Auburn, Kansas
Encyclopedia
Auburn is a city in Shawnee County
, Kansas
, United States
. It is part of the Topeka, Kansas
Metropolitan Statistical Area
. The population was 1,121 at the 2000 census.
Robert Simmerwell was a missionary to the Indians in Auburn. He originally served as a missionary among the Pottawatomie Indians in Michigan Territory, while he apprenticed to a blacksmith and attended school at night. He later came to the Baptist Shawnee Mission on Pottawatomie Creek in eastern Kansas. In 1848 the government set up a new mission a few miles west of Topeka. In a three-story stone building with twelve rooms, boys and girls were given instruction in the manual arts, as well as in reading, writing, arithmetic, and religious subjects. In the fall of 1854, he and his wife had retired from active work in the Pottawatomie Mission, to homestead on 160 acre (0.6474976 km²)southwest of the town.
In the 1850s, the city grew fast, and was often referred to as a "boom town". It was one of the largest in the state, and nearly became the state capitol. However, Auburn was cast aside as an option, as the railroad bypassed the city. Topeka was chosen to be the capitol because it had the railroad and an important ferry site along the Kansas River. The population dwindled, but continued to hover around 100 for many decades.
A description of the town from a 1912 volume of Kansas: A Cyclopedia of State History is as follows:
Auburn, a money order post office of Shawnee county, is in the township of the same name, about 15 miles (24 km) southwest of Topeka and 8 miles (13 km) west of Wakarusa, which is the nearest railroad station. It is a trading center for that section of the county, has Baptist, Methodist and Presbyterian churches, telephone connection with Topeka and other adjacent points, and in 1910 reported a population of 72. Two rural free delivery routes start from the Auburn office and supply daily mail to the farmers of the vicinity.
Auburn finally began to grow in population in the 1950s. An important issue at this time was the city's small school system. It consisted of Auburn Grade School (grades K-5) and Auburn High School (grades 6-12). The Highschool was quickly becoming overcrowded, and in the late 1950s, a new building was built. However, it was eventually decided that the Auburn School district would merge with the Washburn School District to increase efficiency. The last class graduated from Auburn High in 1966. The high school became Auburn Middle School, and in the late 1980s closed and converted to a community center, and the grade school remains open to this day.
In the 1960s and 70's, the city's population shrank, but was re-vitalized with a large housing project. Between 1975 and 1985, roughly 100 new split-level homes were built. Since then, many more have sprung up.
During the years of 2000-2006, a 10 acres (40,468.6 m²) pasture on the northeast side of Auburn was developed. A retirement home and three small, two-story apartment complexes have been built, resulting in the creation of residence for around 100 people.
In October 2009, held its 100th annual Grange Fair, which originally was originally started as the Shawnee County Free Fair in 1909.
The city itself contains several businesses. There is a locally owned grocery store, a Phillips 66
gas station, a full-service Vicker's station, a law office, a dentist, a veterinary clinic, a chiropractor, a pizza parlor, a liquor store, a Dollar General
(which opened in late 2009), and an upper-end used car dealership as well as others. Most Auburn residents commute to other surrounding cities for work, often Topeka. Currently, there are four churches in Auburn: Presbyterian, Christian, Methodist and Baptist. The Auburn Community Center houses a community library. Many people in Auburn also belong to groups such as the Kiwanis Club, the Boy Scout troop, the Baseball Association. There is also a currently inactive Masonic Lodge
.
Auburn has four police officers, two patrol cars, and a fully equipped volunteer fire department. There is also a road maintenance and utilities department and several Civil Defense
volunteers who live in the town.
, the city has a total area of 0.6 square miles (1.6 km²), all of it land.
of 2000, there were 1,121 people, 385 households, and 301 families residing in the city. The population density
was 1,920.5 people per square mile (746.2/km²). There were 400 housing units at an average density of 685.3 per square mile (266.3/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 95.63% White, 0.18% African American, 0.89% Native American, 0.36% Asian, 0.36% from other races
, and 2.59% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.84% of the population.
There were 385 households out of which 50.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.6% were married couples
living together, 12.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.6% were non-families. 17.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.91 and the average family size was 3.34.
