Editing Americus, Kansas

{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}}
{{Short description|City in Lyon County, Kansas}}
{{Infobox settlement
|name                     = Americus, Kansas
|settlement_type          = [[City]]

<!-- Images -->
|image_skyline            =
|image_caption            =
|image_flag               =
|image_seal               =

<!-- Maps -->
|image_map                = Lyon_County_Kansas_Incorporated_and_Unincorporated_areas_Americus_Highlighted.svg
|map_caption              = Location within [[Lyon County, Kansas|Lyon County]] and [[Kansas]]
|image_map1               = Map of Lyon Co, Ks, USA.png
|map_caption1             = [[Kansas Department of Transportation|KDOT]] map of [[Lyon County, Kansas|Lyon County]] ([[:File:Kansas official transportation map legend.png|legend]])

<!-- Location -->
|coordinates_footnotes    = <ref name="GNIS"/>
|coordinates              = {{coord|38|30|23|N|96|15|35|W|region:US-KS_type:city|display=inline,title}}
|subdivision_type         = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
|subdivision_name         = United States
|subdivision_type1        = [[U.S. state|State]]
|subdivision_name1        = [[Kansas]]
|subdivision_type2        = [[List of counties in Kansas|County]]
|subdivision_name2        = [[Lyon County, Kansas|Lyon]]
|subdivision_type3        = [[List of townships in Kansas|Township]]
|subdivision_name3        =

<!-- Established -->
|established_title        = Founded
|established_date         =
|established_title1       = [[Platted]]
|established_date1        = 1857
|established_title2       = [[Municipal corporation|Incorporated]]
|established_date2        = 1884<ref name="gov1"/>
|named_for                = [[Amerigo Vespucci]]

<!-- Government -->
|government_footnotes     = <ref name="gov1">{{cite web |title=City of Americus |url=https://www.lkm.org/members/?id=41260522 |website=The League of Kansas Municipalities |date=May 24, 2019}}</ref>
|government_type          = [[Mayor–council government|Mayor–Council]]
|leader_title             = [[Mayor]]
|leader_name              =

<!-- Area -->
|area_footnotes           = <ref name="CenPopGazetteer2019">{{cite web|title=2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2019_Gazetteer/2019_gaz_place_20.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=July 24, 2020}}</ref>
|area_total_sq_mi         = 1.09
|area_land_sq_mi          = 1.08
|area_water_sq_mi         = 0.01
|area_total_km2           = 2.84
|area_land_km2            = 2.80
|area_water_km2           = 0.03
|unit_pref                = Imperial

<!-- Elevation -->
|elevation_footnotes      = <ref name="GNIS"/>
|elevation_ft             = 1158

<!-- Population -->
|population_footnotes     = <ref name="Census-2020-Profile"/>
|population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
|population_total         = 776
|pop_est_footnotes        =
|pop_est_as_of            =
|population_est           =
|population_density_sq_mi = auto
|population_density_km2   = auto

<!-- General information -->
|timezone                 = [[Central Time Zone|CST]]
|utc_offset               = -6
|timezone_DST             = CDT
|utc_offset_DST           = -5
|postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]
|postal_code              = 66835
|area_code_type           = [[North American Numbering Plan|Area code]]
|area_code                = [[Area code 620|620]]
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 20-01675 
|blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS ID]]
|blank1_info              = 2393946<ref name="GNIS">{{GNIS|2393946}}</ref>
|website                  = {{URL|https://cityofamericus.municipalimpact.com/|City website}}
}}

'''Americus''' is a city in [[Lyon County, Kansas|Lyon County]], [[Kansas]], United States.<ref name="GNIS"/>  As of the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]], the population of the city was 776.<ref name="Census-2020-Profile">{{cite web |title=Profile of Americus, Kansas in 2020 |url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/profile?g=1600000US2001675 |publisher=United States Census Bureau |access-date=May 3, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220503164016/https://data.census.gov/cedsci/profile?g=1600000US2001675 |archive-date=May 3, 2022 |url-status=live}}</ref>  It is located northwest of the city of [[Emporia, Kansas|Emporia]]. Americus is often a waypoint in some [[Unbound Gravel]] bike races.

