La Crosse, Kansas
La Crosse is a city in Rush County, Kansas, United States.[4] It is also the county seat of Rush County. In 2020, 1,266 people lived there.[3] La Crosse calls itself the "Barbed Wire capital of the world."[5]
City and County seat | |
 | |
 Location within Rush County and Kansas | |
 | |
| Coordinates: 38°31′55″N 99°18′34″W / 38.53194°N 99.30944°WCoordinates: 38°31′55″N 99°18′34″W / 38.53194°N 99.30944°W[1] | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Kansas |
| County | Rush |
| Founded | 1876 |
| Incorporated | 1886 |
| Named for | La Crosse, Wisconsin |
| Area | |
| • Total | 1.04 sq mi (2.68 km2) |
| • Land | 1.04 sq mi (2.68 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) |
| Elevation | 2,057 ft (627 m) |
| Population | |
| • Total | 1,266 |
| • Density | 1,217/sq mi (472.4/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (CST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP codes | 67548, 67553 |
| FIPS code | 20-37500 |
| GNIS ID | 2395563[1] |
| Website | cityoflacrosseks.com |
History
La Crosse was created in 1876. It was named after the city of La Crosse, Wisconsin.[6] La Crosse subsequently became the intended county seat, and county records were transferred there from the temporary county seat, nearby Rush Center. A county seat war ensued between the two communities, lasting until La Crosse was declared the permanent county seat and the construction of the county courthouse in 1888.[7]
In the 1960s, La Crosse became a regional center of barbed wire collecting, leading to the establishment of the Kansas Barbed Wire Museum and the nicknaming of the city as "The Barbed Wire Capital of the World".[8]
Tornado of 2012
On May 25, 2012, an EF-1 tornado caused about four blocks of a lot of damage, and two businesses were destroyed. A third of the businesses had very bad damage. There were no injuries.[9]
Geography
La Crosse is at 38°31′55″N 99°18′31″W / 38.53194°N 99.30861°W (38.532014, -99.308614). It has an elevation of 2,057 feet (627 m).[10][11] It is in the Smoky Hills region of the Great Plains. It is about 12 miles (19 km) south of the Smoky Hill River and 5 miles (8.0 km) north of Walnut Creek, which is a tributary of the Arkansas River.[12][13] Sand Creek, a tributary of Walnut Creek, goes southeast around the southwestern and southern parts of the city. Mule Creek, a small tributary of Sand Creek, flows southeast through the city.[13] It is in west-central Kansas at the intersection of U.S. Route 183 and K-4. La Crosse is 125 miles (201 km) northwest of Wichita, 261 miles (420 km) west-southwest of Kansas City, and 314 miles (505 km) east-southeast of Denver.[12][14]
The United States Census Bureau says that the city has a total area of 1.04 square miles (2.69 km2). All of it is land.[2]
Weather
On average in La Crosse, July is the hottest month, January is the coldest month, and May is the wettest month. The hottest temperature ever in La Crosse was 115 °F (46 °C) in 1954; the coldest temperature ever was -24 °F (-31 °C) in 1989.[15]
| Climate data for La Crosse, Kansas | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 81 (27.2) |
86 (30) |
95 (35) |
103 (39.4) |
107 (41.7) |
112 (44.4) |
115 (46.1) |
114 (45.6) |
112 (44.4) |
100 (37.8) |
89 (31.7) |
83 (28.3) |
115 (46.1) |
| Average high °F (°C) | 41 (5) |
47 (8.3) |
57 (13.9) |
67 (19.4) |
76 (24.4) |
87 (30.6) |
94 (34.4) |
92 (33.3) |
83 (28.3) |
72 (22.2) |
55 (12.8) |
44 (6.7) |
67.9 (19.95) |
| Average low °F (°C) | 15 (-9.4) |
19 (-7.2) |
28 (-2.2) |
38 (3.3) |
50 (10) |
60 (15.6) |
65 (18.3) |
63 (17.2) |
54 (12.2) |
41 (5) |
27 (-2.8) |
19 (-7.2) |
39.9 (4.4) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −23 (-30.6) |
−17 (-27.2) |
−23 (-30.6) |
9 (-12.8) |
21 (-6.1) |
36 (2.2) |
43 (6.1) |
42 (5.6) |
23 (-5) |
14 (-10) |
−8 (-22.2) |
−24 (-31.1) |
−24 (-31.1) |
| Precipitation inches (mm) | 0.66 (16.8) |
0.83 (21.1) |
2.09 (53.1) |
2.27 (57.7) |
3.65 (92.7) |
3.35 (85.1) |
3.40 (86.4) |
2.55 (64.8) |
1.88 (47.8) |
1.42 (36.1) |
1.22 (31) |
0.76 (19.3) |
24.08 (611.6) |
| Source: The Weather Channel[15] | |||||||||||||
People
| Historical populations | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1890 | 513 | ||
| 1900 | 536 | 4.5% | |
| 1910 | 806 | 50.4% | |
| 1920 | 808 | 0.2% | |
| 1930 | 1,355 | 67.7% | |
| 1940 | 1,407 | 3.8% | |
| 1950 | 1,769 | 25.7% | |
| 1960 | 1,767 | −0.1% | |
| 1970 | 1,583 | −10.4% | |
| 1980 | 1,618 | 2.2% | |
| 1990 | 1,427 | −11.8% | |
| 2000 | 1,376 | −3.6% | |
| 2010 | 1,342 | −2.5% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
2020 census
The 2020 census says that there were 1,266 people, 547 households, and 318 families living in La Crosse. Of the households, 73.5% owned their home and 26.5% rented their home.
