Dighton, Kansas
Encyclopedia
Dighton is a city in and the county seat
of Lane County
, Kansas
, United States
. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 1,038.
of 1862 offered 160 acre (0.6474976 km²) of land in the American West, previously owned by railroads, to homesteaders who could live on the land for five years. Drawn west by the promise of free, fertile land, pioneer settlers arrived in Kansas starting in 1869. In 1879, W.A. Watson arrived at the town site, and a post office was established. In 1885, there were three houses and seven voters in town. Lane County became a county in 1886, with Dighton as its county seat. By 1900, the population was 194, and by 1910 it had doubled again to 370, and the town had banks; a flour mill; a grain elevator; 2 newspapers; public schools; a hotel; merchants; Baptist, Catholic, and Methodist churches; telegraph service; a band; and telephones.
Life was difficult for the early pioneers, who built houses made of sod
and found that the land was quite dry, and not as fertile as they had been led to believe. A song written by Frank Baker, the Lane County Bachelor, became a popular folk song throughout the western United States.
arrived in Dighton after robbing the First National Bank of Lamar, Colorado
. Needing medical attention, they kidnapped local doctor W.W. Weinenger, and later shot him and dumped his body into a ravine.
The courtroom mural, "The First House of Lane County," by Mary Alice Bosley, was featured in Kansas Murals: A Traveler's Guide, by Jost and Loewenstein (http://www.kansaspress.ku.edu/joskan.html). The canvas work, painted in 1961 as a background for the pageant at the Lane County Fair, was then installed in the courthouse, where it still remains.
and K-23. According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 0.9 square miles (2.3 km²), all of it land.
of 2000, there were 1,261 people, 563 households, and 342 families residing in the city. The population density
was 1,438.9 people per square mile (553.3/km²). There were 653 housing units at an average density of 745.1 per square mile (286.5/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 97.07% White, 0.16% Asian, 0.63% from other races
, and 2.14% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.90% of the population.
There were 563 households out of which 27.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.3% were married couples
living together, 6.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.1% were non-families. 36.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 21.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.20 and the average family size was 2.88.
In the city the population was spread out with 24.3% under the age of 18, 5.1% from 18 to 24, 25.0% from 25 to 44, 21.8% from 45 to 64, and 23.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 96.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.5 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $33,500, and the median income for a family was $40,987. Males had a median income of $30,417 versus $19,464 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $19,232. About 6.5% of families and 8.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.8% of those under age 18 and 9.0% of those age 65 or over.
Schools
Historical
Maps
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
of Lane County
Lane County, Kansas
Lane County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kansas. As of the 2010 census, the county population was 1,750. The county seat is Dighton, the only city in the county. Lane County was named after James H. Lane who was a leader of the Jayhawker abolitionist movement and served as one of...
, 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...
. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 1,038.
19th century
The Homestead ActHomestead Act
A homestead act is one of three United States federal laws that gave an applicant freehold title to an area called a "homestead" – typically 160 acres of undeveloped federal land west of the Mississippi River....
of 1862 offered 160 acre (0.6474976 km²) of land in the American West, previously owned by railroads, to homesteaders who could live on the land for five years. Drawn west by the promise of free, fertile land, pioneer settlers arrived in Kansas starting in 1869. In 1879, W.A. Watson arrived at the town site, and a post office was established. In 1885, there were three houses and seven voters in town. Lane County became a county in 1886, with Dighton as its county seat. By 1900, the population was 194, and by 1910 it had doubled again to 370, and the town had banks; a flour mill; a grain elevator; 2 newspapers; public schools; a hotel; merchants; Baptist, Catholic, and Methodist churches; telegraph service; a band; and telephones.
Life was difficult for the early pioneers, who built houses made of sod
Sod
Sod or turf is grass and the part of the soil beneath it held together by the roots, or a piece of thin material.The term sod may be used to mean turf grown and cut specifically for the establishment of lawns...
and found that the land was quite dry, and not as fertile as they had been led to believe. A song written by Frank Baker, the Lane County Bachelor, became a popular folk song throughout the western United States.
20th century
On May 23, 1928, the Fleagle GangFleagle Gang
The Fleagle Gang was a group of early 20th century American bank robbers and murderers. They were found and executed or killed after robbing the First National Bank in Lamar, Colorado. Their cases were the first ever in which a single fingerprint was part of the evidence leading to a conviction...
arrived in Dighton after robbing the First National Bank of Lamar, Colorado
Lamar, Colorado
The City of Lamar is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat and the most populous city of Prowers County, Colorado, United States. The city population was 8,869 at the U.S...
. Needing medical attention, they kidnapped local doctor W.W. Weinenger, and later shot him and dumped his body into a ravine.
The courtroom mural, "The First House of Lane County," by Mary Alice Bosley, was featured in Kansas Murals: A Traveler's Guide, by Jost and Loewenstein (http://www.kansaspress.ku.edu/joskan.html). The canvas work, painted in 1961 as a background for the pageant at the Lane County Fair, was then installed in the courthouse, where it still remains.
Geography
Dighton is located at 38°28′53"N 100°27′54"W (38.481506, -100.464893), at the intersection of K-96K-96 (Kansas highway)
K-96 is a state highway in central and southern Kansas. Its western terminus is at the Colorado state line east of Towner, Colorado, where it continues as Colorado State Highway 96; its eastern terminus since 1999 is at U.S. Route 54/U.S. Route 400 east of Wichita.The eastern terminus was once at...
and K-23. According to the United States Census Bureau
United 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 0.9 square miles (2.3 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 1,261 people, 563 households, and 342 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 1,438.9 people per square mile (553.3/km²). There were 653 housing units at an average density of 745.1 per square mile (286.5/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 97.07% White, 0.16% Asian, 0.63% 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 2.14% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.90% of the population.
There were 563 households out of which 27.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.3% 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, 6.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.1% were non-families. 36.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 21.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.20 and the average family size was 2.88.
In the city the population was spread out with 24.3% under the age of 18, 5.1% from 18 to 24, 25.0% from 25 to 44, 21.8% from 45 to 64, and 23.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 96.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.5 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $33,500, and the median income for a family was $40,987. Males had a median income of $30,417 versus $19,464 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 $19,232. About 6.5% of families and 8.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.8% of those under age 18 and 9.0% of those age 65 or over.
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
CitySchools
- USD 482, local school district
Historical
Maps
- Dighton City Map, KDOT
- Lane County Map, KDOT