- Gorham, Kansas
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Gorham, Kansas — City — Location of Gorham, Kansas
Detailed map of Gorham
Coordinates: 38°52′49″N 99°1′22″W / 38.88028°N 99.02278°WCoordinates: 38°52′49″N 99°1′22″W / 38.88028°N 99.02278°W Country United States State Kansas County Russell Founded 1886 Incorporated 1941 Area – Total 0.2 sq mi (0.6 km2) – Land 0.2 sq mi (0.6 km2) – Water 0.0 sq mi (0.0 km2) Elevation 1,913 ft (583 m) Population (2010)[1] – Total 334 – Density 1,670/sq mi (644.8/km2) Time zone Central (CST) (UTC-6) – Summer (DST) CDT (UTC-5) ZIP code 67640 Area code(s) 785 FIPS code 20-27000[2] GNIS feature ID 0475207[3] Gorham is a city in Russell County, Kansas, United States.[4] As of the 2010 census, the city population was 334.[1]
Contents
History
Beaten to the settlement of Wilson, Kansas by Bohemian colonists, German settlers from Philadelphia and Lancaster, Pennsylvania established a community on the Kansas Pacific Railway at the future site of Gorham in April 1872.[5] Elijah Dodge Gorham, a settler from Illinois, gave the town its name when he platted it in 1879. Seeking to create a local trading center, he formally established the town in July 1886, gave land for a Catholic Church and cemetery, and started several businesses including a general store, grain elevator, post office, lumberyard, and a coal yard. Additional grain elevators and a stockyard subsequently opened, establishing Gorham as a farming community.[6]
The discovery of oil deposits in Russell County transformed the local economy in the 1920s. Companies including Texaco, Stanolind, and Sohio started operations in the area, stimulating Gorham's growth. A brick school building was built in 1922 followed by a second building in 1930 and another in 1949.[6] Gorham incorporated as a city in 1941.[7] By 1944, it had a diverse business community, two oil field production companies, and public schools. From the 1950s to the early 1980s, the city expanded further through the development of residential additions.[6]
Mandated by state law, Gorham's public schools joined Russell County Schools (USD 407) in 1967. Subsequent consolidation led to the closure of Gorham High School in 1984 and Gorham Elementary School in 1997.[6]
Geography
Gorham is located at 38°52′49″N 99°01′22″W / 38.880366°N 99.022682°W (38.880366, -99.022682)[8] at an elevation of 1,913 feet (583 m).[3] It lies in the Smoky Hills region of the Great Plains approximately 9 miles (14 km) north of the Smoky Hill River and 11 miles (18 km) south of the Saline River.[4][9] Gorham is in north-central Kansas approximately 121 miles (195 km) northwest of Wichita and 237 miles (381 km) west of Kansas City.[10] Located 1.2 miles (1.9 km) north of Interstate 70, it is roughly 9 miles (14 km) west of Russell, the county seat.[9]
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 0.2 square miles (0.52 km2), all of it land.[11]
Demographics
Historical populations Census Pop. %± 1950 375 — 1960 429 14.4% 1970 379 −11.7% 1980 355 −6.3% 1990 284 −20.0% 2000 360 26.8% 2010 334 −7.2% U.S. Decennial Census As of the 2010 census, there were 334 people, 150 households, and 98 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,670 people per square mile (644.8/km2). There were 171 housing units at an average density of 855 per square mile (285/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 98.8% White, 0.3% American Indian, and 0.9% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.3% of the population.[1]
There were 150 households out of which 27.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.7% were married couples living together, 2.0% had a male householder with no wife present, 10.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.7% were non-families. 31.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.23, and the average family size was 2.76.[1]
In the city, the population was spread out with 23.4% under the age of 18, 6.1% from 18 to 24, 27.3% from 25 to 44, 27.3% from 45 to 64, and 15.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37.3 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.9 males age 18 and over.[1]
As of 2009, the median income for a household in the city was $52,431, and the median income for a family was $56,563. Males had a median income of $33,636 versus $21,705 for females. The per capita income for the city was $20,043. About 4.4% of families and 6.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.1% of those under age 18 and 8.7% of those age 65 or over.[12]
Government
Gorham is a city of the third class with a mayor-council form of government. The city council consists of five members, and it meets on the second Monday of each month.[13]
Education
Gorham lies within Unified School District (USD) 407, Russell County Schools, based in Russell.[14]
Transportation
Interstate 70 and U.S. Route 40 run concurrently east-west just over a mile south of the city. The old alignment of U.S. 40 runs east-west through the city, intersecting 176th Street, a paved county road formerly designated K-257, which runs north-south.[4][9][15]
The Kansas Pacific (KP) line of the Union Pacific Railroad runs northeast-southwest through Gorham.[16]
References
- ^ a b c d e "American FactFinder 2". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder2.census.gov/faces/nav/jsf/pages/index.xhtml. Retrieved 2011-08-08.
