Hutchinson, Kansas

Hutchinson is the largest city and county seat of Reno County, Kansas, 39 miles (63 km) northwest of Wichita, Kansas, on the Arkansas River. Hutchinson's nickname is The Salt City; sometimes it is called Hutch for short. The population was 40,787 at the 2000 census.

1 History
2 Geography
3 Demographics
4 Industry
5 Transportation
6 Education
7 Points of interest
8 Notable natives
9 Elected Officials
10 In popular culture
11 References
12 External links

[edit] History

The city of Hutchinson was founded in the year 1871, when Indian Agent C.C. Hutchinson contracted with the Santa Fe Railway to make a town at the railroad's crossing over the Arkansas River. The community was known to be called "Temperance City."^[3]

Hutchinson was incorporated on August 15, 1872.

On January 17, 2001, 143 million cubic feet (4,000,000 m³) of compressed natural gas leaked from the nearby Yaggy storage field. It sank underground, then rose to the surface through old brine, or salt wells making around 15 gas blowholes. An explosion in the downtown area at 10:45 a.m. destroyed 2 businesses and damaged 26 others. An explosion the next day in a mobile-home park took the lives of two people. The Kansas National Guard was called in to help evacuate parts of the city because of the gas leaks, and a team of specialists looked over all the city for leaks after the event. These events were broadcast on nationally televised news stations across the country. ^[4]^[5] ^[6]

The Hutchinson High School football team (the Salthawks) has had five straight appearances, including 4 straight wins, in the 6A State Championship Game. They have just been moved down to 5A.

Hutchinson is home to the Prarie Dunes Country Club, a golf course frequently ranked among the best golf courses in the U.S., and has hosted several United States Golf Association national championship tournaments. The club was founded by Emerson Carey and his four sons in the mid 1930s. The course was designed by Perry Maxwell, and the first nine holes opened on September 13, 1937. Twenty years later in 1957, a second 9 holes were opened, designed by Press Maxwell (Perry's son).

[edit] Geography

Hutchinson is located at 38°3′56″N, 97°55′25″W (38.065503, -97.923519)^[7].

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 54.9 square kilometers (21.2 sq mi). 54.7 km² (21.1 sq mi) of it is land and 0.2 km² (0.1 sq mi) of it (0.33%) is water.

[edit] Demographics

Historical populations
Census	Pop.	%±
1880	1,540	—
1890	8,682	463.8%
1900	9,379	8.0%
1910	16,364	74.5%
1920	23,298	42.4%
1930	27,085	16.3%
1940	30,013	10.8%
1950	33,575	11.9%
1960	37,574	11.9%
1970	36,885	-1.8%
1980	40,284	9.2%
1990	39,308	-2.4%
2000	40,787	3.8%

As of the census^[1] of 2000, there were 40,787 people, 16,335 households, and 10,340 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,932.6 people per square mile (746.0/km²). There were 17,693 housing units at an average density of 838.3/sq mi (323.6/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 88.57% White, 4.28% African American, 0.65% Native American, 0.59% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 3.65% from other races, and 2.21% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 7.67% of the population.

There were 16,335 households out of which 28.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.3% were married couples living together, 10.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.7% were non-families. 31.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.31 and the average family size was 2.91.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 23.2% under the age of 18, 11.0% from 18 to 24, 27.8% from 25 to 44, 21.2% from 45 to 64, and 16.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 101.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.5 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $32,645, and the median income for a family was $40,094. Males had a median income of $30,994 versus $21,190 for females. The per capita income for the city was $17,964. About 9.8% of families and 12.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.5% of those under age 18 and 9.7% of those age 65 or over.

[edit] Industry

Salt was discovered in Reno County by Benjamin Blanchard on September 26, 1887.^[8] This gave rise to the first salt-processing plants west of the Mississippi River. Salt was originally extracted using the evaporation method by pumping water into brine wells. In 1923, the Carey Salt Company opened the first and only salt mine in Hutchinson, which then produced rock salt. That mine is still in use today and is now operated by Hutchinson Salt Company. Cargill and Morton Salt also have evaporative salt plants in Hutchinson.

Excavated portions of the mine are used for archival storage of movie and television masters, data tapes, and permanent business records. Underground Vaults & Storage currently houses the masters for The Wizard of Oz (1939), Gone with the Wind (1939), and Star Wars, (1977) among many others.^[9]

The world's longest grain elevator was built in Hutchinson in 1961.

Dillon's grocery stores was established in Hutchinson by J.S. Dillon in the 1920s (originated in Sterling, Kansas). Dillon's was bought out by The Kroger Co. in 1983. The company still operates a distribution center and headquarters in town.

The Eaton Corporation currently operates a hydraulics plant in Hutchinson.