==History==
Americus was laid out in the fall of 1857.<ref>{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=iZO2CL7-JAkC&pg=PA129 | title=History of Emporia and Lyon County, Kansas | publisher=Heritage Books | author=French, Laura M. | year=1929 | pages=129| isbn=9780788403460 }}</ref> It was named for [[Amerigo Vespucci]].<ref>{{cite book | url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_5zdAAQAAMAAJ | title=Biennial Report of the Board of Directors of the Kansas State Historical Society | publisher=Kansas State Printing Plant | author=Kansas State Historical Society | year=1916 | pages=[https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_5zdAAQAAMAAJ/page/n336 229]}}</ref>

Americus was a station and shipping point on the [[Missouri–Kansas–Texas Railroad]].<ref>{{cite book | url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_o8X5krq3fP8C | title=Kansas: A Cyclopedia of State History, Embracing Events, Institutions, Industries, Counties, Cities, Towns, Prominent Persons, Etc. | publisher=Standard Publishing Company | author=Blackmar, Frank Wilson | year=1912 | pages=[https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_o8X5krq3fP8C/page/n680 68]}}</ref>

==Geography==
According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the city has a total area of {{convert|1.13|sqmi|sqkm|2}}, of which {{convert|1.12|sqmi|sqkm|2}} is land and {{convert|0.01|sqmi|sqkm|2}} is water.<ref name="Gazetteer files">{{cite web|title=US Gazetteer files 2010 |url=https://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/files/Gaz_places_national.txt |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |accessdate=2012-07-06 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120125061959/http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/files/Gaz_places_national.txt |archivedate=2012-01-25 }}</ref>

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|align=left
|1880= 431
|1890= 393
|1900= 332
|1910= 451
|1920= 493
|1930= 430
|1940= 406
|1950= 339
|1960= 300
|1970= 441
|1980= 915
|1990= 891
|2000= 938
|2010= 894
|2020= 776
|estyear=
|estimate=
|estref=
|align-fn=center
|footnote=[https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html U.S. Decennial Census]
}}
Americus is part of the [[Emporia, Kansas|Emporia]] [[Emporia micropolitan area|Micropolitan Statistical Area]].
===2020 census===
The [[2020 United States census]] counted 776 people, 324 households, and 216 families in Americus.<ref>{{Cite web |title=US Census Bureau, Table P16: HOUSEHOLD TYPE |url=https://data.census.gov/table?q=Americus%20city,%20Kansas%20p16&y=2020 |access-date=2023-12-31 |website=data.census.gov}}</ref><ref name=:0 /> The population density was 716.5 per square mile (276.7/km{{sup|2}}). There were 357 housing units at an average density of 329.6 per square mile (127.3/km{{sup|2}}).<ref name=:0>{{Cite web |title=US Census Bureau, Table DP1: PROFILE OF GENERAL POPULATION AND HOUSING CHARACTERISTICS |url=https://data.census.gov/table/DECENNIALDP2020.DP1?q=Americus%20city,%20Kansas%20dp1 |access-date=2023-12-31 |website=data.census.gov}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Gazetteer Files |url=https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/2020/geo/gazetter-file.html |access-date=2023-12-30 |website=Census.gov}}</ref> The racial makeup was 92.01% (714) [[White (U.S. Census)|white]] or [[European American]] (89.43% [[Non-Hispanic White|non-Hispanic white]]), 0.13% (1) [[African American (U.S. Census)|black]] or [[African American|African-American]], 0.13% (1) [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]] or [[Alaska Native]], 0.0% (0) [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.0% (0) [[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]] or [[Native Hawaiian]], 0.64% (5) from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 7.09% (55) from [[Multiracial Americans|two or more races]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=US Census Bureau, Table P1: RACE |url=https://data.census.gov/table/DECENNIALPL2020.P1?q=Americus%20city,%20Kansas%20p1&y=2020 |access-date=2023-12-31 |website=data.census.gov}}</ref> [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race was 5.03% (39) of the population.<ref>{{Cite web |title=US Census Bureau, Table P2: HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE |url=https://data.census.gov/table/DECENNIALPL2020.P2?q=Americus%20city,%20Kansas%20p2&y=2020 |access-date=2023-12-31 |website=data.census.gov}}</ref>

