Durham, Kansas
Encyclopedia
Durham is a city in Marion County
Marion County, Kansas
Marion County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kansas. As of the 2010 census, the county population was 12,660. The county seat is Marion...

, 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 112. Home of Donahue Corporation.

19th century

For millennia, the land that is currently Kansas was inhabited by Native Americans
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...

. In 1803, most of modern Kansas
History of Kansas
The history of Kansas, argued historian Carl L. Becker a century ago, reflects American ideals. He wrote: "The Kansas spirit is the American spirit double distilled. It is a new grafted product of American individualism, American idealism, American intolerance. Kansas is America in...

 was secured by the United States as part of the Louisiana Purchase
Louisiana Purchase
The Louisiana Purchase was the acquisition by the United States of America of of France's claim to the territory of Louisiana in 1803. The U.S...

. In 1806, Zebulon Pike
Zebulon Pike
Zebulon Montgomery Pike Jr. was an American officer and explorer for whom Pikes Peak in Colorado is named. As a United States Army captain in 1806-1807, he led the Pike Expedition to explore and document the southern portion of the Louisiana Purchase and to find the headwaters of the Red River,...

 led the Pike expedition
Pike expedition
The Pike Expedition was a military effort authorized by the United States government to explore the south and west of the recent Louisiana Purchase. Roughly contemporaneous with the Lewis and Clark Expedition, it was led by United States Army Captain Zebulon Pike, Jr...

 westward from St Louis, Missouri, of which part of their journey followed the Cottonwood River through Marion County
Marion County, Kansas
Marion County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kansas. As of the 2010 census, the county population was 12,660. The county seat is Marion...

 near the current towns of Florence
Florence, Kansas
Florence is a city in Marion County, Kansas, United States. The city was named after the daughter of former Kansas Governor Samuel J. Crawford. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 465.-19th century:...

, Marion
Marion, Kansas
Marion is a city in and the county seat of Marion County, Kansas, United States. It was named in honor of Francis Marion, a Brigadier General of the American Revolutionary War, known as the "Swamp Fox". As of the 2010 census, the city population was 1,927....

, Durham. In 1855, Marion County, Kansas
Marion County, Kansas
Marion County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kansas. As of the 2010 census, the county population was 12,660. The county seat is Marion...

, where Durham is located, was founded.

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:...

 through Durham to Pratt
Pratt, Kansas
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.-19th century:Pratt was founded in 1884 and named after Caleb S...

. 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...

, and finally 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".

Durham Park post office was moved to Durham in 1887.

20th century

In 1962, James C Donahue established The Donahue Corporation, maker of farm implement carriers, and has grown to a 40000 sq ft (3,716.1 m²) facility. They have built and distributed over 50,000 implement carriers.

Geography

Durham is located at 38.484392°N 97.227337°W (38.484392, -97.227337). 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 0.2 square mile (0.517997622 km²), all land, except the North Cottonwood River.

Area attractions

Durham has one listing on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...

 (NRHP).
  • Santa Fe Trail
    Santa Fe Trail
    The Santa Fe Trail was a 19th-century transportation route through central North America that connected Missouri with Santa Fe, New Mexico. Pioneered in 1822 by William Becknell, it served as a vital commercial and military highway until the introduction of the railroad to Santa Fe in 1880...

    :
    • Santa Fe Trail - Marion County Segments (NRHP
      National Register of Historic Places
      The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...

      ), 2.5 miles (4 km) south-west of Durham. From corner of 270th St and Falcon Rd, parallels on west side of railroad tracks towards southwest. The ruts are approximate 3 miles (4.8 km) long, and described by the National Park Service
      National Park Service
      The National Park Service is the U.S. federal agency that manages all national parks, many national monuments, and other conservation and historical properties with various title designations...

       as "outstanding". Not open to public.
    • Santa Fe Trail Cottonwood Crossing Kiosk, 1 west at 290th St.
    • Santa Fe Trail Cottonwood Crossing Marker, north-west of Durham.
    • Santa Fe Trail Markers, numerous markers in the area.
    • Santa Fe Trail Self-Guided Auto Tour.
  • Marion Reservoir
    Marion Reservoir
    Marion Reservoir is a reservoir on the Cottonwood River and north-west of Marion, on the western edge of the Flint Hills region of Kansas. It was completed in 1968 and is operated by the Army Corps of Engineers for the purpose of flood control...

