Editing Wilson, Kansas

{{Short description|City in Ellsworth County, Kansas}}
{{Distinguish|Wilson County, Kansas}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}}
{{Infobox settlement
|name                     = Wilson, Kansas
|settlement_type          = [[City]]
|motto                    = "Czech Capital of Kansas"

<!-- Images -->
|image_skyline            = Wilson, Kansas (53780282488).jpg
|image_caption            = Tobias water tower in Wilson (2024)
|image_flag               =
|image_seal               =

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

<!-- Location -->
|coordinates_footnotes    = <ref name="GNIS"/>
|coordinates              = {{coord|38|49|31|N|98|28|30|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        = [[Ellsworth County, Kansas|Ellsworth]]
|subdivision_type3        = [[List of townships in Kansas|Township]]
|subdivision_name3        =

<!-- Established -->
|established_title        = Founded
|established_date         = 1871
|established_title1       = [[Platted]]
|established_date1        =
|established_title2       = [[Municipal corporation|Incorporated]]
|established_date2        = 1883
|named_for                = Wilson Township

<!-- Government -->
|government_footnotes     =
|government_type          = [[Mayor–council government|Mayor–Council]]
|leader_title             = [[Mayor]]
|leader_name              = Larry Ptacek <ref name="gov1">{{cite web | title = Wilson | work = Directory of Kansas Public Officials | publisher = The League of Kansas Municipalities | url = http://www.lkm.org/directory/cities.php?ID=165 | access-date = 2015-02-12}}</ref>

<!-- 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|access-date=July 24, 2020}}</ref>
|area_total_sq_mi         = 0.60
|area_land_sq_mi          = 0.60
|area_water_sq_mi         = 0.00
|area_total_km2           = 1.55
|area_land_km2            = 1.55
|area_water_km2           = 0.00
|unit_pref                = Imperial

<!-- Elevation -->
|elevation_footnotes      = <ref name="GNIS"/>
|elevation_ft             = 1690

<!-- Population -->
|population_footnotes     = <ref name="Census-2020-Profile"/>
|population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
|population_total         = 859
|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              = 67490
|area_code_type           = [[North American Numbering Plan|Area code]]
|area_code                = [[Area code 785|785]]
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 20-79675
|blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS ID]]
|blank1_info              = 2397332<ref name="GNIS">{{GNIS|2397332}}</ref>
|website                  = {{URL|https://wilsonkansas.com/|wilsonkansas.com}}
}}

'''Wilson''' is a city in [[Ellsworth County, Kansas|Ellsworth County]], [[Kansas]], United States.<ref name="GNIS"/>  The community promotes itself as the "Czech Capital of Kansas" due to the role of [[Czech people|Czech]] immigrant settlers in its early history.<ref>{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LdD5adyrRFEC&pg=PA9 | title=Kansas Trivia | publisher=Thomas Nelson Inc. | author=Brackman, Barbara | year=1997 | pages=9| isbn=9781418553814 }}</ref><ref name=Chamber/>  As of the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]], the population of the city was 859.<ref name="Census-2020-Profile">{{cite web |title=Profile of Wilson, Kansas in 2020 |url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/profile?g=1600000US2079675 |publisher=United States Census Bureau |access-date=March 29, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220330000649/https://data.census.gov/cedsci/profile?g=1600000US2079675 |archive-date=March 30, 2022 |url-status=live}}</ref>

