Greensburg, Kansas

Greensburg is a city in and the county seat of Kiowa County, Kansas, United States.<ref name="GNIS"/> As of the 2020 United States census, the population of the city was 740.<ref name="Census-2020-Profile">Template:Cite web</ref> It is home to the world's largest hand-dug well.

On the evening of May 4, 2007, Greensburg was devastated by an EF5 tornado that obliterated at least 95 percent of the city, killing eleven people between the ages of 46 and 84. The community had a population of 2,000 people in the late 1990s, and 1,400 people before the tornado leveled the city. Some people did not want to come back, or rebuild the community, or build green.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite webTemplate:Dead link</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web Template:Dead linkTemplate:Cbignore</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> By 2010, over half of Greensburg's population before the tornado had moved away from the city. Today, Greensburg stands as a model "green town", often described as the greenest in America. The hospital, city hall, and school have all been built to the highest certification level issued by Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED).<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

History

Early history and development

Template:See also For millennia, the Great Plains of North America were inhabited by nomadic Native Americans.

The first settlement was established at Greensburg in 1885.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Greensburg was named after D.R. "Cannonball" Green, who owned a stagecoach company and played a part in the establishment of the city.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In 1887, construction began on the Big Well, the largest hand-dug well in the world.<ref name="kansastravel.org">Template:Cite web</ref> By 1888, Greensburg was proclaimed the "liveliest town in the state", the same year the construction of the Big Well was completed.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web, Blue Skyways, 18 May 2006. Accessed 7 May 2008.</ref>

The city ceased using the Big Well as a water source in 1932,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and converted it into a tourist attraction in 1937.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In 1972, the Big Well was declared a national museum.<ref name="kansastravel.org" />

One of the largest pallasite meteorites ever discovered was found near Greensburg in 1949, weighing over 1,000 pounds.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

2007 tornado

File:Greensburg kansas tornado.jpg

City center, twelve days after the tornado struck (2007)

At 9:45 p.m. CDT on May 4, 2007, during a deadly tornado outbreak,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Greensburg took a direct hit from a rain-wrapped EF5 tornado. The tornado was estimated to be Template:Convert in width — wider than the city itself — and traveled for nearly Template:Convert.

The tornado killed 10 people in Greensburg and two more in neighboring communities.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Tornado sirens sounded in the city twenty minutes before the tornado struck, and a tornado emergency was issued, is believed by experts to have saved hundreds of lives.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The tornado lasted for a total of one hour and five minutes and caused $250 million in damages.<ref>Oberholtz, Chris. "Looking Back: The Devastating Greensburg Tornado of 2007 Destroyed 95% of Kansas Town [Video]". KNSS</ref>

Ninety-five percent of the city was confirmed to be destroyed, with the other five percent being severely damaged. The National Weather Service estimated winds of the tornado to reach Template:Convert. It was the first tornado in history to be rated EF5 since the implementation of the Enhanced Fujita scale earlier that year. It was also the first F5 or EF5 classification since May 3, 1999, when an F5 tornado devastated Moore, Oklahoma during the 1999 Oklahoma tornado outbreak.

Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius and President George W. Bush both declared Kiowa County a disaster area,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> which opened up the affected areas for national and international aid.

Rebuilding (2007–present)

After the tornado, Greensburg rebuilt itself as a "green" city. A non-profit organization called Greensburg GreenTown was founded to help inform the residents about the green living initiative.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>https://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy10osti/45086.pdf</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>https://www.nrel.gov/buildings/assets/pdfs/53539.pdf</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In response to the disaster, the city council passed a resolution requiring all city buildings be built to LEED platinum standards, becoming the first city in the nation to do so.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite bookTemplate:Dead link</ref> With extra help from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Greensburg residents developed a long-term plan for Greensburg. The city's power is supplied by ten 1.25 MW wind-turbines. Carbon offsets generated from the turbines are being managed by NativeEnergy, and have been purchased by charter supporters including Ben & Jerry's, Clif Bar, Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, and Stonyfield Farm.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Despite the efforts to rebuild the town, the population by 2010 was about 50% of what it was in 2000. The 2000 census found 1,582 residents,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> while 777 residents were recorded in the 2010 census,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and 740 in 2020.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

On May 18, 2025, a very large tornado moved south of Greensburg and narrowly avoided striking town, prompting the National Weather Service in Dodge City, Kansas to issue a rare tornado emergency for Greensburg. <ref>Template:Cite web</ref>The same tornado later went on to impact Plevna, Kansas.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of Template:Convert, all land.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Climate

The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. Under the Köppen Climate Classification system, Greensburg has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "CFA" on climate maps.<ref>Climate Summary for Greensburg, Kansas</ref>

