Dighton, Kansas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Dighton, Kansas
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City and County seat
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Location within Lane County and Kansas
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| Country | United States |
| State | Kansas |
| County | Lane |
| Founded | 1879 |
| Incorporated | 1887 |
| Named for | Dick Dighton |
| Area | |
| • Total | 0.87 sq mi (2.25 km2) |
| • Land | 0.87 sq mi (2.25 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) |
| Elevation | 2,769 ft (844 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 960 |
| • Density | 1,103/sq mi (427/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (CST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP code |
67839
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| Area code | 620 |
| FIPS code | 20-18050 |
| GNIS ID | 2394534 |
Dighton is a small city in Kansas, United States. It is the main town, or county seat, of Lane County. In 2020, about 960 people lived there. The city was named after a surveyor named Dick Dighton.
Contents
History of Dighton
How Dighton Began (19th Century)
In 1862, the Homestead Act allowed people to claim 160 acres (about 0.65 square kilometers) of land for free in the American West. They just had to live on the land for five years. This promise of land brought many pioneer settlers to Kansas starting in 1869.
In 1879, W.A. Watson arrived at the spot where Dighton is now. Soon after, a post office was set up. By 1885, there were only three houses and seven voters in the small town.
Lane County officially became a county in 1886, and Dighton was chosen as its county seat. This meant it became the center for local government. By 1900, the population had grown to 194 people. By 1910, it reached 370. The town had banks, a flour mill, and a grain elevator. There were also two newspapers, public schools, a hotel, and many shops. People could go to Baptist, Catholic, and Methodist churches. The town also had telegraph service, a band, and telephones.
Life was tough for the first settlers. They often built houses out of sod, which is like thick grass and dirt. They also found that the land was very dry, not as fertile as they had hoped. A popular folk song called The Lane County Bachelor was written by Frank Baker about these challenges.
Dighton in the 20th Century
The courtroom in Dighton has a special mural called "The First House of Lane County." It was painted by Mary Alice Bosley. This mural was even featured in a book about Kansas murals.
Geography of Dighton
Dighton is located where two main roads meet: K-96 and K-23.
The city covers a total area of about 0.88 square miles (2.28 square kilometers). All of this area is land.
People of Dighton (Demographics)
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1890 | 304 | — | |
| 1900 | 194 | −36.2% | |
| 1910 | 370 | 90.7% | |
| 1920 | 503 | 35.9% | |
| 1930 | 803 | 59.6% | |
| 1940 | 974 | 21.3% | |
| 1950 | 1,246 | 27.9% | |
| 1960 | 1,526 | 22.5% | |
| 1970 | 1,540 | 0.9% | |
| 1980 | 1,390 | −9.7% | |
| 1990 | 1,361 | −2.1% | |
| 2000 | 1,261 | −7.3% | |
| 2010 | 1,038 | −17.7% | |
| 2020 | 960 | −7.5% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
Dighton's Population in 2020
The 2020 United States census counted 960 people living in Dighton. There were 461 households and 244 families. Most of the people, about 88.44%, were white. About 11.25% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.
About 20.7% of the people were under 18 years old. About 24.1% were 65 years or older. The average age in Dighton was 48.5 years. For every 100 females, there were about 104.7 males.
Dighton's Population in 2010
In 2010, the census showed that 1,038 people lived in Dighton. There were 506 households. The city's population density was about 1,179.5 people per square mile (455.4 per square kilometer).
Most residents, about 95.6%, were White. About 3.1% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.
The average age in the city was 46.2 years. About 20.8% of residents were under 18 years old. About 22.2% were 65 years or older. There were slightly more females (51.6%) than males (48.4%) in the city.
Education in Dighton
The public schools in Dighton are part of the Dighton USD 482 school district. This district runs two schools in the city: Dighton Jr/Sr High School and Dighton Elementary School.
The main library for Lane County, the Lane County Library, is also located in Dighton.
See also
In Spanish: Dighton (Kansas) para niños