==History==
The [[Butterfield Overland Despatch]] built a stagecoach station one-half mile south of present-day Wilson in 1865.<ref name=Chamber>{{cite web | last = Kriley | first = Susan | title = Wilson, KS | publisher = Wilson Chamber of Commerce | date = 2009-05-13 | url = http://skyways.lib.ks.us/kansas/towns/Wilson/index.html | access-date = 2011-04-03}}</ref> Three years later, the [[Kansas Pacific Railway]] built Wilson Station, named after the surrounding [[Wilson Township, Ellsworth County, Kansas|township]], at the modern town site. In 1871, The National Land Company surveyed and planned the first town there, naming it '''Bosland''' in the hopes of attracting the cattle trade.<ref name=Cutler>{{cite web | last = Cutler | first = William G. | title = Ellsworth County, Part 7 | work = History of the State of Kansas | publisher = A. T. Andreas | location = [[Chicago]] | year = 1883 | url = http://www.kancoll.org/books/cutler/ellsworth/ellsworth-co-p7.html#WILSON | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20030116033539/http://www.kancoll.org/books/cutler/ellsworth/ellsworth-co-p7.html#WILSON | url-status = dead | archive-date = 2003-01-16 | access-date = 2011-04-03}}</ref> Settlers from [[Pennsylvania]], including some [[Pennsylvania Dutch]], arrived over the following year. The settlement never became a center of the cattle trade, however, and continued to be known as Wilson, a name the [[United States Post Office Department|U.S. Post Office]] officially codified in 1873.<ref name=Chamber/><ref name=Cutler/>

Beginning in 1874, [[Czechs|Czech]] immigrants from [[Bohemia]] came to Wilson to work on the railroad, establishing the town as an area center of [[Czech culture]].<ref name=Chamber/>

Wilson was [[municipal corporation|incorporated]] as a city in 1883.<ref>{{Cite book | contribution = Wilson | title = Kansas: a cyclopedia of state history, embracing events, institutions, industries, counties, cities, towns, prominent persons, etc. | editor-last = Blackmar | editor-first = Frank W. | volume = 2 | page = 921 | place = [[Chicago]] | publisher = Standard | year = 1912 | contribution-url = http://skyways.lib.ks.us/genweb/archives/1912/w/wilson.html }}</ref>

==Geography==
Wilson is located in north-central Kansas {{convert|1.5|mi|km}} south of the intersection of [[Interstate 70 in Kansas|Interstate 70]] and [[K-232 (Kansas highway)|Kansas Highway 232 (K-232)]], Wilson is {{convert|95|mi|km}} northwest of [[Wichita, Kansas|Wichita]], {{convert|205|mi|km}} west of [[Kansas City, Missouri|Kansas City]] and {{convert|15|mi|km}} northwest of [[Ellsworth, Kansas|Ellsworth]], the [[county seat]].<ref name=KDOT/><ref>{{cite web | title = City Distance Tool | publisher = [[Geobytes]] | url = http://www.geobytes.com/citydistancetool.htm | access-date = 2011-03-27}}</ref>

Wilson lies in the [[Smoky Hills]] region of the [[Great Plains]], approximately {{convert|2|mi|km}} north of the [[Smoky Hill River]] and {{convert|6|mi|km}} south of [[Wilson Lake (Kansas)|Wilson Lake]].<ref name=KDOT>{{cite web | title = 2003-2004 Official Transportation Map | publisher = [[Kansas Department of Transportation]] | year = 2003 | url = http://www.ksdot.org/burtransplan/maps/HistoricStateMaps/2003-04Mapside.pdf | access-date = 2011-03-27}}</ref><ref name=CountyMap>{{cite web | title = General Highway Map - Ellsworth County, Kansas | publisher = [[Kansas Department of Transportation]] | year = 2002 | url = http://www.ksdot.org/burtransplan/maps/county-pdf/ellsworth.PDF | access-date = 2011-03-27}}</ref> Wilson Creek, a tributary of the Smoky Hill, flows south along the east side of the city.<ref name=CountyMap/>

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the city has a total area of {{convert|0.60|sqmi|sqkm|2}}, all  land.<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]]|access-date=2012-07-06}}</ref>

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|align= left
|1880= 458
|1890= 770
|1900= 939
|1910= 981
|1920= 1020
|1930= 1038
|1940= 1068
|1950= 1039
|1960= 905
|1970= 870
|1980= 978
|1990= 834
|2000= 799
|2010= 781
|2020= 859
|estyear=
|estimate=
|estref=
|align-fn=center
|footnote=[https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html U.S. Decennial Census]
}}

