Holton, Kansas

{{See also|History of Kansas}}

The party that chose the site of Holton started at Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in May 1856. A train of six covered wagons, each drawn by two yoke of oxen, started the long trek to take Free State settlers to Kansas. They were financed by the Kansas Society of Milwaukee which was headed by Edward Dwight Holton, the Milwaukee abolitionist. They met General James H. Lane with two hundred men at Nebraska City, Nebraska, a rendezvous for Free State men. They followed the Jim Lane Road into Kansas approximately thirty miles. They came to Elk Creek, {{frac|2|1|2}} miles west of Holton, where they cut timbers to make a bridge, crossed it and made camp where Central School now stands. They liked the two streams (later named Banner Creek and Elk Creek) and the pleasant grassy hills, so they decided to stay. A company was organized and a civil engineer who was with them commenced the survey. They named the new town in honor of Holton.{{cite news |title=Honorable E. D. Holton: He Visits our Young City Amid the Firing of Cannon, The Ringing of Bells, Playing of Bands, And Rejoicing Generally |url=http://www.wisconsinhistory.org/wlhba/articleView.asp?pg=1&id=1385 |newspaper=Holton Recorder |location=Holton, Kansas |date=December 11, 1879 |access-date=February 18, 2013 }}

A log house {{convert|20|x|20|ft}} was erected; it was so planned that is could be used for a fort and was known as Jim Lane's Fort.{{cite book | url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_o8X5krq3fP8C | title=Kansas: A Cyclopedia of State History, Embracing Events, Institutions, Industries, Counties, Cities, Towns, Prominent Persons, Etc. | publisher=Standard Publishing Company | author=Blackmar, Frank Wilson | year=1912 | pages=[https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_o8X5krq3fP8C/page/n861 865]}} In the spring of 1857, J. B. Ingerson surveyed the townsite lots.{{cite web | url=http://www.holtonkansas.org/pView.aspx?id=1986&catid=26 | title=History of Holton | publisher=City of Holton, Kansas | access-date=11 June 2014}}

The county that contains Holton was previously named Calhoun County for the pro-slavery South Carolina Senator John C. Calhoun. In 1859 the name was changed to Jackson County. Holton was chosen as the county seat in 1858. A frame building served as the first courthouse on the east side of the square, near the middle of the block. The first courthouse was built in the center of the square in 1872. The present courthouse was completed in 1921.

In 1859, the abolitionist John Brown took a group of escaped slaves through Holton, leading to an incident known as the Battle of the Spurs.[https://web.archive.org/web/20110723061813/http://www.holtonks.net/city/spurs.htm The Battle of the Spurs and the Underground Railroad in Jackson County]

In 1859, Holton had seven dwellings, one store, a blacksmith shop and a steam saw mill. The census taken in April, 1857, gave Holton 291 people; in 1860 the population was 1,936. In 1859 the city was incorporated.

In 1879, the residents of Jackson County, Kansas decided to form a university in Holton. It was funded by mining magnate, A. C. Campbell, a former resident who had moved to Utah, and thus named Campbell University. In 1902 it merged with Lane University and became Campbell College.[http://skyways.lib.ks.us/genweb/archives/1912/c/campbell_college.html Campbell College Early History] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110504121831/http://skyways.lib.ks.us/genweb/archives/1912/c/campbell_college.html |date=2011-05-04 }} In 1913, it merged with Kansas City University, then later closed in 1933. The former site of the college later became the location of Holton High School.{{cite book|author=Federal Writers' Project|title=The WPA Guide to Kansas: The Sunflower State|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0VzpCAAAQBAJ&pg=PT369|date=31 October 2013|publisher=Trinity University Press|isbn=978-1-59534-214-0|pages=369–}}

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of {{convert|2.78|sqmi|sqkm|2}}, of which {{convert|2.70|sqmi|sqkm|2}} is land and {{convert|0.08|sqmi|sqkm|2}} is water.{{cite web |title=US Gazetteer files 2010 |url=https://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/files/Gaz_places_national.txt |publisher=United States Census Bureau |access-date=2012-07-06 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120125061959/http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/files/Gaz_places_national.txt |archive-date=2012-01-25 }}

The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Holton has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.[http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/weather-summary.php3?s=957341&cityname=Holton%2C+Kansas%2C+United+States+of+America&units= Climate Summary for Holton, Kansas]

