Frontenac, Kansas
Encyclopedia
Frontenac is a city in Crawford County
, Kansas
, United States
. The population was 3,437 at the 2010 census.
town in 1886 in the Cherokee-Crawford Coal Fields. In 1888, Frontenac had the worst mining disaster in Kansas history, when an explosion killed 47 miners. During the last decade of the nineteenth century and in the early twentieth century the town was populated primarily by immigrant families from eastern and southeastern Europe, predominantly Sicilian
, Italian
, and Italian and Slavic people from the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Its maximum population neared 4,000. It housed various ethnic lodges and drinking parlors despite the state's increasingly severe ban on the distribution, sale, and manufacture of alcoholic beverages. Coal mining remained the town's occupational base until World War II
, when its economy began to change, as did the entire region's.
. Frontenac is located about an hour's drive west of Springfield, Missouri
, and about a two hour drive northeast of Tulsa, Oklahoma
.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 4 square miles (10.4 km²), of which 0.25% is water.
of 2000, there were 2,996 people, 1,230 households, and 783 families residing in the city.currently as of 2004 the population is 3,079 . The population density
was 755.6 people per square mile (291.4/km²). There were 1,329 housing units at an average density of 335.2 per square mile (129.3/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 97.70% White, 0.20% African American, 0.70% Native American, 0.07% Asian, 0.43% from other races
, and 0.90% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.73% of the population.
There were 1,230 households out of which 29.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.5% were married couples
living together, 8.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.3% were non-families. 32.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 17.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.33 and the average family size was 2.94.
In the city the population was spread out with 23.5% under the age of 18, 8.5% from 18 to 24, 24.9% from 25 to 44, 21.3% from 45 to 64, and 21.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 81.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 76.1 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $33,558, and the median income for a family was $42,214. Males had a median income of $30,474 versus $21,163 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $17,349. About 4.4% of families and 7.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.6% of those under age 18 and 9.6% of those age 65 or over.
Crawford County, Kansas
Crawford County is a county located in southeastern Kansas in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the county population was 39,134. Its county seat is Girard, and its most populous city is Pittsburg. The county was named in honor of Samuel J. Crawford, Governor of Kansas...
, 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...
. The population was 3,437 at the 2010 census.
History
Frontenac was established as a coal miningCoal mining
The goal of coal mining is to obtain coal from the ground. Coal is valued for its energy content, and since the 1880s has been widely used to generate electricity. Steel and cement industries use coal as a fuel for extraction of iron from iron ore and for cement production. In the United States,...
town in 1886 in the Cherokee-Crawford Coal Fields. In 1888, Frontenac had the worst mining disaster in Kansas history, when an explosion killed 47 miners. During the last decade of the nineteenth century and in the early twentieth century the town was populated primarily by immigrant families from eastern and southeastern Europe, predominantly Sicilian
Sicilian people
Sicilian people may refer to either:* The people of Sicily, i.e. their ethnicity, see Sicily#Demographicsor* Individuals of Sicilian ancestry or birth, see the List of Sicilians...
, Italian
Italian people
The Italian people are an ethnic group that share a common Italian culture, ancestry and speak the Italian language as a mother tongue. Within Italy, Italians are defined by citizenship, regardless of ancestry or country of residence , and are distinguished from people...
, and Italian and Slavic people from the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Its maximum population neared 4,000. It housed various ethnic lodges and drinking parlors despite the state's increasingly severe ban on the distribution, sale, and manufacture of alcoholic beverages. Coal mining remained the town's occupational base until World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, when its economy began to change, as did the entire region's.
Geography
Frontenac is located at 37°27′16"N 94°41′43"W (37.454465, -94.695185). It is a small town nestled in southeastern Kansas, adjacent to PittsburgPittsburg, Kansas
Pittsburg is a city in Crawford County, in southeastern Kansas, United States. It is the most populous city in Crawford County and in southeastern Kansas. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 20,233.-History:...
. Frontenac is located about an hour's drive west of 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...
, and about a two hour drive northeast of Tulsa, Oklahoma
Tulsa, Oklahoma
Tulsa is the second-largest city in the state of Oklahoma and 46th-largest city in the United States. With a population of 391,906 as of the 2010 census, it is the principal municipality of the Tulsa Metropolitan Area, a region with 937,478 residents in the MSA and 988,454 in the CSA. Tulsa's...
.
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 4 square miles (10.4 km²), of which 0.25% 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 2,996 people, 1,230 households, and 783 families residing in the city.currently as of 2004 the population is 3,079 . 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 755.6 people per square mile (291.4/km²). There were 1,329 housing units at an average density of 335.2 per square mile (129.3/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 97.70% White, 0.20% African American, 0.70% Native American, 0.07% Asian, 0.43% 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 0.90% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.73% of the population.
There were 1,230 households out of which 29.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.5% 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, 8.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.3% were non-families. 32.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 17.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.33 and the average family size was 2.94.
In the city the population was spread out with 23.5% under the age of 18, 8.5% from 18 to 24, 24.9% from 25 to 44, 21.3% from 45 to 64, and 21.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 81.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 76.1 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $33,558, and the median income for a family was $42,214. Males had a median income of $30,474 versus $21,163 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 $17,349. About 4.4% of families and 7.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.6% of those under age 18 and 9.6% of those age 65 or over.
Education
Frontenac and the surrounding area is served by Frontenac Unified School District 249. It consists of three schools: Frank Layden Elementary School, Frontenac Middle School, and Frontenac High School. The district serves primarily east-central Crawford County, and parts of west-central Barton County, Missouri.Notable people
- Joe SkubitzJoe SkubitzJoe Skubitz was a U.S. Representative from Kansas.Born in Frontenac, Kansas, Skubitz attended grade school in Ringo, Kansas, and high schools in Girard and Frontenac, Kansas....
, United States congressman - Douglas YouvanDouglas Youvan-Biography:Prior to founding Karios Scientific Inc. with Mary M. Yang, Youvan was an Associate Professor of Chemistry at MIT, and his Ph.D. degree in biophysics was from UC Berkeley. Extensive litigation over Youvan's KCAT patent for solid phase enzyme kinetics screening in microcolonies set case...
, biophysicist and inventor