La Crosse, Kansas

Coordinates: 38°31′55″N 99°18′34″W / 38.53194°N 99.30944°W / 38.53194; -99.30944
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La Crosse, Kansas
City and County seat
Welcome Sign (2010)
Welcome Sign (2010)
Location within Rush County and Kansas
Location within Rush County and Kansas
KDOT map of Rush County (legend)
KDOT map of Rush County (legend)
Coordinates: 38°31′55″N 99°18′34″W / 38.53194°N 99.30944°W / 38.53194; -99.30944[1]
CountryUnited States
StateKansas
CountyRush
Founded1876
Incorporated1886
Named forLa Crosse, Wisconsin
Area
[2]
 • Total1.04 sq mi (2.68 km2)
 • Land1.04 sq mi (2.68 km2)
 • Water0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation
[1]
2,057 ft (627 m)
Population
 (2020)[3]
 • Total1,266
 • Density1,200/sq mi (470/km2)
Time zoneUTC-6 (CST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP codes
67548, 67553
Area code785
FIPS code20-37500
GNIS ID2395563[1]
Websitecityoflacrosseks.com

La Crosse is a city in Rush County, Kansas, United States.[4] It is also the county seat of Rush County. In 2020, 1,266 people lived there.[3] La Crosse calls itself the "Barbed Wire capital of the world."[5]

History[change | change source]

La Crosse was created in 1876. It was named after the city of La Crosse, Wisconsin.[6] La Crosse subsequently became the intended county seat, and county records were transferred there from the temporary county seat, nearby Rush Center. A county seat war ensued between the two communities, lasting until La Crosse was declared the permanent county seat and the construction of the county courthouse in 1888.[7]

In the 1960s, La Crosse became a regional center of barbed wire collecting, leading to the establishment of the Kansas Barbed Wire Museum and the nicknaming of the city as "The Barbed Wire Capital of the World".[8]

Tornado of 2012[change | change source]

On May 25, 2012, an EF-1 tornado caused about four blocks of a lot of damage, and two businesses were destroyed. A third of the businesses had very bad damage. There were no injuries.[9]

Geography[change | change source]

La Crosse is at 38°31′55″N 99°18′31″W / 38.53194°N 99.30861°W / 38.53194; -99.30861 (38.532014, -99.308614). It has an elevation of 2,057 feet (627 m).[10][11] It is in the Smoky Hills region of the Great Plains. It is about 12 miles (19 km) south of the Smoky Hill River and 5 miles (8.0 km) north of Walnut Creek, which is a tributary of the Arkansas River.[12][13] Sand Creek, a tributary of Walnut Creek, goes southeast around the southwestern and southern parts of the city. Mule Creek, a small tributary of Sand Creek, flows southeast through the city.[13] It is in west-central Kansas at the intersection of U.S. Route 183 and K-4. La Crosse is 125 miles (201 km) northwest of Wichita, 261 miles (420 km) west-southwest of Kansas City, and 314 miles (505 km) east-southeast of Denver.[12][14]

The United States Census Bureau says that the city has a total area of 1.04 square miles (2.69 km2). All of it is land.[2]

Weather[change | change source]

On average in La Crosse, July is the hottest month, January is the coldest month, and May is the wettest month. The hottest temperature ever in La Crosse was 115 °F (46 °C) in 1954; the coldest temperature ever was -24 °F (-31 °C) in 1989.[15]

Climate data for La Crosse, Kansas
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °F (°C) 81
(27) 		86
(30) 		95
(35) 		103
(39) 		107
(42) 		112
(44) 		115
(46) 		114
(46) 		112
(44) 		100
(38) 		89
(32) 		83
(28) 		115
(46)
Average high °F (°C) 41
(5) 		47
(8) 		57
(14) 		67
(19) 		76
(24) 		87
(31) 		94
(34) 		92
(33) 		83
(28) 		72
(22) 		55
(13) 		44
(7) 		68
(20)
Average low °F (°C) 15
(−9) 		19
(−7) 		28
(−2) 		38
(3) 		50
(10) 		60
(16) 		65
(18) 		63
(17) 		54
(12) 		41
(5) 		27
(−3) 		19
(−7) 		40
(4)
Record low °F (°C) −23
(−31) 		−17
(−27) 		−23
(−31) 		9
(−13) 		21
(−6) 		36
(2) 		43
(6) 		42
(6) 		23
(−5) 		14
(−10) 		−8
(−22) 		−24
(−31) 		−24
(−31)
Average precipitation inches (mm) 0.66
(17) 		0.83
(21) 		2.09
(53) 		2.27
(58) 		3.65
(93) 		3.35
(85) 		3.40
(86) 		2.55
(65) 		1.88
(48) 		1.42
(36) 		1.22
(31) 		0.76
(19) 		24.08
(612)
Source: The Weather Channel[15]