===2010 census===
As of the [[census]] of 2010, there were 781 people, 331 households, and 203 families residing in the city. The [[population density]] was {{convert|1301.7|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|1}}. There were 405 housing units at an average density of {{convert|675.0|/sqmi|/km2|1}}. The racial makeup of the city was 94.9% [[White American|White]], 0.4% [[African American]], 0.1% [[Native Americans in the United States|American Indian]], 0.3% [[Asian American|Asian]], 0.4% from other races, and 4.0% from two or more races. [[Hispanic and Latino Americans|Hispanics and Latinos]] of any race were 3.5% of the population.<ref name ="wwwcensusgov">{{cite web|title=U.S. Census website|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=2012-07-06}}</ref>

There were 331 households, of which 24.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.2% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 7.6% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.5% had a male householder with no wife present, and 38.7% were non-families. 32.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.24 and the average family size was 2.82.<ref name ="wwwcensusgov"/>

The median age in the city was 47.6 years. 20.5% of residents were under the age of 18; 6.3% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 19% were from 25 to 44; 29.2% were from 45 to 64; and 24.8% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 47.9% male and 52.1% female.<ref name ="wwwcensusgov"/>

The median income for a household in the city was $44,250, and the median income for a family was $55,542. Males had a median income of $37,273 versus $20,417 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the city was $21,109. 5.2% of families and 7.8% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 12.5% of those under age 18 and 16.3% of those age 65 or over.<ref name ="wwwcensusgov"/>

===2000 census===
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=2008-01-31|title=U.S. Census website}}</ref> of 2000, there were 799 people, 333 households, and 205 families residing in the city. The population density was {{convert|1,436.7|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 406 housing units at an average density of {{convert|730.0|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the city was 98.87% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.13% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 1.00% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 1.13% of the population.

There were 333 households, out of which 27.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.6% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 5.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.4% were non-families. 35.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 21.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.26 and the average family size was 2.89.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 22.5% under the age of 18, 5.4% from 18 to 24, 21.5% from 25 to 44, 22.3% from 45 to 64, and 28.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 46 years. For every 100 females, there were 83.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 81.0 males.

As of 2000 the median income for a household in the city was $34,821, and the median income for a family was $47,768. Males had a median income of $28,173 versus $23,000 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the city was $16,622. About 2.0% of families and 7.0% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 4.0% of those under age 18 and 12.9% of those age 65 or over.

==Economy==
[[File:Wilson, Kansas 400 block 27th Street from NW 1.JPG|thumb|Wilson Downtown Historic District #3 (2014)]]

As of 2012, 67.2% of the population over the age of 16 was in the labor force. None of the population was in the armed forces, and 67.2% was in the civilian labor force with 65.4% being employed and 1.9% unemployed. The composition, by occupation, of the employed civilian labor force was:  26.7% in service occupations; 26.3% in management, business, science, and arts; 21.9% in production, transportation, and material moving; 12.5% in natural resources, construction, and maintenance; and 12.5% in sales and office occupations. The three industries employing the largest percentages of the working civilian labor force were:  educational services, health care, and social assistance (19.5%); manufacturing (15.5%); and public administration (11.3%).<ref name ="wwwcensusgov"/>

The cost of living in Wilson is relatively low; compared to a U.S. average of 100, the cost of living index for the city is 79.2.<ref name=CityData>{{cite web | title = Wilson, Kansas | publisher = City-Data.com | url = http://www.city-data.com/city/Wilson-Kansas.html | access-date = 2014-10-03}}</ref> As of 2012, the median home value in the city was $49,000, the median selected monthly owner cost was $761 for housing units with a mortgage and $324 for those without, and the median gross rent was $510.<ref name ="wwwcensusgov"/>