    , south-east of Durham.

Demographics

As of the census
Census
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 114 people, 51 households, and 29 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 541.7 people per square mile (209.6/km2). There were 64 housing units at an average density of 304.1 per square mile (117.7/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 98.25% White and 1.75% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.88% of the population.

There were 51 households out of which 27.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.1% 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, 9.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.2% were non-families. 37.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 25.5% had someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.24 and the average family size was 2.87.

In the city the population was spread out with 23.7% under the age of 18, 6.1% from 18 to 24, 19.3% from 25 to 44, 29.8% from 45 to 64, and 21.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 46 years. For every 100 females there were 100.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 77.6 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $26,875, and the median income for a family was $47,917. Males had a median income of $28,000 versus $25,625 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 $16,402. No families and 3.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including none under the age of 18 and over age 65.

Government

The Durham government consists of a mayor and five council members. The council meets the 1st Tuesday after the 1st Monday of each month at 7PM.
  • Fire Department, Douglas Ave.
  • Durham Community Center, Douglas Ave.
  • U.S. Post Office, 508 S Douglas Ave.

Primary and secondary education

Durham is part of Unified School District
Unified 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....

 410. The high school is a member of T.E.E.N., a shared video teaching network between five area high schools. All students attend schools in Hillsboro
Hillsboro, Kansas
Hillsboro is a city in Marion County, Kansas, United States. Hillsboro was named after John Gillespie Hill, who homesteaded in the area in 1871. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 2,993. Hillsboro is home of Tabor College, which has approximately 550 students.-19th century:For...

.
  • Hillsboro High School
    Hillsboro High School (Kansas)
    Hillsboro High School is a public secondary school in Hillsboro, Kansas, USA. It is one of three schools operated by Unified School District 410, and is the sole high school in the district for Hillsboro, Lehigh, and Durham.-Academics:...

    , located in Hillsboro
    Hillsboro, Kansas
    Hillsboro is a city in Marion County, Kansas, United States. Hillsboro was named after John Gillespie Hill, who homesteaded in the area in 1871. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 2,993. Hillsboro is home of Tabor College, which has approximately 550 students.-19th century:For...

    .
  • Hillsboro Middle School, located in Hillsboro
    Hillsboro, Kansas
    Hillsboro is a city in Marion County, Kansas, United States. Hillsboro was named after John Gillespie Hill, who homesteaded in the area in 1871. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 2,993. Hillsboro is home of Tabor College, which has approximately 550 students.-19th century:For...

    .
  • Hillsboro Elementary School, located in Hillsboro
    Hillsboro, Kansas
    Hillsboro is a city in Marion County, Kansas, United States. Hillsboro was named after John Gillespie Hill, who homesteaded in the area in 1871. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 2,993. Hillsboro is home of Tabor College, which has approximately 550 students.-19th century:For...

    .

Infrastructure

Transportation

K-15
K-15 (Kansas highway)
K-15 is a Kansas state highway originating at the Oklahoma state line and continuing to the Nebraska state line where it is then signed as Nebraska Highway 15. It is signed as State Highway 18 once the highway enters Oklahoma. It is 206 miles long...

 highway runs along the east side of the city. Durham is served by 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....

, formerly the Southern Pacific, and prior, the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad
Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad
The Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad was a Class I railroad in the United States. It was also known as the Rock Island Line, or, in its final years, The Rock.-Incorporation:...

. Durham is located on UP's Golden State main line to 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...

. A Union Pacific Local still serves the Durham Elevator during the Kansas summer harvests. The line was originally built by the Chicago, Kansas and Nebraska Railroad
Chicago, Kansas and Nebraska Railroad
The Chicago, Kansas and Nebraska Railway was formed in 1885 with Marcus Low, a former attorney for the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad, as its president. The CRI&P advanced the CK&N about twenty-five million dollars to begin construction in exchange for nearly all of the CK&N's stock...

.

