- Colby, Kansas
-
Colby, Kansas — City — Nickname(s): The Oasis on the Plains Location of Colby, Kansas
Coordinates: 39°23′32″N 101°2′51″W / 39.39222°N 101.0475°WCoordinates: 39°23′32″N 101°2′51″W / 39.39222°N 101.0475°W Country United States State Kansas County Thomas Founded 1885 Incorporated 1886 Area - Total 3.3 sq mi (8.6 km2) - Land 3.3 sq mi (8.6 km2) - Water 0.0 sq mi (0.0 km2) Elevation 3,156 ft (963 m) Population (2010)[1] - Total 5,387 - Density 1,632.4/sq mi (630.3/km2) Time zone Central (CST) (UTC-6) - Summer (DST) CDT (UTC-5) ZIP code 67701 Area code(s) 785 FIPS code 20-14650[2] GNIS feature ID 0471203[3] Website CityOfColby.com Colby is a city in and the county seat of Thomas County, Kansas, United States.[4] As of the 2010 census, the city population was 5,387.[1]
Contents
History
In 1882, a post office was established near the center of Thomas County. Area homesteaders lived under harsh conditions in sod houses, creating demand for a town to provide lumber and other provisions to incoming settlers. J.R. Colby, a local land assessor and preacher, obtained a patent to establish the town in April 1884, and land was acquired for the town site three miles north of the post office in March 1885. The following month, the Kansas Secretary of State issued the Town Charter. Kansas Gov. John Martin named Colby the county seat in 1885, and the city was incorporated in 1886. The Union Pacific Railroad reached the city in 1887, and the Rock Island Railroad followed the next year.[citation needed]
Interstate 70 reached Colby in 1965, stimulating the growth of a local hospitality industry.[5]
Geography
2005 KDOT map of Thomas County showing Colby and surrounding communities (map legend)
Colby is located at 39°23′32″N 101°02′51″W / 39.392093°N 101.047532°W (39.392093, -101.047532) at an elevation of 3,159 feet (963 m).[3][6] It lies on the south side of Prairie Dog Creek, a tributary of the Republican River, in the High Plains region of the Great Plains.[7] A small tributary of the creek flows northeast through the town.[8] Located at the interchange of Interstate 70 and K-25 in northwestern Kansas, Colby is 212 miles (342 km) east-southeast of Denver, 232 miles (374 km) northwest of Wichita, and 347 miles (558 km) west of Kansas City.[7][9]
According to the United States Census Bureau, Colby has a total area of 3.3 square miles (8.5 km2), all of it land.[10]
Climate
Colby has a semi-arid steppe climate (Köppen BSk) with hot, dry summers and cold, dry winters. The average temperature in Colby is 50 °F (10 °C), and the average relative humidity is 61%.[11][12] Over the course of a year, temperatures range from an average low of 12 °F (−11 °C) in January to an average high of 90 °F (32 °C) in July. The high temperature reaches or exceeds 90 °F (32 °C) an average of 50 days a year and reaches or exceeds 100 °F (38 °C) an average of 6.5 days a year. The minimum temperature falls below the freezing point 32 °F (0 °C) an average of 166.5 days a year. Typically, the first fall freeze occurs between mid-September and the second week of October, and the last spring freeze occurs between the fourth week of April and the third week of May. Colby receives nearly 21 inches (530 mm) of precipitation during an average year with the largest share being received from May through July; that period averages over 25 days of measurable precipitation. During a typical year, the total amount of precipitation may be anywhere from 15 inches (380 mm) to 29 inches (740 mm). There are, on average, 72 days of measurable precipitation each year. Annual snowfall averages 29 inches (74 cm), but the median is less than 23 inches (58 cm). Measurable snowfall occurs an average of 70 days a year with at least an inch of snow being received on nine of those days. Snow depth of at least an inch occurs an average of 31 days a year.