==Government==
Wilson is a [[Kansas#Important cities and towns|city of the third class]], according to state statute, with a [[mayor-council government|mayor-council]] form of government. The [[city council]] consists of the [[mayor]] and five council members, and it meets on the first and third Monday of each month.<ref name="gov1"/>

Wilson lies within [[Kansas's 1st congressional district|Kansas's 1st U.S. Congressional District]]. For the purposes of representation in the [[Kansas Legislature]], the city is located in the 35th district of the [[Kansas Senate]] and the 108th district of the [[Kansas House of Representatives]].<ref name="gov1"/>

==Education==
The community is served by [[Central Plains USD 112]] public school district. Wilson High School is one of two high schools in the district along with Central Plains High School. The Wilson High School mascot is Wilson Dragons.<ref>{{cite web | title = Central Plains USD 112 | publisher = USD 112 | url = http://www.usd112.org/ | access-date = 3 January 2017}}</ref>

==Infrastructure==
[[File:Stouffer's Railroad Map of Kansas 1915-1918 Ellsworth County.png|thumb|right|1915 Railroad Map of Ellsworth County]]

===Transportation===
[[Interstate 70 in Kansas|Interstate 70]] and [[U.S. Route 40 in Kansas|U.S. Route 40]] run concurrently east-west {{convert|1.5|mi|km}} north of the city, intersecting [[K-232 (Kansas highway)|K-232]] which runs north-south along the eastern edge of the city. K-232 terminates at its intersection with the old alignment of U.S. 40 which runs northwest-southeast through Wilson.<ref>{{cite web | title = Wilson, KS 67490 | publisher = Google Maps | url = https://maps.google.com/maps/place?ftid=0x87a3081839f41a95:0xc9f9cf7782721287&q=Wilson,+KS&hl=en&sll=38.825011,-98.475344&sspn=0.017387,0.032015&ie=UTF8&ll=38.85154,-98.493547&spn=0,0&z=14 | access-date = 2011-04-03}}</ref>

The Kansas Pacific (KP) line of the [[Union Pacific Railroad]] runs northwest-southeast through Wilson, parallel to the old alignment of U.S. 40.<ref name=CountyMap/><ref>{{cite web | title = UPRR Common Line Names | publisher = [[Union Pacific Railroad]] | url = http://www.uprr.com/aboutup/maps/attachments/upcomnam.pdf | access-date = 2011-04-03}}</ref>

===Utilities===
Rolling Hills Electric Co-Op, Inc. provides electric power. Wilson Communications  offers landline telephone, internet and cable tv service. The city government is responsible for water provision.<ref name=County>{{cite web | title = County Information | publisher = Ellsworth County, Kansas | url = http://www.ellsworthcounty.org/index.php/county-information#UTILITIESTELECOMMUNICATIONS | access-date = 2014-10-03}}</ref> Local residents primarily use natural gas for heating fuel; service is provided by Midwest Energy.<ref name=CityData/><ref name=County/>

==Media==
Wilson is in the [[Media in Wichita, Kansas#Television|Wichita-Hutchinson, Kansas television market]].<ref>{{cite web | title = Kansas | work = TV Market Maps | publisher = EchoStar Knowledge Base | url = http://dishuser.org/TVMarkets/Maps/kansas.gif | access-date = 2014-10-03}}</ref>

==Culture==

===Events===
Due to the number of Czech immigrants who settled the area in 1874, Wilson was proclaimed the "Czech Capital of Kansas" on July 10, 1967 by Kansas Governor [[Robert Docking]].<ref name=Chamber/> As of 2012, 14.4% of the city population claimed Czech ancestry.<ref name="GR2" /> To celebrate this heritage, the city holds an annual After Harvest Czech Festival on the last Saturday in July. The festival includes displays of [[Czech American]] culture, such as dancers and music, as well as a carnival, a parade, sports tournaments, talent contests, and other activities.<ref>{{cite web | title = Annual Czech Festival in Wilson, Kansas | publisher = City of Wilson | url = http://www.wilsonkansas.com/czech_festival.htm | access-date = 2011-04-03}}</ref>

