Oakley, Kansas
Encyclopedia
Oakley is a city in Gove
, Logan
, and Thomas
counties in the U.S. state
of Kansas
. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 2,045. It is the county seat
of Logan County.
in the High Plains
region of the Great Plains
.
The city is located at the intersection of Interstate 70
, U.S. Route 40
, and U.S. Route 83
in northwest Kansas. It is in the northeast corner of Logan County, and portions of it extend into Gove County
and Thomas County
. Oakley is approximately 211 miles (340 km) northwest of Wichita
, 227 miles east-southeast of Denver, and 335 miles (539 km) west of Kansas City
.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 1.9 square miles (4.9 km²), all land.
of 2000, there were 2,173 people, 904 households, and 603 families residing in the city. The population density
was 1,149.9 people per square mile (443.9/km²). There were 1,009 housing units at an average density of 533.9 per square mile (206.1/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 96.59% White, 0.55% African American, 0.14% Native American, 0.14% Asian, 0.46% from other races
, and 2.12% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.24% of the population.
There were 904 households out of which 27.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.4% were married couples
living together, 7.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.2% were non-families. 30.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.34 and the average family size was 2.94.
In the city the population was spread out with 24.3% under the age of 18, 7.0% from 18 to 24, 23.7% from 25 to 44, 22.2% from 45 to 64, and 22.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 88.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.1 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $30,781, and the median income for a family was $41,066. Males had a median income of $30,179 versus $19,886 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $16,882. About 3.1% of families and 7.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.1% of those under age 18 and 9.6% of those age 65 or over.
274) operates three public schools in the city:
There is also one Catholic school
in Oakley, St. Joseph School (Pre-K-5).
runs east-west along the southern edge of the city. U.S. Route 83
, which runs north-south, intersects U.S. 40 south of the city, runs concurrently
with it for 1 mile going west, then turns north, running along the western edge of the city. East of the city, U.S. 40 merges with Interstate 70
, which approaches from the northwest, and continues east.
Oakley Municipal Airport, located southeast of the city, hosts general aviation
.
The Kansas Pacific (KP) Line of the Union Pacific Railroad
runs east-west through town. A branch line splits off to the northwest toward Colby
.
The 2006 CBS
television series Jericho
is about a fictional small town in northwest Kansas that must cope with the aftermath of nuclear attacks on major American cities. The fictional town of Jericho shares many similarities with Oakley, which is about 70 miles from the Colorado/Kansas border. Oakley and Jericho also share the same intersection points of Interstate 70
, U.S. Route 83
, and U.S. Route 40
. Approximately 70 Jericho fans met in Oakley on September 14–16, 2007 for the first Jericho convention, called Jerichon 2007. A second Jerichon was held Memorial Day weekend 2008, though fewer fans attended, set designer Mike Loomer made an appearance. A third Jerichon was discussed but never happened.
Schools
Historical
Maps
Gove County, Kansas
Gove County is a county located in Northwest Kansas, in the Central United States. As of the 2010 census, the county population was 2,695...
, Logan
Logan County, Kansas
Logan County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kansas. As of the 2010 census, the county population was 2,756...
, and Thomas
Thomas County, Kansas
Thomas County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kansas. As of the 2010 census, the county population was 7,900...
counties in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
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...
. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 2,045. It is the county seat
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 Logan County.
Geography
Oakley is located at 39°7′41"N 100°51′16"W (39.128023, -100.854490) at an elevation of 3,064 feet (934 m). It lies roughly 1 mile (1.6 km) south of the South Fork of the Saline RiverSaline River (Kansas)
The Saline River is a tributary of the Smoky Hill River in the central Great Plains of North America. The entire length of the river lies in the U.S. state of Kansas. The river takes its name from the French translation of its Native name Ne Miskua, referring to its salty content.-Geography:The...
in the High Plains
High Plains (United States)
The High Plains are a subregion of the Great Plains mostly in the Western United States, but also partly in the Midwest states of Nebraska, Kansas, and South Dakota, generally encompassing the western part of the Great Plains before the region reaches the Rocky Mountains...
region of the Great Plains
Great Plains
The Great Plains are a broad expanse of flat land, much of it covered in prairie, steppe and grassland, which lies west of the Mississippi River and east of the Rocky Mountains in the United States and Canada. This area covers parts of the U.S...