[13] Typically, January is the coldest month, and July is both the hottest and wettest month. The hottest temperature recorded in Colby was 110 °F (43 °C) in 1971; the coldest temperature recorded was -32 °F (-36 °C) in 1989.[14]
Climate data for Colby, Kansas, USA Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year Record high °F (°C) 77
(25)81
(27)89
(32)98
(37)103
(39)110
(43)109
(43)106
(41)104
(40)97
(36)85
(29)83
(28)110
(43)Average high °F (°C) 39
(4)45
(7)53
(12)63
(17)72
(22)84
(29)90
(32)88
(31)79
(26)67
(19)51
(11)42
(6)64.4
(18.0)Daily mean °F (°C) 26
(−3)31
(−1)39
(4)49
(9)59
(15)70
(21)76
(24)74
(23)64
(18)52
(11)37
(3)29
(−2)50.5
(10.3)Average low °F (°C) 12
(−11)17
(−8)24
(−4)33
(1)45
(7)55
(13)61
(16)59
(15)49
(9)35
(2)24
(−4)15
(−9)35.8
(2.1)Record low °F (°C) −24
(−31)−22
(−30)−22
(−30)5
(−15)20
(−7)33
(1)42
(6)40
(4)21
(−6)7
(−14)−8
(−22)−32
(−36)−32
(−36)Precipitation inches (mm) 0.40
(10.2)0.46
(11.7)1.20
(30.5)1.93
(49)3.60
(91.4)2.96
(75.2)3.95
(100.3)2.47
(62.7)1.39
(35.3)1.24
(31.5)0.81
(20.6)0.36
(9.1)20.77
(527.6)Snowfall inches (cm) 4.8
(12.2)4.5
(11.4)6.7
(17)3.4
(8.6)0.1
(0.3)0
(0)0
(0)0
(0)0.3
(0.8)1.4
(3.6)4.0
(10.2)3.9
(9.9)29.1
(73.9)Avg. precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) 3.7 3.6 6.2 6.5 10.4 8.5 9.0 7.1 5.6 4.4 4.0 3.2 72.2 Avg. snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) 3.4 2.6 3.1 1.6 0.1 0 0 0 0.1 0.5 2.5 2.9 16.8 Source: National Climatic Data Center;[13] The Weather Channel[14] Demographics
Historical populations Census Pop. %± 1890 516 — 1900 641 24.2% 1910 1,130 76.3% 1920 1,114 −1.4% 1930 2,153 93.3% 1940 2,458 14.2% 1950 3,859 57.0% 1960 4,210 9.1% 1970 4,658 10.6% 1980 5,544 19.0% 1990 5,396 −2.7% 2000 5,450 1.0% 2010 5,387 −1.2% U.S. Decennial Census As of the census[2] of 2000, there were 5,450 people, 2,223 households, and 1,367 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,632.8 people per square mile (630.0/km2). There were 2,405 housing units at an average density of 720.5 per square mile (278.0/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 96.73% White, 0.64% African American, 0.39% Native American, 0.39% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 1.01% from other races, and 0.83% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.98% of the population.
There were 2,223 households out of which 30.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.3% were married couples living together, 8.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.5% were non-families. 31.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.33 and the average family size was 2.96.
In the city the population was spread out with 24.1% under the age of 18, 16.4% from 18 to 24, 24.3% from 25 to 44, 19.7% from 45 to 64, and 15.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 88.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.6 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $34,615, and the median income for a family was $45,127. Males had a median income of $34,097 versus $21,706 for females. The per capita income for the city was $18,872. About 8.1% of families and 12.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.3% of those under age 18 and 9.2% of those age 65 or over.