People[change | change source]

Historical population
Census Pop. %±
1890513—
19005364.5%
191080650.4%
19208080.2%
19301,35567.7%
19401,4073.8%
19501,76925.7%
19601,767−0.1%
19701,583−10.4%
19801,6182.2%
19901,427−11.8%
20001,376−3.6%
20101,342−2.5%
20201,266−5.7%
U.S. Decennial Census

2020 census[change | change source]

The 2020 census says that there were 1,266 people, 547 households, and 318 families living in La Crosse. Of the households, 73.5% owned their home and 26.5% rented their home.

The median age was 45.6 years. Of the people, 94.8% were White, 0.3% were Black, 0.3% were Asian, 0.1% were Native American, 0.7% were from some other race, and 3.8% were two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.7% of the people.[3][16]

2010 census[change | change source]

The 2010 census says that there were 1,342 people, 606 households, and 350 families living in La Crosse.[17]

Education[change | change source]

La Crosse Public Schools (USD 395) controls three schools in the city.[18][19]

Infrastructure[change | change source]

Transportation[change | change source]

Rush County Airport is northeast of the city. It is on the north side of K-4.[13] It is publicly owned. It has one runway. It is used for general aviation.[20]

A railroad of the Kansas and Oklahoma Railroad goes southeast-northwest through La Crosse.[13]

Media[change | change source]

The Rush County News is the local newspaper. It is published once per week in La Crosse.[21]

La Crosse is in the Wichita-Hutchinson, Kansas television market.[22]

References[change | change source]

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: La Crosse, Kansas
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved December 3, 2023.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 "DP1: PROFILE OF GENERAL POPULATION AND HOUSING CHARACTERISTICS". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved December 3, 2023.
  4. ↑ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
  5. ↑ Griffin, Pete (May 26, 2011). "What's In a Name? Slogans Can Make or Break a City, Experts Say". Fox News. Retrieved March 19, 2014.
  6. ↑ "Profile for La Crosse, Kansas". ePodunk. Archived from the original on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 22 June 2014.
  7. ↑ "Welcome to Rush County, Kansas..." Rush County, Kansas. Retrieved 2011-06-24.
  8. ↑ "The History of the Kansas Barbed Wire Museum". Kansas Barbed Wire Museum. Retrieved 2011-06-24.
  9. ↑ La Crosse residents continue to clean up after twister ; KWCH; May 27, 2012.
  10. ↑ "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. 2007-10-25. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  11. ↑ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 "2003-2004 Official Transportation Map" (PDF). Kansas Department of Transportation. 2003. Retrieved 2011-06-22.
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 "General Highway Map - Rush County, Kansas" (PDF). Kansas Department of Transportation. 2010-10-01. Retrieved 2011-06-22.
  14. ↑ "City Distance Tool". Geobytes. Archived from the original on 2010-10-05. Retrieved 2011-06-22.
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 "Average weather for La Crosse, KS". The Weather Channel. Archived from the original on 2014-08-09. Retrieved 2011-06-22.
  16. ↑ "P16: HOUSEHOLD TYPE". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved December 31, 2023.
  17. ↑ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2012-07-06.
  18. ↑ "La Crosse Public Schools". La Crosse USD 395. Retrieved 2011-06-24.
  19. ↑ "La Crosse, Kansas". City-Data. Retrieved 2011-06-24.
  20. ↑ "K94 - Rush County Airport". AirNav.com. Retrieved 2011-06-22.
  21. ↑ "About this Newspaper: The Rush County news". Chronicling America. Library of Congress. Retrieved 2011-06-24.
  22. ↑ "Kansas TV Markets". EchoStar Knowledge Base. Archived from the original on 2011-07-26. Retrieved 2011-06-24.

Other websites[change | change source]

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