Mike Lowen started Lowen Corporation in 1950 in a converted garage behind his house in Hutchinson. Today Lowen Corporation is comprised of 2 operating divisions, Lowen Sign Company, the nation's largest manufacturer of signage for the real estate industry, and Lowen Color Graphics, the leading U.S. manufacturer of fleet, commercial, event and OEM graphics with manufacturing facilities in 3 states.

Collins Bus Corporation resides just outside Hutchinson, and is the leading small school bus manufacturer in North America .

[edit] Transportation

Hutchinson (Amtrak station)
Reno County Area Transit (RCAT)- Public busing system

[edit] Education

In all there are 5 high schools in the area, 3 public high schools and 2 private high schools. The largest is 5A Hutchinson High School, or USD 308, with an enrollment of around 1400. Buhler High School with 691 student (USD 313), also draws some students from Hutchinson. Nickerson High School (USD 309) also has Hutchinson residents. Trinity Catholic High School and Central Christian High School are the city's two small private schools.

There [Their-sp!] are of course [corse-sp!] also Middle Schools. These schools include Hutchinson Middle School-7, Hutchinson Middle School-8, Prairie Hills Middle School, Trinity Middle School, Reno Valley Middle School, and Central Christian Schools.

Hutchinson Community College serves as the Hutchinson's only post-secondary school system, and offers many programs in vocational technologies, arts, science, as well as in other fields [feilds-sp!].

[Additional info] Hutchinson Middle School at 14th and Adams USED to be called Liberty Middle School, and served both 7th and 8th Grades; Hutchinson Middle School 210 East. Ave A USED to be known as Sherman Middle School and also served both 7th and 8th grades.

[edit] Points of interest

Kansas Cosmosphere and Space Center
Kansas State Fair
Kansas Underground Salt Museum
Hutchinson Correctional Facility, state prison
Prairie Dunes Country Club, host of the 2002 U.S. Women's Open and 2006 U.S. Senior Open golf championships.
Fox Theater
Carey Park

[edit] Notable natives

Jack M. Campbell, Former Governor of the State of New Mexico (1963-1967)
Jamie Carey, basketball star
David Dillon, CEO of Kroger Co.
William Stafford, poet
Steven Stucky, 2005 Pulitzer Prize winner in music
Howard Robert Swearer, president of Carleton College and Brown University
Scott Heim, novelist for 2004 film Mysterious Skin
Delos V. Smith, film actor appearing in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
Racquel Darrian, adult film actress
Dale L. Boger, Scripps Research Institute organic and medicinal chemist
Aneta Corsaut, late actress best known as Helen Crump on The Andy Griffith Show.
Murry Wilson, the father of the Wilson brothers of the Beach Boys.

[edit] Elected Officials

Mike O'Neal - R, State Representative - 104th District
Terry Bruce - R, State Senator - 34th District

[edit] In popular culture

Mysterious Skin, a 2004 film directed by Gregg Araki based on a 1996 book of the same name by Scott Heim, are set in Hutchinson.

Science Fiction and Fantasy novelist William Mark Simmons (Wm. Mark Simmons) currently makes his home in Hutchinson.

Mike Rowe filmed a Dirty Jobs episode in Hutchinson, focusing on mining salt.

Samuel "Squid" Dullard from the Nickelodeon show, Rocket Power, is said to have moved from Hutchinson to Ocean Shores, California.

[edit] References

^ ^a ^b American FactFinder. United States Census Bureau. Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
^ US Board on Geographic Names. United States Geological Survey (2007-10-25). Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
^ Introduction, Hutchinson, 2001-01-09. Accessed 2007-08-26.
^ http://www.accesskansas.org/ksadjutantgeneral/News%20Releases/2001/01-012.htm
^ http://www.fema.gov/emanagers/2001/nat020101.shtm^{[dead link]}
^ KGS-Hutchinson Response Web Site
^ US Gazetteer files: 2000 and 1990. United States Census Bureau (2005-05-03). Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
^ Kansas and Kansans Ch. p. 996-1009
^ Hollywood´s Underground Treasures - Classic Film

[edit] External links

Official websites

City of Hutchinson Government
City of Hutchinson from Kansas Community Networks
Hutchinson, Kansas History
Hutchinson Public Library
Hutchinson Kansas Public Schools

Local Business

Local News & Articles

Maps, photos, and other images

City of Hutchinson & Reno County Official Map Based Information

Hutchinson, Kansas is at coordinates 38°03′56″N 97°55′25″W / 38.065503, -97.923519 (Hutchinson, Kansas)Coordinates: 38°03′56″N 97°55′25″W / 38.065503, -97.923519 (Hutchinson, Kansas)

v • d • e Municipalities and communities of Reno County, Kansas

County seat: Hutchinson

Cities	Abbyville \| Arlington \| Buhler \| Haven \| Hutchinson \| Langdon \| Nickerson \| Partridge \| Plevna \| Pretty Prairie \| South Hutchinson \| Sylvia \| Turon \| Willowbrook

Unincorporated community	Yoder