Government
Colby has a mayor-council form of government. Elected at-large, the mayor presides over the city council and has final approval over ordinances the council passes. The mayor shares responsibility for setting policy and approving the city budget with the council. With the council's consent, the mayor appoints all members of the city boards and, if necessary, serves as the tie-breaking vote on council business. The city council consists of eight members elected by ward every four years. The city manager is hired by the council and is responsible for preparing the budget, administering day-to-day operations, and managing city government personnel.[15]
Education
Colleges and universities
Primary and secondary education
Colby Public Schools (Unified School District 315) operates four public schools in the city:[16]
- Colby Grade School (Grades K-5)
- Colby Middle School (6-8)
- Colby High School (9-12)
- Thomas County Academy (5-9), charter school
There are also two Christian schools in Colby: Sacred Heart Catholic School (Pre-K-5) and Heartland Christian School (K-12).[17][18]
Transportation
Interstate 70 runs east-west immediately south of Colby. U.S. Route 24 runs east-west through the city, intersecting K-25 which runs north-south.
Colby Municipal Airport is located on K-25 approximately 2 miles (3 km) north of the city.
Kyle Railroad operates rail via the former Rock Island Railroad which runs east-west through Colby. A Union Pacific Railroad branch line ends in Colby, entering the city from the southeast.
Media
Print
Colby has one daily newspaper, The Colby Free Press, and one weekly newspaper, The Thomas County Herald.[19][20]
Radio
The following radio stations are licensed to and/or broadcast from Colby:
AM
Frequency Callsign[21] Format[22] City of License Notes 790 KXXX Classic Country Colby, Kansas - FM
Frequency Callsign[23] Format[24] City of License Notes 88.9 K205BR Public Colby, Kansas NPR; Translator of KANZ, Garden City, Kansas[25] 91.9 KTCC Modern Rock[26] Colby, Kansas CCC college radio[26] 97.9 KWGB Country Colby, Kansas Broadcasts from Goodland, Kansas[27] 100.3 KRDQ Hot Adult Contemporary Colby, Kansas - Television
Colby is in the Wichita-Hutchinson, Kansas television market.[28] The following television stations are licensed to and/or broadcast from Colby:
Digital Channel Digital Subchannel Analog Channel Callsign[29] Network City of License Notes 4 (Virtual); 17 4.1 - KLBY ABC Colby, Kansas Satellite of KAKE, Wichita, Kansas[30] 19 19.1 - KWKS PBS (SD) Colby, Kansas Satellite of KOOD, Bunker Hill, Kansas[31] 19.2 PBS (HD) 19.3 Create 19.4 PBS World Points of interest
Situated in the heart of Colby is the multi-storied romanesque building/campanile courthouse which was constructed in 1907 by local firms Holland, JC & Squires, Frank, Crosby, and L. & Son. It is currently listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is located at 300 N. Court in Colby.[citation needed]
Other city buildings joining the courthouse on the National Register of Historic Places include the Colby Municipal Swimming Pool and City Bath House at 200 E. 5th St. (now locally referred to as "the public pool"), the Colby Community High School at 750 West 3rd St. (which is now used as an elementary/junior high school), and the art-deco sand-colored Colby City Hall, which was built in the 1920s by the architecture firm Suite & Blanchard. Throughout its 80-year history, the city-hall has served as a correctional facility, fire station, library and meeting hall.[citation needed]
Another noteworthy feature of Colby is Villa High Lake. The city-made reservoir is situated on the South Side of Villa High Park, which was created in the 1960s by the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks. The park has playground equipment, picnic shelters, disc golf, and fishing.[citation needed]
Fike Park is located just north of City Hall at the intersection of Franklin Avenue and Eighth Street. The park area was formerly known as Carp Lake. The park has gazebos, a volleyball area, horseshoe pitching pits, and tennis courts. In 1998 and 1999, over $100,000 was raised by civic groups and parents, with assistance from the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks and the City of Colby, for new playground equipment. In 2000, the tennis courts in this area were replaced and are used by Colby Community College and Unified School District #315. Colby Swimming Pool is located just south of the park.[citation needed]
Pioneer Memorial Library is located close to downtown Colby. Murals grace the walls of the young readers' room, and posters and plaques perk up the rest of the library.[citation needed]
The Prairie Museum of Art and History serves as a cultural center. The museum is a private, non-profit museum governed by the Thomas County Historical Society. The Society was founded in 1959 to preserve the history of Thomas County, Kansas. The museum occupies a 24-acre (97,000 m2) site just north of Interstate 70, between exits 53 and 54.[citation needed]
Notable people
Notable individuals who were born in and/or have lived in Colby include:
- Mary Brooks, Director of the U.S. Mint[32]
- John R. Connelly, U.S. Representative from Kansas[33]
- Sheila Frahm, U.S. Senator from Kansas, Lieutenant Governor of Kansas[34]
- Zelma Henderson, school desegregation activist[35]
- Wayne Munn, professional wrestler[36]
- Samuel Ramey, opera singer[37]
- Mark Schultz, Contemporary Christian singer/songwriter[38]
- John W. Thomas, U.S. Senator from Idaho[39]
References
- ^ a b "2010 City Population and Housing Occupancy Status". U.S. Census Bureau. http://factfinder2.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?pid=DEC_10_PL_GCTPL2.ST13&prodType=table. Retrieved March 27, 2011.