Demographics

2020 census

The 2020 United States census counted 740 people, 329 households, and 176 families in Greensburg.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=:0 /> The population density was 413.6 per square mile (159.7/kmTemplate:Sup). There were 403 housing units at an average density of 225.3 per square mile (87.0/kmTemplate:Sup).<ref name=:0>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The racial makeup was 88.65% (656) white or European American (87.43% non-Hispanic white), 2.3% (17) black or African-American, 0.27% (2) Native American or Alaska Native, 1.76% (13) Asian, 0.54% (4) Pacific Islander or Native Hawaiian, 0.41% (3) from other races, and 6.08% (45) from two or more races.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Hispanic or Latino of any race was 2.57% (19) of the population.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Of the 329 households, 25.8% had children under the age of 18; 43.8% were married couples living together; 34.0% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. 41.3% of households consisted of individuals and 21.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.<ref name=:0 /> The average household size was 2.0 and the average family size was 3.0.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The percent of those with a bachelor's degree or higher was estimated to be 19.5% of the population.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

22.2% of the population was under the age of 18, 5.1% from 18 to 24, 23.9% from 25 to 44, 24.1% from 45 to 64, and 24.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44.4 years. For every 100 females, there were 101.6 males.<ref name=:0 /> For every 100 females ages 18 and older, there were 114.1 males.<ref name=:0 />

The 2016-2020 5-year American Community Survey estimates show that the median household income was $41,518 (with a margin of error of +/- $5,218) and the median family income was $61,250 (+/- $26,252).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Males had a median income of $40,221 (+/- $4,038) versus $24,000 (+/- $11,825) for females. The median income for those above 16 years old was $32,868 (+/- $5,509).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Approximately, 3.5% of families and 11.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.8% of those under the age of 18 and 5.2% of those ages 65 or over.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

2010 census

As of the 2010 United States Census,<ref name ="wwwcensusgov">Template:Cite web</ref> there were 777 people, 355 households, and 212 families in the city. The population density was Template:Convert. There were 431 housing units at an average density of Template:Convert. The racial makeup of the city was 95.5% White, 0.4% African American, 1.0% Native American, 0.4% Asian, 1.4% from other races, and 1.3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.9% of the population.<ref name="Census2010">Template:Cite webTemplate:Dead linkTemplate:Cbignore</ref>

There were 355 households, of which 24.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.2% were married couples living together, 8.2% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.4% had a male householder with no wife present, and 40.3% were non-families. 36.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.18 and the average family size was 2.83.

The median age in the city was 45.2 years. The city population contained 22% of residents under the age of 18; 5.2% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 22.6% were from 25 to 44; 27.9% were from 45 to 64; and 22.3% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 47.4% male and 52.6% female.

2000 census

As of the 2000 United States Census, there were 1,574 people, 730 households, and 453 families in the city.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The population density was Template:Convert. There were 887 housing units at an average density of Template:Convert. The racial makeup of the city was 97.01% White, 0.83% Native American, 0.06% Asian, 1.02% from other races, and 1.08% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.59% of the population.

There were 730 households, out of which 23.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.3% were married couples living together, 6.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.9% were non-families. 35.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 19.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.14 and the average family size was 2.76.

The city population contained 21.5% under the age of 18, 6.5% from 18 to 24, 20.5% from 25 to 44, 25.2% from 45 to 64, and 26.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 46 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.1 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $28,438, and the median income for a family was $39,188. Males had a median income of $28,426 versus $20,875 for females. The per capita income for the city was $18,054. About 8.4% of families and 12.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.6% of those under age 18 and 8.0% of those age 65 or over.

Education

The community is served by Kiowa County USD 422 public school district. Greensburg schools were closed through school unification. The Greensburg Rangers<ref>"Greensburg Still Leads", The Hutchinson News, 1 February 1949, p. 20.</ref> won the Kansas State High School boys class B basketball championship in 1948.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

As of the 2019 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 82.35% of School Enrolled Population are Enrolled in Kindergarten to 12th Grade in Greensburg. 27.4% of residents have a High School or Equivalent degree, 27.4% have some college but no degree, 8.6% have an associate degree, 16.8% have a bachelor's degree, and 7.2% have a Graduates or Professional degree.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Attractions

File:Big Well Museum.jpg

Big Well Museum & Visitor Info Center

File:Big Well Interior Greensburg, KS.png

Big Well spiral staircase

Greensburg is home to the world's largest hand dug well. Work had begun on the well in 1887 to provide water for the steam engines of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway and Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad. When the well was completed in 1888 it was Template:Convert deep and Template:Convert in diameter. The well was used as the city's water supply until 1932. In 1939 it was opened as a tourist attraction allowing visitors to descend to the bottom of the well.