Utilities

  • Internet
    • Wireless is provided by Pixius Communications.
    • Satellite is provided by HughesNet, StarBand
      StarBand
      StarBand is a two-way satellite broadband Internet service available in the U.S.. StarBand Communications Inc. was initially a joint venture between Gilat Satellite Networks, EchoStar and Microsoft, and the StarBand service was launched in 2000. StarBand Communications filed for Chapter 11...

      , WildBlue.
  • TV
    • Satellite is provided by DirecTV
      DirecTV
      DirecTV is an American direct broadcast satellite service provider and broadcaster based in El Segundo, California. Its satellite service, launched on June 17, 1994, transmits digital satellite television and audio to households in the United States, Latin America, and the Anglophone Caribbean. ...

      , Dish Network
      Dish Network
      Dish Network Corporation is the second largest pay TV provider in the United States, providing direct broadcast satellite service—including satellite television, audio programming, and interactive television services—to 14.337 million commercial and residential customers in the United States. Dish...

      .
    • Terrestrial is provided by regional digital TV
      Digital television
      Digital television is the transmission of audio and video by digital signals, in contrast to the analog signals used by analog TV...

       stations.
  • Electricity
  • Water
    • City is provided by City of Durham.
    • Rural is provided by Marion County RWD #1 and #4.

See also

  • National Register of Historic Places listings in Marion County, Kansas
    National Register of Historic Places listings in Marion County, Kansas
    This is a list of the National Register of Historic Places listings in Marion County, Kansas.This is intended to be a complete list of the properties and districts on the National Register of Historic Places in Marion County, Kansas, United States...

  • Historical Maps of Marion County, Kansas
    Marion County, Kansas
    Marion County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kansas. As of the 2010 census, the county population was 12,660. The county seat is Marion...

  • Santa Fe Trail
    Santa Fe Trail
    The Santa Fe Trail was a 19th-century transportation route through central North America that connected Missouri with Santa Fe, New Mexico. Pioneered in 1822 by William Becknell, it served as a vital commercial and military highway until the introduction of the railroad to Santa Fe in 1880...


Further reading

Durham
  • Durham Kansas Centennial 1887-1987 Pride in the Past Faith in the Future; B002FD0F7E; 222 pages; 1987.

Marion County
  • Marion County Kansas - Past and Present; Sondra Van Meter; MB Publishing House in Hillsboro, KS; LCCN 72-92041; 344 pages; 1972.
  • Standard Atlas of Marion County, Kansas; Geo A. Ogle & Co; 1902.
  • World War Roll of Honor, Marion County Kansas, 1917-1920; Mrs Alexander and Mrs Dean of Marion, Kansas; 221 pages; 1920.
  • The Early Schools Of Marion County, Kansas; Wilma Stewart Stallwitz; Located at Peabody Township Library; 33 pages; November 11, 1960.

Kansas
  • Kansas: A Cyclopedia Of State History, Embracing Events, Institutions, Industries, Counties, Cities, Towns, Prominent Persons, Etc; Frank W. Blackmar; Standard Publishing Co; 1912.
  • History Of The State of Kansas; William G. Cutler; A.T. Andreas Publisher; 1883.
  • The Story of the Marking of the Santa Fe Trail by the Daughters of the American Revolution in Kansas and the State of Kansas; Almira Cordry; Crane Co; 164 pages; 1915.

External links

City
Schools
  • USD 410, school district for Hillsboro
    Hillsboro, Kansas
    Hillsboro is a city in Marion County, Kansas, United States. Hillsboro was named after John Gillespie Hill, who homesteaded in the area in 1871. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 2,993. Hillsboro is home of Tabor College, which has approximately 550 students.-19th century:For...

    , Lehigh
    Lehigh, Kansas
    Lehigh is a city in Marion County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 175.-19th century:For millennia, the land that is currently Kansas was inhabited by Native Americans. In 1803, most of modern Kansas was secured by the United States as part of the Louisiana...

    , Durham, nearby rural areas of Marion
    Marion County, Kansas
    Marion County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kansas. As of the 2010 census, the county population was 12,660. The county seat is Marion...

    County

Historical
Maps
The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
x
OK