.
The city is located at the intersection of Interstate 70
Interstate 70
Interstate 70 is an Interstate Highway in the United States that runs from Interstate 15 near Cove Fort, Utah, to a Park and Ride near Baltimore, Maryland. It was the first Interstate Highway project in the United States. I-70 approximately traces the path of U.S. Route 40 east of the Rocky...
, U.S. Route 40
U.S. Route 40
U.S. Route 40 is an east–west United States highway. As with most routes whose numbers end in a zero, U.S. 40 once traversed the entire United States. It is one of the original 1920s U.S. Highways, and its first termini were San Francisco, California, and Atlantic City, New Jersey...
, and U.S. Route 83
U.S. Route 83
U.S. Route 83 is one of the longest north–south U.S. Highways in the United States, at . Only four other north–south routes are longer: U.S. Routes 1, 41, 59 and 87. The highway's northern terminus is north of Westhope, North Dakota, at the Canadian border, where it continues as...
in northwest Kansas. It is in the northeast corner of Logan County, and portions of it extend into Gove County
Gove County, Kansas
Gove County is a county located in Northwest Kansas, in the Central United States. As of the 2010 census, the county population was 2,695...
and Thomas County
Thomas County, Kansas
Thomas County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kansas. As of the 2010 census, the county population was 7,900...
. Oakley is approximately 211 miles (340 km) northwest of Wichita
Wichita, Kansas
Wichita is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kansas.As of the 2010 census, the city population was 382,368. Located in south-central Kansas on the Arkansas River, Wichita is the county seat of Sedgwick County and the principal city of the Wichita metropolitan area...
, 227 miles east-southeast of Denver, and 335 miles (539 km) west of Kansas City
Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties...
.
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 1.9 square miles (4.9 km²), all 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 2,173 people, 904 households, and 603 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 1,149.9 people per square mile (443.9/km²). There were 1,009 housing units at an average density of 533.9 per square mile (206.1/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 96.59% White, 0.55% African American, 0.14% Native American, 0.14% Asian, 0.46% 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 2.12% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.24% of the population.
There were 904 households out of which 27.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.4% 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, 7.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.2% were non-families. 30.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.34 and the average family size was 2.94.
In the city the population was spread out with 24.3% under the age of 18, 7.0% from 18 to 24, 23.7% from 25 to 44, 22.2% from 45 to 64, and 22.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 88.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.1 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $30,781, and the median income for a family was $41,066. Males had a median income of $30,179 versus $19,886 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 $16,882. About 3.1% of families and 7.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.1% of those under age 18 and 9.6% of those age 65 or over.
Education
Oakley School District (Unified School DistrictUnified school district
A unified school district or unit school district is a school district which includes both primary school and high school under the same district control....
274) operates three public schools in the city:
- Oakley Elementary School (Grades Pre-K-5)
- Oakley Middle School (6-8)
- Oakley High School (9-12)
There is also one Catholic school
Catholic school
Catholic schools are maintained parochial schools or education ministries of the Catholic Church. the Church operates the world's largest non-governmental school system...
in Oakley, St. Joseph School (Pre-K-5).
Transportation
U.S. Route 40U.S. Route 40
U.S. Route 40 is an east–west United States highway. As with most routes whose numbers end in a zero, U.S. 40 once traversed the entire United States. It is one of the original 1920s U.S. Highways, and its first termini were San Francisco, California, and Atlantic City, New Jersey...
runs east-west along the southern edge of the city. U.S. Route 83
U.S. Route 83
U.S. Route 83 is one of the longest north–south U.S. Highways in the United States, at . Only four other north–south routes are longer: U.S. Routes 1, 41, 59 and 87. The highway's northern terminus is north of Westhope, North Dakota, at the Canadian border, where it continues as...
