbus, the explorer.[7][8] Coal, lead and zinc were found in the area. Columbus had a big trade in agricultural products. Its businesses had machine shops, grain elevators, flour mills, a cigar factory, bottle works (soft drinks), a canning factory, and a big brick-making factory.[9]

In 1875, Robert A. Long and Victor Bell created the Long-Bell Lumber Company in Columbus. From one lumberyard, Long-Bell grew their businesses and holdings to become one of the biggest vertically integrated lumber companies in the United States. In 1956, it was bought by International Paper.[10]

Geography[change | change source]

Columbus is at 37°10′18″N 94°50′39″W / 37.17167°N 94.84417°W / 37.17167; -94.84417 (37.171614, -94.844076). The United States Census Bureau says that the city has a total area of 2.43 square miles (6.29 km2). All of it is land.[3]

Weather[change | change source]

Columbus has hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. The Köppen Climate Classification system says that Columbus has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.[11]

People[change | change source]

Historical population
Census Pop. %±
1870402—
18801,164189.6%
18902,16085.6%
19002,3106.9%
19103,06432.6%
19203,1553.0%
19303,2352.5%
19403,4025.2%
19503,4902.6%
19603,395−2.7%
19703,356−1.1%
19803,4262.1%
19903,268−4.6%
20003,3963.9%
20103,312−2.5%
20202,929−11.6%
U.S. Decennial Census

2020 census[change | change source]

The 2020 census says that there were 2,929 people, 1,251 households, and 746 families living in Columbus. Of the households, 63.5% owned their home and 36.5% rented their home.

The median age was 39.8 years. Of the people, 86.8% were White, 3.1% were Native American, 0.5% were Black, 0.2% were Asian, 0.8% were from some other race, and 8.7% were two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.4% of the people.[4][12]

2010 census[change | change source]

The 2010 census says that there were 3,312 people, 1,424 households, and 850 families living in Columbus.[13]

Famous people[change | change source]

References[change | change source]

  1. ↑ "Columbus Chamber of Commerce". Columbus Chamber of Commerce. Archived from the original on July 22, 2012. Retrieved August 17, 2012.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Columbus, Kansas
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 20, 2023.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 "DP1: PROFILE OF GENERAL POPULATION AND HOUSING CHARACTERISTICS". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 20, 2023.
  5. ↑ Blackmar, Frank Wilson (1912). Kansas: A Cyclopedia of State History, Embracing Events, Institutions, Industries, Counties, Cities, Towns, Prominent Persons, Etc. Standard Publishing Company. p. 391. ISBN 9780722249055.
  6. ↑ "Kansas Post Offices, 1828-1961 (archived)". Kansas Historical Society. Archived from the original on October 9, 2013. Retrieved 6 June 2014.
  7. ↑ Rydjord, John (1972). Kansas Place-names. ISBN 978-0-8061-0994-7.
  8. ↑ The Modern Light, Columbus, August 16, 1951
  9. ↑ "1904 History of Cherokee County Kansas, Chapter 12". Archived from the original on 2009-07-02. Retrieved 2009-03-28.
  10. ↑ William E. Connelley, A Standard History of Kansas and Kansans,, Chicago: Lewis Publishing Company, 1918
  11. ↑ Climate Summary for Columbus, Kansas
  12. ↑ "P16: HOUSEHOLD TYPE". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved December 30, 2023.
  13. ↑ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2012-07-06.

Other websites[change | change source]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Columbus, Kansas.
Wikisource has the text of a 1905 New International Encyclopedia article about Columbus, Kansas.
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