Andover, Kansas facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Andover, Kansas
City
Location within Butler County and Kansas
KDOT map of Butler County (legend)
Country	United States
State	Kansas
Counties	Butler, Sedgwick
Founded	1870s
Incorporated	1957
Named for	Andover, Massachusetts
Area
• Total	10.15 sq mi (26.28 km2)
• Land	10.09 sq mi (26.14 km2)
• Water	0.06 sq mi (0.14 km2)
Elevation	1,332 ft (406 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	14,892
• Density	1,467.2/sq mi (566.67/km2)
Time zone	UTC-6 (CST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code	67002
Area code	316
FIPS code	20-01800
GNIS ID	2393956

Andover is a city in Butler County, Kansas, United States. It is a suburb of Wichita. In 2020, about 14,892 people lived there. Andover is the city with the most people in Butler County.

History of Andover

Early Settlements

A railroad map of Sedgwick County from 1915

The area where Andover is now was first called Minneha. This was an Indian name. Later, it was known as Cloud City.

The first settlers arrived in February 1869. They came to an area called Bruno Township. More people arrived in 1870, and soon all the land was claimed. The first election for Bruno Township happened in April 1872.

How Andover Grew

The land that became Andover was first claimed by G. M. Pattison. In 1872, President Ulysses S. Grant gave him the official title to the land. Later, in 1876, the land was sold to Mr. and Mrs. Ephraim Waggoner.

Andover's first church began in 1873 as a Sunday school. Today, it is known as the United Methodist Church.

The first post office was in Minneha in 1877. It moved to Cloud City in 1880. That same year, Cloud City's post office was renamed Andover. The city was named after Andover, Massachusetts.

In 1880, Mr. and Mrs. Waggoner sold some land to Charles Glancey. He planned the first town area in February 1880. This official town area was called Cloud City.

Early Businesses and Schools

The first business in Andover was a trading post. It sold many different kinds of goods. In 1881, the first hotel opened. It also had a general store in the front.

In 1882, the Richland school house was moved. It became the city's first school. It cost 2,000 dollars to move. Professor Haskin was the first principal, and 86 students attended.

By 1883, Andover had about 150 people. Early businesses included a hotel, grocery stores, a shoemaker, and a meat market. The first passenger train came through Andover in 1885. The last one ran in October 1960.

Becoming a City

The first class graduated from Andover High School in 1914. There were four students in this class. The high school started in 1909. It combined four school districts.

Andover officially became a "third class city" on February 4, 1957. At that time, only 166 people lived in the city. Before this, Andover was a small farming community. More homes started to appear south of the original town.

In 1957, Hugo Epp became the first mayor of Andover. The city is run by a mayor and five council members.

In 1968, Andover grew a lot. Its area increased, and the population went from 500 to 2,000 people. The first "Greater Andover Days Celebration" was held in 1967.

Andover has two golf courses. One of them was ranked among the best in the country in 2005-2006.

The 1991 Tornado

On April 26, 1991, a very powerful tornado hit parts of Kansas. It caused a lot of damage in south Wichita and Andover. The tornado was nearly half a mile wide. It had winds over 250 mph (400 km/h).

The tornado caused a lot of destruction in Andover. Many homes, businesses, and churches were destroyed. The Golden Spur Mobile Home Park and St. Vincent De Paul Catholic Church were completely leveled. Many people in Andover needed new places to live after the storm.

Andover in the 21st Century

In 2000, Andover voted to expand its school system. The city now has two high schools, two middle schools, and six elementary schools.

• Andover High School and Andover Middle School use the Trojans as their mascot. Their colors are blue and white.
• Andover Central High School and Andover Central Middle School are newer. They opened in 2001. Their mascots are the Jaguars, and their colors are black and gold.

In 2005, Andover residents voted to build three more elementary schools. Robert Martin Elementary moved to a new building in 2007. Wheatland Elementary and Prairie Creek Elementary opened in 2008.

Also in 2005, Andover approved a sales tax increase. This money helped build a new Andover Public Library. The new library opened in Andover's Central Park in 2007.

Geography of Andover

Andover is located at 37°41′28″N 97°8′13″W / 37.69111°N 97.13694°W / 37.69111; -97.13694. The city covers about 10.04 square miles (26.00 km²) of land and water. Most of this area is land. Andover is in Butler County, Kansas. Butler County is the largest county in Kansas. It is even bigger than the state of Rhode Island!

Andover has two public parks: Andover Park and Andover Central Park.

People of Andover

Andover is part of the larger Wichita, KS Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Population in 2020

The 2020 United States census counted 14,892 people in Andover. There were 5,009 households, which are groups of people living together. Most households (63.1%) were married couples. About 47.3% of households had children under 18.

The population density was about 1,430 people per square mile. Most residents (80.87%) were white. Other groups included black (2.52%), Asian (4.55%), and people of two or more races (9.7%). About 7.09% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.

The average age in Andover was 34.8 years. About 32.0% of the people were under 18 years old.

Population in 2010

In the census of 2010, Andover had 11,791 people. The population density was about 1,180 people per square mile.

About 93.0% of the people were White. Other groups included African American (1.0%), Native American (0.6%), and Asian (1.8%). About 4.8% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.

About 33.7% of residents were under 18 years old. The average age in the city was 33.7 years.

Economy

Andover has many local businesses. Vornado Air, a company that makes fans and heaters, has its main office in Andover.

Education

The public schools in Andover are part of the Andover USD 385 school district. The district has:

• Two high schools: Andover High School and Andover Central High School
• Two middle schools
• Six elementary schools

There is also a branch campus of Butler Community College in Andover.

Notable People

Here are some well-known people who have lived in or are connected to Andover:

• Ty Masterson (born 1969), a politician in Kansas.
• Roe Messner (born 1935), a building contractor.
• Kevin Schmidt (born 1988), an actor.

See Also

In Spanish: Andover (Kansas) para niños