Of the 324 households, 32.1% had children under the age of 18; 50.6% were married couples living together; 25.3% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. 29.9% of households consisted of individuals and 15.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.<ref name=:0 /> The average household size was 2.5 and the average family size was 3.1.<ref>{{Cite web |title=US Census Bureau, Table S1101: HOUSEHOLDS AND FAMILIES |url=https://data.census.gov/table/ACSST5Y2020.S1101?q=Americus%20city,%20Kansas%20s1101%20&y=2020 |access-date=2023-12-31 |website=data.census.gov}}</ref> The percent of those with a bachelor’s degree or higher was estimated to be 15.7% of the population.<ref>{{Cite web |title=US Census Bureau, Table S1501: EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT |url=https://data.census.gov/table/ACSST5Y2020.S1501?q=Americus%20city,%20Kansas%20s1501%20&y=2020 |access-date=2023-12-31 |website=data.census.gov}}</ref>

24.6% of the population was under the age of 18, 6.1% from 18 to 24, 23.3% from 25 to 44, 27.3% from 45 to 64, and 18.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39.9 years. For every 100 females, there were 110.3 males.<ref name=:0 /> For every 100 females ages 18 and older, there were 106.0 males.<ref name=:0 />

The 2016-2020 5-year [[American Community Survey]] estimates show that the median household income was $65,156 (with a margin of error of +/- $12,343) and the median family income was $77,721 (+/- $12,096).<ref>{{Cite web |title=US Census Bureau, Table S1903: MEDIAN INCOME IN THE PAST 12 MONTHS (IN 2020 INFLATION-ADJUSTED DOLLARS) |url=https://data.census.gov/table/ACSST5Y2020.S1903?q=Americus%20city,%20Kansas%20s1903%20&y=2020 |access-date=2023-12-31 |website=data.census.gov}}</ref> Males had a median income of $39,336 (+/- $3,356) versus $27,083 (+/- $5,767) for females. The median income for those above 16 years old was $33,859 (+/- $5,543).<ref>{{Cite web |title=US Census Bureau, Table S2001: EARNINGS IN THE PAST 12 MONTHS (IN 2020 INFLATION-ADJUSTED DOLLARS) |url=https://data.census.gov/table/ACSST5Y2020.S2001?q=Americus%20city,%20Kansas%20s2001%20&y=2020 |access-date=2023-12-31 |website=data.census.gov}}</ref> Approximately, 5.2% of families and 9.9% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 14.9% of those under the age of 18 and 4.0% of those ages 65 or over.<ref>{{Cite web |title=US Census Bureau, Table S1701: POVERTY STATUS IN THE PAST 12 MONTHS |url=https://data.census.gov/table/ACSST5Y2020.S1701?q=Americus%20city,%20Kansas%20s1701%20&y=2020 |access-date=2023-12-31 |website=data.census.gov}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=US Census Bureau, Table S1702: POVERTY STATUS IN THE PAST 12 MONTHS OF FAMILIES |url=https://data.census.gov/table/ACSST5Y2020.S1702?q=Americus%20city,%20Kansas%20s1702&y=2020 |access-date=2023-12-31 |website=data.census.gov}}</ref>

===2010 census===
As of the [[census]]<ref name ="wwwcensusgov">{{cite web|title=U.S. Census website|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|accessdate=2012-07-06}}</ref> of 2010, there were 894 people, 354 households, and 251 families residing in the city. The [[population density]] was {{convert|798.2|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|1}}. There were 386 housing units at an average density of {{convert|344.6|/sqmi|/km2|1}}. The racial makeup of the city was 96.2% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.2% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.1% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.6% from [[Race (U.S. Census)|other races]], and 2.9% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 4.1% of the population.

