Pratt, Kansas
Encyclopedia
Pratt is a city in and the county seat
of Pratt County
in the U.S. state
of Kansas
. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 6,835. Pratt is home to Pratt Community College
.
, a young Civil War officer from the Kansas Infantry
, who was killed in the Battle of Wilson's Creek
near Springfield, Missouri
In 1887, the Chicago, Kansas and Nebraska Railway built a main line from Herington
to Pratt. In 1888, this line was extended to Liberal
. Later, it was extended to Tucumcari, New Mexico
and El Paso, Texas
. It foreclosed in 1891 and taken over by Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railway, which shut down in 1980 and reorganized as Oklahoma, Kansas and Texas Railroad
, merged in 1988 with Missouri Pacific Railroad
, merged in 1997 with Union Pacific Railroad
. Most locals still refer to this railroad as the "Rock Island".
When the Parrish Hotel was built it was the tallest building in Kansas for a number of years.
The Miss Kansas
Parade and Contest is held here.
The state headquarters of Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks was constructed southeast of the town.
, the city has a total area of 7.5 square miles (19.4 km²), of which, 7.4 square miles (19.2 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²) of it (1.59%) is water.
of 2000, there were 6,570 people, 2,839 households, and 1,780 families residing in the city. The population density
was 886.0 people per square mile (341.9/km²). There were 3,312 housing units at an average density of 446.6 per square mile (172.3/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 94.87% White, 1.00% African American, 0.38% Native American, 0.64% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 1.95% from other races
, and 1.13% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.46% of the population.
There were 2,839 households out of which 29.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.3% were married couples
living together, 8.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.3% were non-families. 34.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.4% 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 2.91.
In the city the population was spread out with 24.3% under the age of 18, 8.4% from 18 to 24, 24.3% from 25 to 44, 22.0% from 45 to 64, and 20.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 89.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.7 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $33,646, and the median income for a family was $42,412. Males had a median income of $31,186 versus $20,640 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $17,486. About 7.1% of families and 10.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.8% of those under age 18 and 10.2% 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 Pratt County
Pratt County, Kansas
Pratt County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kansas. As of the 2010 census, the county population was 9,656. The largest city and county seat is Pratt.-19th century:...
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 6,835. Pratt is home to Pratt Community College
Pratt Community College
-External links:* official website...
.
19th century
Pratt was founded in 1884 and named after Caleb S. PrattCaleb S. Pratt
Caleb S. Pratt was a primary person involved in Bleeding Kansas. He testified before the Committee of Elections regarding the Troubles in Kansas, 1856 specific to voting irregularities in the Election of March 30, 1855 Lawrence, Kansas....
, a young Civil War officer from the Kansas Infantry
Infantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
, who was killed in the Battle of Wilson's Creek
Battle of Wilson's Creek
The Battle of Wilson's Creek, also known as the Battle of Oak Hills, was fought on August 10, 1861, near Springfield, Missouri, between Union forces and the Missouri State Guard, early in the American Civil War. It was the first major battle of the war west of the Mississippi River and is sometimes...
near Springfield, Missouri
Springfield, Missouri
Springfield is the third largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and the county seat of Greene County. According to the 2010 census data, the population was 159,498, an increase of 5.2% since the 2000 census. The Springfield Metropolitan Area, population 436,712, includes the counties of...
In 1887, the Chicago, Kansas and Nebraska Railway built a main line from Herington
Herington, Kansas
Herington is a city in Dickinson and Morris counties in the U.S. state of Kansas. Named after its founder, Monroe Davis Herington. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 2,526.-19th century:...
to Pratt. In 1888, this line was extended to Liberal
Liberal, Kansas
Liberal is the county seat of Seward County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 20,525.- History :S.S. Rogers built the first house in what would become Liberal in 1872. Rogers became famous in the region for giving water to weary travelers...
. Later, it was extended to Tucumcari, New Mexico
Tucumcari, New Mexico
Tucumcari is a city in and the county seat of Quay County, New Mexico, United States. The population was 5,989 at the 2000 census. Tucumcari was founded in 1901, two years before Quay County was founded.-History:...
and El Paso, Texas
El Paso, Texas
El Paso, is a city in and the county seat of El Paso County, Texas, United States, and lies in far West Texas. In the 2010 census, the city had a population of 649,121. It is the sixth largest city in Texas and the 19th largest city in the United States...
. It foreclosed in 1891 and taken over by Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railway, which shut down in 1980 and reorganized as Oklahoma, Kansas and Texas Railroad
Oklahoma, Kansas and Texas Railroad
-OKT I:The Oklahoma, Kansas and Texas Railroad , was originally created on May 29, 1980 after the demise of the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad on March 31, 1980...
, merged in 1988 with Missouri Pacific Railroad
Missouri Pacific Railroad
The Missouri Pacific Railroad , also known as the MoPac, was one of the first railroads in the United States west of the Mississippi River. MoPac was a Class I railroad growing from dozens of predecessors and mergers, including the St. Louis, Iron Mountain and Southern Railway , Texas and Pacific...