- ^ a b "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.
- ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
- ^ "Thomas County - History & Overview (County Info)". Colby Chamber of Commerce. http://oasisontheplains.com/beourguest/history-a-overview. Retrieved 2009-11-19.
- ^ "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 "2003-2004 Official Transportation Map". Kansas Department of Transportation. 2003. http://www.ksdot.org/burtransplan/maps/HistoricStateMaps/2003-04Mapside.pdf. Retrieved 2011-06-30.
- ^ "City of Colby". Kansas Department of Transportation. 2010-08-01. http://www.ksdot.org/burtransplan/maps/city-pdf/colby.PDF. Retrieved 2011-06-30.
- ^ "City Distance Tool". Geobytes. http://www.geobytes.com/citydistancetool.htm. Retrieved 2010-05-22.
- ^ "Kansas: 2000 - Population and Housing Counts". United States Census Bureau. July 2003. p. 29. http://www.census.gov/prod/cen2000/phc-3-18.pdf. Retrieved 2011-06-30.
- ^ "NOWData - NOAA Online Weather Data". National Weather Service Forecast Office - Goodland, KS. http://www.weather.gov/climate/xmacis.php?wfo=gld. Retrieved 2011-06-30.
- ^ "Historical Weather for Colby, Kansas, United States of America". Weatherbase. http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/weather.php3?s=86357&refer=&units=us. Retrieved 2010-02-28.
- ^ a b "Climatography of the United States No. 20 - 1971-2000". National Climatic Data Center. http://cdo.ncdc.noaa.gov/climatenormals/clim20/ks/141699.pdf. Retrieved 2011-06-30.
- ^ a b "Average weather for Colby, Kansas". The Weather Channel. http://www.weather.com/outlook/travel/businesstraveler/wxclimatology/monthly/graph/USKS0120?from=36hr_bottomnav_business. Retrieved 2010-02-28.
- ^ "Administration & Governing Body". Colby, KS - Official Website. City of Colby. http://www.cityofcolby.com/index.aspx?nid=2. Retrieved 2010-02-05.
- ^ "Colby Public Schools". Colby Public Schools. http://www.colbyeagles.org/. Retrieved 2009-12-12.
- ^ "Sacred Heart Catholic School". Sacred Heart Catholic Church. http://sacredheartcolby.com/school. Retrieved 2009-12-12.
- ^ "Heartland Christian School History". Heartland Christian School. http://www.hcscolby.org/HistoryofHeartlandChristianSchool.htm. Retrieved 2009-12-12.
- ^ "About this Newspaper: The free press". Chronicling America. Library of Congress. http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn85032822/. Retrieved 2009-09-07.
- ^ "About this Newspaper: The Thomas County herald". Chronicling America. Library of Congress. http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn85032819/. Retrieved 2009-09-07.
- ^ Frequency and callsign information from "AMQ AM Radio Database Query". Federal Communications Commission. http://www.fcc.gov/mb/audio/amq.html. Retrieved 2009-09-07.