The median age was 45.6 years. Of the people, 94.8% were White, 0.3% were Black, 0.3% were Asian, 0.1% were Native American, 0.7% were from some other race, and 3.8% were two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.7% of the people.[3][16]
2010 census
The 2010 census says that there were 1,342 people, 606 households, and 350 families living in La Crosse.[17]
Education
La Crosse Public Schools (USD 395) controls three schools in the city.[18][19]
Infrastructure
Transportation
Rush County Airport is northeast of the city. It is on the north side of K-4.[13] It is publicly owned. It has one runway. It is used for general aviation.[20]
A railroad of the Kansas and Oklahoma Railroad goes southeast-northwest through La Crosse.[13]
Media
The Rush County News is the local newspaper. It is published once per week in La Crosse.[21]
La Crosse is in the Wichita-Hutchinson, Kansas television market.[22]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: La Crosse, Kansas
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2020 U.S. Gazetteer FilesUnited States Census Bureau. Retrieved December 3, 2023.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 DP1: PROFILE OF GENERAL POPULATION AND HOUSING CHARACTERISTICSUnited States Census Bureau. Retrieved December 3, 2023.
- ↑ Find a CountyNational Association of Counties. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
- ↑ Griffin, Pete. What's In a Name? Slogans Can Make or Break a City, Experts Say (May 26, 2011)Fox News. Retrieved March 19, 2014.
- ↑ Profile for La Crosse, KansasePodunk. Retrieved 22 June 2014.
- ↑ Welcome to Rush County, Kansas...Rush County, Kansas. Retrieved 2011-06-24.
- ↑ The History of the Kansas Barbed Wire MuseumKansas Barbed Wire Museum. Retrieved 2011-06-24.
- ↑ La Crosse residents continue to clean up after twister ; KWCH; May 27, 2012.
- ↑ US Board on Geographic Names (2007-10-25)United States Geological Survey. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
- ↑ US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990 (2011-02-12)United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 2003-2004 Official Transportation Map (2003)Kansas Department of Transportation. Retrieved 2011-06-22.
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 General Highway Map - Rush County, Kansas (2010-10-01)Kansas Department of Transportation. Retrieved 2011-06-22.
- ↑ City Distance ToolGeobytes. Retrieved 2011-06-22.
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 Average weather for La Crosse, KSThe Weather Channel. Retrieved 2011-06-22.
- ↑ P16: HOUSEHOLD TYPEUnited States Census Bureau. Retrieved December 31, 2023.
- ↑ American FactFinderUnited States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2012-07-06.
- ↑ La Crosse Public SchoolsLa Crosse USD 395. Retrieved 2011-06-24.
- ↑ La Crosse, KansasCity-Data. Retrieved 2011-06-24.
- ↑ K94 - Rush County AirportAirNav.com. Retrieved 2011-06-22.
- ↑ About this Newspaper: The Rush County news.. Chronicling AmericaLibrary of Congress. Retrieved 2011-06-24.
- ↑ Kansas TV MarketsEchoStar Knowledge Base. Retrieved 2011-06-24.
Other websites
- City
- Schools
- USD 395 Archived 2021-02-26 at the Wayback Machine, local school district
- Historical
- History of Cities in Rush County
- La Crosse Info, Legends of Kansas
- Maps
- La Crosse City Map Archived 2020-05-05 at the Wayback Machine, KDOT