There were 354 households, of which 36.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.0% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 11.0% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.9% had a male householder with no wife present, and 29.1% were non-families. 24.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.53 and the average family size was 2.96.

The median age in the city was 38 years. 27.4% of residents were under the age of 18; 8.3% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 23.8% were from 25 to 44; 28.4% were from 45 to 64; and 12.2% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 47.9% male and 52.1% female.

===2000 census===
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |accessdate=2008-01-31 |title=U.S. Census website }}</ref> of 2000, there were 938 people, 355 households, and 259 families residing in the city. The population density was {{convert|870.1|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 383 housing units at an average density of {{convert|355.3|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the city was 96.80% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.32% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.43% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.11% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 1.07% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 1.28% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 1.71% of the population.

There were 355 households, out of which 39.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.9% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 10.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.0% were non-families. 23.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.64 and the average family size was 3.12.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 29.9% under the age of 18, 8.6% from 18 to 24, 28.8% from 25 to 44, 22.8% from 45 to 64, and 9.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.7 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $35,859, and the median income for a family was $43,850. Males had a median income of $29,545 versus $21,705 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the city was $14,532. About 9.9% of families and 11.4% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 15.0% of those under age 18 and 11.1% of those age 65 or over.

==Education==
The community is served by [[North Lyon County USD 251]] public school district, and its headquarters are located in Americus.  The Northern Heights High School is located east of [[Allen, Kansas|Allen]], and its mascot is the Wildcats. The NLC Elementary School and NLC Early Learning Center (preschool) are located in Americus.

Americus High School closed after school district unification. The Americus Indians<ref>"Lyon County Tournament", The Emporia Gazette, 22 January 1963, p.12.</ref> achieved a record of 26-0 to win the [[Kansas State High School Activities Association|Kansas State High School]] boys Class B basketball championship in 1961.<ref>{{cite web | title = Basketball | publisher = KSHSAA | url = http://www.kshsaa.org/Public/Basketball/History.cfm | accessdate = 3 January 2017 | archive-date = January 2, 2017 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170102171800/http://www.kshsaa.org/Public/Basketball/History.cfm | url-status = dead }}</ref>

==Transportation==
The closest [[Kansas Turnpike]] exit is located approximately {{convert|6|mi|km}} south of Americus along [[U.S. Route 50]] in [[Emporia, Kansas|Emporia]].

==Notable people==
*[[Ross Grimsley (1950s pitcher)|Ross Grimsley]] (1922–1994), [[Major League Baseball]] pitcher in the 1950s
*[[Chuck Norris (politician)|Chuck Norris]] (1925–2009), member of the [[Oregon House of Representatives]], military officer, businessman
*[[Grant F. Timmerman|Grant Timmerman]] (1919–1944), U.S. Marine posthumously awarded the [[Medal of Honor]] during World War II
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==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
{{See also|Lyon County, Kansas#Further reading|l1=List of books about Lyon County, Kansas}}

==External links==
* [https://cityofamericus.municipalimpact.com/ City of Americus]
* [https://www.lkm.org/members/?id=41260522 Americus - Directory of Public Officials]
* [https://www.ksdot.org/Assets/wwwksdotorg/bureaus/burTransPlan/maps/city-pdf/americus.pdf Americus city map], KDOT

{{Lyon County, Kansas}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Cities in Kansas]]
[[Category:Cities in Lyon County, Kansas]]
[[Category:Emporia, Kansas micropolitan area]]
[[Category:1857 establishments in Kansas Territory]]