, which runs north-south, intersects U.S. 40 south of the city, runs concurrently
Concurrency (road)
A concurrency, overlap, or coincidence in a road network is an instance of one physical road bearing two or more different highway, motorway, or other route numbers...
with it for 1 mile going west, then turns north, running along the western edge of the city. East of the city, U.S. 40 merges with Interstate 70
Interstate 70
Interstate 70 is an Interstate Highway in the United States that runs from Interstate 15 near Cove Fort, Utah, to a Park and Ride near Baltimore, Maryland. It was the first Interstate Highway project in the United States. I-70 approximately traces the path of U.S. Route 40 east of the Rocky...
, which approaches from the northwest, and continues east.
Oakley Municipal Airport, located southeast of the city, hosts general aviation
General aviation
General aviation is one of the two categories of civil aviation. It refers to all flights other than military and scheduled airline and regular cargo flights, both private and commercial. General aviation flights range from gliders and powered parachutes to large, non-scheduled cargo jet flights...
.
The Kansas Pacific (KP) Line of the Union Pacific Railroad
Union Pacific Railroad
The Union Pacific Railroad , headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, is the largest railroad network in the United States. James R. Young is president, CEO and Chairman....
runs east-west through town. A branch line splits off to the northwest toward Colby
Colby, Kansas
Colby is a city in and the county seat of Thomas County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 5,387.-History:...
.
Museums
The Fick Fossil and History Museum shares a building with the community library. The Fick Museum is free (donations) and has a number of interesting large dinosaur fossils from Kansas, many old tools, mineral specimens, and shell & mineral folk art. The Fick Fossil and History Museum is open seven days a week in summer, with shorter hours in winter.In popular culture
The Palace Theatre in Oakley has been featured in People magazine and ABC World News after the establishment reopened in 2003 after being forced to close indefinitely two years prior. It is a community run theatre and is managed by senior students in the Oakley High School entrepreneurship class. See the ABC World News video hereThe 2006 CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
television series Jericho
Jericho (TV series)
Jericho is an American action/drama series that centers on the residents of the fictional town of Jericho, Kansas, in the aftermath of nuclear attacks on 23 major cities in the contiguous United States...
is about a fictional small town in northwest Kansas that must cope with the aftermath of nuclear attacks on major American cities. The fictional town of Jericho shares many similarities with Oakley, which is about 70 miles from the Colorado/Kansas border. Oakley and Jericho also share the same intersection points of Interstate 70
Interstate 70
Interstate 70 is an Interstate Highway in the United States that runs from Interstate 15 near Cove Fort, Utah, to a Park and Ride near Baltimore, Maryland. It was the first Interstate Highway project in the United States. I-70 approximately traces the path of U.S. Route 40 east of the Rocky...
, U.S. Route 83
U.S. Route 83
U.S. Route 83 is one of the longest north–south U.S. Highways in the United States, at . Only four other north–south routes are longer: U.S. Routes 1, 41, 59 and 87. The highway's northern terminus is north of Westhope, North Dakota, at the Canadian border, where it continues as...
, and U.S. Route 40
U.S. Route 40
U.S. Route 40 is an east–west United States highway. As with most routes whose numbers end in a zero, U.S. 40 once traversed the entire United States. It is one of the original 1920s U.S. Highways, and its first termini were San Francisco, California, and Atlantic City, New Jersey...
. Approximately 70 Jericho fans met in Oakley on September 14–16, 2007 for the first Jericho convention, called Jerichon 2007. A second Jerichon was held Memorial Day weekend 2008, though fewer fans attended, set designer Mike Loomer made an appearance. A third Jerichon was discussed but never happened.
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 274, local school system
Historical
Maps
- Oakley City Map, KDOT
- Gove County Map, KDOT
- Logan County Map, KDOT
- Thomas County Map, KDOT