- ^ Format information from "Station Information Profile". Arbitron. http://www.arbitron.com/radio_stations/station_information.htm. Retrieved 2009-09-07.
- ^ Frequency and callsign information from "FMQ FM Radio Database Query". Federal Communications Commission. http://www.fcc.gov/mb/audio/fmq.html. Retrieved 2009-09-07.
- ^ "Radio Stations in Colby, Kansas". Radio-Locator. http://www.radio-locator.com/cgi-bin/locate?select=city&city=Colby%2C+KS&x=0&y=0&sid=. Retrieved 2011-05-28.
- ^ "HPPR Signal Map". High Plains Public Radio. http://www.hppr.org/map.html. Retrieved 2009-09-07.
- ^ a b "T-92 Colby Community College Radio Station". Colby Community College. http://www.visitcolby.com/T92/t92.htm. Retrieved 2011-05-27.
- ^ "KWGB-FM 97.9 MHz". Radio-Locator. http://www.radio-locator.com/info/KWGB-FM. Retrieved 2011-05-27.
- ^ "TV Market Maps". EchoStar Knowledge Base. http://dishuser.org/TVMarkets/. Retrieved 2011-05-28.
- ^ Channel and callsign information from "TVQ TV Database Query". Federal Communications Commission. http://www.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/audio/tvq.html. Retrieved 2009-09-07.
- ^ "Contact Us". KAKE. http://www.kake.com/station/misc/7013297.html. Retrieved 2011-05-27.
- ^ "History". Smoky Hills Public Television. http://www.shptv.org/index.php/component/content/article/28-history/32-history. Retrieved 2011-05-27.
- ^ "Former U.S. Mint Director Mary Brooks Dies". American Numismatic Association. 2002-02-16. http://www.money.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Home&CONTENTID=1522&TEMPLATE=/CM/ContentDisplay.cfm. Retrieved 2011-06-29.
- ^ "Connelly, John Robert, (1870 - 1940)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=C000689. Retrieved 2011-06-29.
- ^ "Frahm, Sheila, (1945 - )". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=F000438. Retrieved 2011-06-29.
- ^ Fox, Margalit (2008-05-22). "Zelma Henderson, Who Aided Desegregation, Dies at 88". New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/22/us/22henderson.html?bl&ex=1211601600&en=d0a1ed67ee5b8c74&ei=5087%0A. Retrieved 2011-06-29.
- ^ "Wrestler Profiles - Wayne Munn". Online World of Wrestling. http://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/profiles/w/wayne-munn.html. Retrieved 2011-06-29.
- ^ "Biography". SamuelRamey.com. http://www.samuelramey.com/biography.html. Retrieved 2011-06-29.
- ^ "Bio". Mark Schultz. http://markschultzmusic.com/bio/. Retrieved 2011-06-29.
- ^ "Thomas, John, (1874-1945)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=T000172. Retrieved 2011-06-29.
Further reading
- History of the State of Kansas; William G. Cutler; A.T. Andreas Publisher; 1883. (Online HTML eBook)
- Kansas : A Cyclopedia of State History, Embracing Events, Institutions, Industries, Counties, Cities, Towns, Prominent Persons, Etc; 3 Volumes; Frank W. Blackmar; Standard Publishing Co; 944 / 955 / 824 pages; 1912. (Volume1 - Download 54MB PDF eBook),(Volume2 - Download 53MB PDF eBook), (Volume3 - Download 33MB PDF eBook)
External links
- City
- City of Colby
- Colby - Directory of Public Officials
- Colby Chamber of Commerce
- Pioneer Memorial Library
- Schools
- USD 315, local school district
- Maps
- Colby City Map, KDOT
- Thomas County Map, KDOT
Municipalities and communities of Thomas County, Kansas County seat: Colby Cities 
Unincorporated
communityLevant
Footnotes ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties
Categories:- Populated places in Thomas County, Kansas
- Cities in Kansas
- County seats in Kansas
- Populated places established in 1885
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