The city also holds a [[Halloween]] festival in October and a [[Christmas]] festival in December.<ref>{{cite web | title = Welcome to Wilson | publisher = Wilson Chamber of Commerce | url = http://skyways.lib.ks.us/towns/Wilson/cityinfo.html | access-date = 2011-04-03}}</ref>

===In popular culture and the arts===
The Midland Hotel, located in Wilson, served as a filming location for the 1973 film ''[[Paper Moon (film)|Paper Moon]]''.<ref name=Chamber/>

Wilson is also home of the historic Wilson Opera House, which is currently under renovation. Originally built in 1901, the building was destroyed in a massive fire in November 2009.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://cjonline.com/news-state/2009-11-06/fire-destroys-wilson-opera-house|title=Fire destroys Wilson opera house|access-date=2017-03-29|language=en}}</ref>

==Notable people==
Notable individuals who were born in and/or have lived in Wilson include:
* [[Neva Egan]] (1914-2011), 1st [[First Ladies and Gentlemen of Alaska|First Lady of Alaska]].<ref name="adn">{{cite news|first=Mike|last=Dunham|title= Neva Egan, the first of Alaska's first ladies, dies at age 96 |url=http://www.adn.com/2011/01/20/1658903/neva-egan-wife-of-alaskas-first.html|work=[[Anchorage Daily News]] |date=2011-01-21 |access-date=2011-02-26}}</ref>
* [[John Kuck]] (1905-1986), [[Olympics|Olympic]] shot putter, gold medal at [[1928 Summer Olympics]].<ref>{{cite web | title = Johnny Kuck Biography and Olympic Results | publisher = Sports-Reference.com | url = https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/ku/johnny-kuck-1.html | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200417174558/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/ku/johnny-kuck-1.html | url-status = dead | archive-date = 2020-04-17 | access-date = 2011-02-26}}</ref>

==Gallery==
* [http://specialcollections.wichita.edu/kw/towns.asp?town=Wilson&county=Ellsworth Historic Images of Wilson], Special Photo Collections at Wichita State University Library
<gallery widths="220px" heights="165px">
File:Midland Railroad Hotel from SW 1.JPG|Midland Railroad Hotel (2014)
File:Wilson, Kansas 2505 Avenue E 1.JPG|(2014)
File:Wilson, Kansas Tobias water tower 2.jpg|Tobias water tower (2014)
File:Wilson, Kansas 2407 Avenue E 1.JPG|City hall (2014)
</gallery>

==See also==
* [[Wilson Lake (Kansas)|Wilson Lake]] and [[Wilson State Park (Kansas)|Wilson State Park]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
{{See also|Ellsworth County, Kansas#Further reading|l1=List of books about Ellsworth County, Kansas}}
* ''Guide Map of the Best and Shortest Cattle Trail to the Kansas Pacific Railway''; Kansas Pacific Railway Company; 1875. <small>[http://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=njp.32101074863513;view=1up;seq=1 (Read Online)]</small><small>[http://www.kansasmemory.org/item/214328 (Map)]</small>

==External links==
{{Commons category|Wilson, Kansas}}
* [https://wilsonkansas.com/ City of Wilson]
* [https://www.lkm.org/members/?id=41261122 Wilson - Directory of Public Officials]
* [https://www.indyrepnews.com/ Ellsworth County Independent/Reporter]
* [http://www.kansastravel.org/wilsonkansas.htm Photos of historic Wilson buildings]
* [https://www.ksdot.org/Assets/wwwksdotorg/bureaus/burTransPlan/maps/city-pdf/wilson.pdf Wilson city map], KDOT

{{Ellsworth County, Kansas}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Cities in Kansas]]
[[Category:Cities in Ellsworth County, Kansas]]
[[Category:Czech-American culture in Kansas]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1871]]
[[Category:1871 establishments in Kansas]]