Potwin, Kansas

Potwin, Kansas
City

Potwin water tower (2015)

Location within Butler County and Kansas

KDOT map of Butler County (legend)
Coordinates: 37°56′20″N 97°1′9″W / 37.93889°N 97.01917°W / 37.93889; -97.01917Coordinates: 37°56′20″N 97°1′9″W / 37.93889°N 97.01917°W / 37.93889; -97.01917
Country United States
State Kansas
County Butler
Incorporated 1885
Government
 • Type Mayor–Council
 • Mayor Dean Schmidt
 • City Clerk Sherri Wedel
Area[1]
 • Total 0.24 sq mi (0.62 km2)
 • Land 0.24 sq mi (0.62 km2)
 • Water 0 sq mi (0 km2)
Elevation 1,342 ft (409 m)
Population (2010)[2]
 • Total 449
 • Estimate (2015)[3] 436
 • Density 1,900/sq mi (720/km2)
Time zone CST (UTC-6)
 • Summer (DST) CDT (UTC-5)
ZIP code 67123
Area code 620
FIPS code 20-57300 [4]
GNIS feature ID 0473720 [5]
Website potwinks.com

Potwin is a city in Butler County, Kansas, United States.[6] It is named after the town site land owner Charles Potwin. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 449.[7]

History

Early history

For many millennia, the Great Plains of North America was inhabited by nomadic Native Americans. From the 16th century to 18th century, the Kingdom of France claimed ownership of large parts of North America. In 1762, after the French and Indian War, France secretly ceded New France to Spain, per the Treaty of Fontainebleau.

19th century

In 1802, Spain returned most of the land to France. 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 for 2.83 cents per acre.

In 1854, the Kansas Territory was organized, then in 1861 Kansas became the 34th U.S. state. In 1855, Butler County was established within the Kansas Territory, which included the land for modern day Potwin.

Potwin was incorporated as a town on April 8, 1885. This land, owned by Charles Potwin, whereby the town received its name, became a station for the Missouri Pacific Railroad, instigated by William I. Joseph, known as the Father of Potwin.[8]

Mr. Joseph came from West Virginia and as more settlers arrived he became interested in a railroad to serve the area. After much diligent pursuit, the station was built and Mr. Joseph, a land agent for Charles Potwin, began development of a town site around the Potwin station. He opened a land office where the Potwin grocery now stands.[8]

A post office was established in Ayr (an extinct town) on July 12, 1875, but it was moved to Potwin on September 22, 1885.[9][10]

20th century

During half of the twentieth century, Potwin enjoyed the prosperity of oil fields in the Mid-Continent oil province. In 1920, John (Jack) Vickers (1891-1940) built the Vickers Oil Refinery in Potwin. He got his start in oil fields in Butler County, commencing with the lease on the Parris Farm 10 miles north of Potwin, production reached 16,000 barrels a day during the 1950s. In 1964, distressed economic conditions shut down the oil processing facilities. The company was sold to Swift & Company and the remaining operations were closed in 1970,[8] and later demolished. In 1934, Vickers built a large mansion (named "Vickridge") east of Wichita (now in the city limits), which his estate later become the current site of Kapaun Mt. Carmel High School.[11]

In 1961, Frederic Remington High School was built immediately north of Brainerd. Leading up to this new school, Whitewater, Potwin, Brainerd, Elbing, Furley, Countryside, and Golden Gate schools merged to form a joint rural high school. Heated opposition between Whitewater and Potwin occurred during the discussion for the location of the new high school. Rural voters pushed for a centralized location in neither town. A public vote was passed to build the new school near Brainerd.[12]

21st century

In 2010, the Keystone-Cushing Pipeline (Phase II) was constructed along the east city limits of Potwin, north to south through Butler County, with much controversy over tax exemption and environmental concerns (if a leak ever occurs).[13][14] A pumping station named Burns was built 2 miles north of Potwin, and new power lines were built from a high-voltage line 0.3 mile east of De Graff.[15]

In an unusual technical glitch, a farmstead about 4 miles northeast of Potwin became the default site of 600 million IP addresses (due to their lack of fine granularity) when the Massachusetts-based digital mapping company MaxMind changed the putative geographic center of the contiguous United States from 39.8333333,-98.585522 to 38.0000,-97.0000.[16][17]

Geography

Potwin is located at 37°56′20″N 97°01′09″W / 37.938898°N 97.019034°W / 37.938898; -97.019034 (37.938898, -97.019034).[18] According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 0.24 square miles (0.62 km2), all of it land.[1]