- ^ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
- ^ a b "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. 2007-10-25. http://geonames.usgs.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
- ^ a b c "2003-2004 Official Transportation Map". Kansas Department of Transportation. 2003. http://www.ksdot.org/burtransplan/maps/HistoricStateMaps/2003-04Mapside.pdf. Retrieved 2010-12-12.
- ^ "Gorham History". Kansas Trails. http://genealogytrails.com/kan/russell/GorhamHistory.html. Retrieved 2010-10-20.
- ^ a b c d "History of Gorham". State Library of Kansas. http://skyways.lib.ks.us/towns/Gorham/history.htm. Retrieved 2010-10-20.
- ^ "Census of Population: 1950". United States Census Bureau. 1952. p. 16.20. http://www2.census.gov/prod2/decennial/documents/23761117v1ch06.pdf. Retrieved 2010-10-20.
- ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/gazette.html. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
- ^ a b c "General Highway Map - Russell County, Kansas". Kansas Department of Transportation. 2010-10-01. http://www.ksdot.org/burtransplan/maps/county-pdf/russell.PDF. Retrieved 2010-12-12.
- ^ "City Distance Tool". Geobytes. http://www.geobytes.com/citydistancetool.htm. Retrieved 2010-08-23.
- ^ "Kansas: 2000 - Population and Housing Counts". United States Census Bureau. July 2003. p. 26. http://www.census.gov/prod/cen2000/phc-3-18.pdf. Retrieved 2010-12-12.
- ^ "Gorham city, Kansas - Selected Economic Characteristics: 2005-2009". 2005-2009 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/ADPTable?_bm=y&-geo_id=16000US2027000&-qr_name=ACS_2009_5YR_G00_DP5YR3&-ds_name=ACS_2009_5YR_G00_&-_lang=en&-_sse=on. Retrieved 2011-08-08.
- ^ "Gorham". Directory of Kansas Public Officials. The League of Kansas Municipalities. http://www.lkm.org/directory/cities.php?ID=587. Retrieved 2011-08-08.
- ^ "USD 407 Russell County Schools". USD 407. http://www.usd407.org. Retrieved 2011-08-08.
- ^ "Official 1960-61 Kansas Highway Map". Kansas Department of Transportation. http://www.ksdot.org/burtransplan/maps/HistoricStateMaps/1960Mapside.pdf. Retrieved 2010-12-12.
- ^ "UPRR Common Line Names". Union Pacific Railroad. http://www.uprr.com/aboutup/maps/attachments/upcomnam.pdf. Retrieved 2010-08-23.
External links
- City
- Schools
- USD 407, local school district
- Maps
- Gorham City Map, KDOT
- Russell County Map, KDOT
Municipalities and communities of Russell County, Kansas Cities 
Townships Big Creek | Center | Fairfield | Fairview | Grant | Lincoln | Luray | Paradise | Plymouth | Russell | Waldo | Winterset
Unincorporated
communitiesCategories:- Cities in Kansas
- Populated places in Russell County, Kansas
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