, merged in 1997 with 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....
. Most locals still refer to this railroad as the "Rock Island".
When the Parrish Hotel was built it was the tallest building in Kansas for a number of years.
20th century
The nearby Pratt Army Airfield Base served as the final staging area for B-29 outfitting in 1943-1945The Miss Kansas
Miss Kansas
The Miss Kansas competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Kansas in the Miss America pageant. Kansas has won the Miss America crown on three occasions.- Winners :- External links :*...
Parade and Contest is held here.
The state headquarters of Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks was constructed southeast of the town.
Geography
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 7.5 square miles (19.4 km²), of which, 7.4 square miles (19.2 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²) of it (1.59%) is water.
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 6,570 people, 2,839 households, and 1,780 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 886.0 people per square mile (341.9/km²). There were 3,312 housing units at an average density of 446.6 per square mile (172.3/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 94.87% White, 1.00% African American, 0.38% Native American, 0.64% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 1.95% 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 1.13% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.46% of the population.
There were 2,839 households out of which 29.3% 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, 8.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.3% were non-families. 34.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.4% 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 2.91.
In the city the population was spread out with 24.3% under the age of 18, 8.4% from 18 to 24, 24.3% from 25 to 44, 22.0% from 45 to 64, and 20.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 89.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.7 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $33,646, and the median income for a family was $42,412. Males had a median income of $31,186 versus $20,640 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 $17,486. About 7.1% of families and 10.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.8% of those under age 18 and 10.2% of those age 65 or over.
Media
Radio stations
- KHMYKHMYKHMY, known as My 93-1 is an FM radio station based in Hutchinson, KS, broadcasting a Hot Adult Contemporary format. Licensed to Pratt, Kansas, USA, the station serves the Wichita area. The station is currently owned by Eagle Communications, Inc.....
93.1FM—Hot Adult Contemporary - KMMM 1290AM—News, Sports, Information, and Music
Public Schools
Pratt is served by Unified School District 382 and Unified School District 438- Pratt High School (grades 9-12)
- Skyline High SchoolSkyline High School (Pratt, Kansas)Skyline School is a fully accredited public high school located two miles west of Pratt, Kansas, serving students in grades 9-12. The school is a part of Unified School District No. 438. Skline High is one of two high schools serving the city of Pratt, KS...
(grades 9-12) - Liberty Middle School (grades 6-8)
- Southwest Elementary School (grades PreK-5)
- Haskins Elementary School & Bridges to Learning (grades K-4)
Private Schools
- Sacred Heart/Holy Child (PreK-5)
- Our Savior Lutheran Preschool
Notable people
- Brad ZieglerBrad ZieglerBrad Gregory Ziegler is a Major League Baseball relief pitcher for the Arizona Diamondbacks.-Minor leagues:...
, (born 1979), Major League BaseballMajor League BaseballMajor League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
relief pitcherRelief pitcherA relief pitcher or reliever is a baseball or softball pitcher who enters the game after the starting pitcher is removed due to injury, ineffectiveness, fatigue, ejection, or for other strategic reasons, such as being substituted by a pinch hitter... - Bill FarmerBill FarmerWilliam "Bill" Farmer is an American voice actor and comedian, best known for being the current voice of the Disney characters Goofy, Pluto and Horace Horsecollar.-Early life:...
, (born 1952), American voice actor
Media references
- Theodore Bagwell lies low in a Pratt bar in "The Killing BoxThe Killing Box"The Killing Box" is the thirty-fifth episode of the American television series Prison Break and is the thirteenth episode of its second season. Broadcast on November 27, 2006, it was also the last episode to be aired in 2006 in the United States. The episode is written by Zack Estrin and directed...
", an episode of the television series Prison BreakPrison BreakPrison Break is an American television serial drama created by Paul Scheuring, that was broadcast on the Fox Broadcasting Company for four seasons, from 2005 until 2009. The series revolves around two brothers; one has been sentenced to death for a crime he did not commit, and the other devises an...
. - In Stephen KingStephen KingStephen Edwin King is an American author of contemporary horror, suspense, science fiction and fantasy fiction. His books have sold more than 350 million copies and have been adapted into a number of feature films, television movies and comic books...
's "The StandThe StandThe Stand is a post-apocalyptic horror/fantasy novel by American author Stephen King. It demonstrates the scenario in his earlier short story, Night Surf...
", Nick Andros and Tom Cullen encounter the cruel, vicious and promiscuous Julie Lawry at Pratt. She ends up firing a gun at them (fortunately, she doesn't hit either one) forcing them to flee the town with just the clothes on their backs, though she will turn up later in the novel (but not in Pratt).
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 382, local school district
- Pratt Community College Website
Historical
Maps
- Pratt City Map, KDOT
- Pratt County Map, KDOT