In the city the population was spread out with 34.8% under the age of 18, 7.9% from 18 to 24, 31.9% from 25 to 44, 17.3% from 45 to 64, and 8.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females there were 90.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.1 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $42,632, and the median income for a family was $44,934. Males had a median income of $31,699 versus $22,222 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $15,679. About 2.3% of families and 3.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.9% of those under age 18 and 4.5% of those age 65 or over.
, a fictional character in the science fiction television series Stargate SG-1
, though, the episode showed Auburn as having a population of 21,211.
Shawnee County, Kansas
Shawnee County is a county located in northeast Kansas, in the central United States of America. Its most populous city, Topeka, is the state capital and county seat. The county's population was 177,934 for the 2010 census...
, Kansas
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It is part of the Topeka, Kansas
Topeka, Kansas
Topeka |Kansa]]: Tó Pee Kuh) is the capital city of the U.S. state of Kansas and the county seat of Shawnee County. It is situated along the Kansas River in the central part of Shawnee County, located in northeast Kansas, in the Central United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was...
Metropolitan Statistical Area
Topeka metropolitan area
The Topeka Metropolitan Statistical Area, as defined by the United States Census Bureau, is an area consisting of five counties in northeastern Kansas, anchored by the city of Topeka...
. The population was 1,121 at the 2000 census.
History
In July 1854, Mr. John W. Brown came to this area and found it highly suitable for a homestead. He acquired 800 acres (3.2 km²) through bartering with local Indians. He built a large brick farmhouse and later returned home to Missouri to tell his family and friends about the area. Some returned with him. In 1856, Mr. Brown along with M. C. Dickey, Loring Farnsworth and Henry Fox pre-empted 320 acres (1.3 km²) for the purpose of a town. They christened it Brownsville, although the name was changed in the 1860s due to the fact there was another previously established Brownsville, Kansas. This was before the introduction of postal codes. It was located on the California Road and work began at once on the many buildings needed in a town of Brownsville's size. Two daily stage lines brought mail and people to the town and business was very good.Robert Simmerwell was a missionary to the Indians in Auburn. He originally served as a missionary among the Pottawatomie Indians in Michigan Territory, while he apprenticed to a blacksmith and attended school at night. He later came to the Baptist Shawnee Mission on Pottawatomie Creek in eastern Kansas. In 1848 the government set up a new mission a few miles west of Topeka. In a three-story stone building with twelve rooms, boys and girls were given instruction in the manual arts, as well as in reading, writing, arithmetic, and religious subjects. In the fall of 1854, he and his wife had retired from active work in the Pottawatomie Mission, to homestead on 160 acre (0.6474976 km²)southwest of the town.
In the 1850s, the city grew fast, and was often referred to as a "boom town". It was one of the largest in the state, and nearly became the state capitol. However, Auburn was cast aside as an option, as the railroad bypassed the city. Topeka was chosen to be the capitol because it had the railroad and an important ferry site along the Kansas River. The population dwindled, but continued to hover around 100 for many decades.
A description of the town from a 1912 volume of Kansas: A Cyclopedia of State History is as follows:
Auburn, a money order post office of Shawnee county, is in the township of the same name, about 15 miles (24 km) southwest of Topeka and 8 miles (13 km) west of Wakarusa, which is the nearest railroad station. It is a trading center for that section of the county, has Baptist, Methodist and Presbyterian churches, telephone connection with Topeka and other adjacent points, and in 1910 reported a population of 72. Two rural free delivery routes start from the Auburn office and supply daily mail to the farmers of the vicinity.
Auburn finally began to grow in population in the 1950s. An important issue at this time was the city's small school system. It consisted of Auburn Grade School (grades K-5) and Auburn High School (grades 6-12). The Highschool was quickly becoming overcrowded, and in the late 1950s, a new building was built. However, it was eventually decided that the Auburn School district would merge with the Washburn School District to increase efficiency. The last class graduated from Auburn High in 1966. The high school became Auburn Middle School, and in the late 1980s closed and converted to a community center, and the grade school remains open to this day.
In the 1960s and 70's, the city's population shrank, but was re-vitalized with a large housing project. Between 1975 and 1985, roughly 100 new split-level homes were built. Since then, many more have sprung up.