{{Weather box

| width = auto

| single line = yes

| location = Holton, Kansas (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1902–1904, 1913–1917, 1951–present)

| Jan record high F = 75

| Feb record high F = 81

| Mar record high F = 89

| Apr record high F = 93

| May record high F = 99

| Jun record high F = 109

| Jul record high F = 110

| Aug record high F = 110

| Sep record high F = 109

| Oct record high F = 97

| Nov record high F = 85

| Dec record high F = 74

| year record high F =

|Jan avg record high F = 62.3

|Feb avg record high F = 67.7

|Mar avg record high F = 77.8

|Apr avg record high F = 85.2

|May avg record high F = 89.7

|Jun avg record high F = 93.3

|Jul avg record high F = 98.5

|Aug avg record high F = 98.2

|Sep avg record high F = 93.3

|Oct avg record high F = 86.3

|Nov avg record high F = 73.4

|Dec avg record high F = 64.0

|year avg record high F = 100.4

| Jan high F = 37.2

| Feb high F = 43.0

| Mar high F = 54.1

| Apr high F = 64.2

| May high F = 73.7

| Jun high F = 82.8

| Jul high F = 87.5

| Aug high F = 86.3

| Sep high F = 78.7

| Oct high F = 66.7

| Nov high F = 53.0

| Dec high F = 40.9

| year high F = 64.0

| Jan mean F = 26.2

| Feb mean F = 31.2

| Mar mean F = 41.7

| Apr mean F = 52.1

| May mean F = 62.5

| Jun mean F = 72.3

| Jul mean F = 76.8

| Aug mean F = 75.0

| Sep mean F = 66.8

| Oct mean F = 54.1

| Nov mean F = 41.3

| Dec mean F = 30.3

| year mean F = 52.5

| Jan low F = 15.2

| Feb low F = 19.5

| Mar low F = 29.2

| Apr low F = 40.0

| May low F = 51.3

| Jun low F = 61.8

| Jul low F = 66.1

| Aug low F = 63.7

| Sep low F = 54.8

| Oct low F = 41.4

| Nov low F = 29.7

| Dec low F = 19.6

| year low F = 41.0

|Jan avg record low F = -4.9

|Feb avg record low F = 1.3

|Mar avg record low F = 8.2

|Apr avg record low F = 23.7

|May avg record low F = 35.6

|Jun avg record low F = 48.6

|Jul avg record low F = 54.9

|Aug avg record low F = 51.5

|Sep avg record low F = 39.4

|Oct avg record low F = 25.2

|Nov avg record low F = 13.4

|Dec avg record low F = 2.2

|year avg record low F = -8.6

| Jan record low F = -22

| Feb record low F = -23

| Mar record low F = -21

| Apr record low F = 5

| May record low F = 22

| Jun record low F = 40

| Jul record low F = 43

| Aug record low F = 40

| Sep record low F = 29

| Oct record low F = 14

| Nov record low F = -7

| Dec record low F = -23

| year record low F =

| precipitation colour = green

| Jan precipitation inch = 0.79

| Feb precipitation inch = 1.33

| Mar precipitation inch = 2.17

| Apr precipitation inch = 3.72

| May precipitation inch = 4.98

| Jun precipitation inch = 4.88

| Jul precipitation inch = 4.76

| Aug precipitation inch = 4.35

| Sep precipitation inch = 3.77

| Oct precipitation inch = 3.33

| Nov precipitation inch = 1.84

| Dec precipitation inch = 1.46

| year precipitation inch = 37.38

| unit precipitation days = 0.01 in

| Jan precipitation days = 4.4

| Feb precipitation days = 4.9

| Mar precipitation days = 7.0

| Apr precipitation days = 9.5

| May precipitation days = 11.4

| Jun precipitation days = 9.8

| Jul precipitation days = 9.5

| Aug precipitation days = 8.6

| Sep precipitation days = 8.3

| Oct precipitation days = 7.3

| Nov precipitation days = 6.2

| Dec precipitation days = 4.4

| year precipitation days = 91.3

| source = NOAA{{cite web

|url = https://www.weather.gov/wrh/climate?wfo=top

|title = NOWData – NOAA Online Weather Data

|publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

|access-date = November 24, 2023}}{{cite web

|url = https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&stations=USC00143759&format=pdf&dataTypes=MLY-TMAX-NORMAL,MLY-TMIN-NORMAL,MLY-TAVG-NORMAL,MLY-PRCP-NORMAL,MLY-SNOW-NORMAL

|title = Summary of Monthly Normals 1991–2020

|publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

|access-date = November 24, 2023}}

}}

{{US Census population

|1890= 2727

|1900= 3082

|1910= 2842

|1920= 2703

|1930= 2705

|1940= 2885

|1950= 2705

|1960= 3028

|1970= 3063

|1980= 3132

|1990= 3196

|2000= 3353

|2010= 3329

|2020= 3401

|estyear=

|estimate=

|estref=

|align-fn=center

|footnote=[https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html U.S. Decennial Census]

}}

Holton is part of the Topeka, Kansas Metropolitan Statistical Area.

