Fort Scott, Kansas

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Downtown Fort Scott, Kansas

Fort Scott is located in Bourbon County, Kansas, 88 miles (158 km) south of Kansas City, on the Marmaton River. The population was 8,297 at the 2000 census. Fort Scott is the county seat of Bourbon County, Kansas, and is home of the Fort Scott National Historic Site.

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[edit] History

Established and garrisoned by the U.S. Army from 1842-1853, soldiers at Fort Scott assisted with the protection of the Permanent Indian Frontier. After the army abandoned the fort in 1853, the buildings were purchased by local settlers at a government auction in 1855. The former military post became the center of one of the largest towns in Kansas Territory.

Between 1855 and 1861, the citizens of Fort Scott experienced the violent unrest that preceded the American Civil War on the Kansas and Missouri border. Eastern newspapers described this violence as "Bleeding Kansas", a result of the national controversy concerning the extension of slavery into the new territories. Murder, mayhem, robbery, and arson were committed by bold free-state and pro-slavery advocates in the name of their cause. On January 29, 1861, Kansas entered the union as a free state, but the turmoil of "Bleeding Kansas" continued throughout the Civil War.

During the Civil War, Fort Scott was a U.S Army district Headquarters, quartermaster supply depot, training center, and recruitment station. It was strategically vital to the defense of Kansas and the Midwest. A battle over the fort occurred in August 1861 just across the Missouri line in the Battle of Dry Wood Creek. The battle was a pro-South victory for Sterling Price and his Missouri State Guard. Price did not hold the fort and instead continued a northern push into Missouri in an attempt to recapture the state. James H. Lane (Senator) was to launch a Jayhawker offensive behind Price from Fort Scott that led to the Sacking of Osceola. The ill will of these actions was to be the basis for the 1976 Clint Eastwood film The Outlaw Josey Wales.

After the Civil War, Fort Scott was a premier city of the frontier, one of the largest cities in eastern Kansas. On three different occasions, between 1870 and 1900, Fort Scott was in competition with Kansas City to become the largest railroad center west of the Mississippi. During the first half of the 20th century, Fort Scott became the agricultural, small industrial, and insurance center which it continues to be today.

[edit] Downtown Fire

Downtown Fort Scott on fire.

In March 2005, a fire destroyed several historic buildings in Fort Scott's downtown. The Victorian-era buildings were among many that are a symbol of the town.

[edit] Geography

Location of Fort Scott, Kansas

Fort Scott is located at 37°50′7″N, 94°42′7″W (37.835180, -94.702015).

This is about 88 miles (158 km) south of Kansas City.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 14.1 km² (5.4 mi²). 14.1 km² (5.4 mi²) of it is land and 0.0 km² (0.0 mi²) of it (0.18%) is water.

[edit] Demographics

Historical populations
Census Pop. %±
1860 262
—
1870 4,174 1,493.1%
1880 5,372 28.7%
1890 11,946 122.4%
1900 10,322 -13.6%
1910 10,463 1.4%
1920 10,693 2.2%
1930 10,763 0.7%
1940 10,557 -1.9%
1950 10,335 -2.1%
1960 9,410 -9.0%
1970 8,967 -4.7%
1980 8,893 -0.8%
1990 8,362 -6.0%
2000 8,297 -0.8%

As of the census of 2000, there were 8,297 people, 3,481 households, and 2,081 families residing in the city. The population density was 590.0/km² (1,529.4/mi²). There were 3,914 housing units at an average density of 278.3 persons/km² (721.5 persons/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 91.53% White, 5.15% African American, 0.93% Native American, 0.53% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 0.40% from other races, and 1.41% from two or more races. 1.68% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 3,481 households out of which 28.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.6% were married couples living together, 11.5% have a woman whose husband does not live with her, and 40.2% were non-families. 35.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 18.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.30 and the average family size was 2.97.

In the city the population was spread out with 24.9% under the age of 18, 11.3% from 18 to 24, 23.7% from 25 to 44, 19.0% from 45 to 64, and 21.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 85.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 80.2 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $26,871, and the median income for a family was $34,531. Males had a median income of $25,919 versus $20,583 for females. The per capita income for the city was $14,997. About 10.9% of families and 16.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 22.3% of those under age 18 and 12.9% of those age 65 or over.

[edit] Education

[edit] Colleges

Fort Scott Community College, founded in 1919, is the oldest community college in the state of Kansas.

[edit] Schools

The Fort Scott Public Schools USD 234 includes two public elementary schools (Eugene Ware Elementary and Winfield Scott Elementary), one public middle school (Fort Scott Middle School) and one high school (Fort Scott Senior High School). There is also a Catholic school for grades K-5 and a few other small private schools for students from grades K-12.

[edit] Tourist attractions

In addition to the restored Civil War-era fort noted above, trolley tours of the historical part of Fort Scott are offered, showing visitors historic buildings and other attractions throughout Fort Scott.

An annual town festival, the Good Ol' Days, has been held the first weekend of June since 1980. The celebration begins Friday evening with a parade and a picnic downtown. Over the rest of the weekend, a street fair, a melodrama and vaudeville-style show are among other features of the festival.

The melodrama is also performed each Friday and Saturday night after Good Ol' Days until the end of July.

Gunn Park is a park with picnic areas, playgrounds, two lakes and a flying disc golf course near the Marmaton River on the west side of town.

The Lyon's Mansion Bed and Breakfast and Spa is located in a historic mansion on South National.

[edit] Notable natives and residents

[edit] Gordon Parks

The town's most famous resident is Photographer, Author, Filmmaker, Composer Gordon Parks, who was born and raised in Fort Scott. Park's first motion picture, The Learning Tree was filmed in Fort Scott in 1968 using authentic town residents as extras. The Gordon Parks Center For Culture and Diversity is located in Fort Scott at Fort Scott Community College. Parks is buried in Fort Scott's Evergreen Cemetery.

[edit] Other notable natives

[edit] Trivia

  • Fort Scott was named for U.S. Army General Winfield Scott.
  • Fort Scott is located on the Frontier Military Scenic Byway (Hwy 69), which was originally a military road connecting Fort Leavenworth with Fort Scott and Fort Gibson, Oklahoma.
  • In the height of the railroad era, seven rail lines ran through Fort Scott. Today two lines remain.
  • Susan B. Anthony was a frequent visitor to Fort Scott to see her brother, John, who managed the Singer Sewing Machine Company.
  • Bat Masterson's brother, Tom, ran the Delmonico Pool Hall in Fort Scott.
  • Fort Scott has approximately 14 miles of native brick streets.
  • Fort Scott is the site of National Cemetery #1, commissioned by President Abraham Lincoln.
  • Fort Scott is the hometown of Howard Stern comedian Richard Christy.

[edit] External links

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