During the years of 2000-2006, a 10 acres (40,468.6 m²) pasture on the northeast side of Auburn was developed. A retirement home and three small, two-story apartment complexes have been built, resulting in the creation of residence for around 100 people.
In October 2009, held its 100th annual Grange Fair, which originally was originally started as the Shawnee County Free Fair in 1909.
Auburn Today
Currently, city Founder John W. Brown's historic farmhouse and the surrounding land sit 3/4 miles southwest of city limits on a gravel road. Research conducted by the state historical society states it may be the oldest standing building in Shawnee County. However, it is not an official historical site. The property is owned by a local family by the name of Kresie. The Kresies purchased it in 1918 from the farm's second owner, and currently, it is 305 acres (1.2 km²) in size and produces row crops.The city itself contains several businesses. There is a locally owned grocery store, a Phillips 66
Phillips 66
Phillips 66 is a brand of gasoline and service station in the U.S. It is owned by the ConocoPhillips Company.Phillips 66 will also be the name of the future downstream company created when ConocoPhillips repositions its integrated assets and businesses into two independent, publicly-traded...
gas station, a full-service Vicker's station, a law office, a dentist, a veterinary clinic, a chiropractor, a pizza parlor, a liquor store, a Dollar General
Dollar General
Dollar General Corp. is a U.S. chain of variety stores headquartered in Goodlettsville, Tennessee. As of January 2011, Dollar General operated over 9,300 stores in 35 U.S. states....
(which opened in late 2009), and an upper-end used car dealership as well as others. Most Auburn residents commute to other surrounding cities for work, often Topeka. Currently, there are four churches in Auburn: Presbyterian, Christian, Methodist and Baptist. The Auburn Community Center houses a community library. Many people in Auburn also belong to groups such as the Kiwanis Club, the Boy Scout troop, the Baseball Association. There is also a currently inactive Masonic Lodge
Masonic Lodge
This article is about the Masonic term for a membership group. For buildings named Masonic Lodge, see Masonic Lodge A Masonic Lodge, often termed a Private Lodge or Constituent Lodge, is the basic organisation of Freemasonry...
.
Auburn has four police officers, two patrol cars, and a fully equipped volunteer fire department. There is also a road maintenance and utilities department and several Civil Defense
Civil defense
Civil defense, civil defence or civil protection is an effort to protect the citizens of a state from military attack. It uses the principles of emergency operations: prevention, mitigation, preparation, response, or emergency evacuation, and recovery...
volunteers who live in the town.
Geography
Auburn is located at 38°54′24"N 95°49′0"W (38.906709, -95.816789). According to the United States Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 0.6 square miles (1.6 km²), all of it land.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 1,121 people, 385 households, and 301 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 1,920.5 people per square mile (746.2/km²). There were 400 housing units at an average density of 685.3 per square mile (266.3/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 95.63% White, 0.18% African American, 0.89% Native American, 0.36% Asian, 0.36% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 2.59% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.84% of the population.
There were 385 households out of which 50.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.6% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 12.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.6% were non-families. 17.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.91 and the average family size was 3.34.
In the city the population was spread out with 34.8% under the age of 18, 7.9% from 18 to 24, 31.9% from 25 to 44, 17.3% from 45 to 64, and 8.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females there were 90.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.1 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $42,632, and the median income for a family was $44,934. Males had a median income of $31,699 versus $22,222 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $15,679. About 2.3% of families and 3.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.9% of those under age 18 and 4.5% of those age 65 or over.
Trivia
Auburn is the hometown of Cameron MitchellCameron Mitchell (Stargate)
Cameron "Cam" Mitchell is a fictional character in the Canadian-American military science fiction television series Stargate SG-1, a science fiction show about a military team exploring the galaxy via a network of alien transportation devices...
, a fictional character in the science fiction television series Stargate SG-1
Stargate SG-1
Stargate SG-1 is a Canadian-American adventure and military science fiction television series and part of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's Stargate franchise. The show, created by Brad Wright and Jonathan Glassner, is based on the 1994 feature film Stargate by Dean Devlin and Roland Emmerich...
, though, the episode showed Auburn as having a population of 21,211.