The 2020 United States census counted 3,401 people, 1,410 households, and 784 families in Holton.{{Cite web |title=US Census Bureau, Table P16: HOUSEHOLD TYPE |url=https://data.census.gov/table?q=Holton%20city,%20Kansas%20p16&y=2020 |access-date=2024-01-03 |website=data.census.gov}} The population density was 1,270.9 per square mile (490.7/km{{sup|2}}). There were 1,599 housing units at an average density of 597.5 per square mile (230.7/km{{sup|2}}).{{Cite web |title=US Census Bureau, Table DP1: PROFILE OF GENERAL POPULATION AND HOUSING CHARACTERISTICS |url=https://data.census.gov/table/DECENNIALDP2020.DP1?q=Holton%20city,%20Kansas%20dp1 |access-date=2024-01-03 |website=data.census.gov}}{{Cite web |publisher=United States Census Bureau |title=Gazetteer Files |url=https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/2020/geo/gazetter-file.html |access-date=2023-12-30 |website=Census.gov}} The racial makeup was 83.68% (2,846) white or European American (80.62% non-Hispanic white), 1.82% (62) black or African-American, 3.32% (113) Native American or Alaska Native, 0.59% (20) Asian, 0.12% (4) Pacific Islander or Native Hawaiian, 2.68% (91) from other races, and 7.79% (265) from two or more races.{{Cite web |title=US Census Bureau, Table P1: RACE |url=https://data.census.gov/table/DECENNIALPL2020.P1?q=Holton%20city,%20Kansas%20p1&y=2020 |access-date=2024-01-03 |website=data.census.gov}} Hispanic or Latino of any race was 8.91% (303) of the population.{{Cite web |title=US Census Bureau, Table P2: HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE |url=https://data.census.gov/table/DECENNIALPL2020.P2?q=Holton%20city,%20Kansas%20p2&y=2020 |access-date=2024-01-03 |website=data.census.gov}}

Of the 1,410 households, 29.8% had children under the age of 18; 38.6% were married couples living together; 35.8% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. 38.9% of households consisted of individuals and 19.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.0 and the average family size was 2.7.{{Cite web |title=US Census Bureau, Table S1101: HOUSEHOLDS AND FAMILIES |url=https://data.census.gov/table/ACSST5Y2020.S1101?q=Holton%20city,%20Kansas%20s1101%20&y=2020 |access-date=2024-01-03 |website=data.census.gov}} The percent of those with a bachelor’s degree or higher was estimated to be 15.3% of the population.{{Cite web |title=US Census Bureau, Table S1501: EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT |url=https://data.census.gov/table/ACSST5Y2020.S1501?q=Holton%20city,%20Kansas%20s1501%20&y=2020 |access-date=2024-01-03 |website=data.census.gov}}

24.7% of the population was under the age of 18, 8.1% from 18 to 24, 23.5% from 25 to 44, 22.0% from 45 to 64, and 21.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39.2 years. For every 100 females, there were 111.0 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older, there were 114.7 males.