The adjacent museum displayed a 1000-pound pallasite meteorite until the museum fell down around the meteorite during the 2007 tornado that destroyed the city. The meteorite was found in the rubble of the museum and moved to a temporary home in Hays, Kansas while Greensburg was rebuilding.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In May 2012, the new Big Well Museum and Visitor Information Center opened featuring exhibits about the history of Greensburg, The Big Well, the 2007 tornado, the rebuilding process, and the meteorite.

On October 16, 2006, a related smaller meteorite measuring 154 pounds (70 kilograms) was dug up near Greensburg (Template:Convert) and Haviland (Template:Convert). The only scientific publication discussing time of impact suggests a terrestrial age of 20,000 years.<ref>Honda, M.; Caffee, M. W.; Miura, Y. N.; Nagai, H.; Nagao, K.; Nishiizumi, K. Meteoritics & Planetary Science, 37:12, 1711-1728.</ref> It was once thought that its age was around 10,000 years.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

The town serves as a time station for the annual Race Across America, a Template:Convert transcontinental bicycle race.Template:Citation needed

The 5.4.7 Arts Center serves as a non-profit organization for hosting visual and performative arts, and acts as the only arts center between Dodge City, Kansas and Wichita, Kansas.

The Kiowa County Historical Museum and Soda Fountain operates as a museum for Kiowa County. It contains artifacts and information from the westward expansion of the United States fueled by ideas of Manifest Destiny. It also contains local history including sporting equipment and notable people from around Kiowa County.

West of Greensburg, the M.T. Liggett Art Environment offers a kinetic art display that utilizes pieces of discarded metal along with wind energy to create a roadside attraction.

The Fromme-Birney Round Barn is a notable horse barn that was built in 1912. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Transportation

Greensburg is served by three U.S. Highways:

• Template:Jct,<ref>Rand McNally. The Road Atlas '08. Chicago: Rand McNally, 2008, p. 40.</ref>
• Template:Jct.

Bus service is provided daily eastward towards Wichita, Kansas and westward towards Pueblo, Colorado by BeeLine Express (subcontractor of Greyhound Lines).<ref>BeeLine Express</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Media

Template:Section unsourced Several television networks have drawn an interest in Greensburg as a subject for reality shows as a result of the Greensburg City Council's decision to make the city a "green" town. A documentary on its reconstruction, called Greensburg, aired on Planet Green, a sister network of Discovery Channel.

Another documentary, Earth 2100, drew attention to Greensburg as "the green town" that was built after the devastating 2007 tornado. The ABC film suggested a fictionalized, future Greensburg as a model showing how American towns can successfully implement green technology, and become a beacon for hope on a planet doomed to destruction from climate change and overpopulation.

Multiple books have been written about Greensburg and the 2007 tornado. Greensburg: The Twisted Tales (Janice Haney) recounts several residents' experiences with the tornado. Aftermath: Scenes from the Sudden Destruction of an American Hometown (Merlin Peck) showcases images of destruction and debris from the event.

Notable people

• Manvel H. Davis, Republican loser to Harry S. Truman in 1940 U.S. senatorial Missouri campaign
• Dennis McKinney, Kansas State Treasurer 2008–2010
• Sandra Seacat, actress and acting coach

Gallery

• Marine One, carrying President George W. Bush, flies over the damaged city five days after the tornado.
  Marine One, carrying President George W. Bush, flies over the damaged city five days after the tornado.
• FEMA recovery meeting about 1 month after the tornado.
  FEMA recovery meeting about 1 month after the tornado.
• S.D. Robinett Building in 2007 about three months after the tornado, the only historic building in downtown Greensburg to survive the tornado.
  S.D. Robinett Building in 2007 about three months after the tornado, the only historic building in downtown Greensburg to survive the tornado.
• Renovated Kiowa County courthouse in 2009 (about 2.4 years after the tornado).
  Renovated Kiowa County courthouse in 2009 (about 2.4 years after the tornado).
• Arts Center in 2010, constructed with environmental LEED Platinum standards. It has solar panels and wind generators for energy self-sufficiency.
  Arts Center in 2010, constructed with environmental LEED Platinum standards. It has solar panels and wind generators for energy self-sufficiency.
• Rebuilt Big Well in 2013.
  Rebuilt Big Well in 2013.
• "World's Largest Pallasite Meteorite", now stored in the new Big Well Museum (2013).
  "World's Largest Pallasite Meteorite", now stored in the new Big Well Museum (2013).

See also

• Big Well
• Brenham (meteorite)

External links

Template:Commons category Official sites

• City of Greensburg
• Greensburg - Directory of Public Officials

2007 tornado

• Damage: Article 1, Article 2, Article 3
• Recovery: Article 1, Article 2, Article 3, Article 4 (Template:Webarchive), Article 5 (Template:Webarchive)
• Before: Photos before 2007 tornado
• Template:YouTube, from Hatteberg's People on KAKE TV news