Climate

The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Potwin has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.[19]

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop. %±
1910249—
192041566.7%
19304272.9%
194048714.1%
1950465−4.5%
196063536.6%
1970497−21.7%
198056313.3%
1990448−20.4%
20004572.0%
2010449−1.8%
Est. 2015436[3]−2.9%
U.S. Decennial Census

2010 census

As of the census[2] of 2010, there were 449 people, 181 households, and 130 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,870.8 inhabitants per square mile (722.3/km2). There were 205 housing units at an average density of 854.2 per square mile (329.8/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 92.2% White, 0.2% African American, 1.3% Native American, 0.7% Asian, 2.2% from other races, and 3.3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.6% of the population.

There were 181 households of which 30.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.8% were married couples living together, 9.9% had a female householder with no husband present, 6.1% had a male householder with no wife present, and 28.2% were non-families. 24.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.48 and the average family size was 2.94.

The median age in the city was 39.4 years. 25.2% of residents were under the age of 18; 8.2% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 24.1% were from 25 to 44; 28.5% were from 45 to 64; and 14% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 49.9% male and 50.1% female.

2000 census

As of the census[4] of 2000, there were 457 people, 187 households, and 123 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,001.1 people per square mile (767.2/km2). There were 208 housing units at an average density of 910.8 per square mile (349.2/km2).

The racial makeup of the city was 95.40% White, 1.53% Native American, 0.22% Asian, and 2.84% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.88% of the population.

There were 187 households out of which 33.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.5% were married couples living together, 8.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.2% were non-families. 28.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 17.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 2.95.

In the city the population was spread out with 26.0% under the age of 18, 9.0% from 18 to 24, 28.0% from 25 to 44, 21.9% from 45 to 64, and 15.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 100.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.3 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $39,091, and the median income for a family was $42,500. Males had a median income of $31,544 versus $18,375 for females. The per capita income for the city was $18,254. About 4.7% of families and 8.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.8% of those under age 18 and 8.6% of those age 65 or over.

Education

Primary and secondary education

Whitewater is part of the Unified School District 206.

Media

Print

Radio

Potwin is served by numerous radio stations of the Wichita-Hutchinson listening market area,[20] and satellite radio. See Media in Wichita, Kansas.

Television

Potwin is served by over-the-air ATSC digital TV of the Wichita-Hutchinson viewing market area,[21] cable TV, and satellite TV. See Media in Wichita, Kansas.

Infrastructure

Transportation

K-196 highway runs along the south side of the city.

Utilities

See also

Further reading

References

  1. 1 2 "US Gazetteer files 2010". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2012-07-06.
  2. 1 2 "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2012-07-06.
  3. 1 2 "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Incorporated Places: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2015". Retrieved July 2, 2016.
  4. 1 2 "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  5. ↑ "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. 2007-10-25. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  6. ↑ http://www.skyways.org/towns/Potwin/City_of_Potwin.html
  7. ↑ "2010 City Population and Housing Occupancy Status". U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved March 6, 2011.
  8. 1 2 3 Potwin - History
  9. ↑ "Kansas Post Offices, 1828-1961 (archived)". Kansas Historical Society. Archived from the original on October 9, 2013. Retrieved 5 June 2014.
  10. ↑ "Kansas Post Offices, 1828-1961, page 2 (archived)". Kansas Historical Society. Archived from the original on October 9, 2013. Retrieved 5 June 2014.
  11. ↑ "Tihen Notes Subject Search Vickers,vickridge" (PDF). Wichita State University Libraries’ Department Of Special Collections. Retrieved 19 March 2015.
  12. ↑ USD 206 History
  13. ↑ Keystone Pipeline - Marion County Commission calls out Legislative Leadership on Pipeline Deal; April 18, 2010.
  14. ↑ Keystone Pipeline - TransCanada inspecting pipeline; December 10, 2010.
  15. ↑ Keystone Pipeline - Burns Pumping Station - New Powerline Map; Trow Engineering Consultants and TransCanda; 2010.
  16. ↑ Hill, Kashmir (2016-04-10). "How an internet mapping glitch turned a random Kansas farm into a digital hell". Fusion. Retrieved 2016-04-10.
  17. ↑ Kansas couple sues over internet glitch targeting their home; The Wichita Eagle; August 8, 2016.
  18. ↑ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
  19. ↑ Climate Summary for Potwin, Kansas
  20. ↑ Wichita-Hutchinson Radio market.
  21. ↑ Wichita-Hutchinson TV market.
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