The 2016-2020 5-year American Community Survey estimates show that the median household income was $47,642 (with a margin of error of +/- $7,001) and the median family income was $60,909 (+/- $10,042).{{Cite web |title=US Census Bureau, Table S1903: MEDIAN INCOME IN THE PAST 12 MONTHS (IN 2020 INFLATION-ADJUSTED DOLLARS) |url=https://data.census.gov/table/ACSST5Y2020.S1903?q=Holton%20city,%20Kansas%20s1903%20&y=2020 |access-date=2024-01-03 |website=data.census.gov}} Males had a median income of $36,654 (+/- $4,920) versus $16,098 (+/- $2,777) for females. The median income for those above 16 years old was $21,928 (+/- $4,959).{{Cite web |title=US Census Bureau, Table S2001: EARNINGS IN THE PAST 12 MONTHS (IN 2020 INFLATION-ADJUSTED DOLLARS) |url=https://data.census.gov/table/ACSST5Y2020.S2001?q=Holton%20city,%20Kansas%20s2001%20&y=2020 |access-date=2024-01-03 |website=data.census.gov}} Approximately, 14.8% of families and 16.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.1% of those under the age of 18 and 1.8% of those ages 65 or over.{{Cite web |title=US Census Bureau, Table S1701: POVERTY STATUS IN THE PAST 12 MONTHS |url=https://data.census.gov/table/ACSST5Y2020.S1701?q=Holton%20city,%20Kansas%20s1701%20&y=2020 |access-date=2024-01-03 |website=data.census.gov}}{{Cite web |title=US Census Bureau, Table S1702: POVERTY STATUS IN THE PAST 12 MONTHS OF FAMILIES |url=https://data.census.gov/table/ACSST5Y2020.S1702?q=Holton%20city,%20Kansas%20s1702&y=2020 |access-date=2024-01-03 |website=data.census.gov}}

As of the census{{cite web|title=U.S. Census website|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=2012-07-06}} of 2010, there were 3,329 people, 1,442 households, and 832 families living in the city. The population density was {{convert|1233.0|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|1}}. There were 1,652 housing units at an average density of {{convert|611.9|/sqmi|/km2|1}}. The racial makeup of the city was 89.7% White, 1.1% African American, 3.4% Native American, 0.6% Asian, 2.0% from other races, and 3.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.9% of the population.

There were 1,442 households, of which 29.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.9% were married couples living together, 12.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.5% had a male householder with no wife present, and 42.3% were non-families. 37.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 20.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.23 and the average family size was 2.95.

The median age in the city was 40.2 years. 24.5% of residents were under the age of 18; 8.1% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 22.9% were from 25 to 44; 23.8% were from 45 to 64; and 20.5% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 46.6% male and 53.4% female.

As of the census of 2000,{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=2008-01-31|title=U.S. Census website}} there were 3,353 people, 1,396 households, and 862 families living in the city. The population density was {{convert|1,369.2|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 1,522 housing units at an average density of {{convert|621.5|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the city was 93.14% White, 1.13% African American, 2.89% Native American, 0.21% Asian, 0.54% from other races, and 2.09% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.18% of the population.

There were 1,396 households, out of which 28.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.6% were married couples living together, 11.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.2% were non-families. 34.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 19.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.24 and the average family size was 2.88.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 23.3% under the age of 18, 8.0% from 18 to 24, 25.0% from 25 to 44, 19.3% from 45 to 64, and 24.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 80.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 76.6 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $31,866, and the median income for a family was $44,591. Males had a median income of $32,241 versus $24,006 for females. The per capita income for the city was $17,459. About 8.1% of families and 11.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.9% of those under age 18 and 11.9% of those age 65 or over.

The community is served by Holton USD 336 public school district and Holton High School.

Jackson Heights USD 335, located 4 miles north of Holton, is a nearby school district but it doesn't serve the city of Holton.

• Case Broderick, politician
• Bill James, baseball writer and statistician
• Lynn Jenkins, U.S. Congresswoman and House Republican Conference Vice-Chair, graduate of Holton High School
• Kendall McComas, child actor, Our Gang
• Harold B. Minor, diplomat
• Danny J. Petersen, posthumous Medal of Honor recipient
• Frank C. Pomeroy, state legislator
• Pat Roberts, U.S. Senator and 1954 graduate of Holton High School
• Robin Utterback, artist
• Bernice T. Van der Vries, Illinois state legislator, was born in Holton.'Illinois Blue Book 1955-1956,' Biographical Sketch of Bernice T. Van der Vries, pg. 214

{{Reflist}}

{{Portal|Kansas}}

{{Kansas books}}

{{See also|Jackson County, Kansas#Further reading|l1=List of books about Jackson County, Kansas}}

{{Commons category|Holton, Kansas}}

• [https://www.holtonkansas.org/ City of Holton]
• [https://www.lkm.org/members/?id=41260769 Holton - Directory of Public Officials]
• [https://www.ksdot.org/Assets/wwwksdotorg/bureaus/burTransPlan/maps/city-pdf/holton.pdf Holton city map], KDOT

{{Jackson County, Kansas}}

{{Kansas}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:Cities in Kansas

Category:County seats in Kansas

Category:Cities in Jackson County, Kansas

Category:Topeka metropolitan area, Kansas

Category:1856 establishments in Kansas Territory