Greensburg, Kansas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Greensburg, Kansas
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Big Well Museum and Water Tower (2013)
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Location within Kiowa County and Kansas
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| Country | United States |
| State | Kansas |
| County | Kiowa |
| Founded | 1885 |
| Incorporated | 1886 |
| Named for | D.R. Green |
| Area | |
| • Total | 1.79 sq mi (4.63 km2) |
| • Land | 1.79 sq mi (4.63 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) |
| Elevation | 2,234 ft (681 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 740 |
| • Density | 413/sq mi (159.8/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (CST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP code |
67054
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| Area code | 620 |
| FIPS code | 20-28675 |
| GNIS ID | 485585 |
Greensburg is a small city in Kiowa County, Kansas, United States. It is also the county seat, which means it's where the main government offices for the county are located. In 2020, about 740 people lived here.
Greensburg is famous for the Big Well, which is the largest hand-dug well in the world. On May 4, 2007, a very powerful tornado, called an EF5 tornado, hit Greensburg. It destroyed almost all of the city. Sadly, eleven people lost their lives. Before the tornado, about 1,400 people lived in Greensburg.
After the tornado, the people of Greensburg decided to rebuild their city in a special way. They wanted it to be a "green town." This means they used environmentally friendly building methods and energy sources. Today, Greensburg is known as a model for green living in America. Buildings like the hospital, city hall, and school were built using the highest "green" standards.
Contents
- Greensburg's Story: From Early Days to a Green Future
- Greensburg's Location and Weather
- People of Greensburg: Population and Demographics
- Education in Greensburg
- Fun Things to See in Greensburg
- Getting Around Greensburg: Transportation
- Greensburg in the Media
- Notable People from Greensburg
- Images for kids
- See also
Greensburg's Story: From Early Days to a Green Future
How Greensburg Began
For thousands of years, the Great Plains of North America were home to nomadic Native American tribes.
The first settlement in Greensburg was started in 1885. The city was named after D.R. "Cannonball" Green. He owned a stagecoach company and helped establish the city. In 1887, construction began on the Big Well. This well would become the largest hand-dug well in the world. By 1888, Greensburg was called the "liveliest town in the state." This was also the year the Big Well was finished.
The city stopped using the Big Well for water in 1932. In 1937, it became a tourist attraction. Then, in 1972, the Big Well was named a national museum.
In 1949, one of the largest meteorites ever found was discovered near Greensburg. It weighed over 1,000 pounds!
The 2007 Tornado: A Powerful Storm
On May 4, 2007, at 9:45 p.m., a very strong tornado hit Greensburg directly. This tornado was part of a larger storm system. It was about 1.7 miles wide, which was wider than the city itself. The tornado traveled for almost 22 miles.
The tornado caused the deaths of 10 people in Greensburg. Two more people died in nearby towns. Tornado sirens sounded 20 minutes before the tornado arrived. Experts believe this warning saved hundreds of lives. The tornado lasted for about an hour and five minutes. It caused an estimated $250 million in damages.
About 95 percent of Greensburg was completely destroyed. The remaining 5 percent was severely damaged. The National Weather Service estimated the tornado's winds reached 205 miles per hour. This was the first tornado ever rated EF5. This rating came from the new Enhanced Fujita scale used that year.
After the disaster, the Governor of Kansas, Kathleen Sebelius, and President George W. Bush declared Kiowa County a disaster area. This helped the area get national and international aid.
Rebuilding Greensburg: A Green City
After the tornado, Greensburg decided to rebuild as a "green" city. A group called Greensburg GreenTown was created. It helped teach residents about living in an environmentally friendly way.
The city council decided that all new city buildings must meet very high "green" standards. This made Greensburg the first city in the nation to do this. With help from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, residents made a long-term plan for the city. Greensburg now gets its power from ten large wind turbines. These turbines help the city use clean energy.
Even with all the rebuilding efforts, the population of Greensburg decreased. In 2000, there were 1,574 residents. By 2010, the population was 777.
Greensburg's Location and Weather
Greensburg is located in Kansas. The city covers about 1.48 square miles of land.
Climate in Greensburg
The weather in Greensburg usually has hot, humid summers. Winters are generally mild to cool. This type of climate is called a humid subtropical climate.
| Climate data for Greensburg, Kansas, 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1893–present | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 80 (27) |
88 (31) |
95 (35) |
101 (38) |
104 (40) |
110 (43) |
112 (44) |
113 (45) |
107 (42) |
99 (37) |
90 (32) |
88 (31) |
113 (45) |
| Mean maximum °F (°C) | 66.4 (19.1) |
72.9 (22.7) |
81.4 (27.4) |
88.1 (31.2) |
93.6 (34.2) |
98.7 (37.1) |
103.4 (39.7) |
101.4 (38.6) |
97.4 (36.3) |
89.6 (32.0) |
76.0 (24.4) |
66.3 (19.1) |
104.5 (40.3) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 43.2 (6.2) |
47.4 (8.6) |
57.5 (14.2) |
66.9 (19.4) |
76.3 (24.6) |
86.1 (30.1) |
91.8 (33.2) |
89.7 (32.1) |
82.0 (27.8) |
69.6 (20.9) |
55.9 (13.3) |
44.8 (7.1) |
67.6 (19.8) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 31.2 (−0.4) |
34.7 (1.5) |
43.9 (6.6) |
53.1 (11.7) |
63.6 (17.6) |
73.6 (23.1) |
79.0 (26.1) |
77.0 (25.0) |
68.9 (20.5) |
56.0 (13.3) |
43.0 (6.1) |
33.2 (0.7) |
54.8 (12.6) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 19.3 (−7.1) |
22.0 (−5.6) |
30.4 (−0.9) |
39.3 (4.1) |
50.9 (10.5) |
61.1 (16.2) |
66.3 (19.1) |
64.4 (18.0) |
55.7 (13.2) |
42.4 (5.8) |
30.0 (−1.1) |
21.6 (−5.8) |
41.9 (5.5) |
| Mean minimum °F (°C) | 3.8 (−15.7) |
7.0 (−13.9) |
13.0 (−10.6) |
24.4 (−4.2) |
36.2 (2.3) |
50.0 (10.0) |
56.1 (13.4) |
54.9 (12.7) |
40.8 (4.9) |
26.1 (−3.3) |
13.7 (−10.2) |
5.3 (−14.8) |
−1.4 (−18.6) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −20 (−29) |
−19 (−28) |
−14 (−26) |
7 (−14) |
19 (−7) |
37 (3) |
48 (9) |
40 (4) |
23 (−5) |
11 (−12) |
−3 (−19) |
−20 (−29) |
−20 (−29) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 0.71 (18) |
0.81 (21) |
1.92 (49) |
2.41 (61) |
3.39 (86) |
3.87 (98) |
3.16 (80) |
3.46 (88) |
2.04 (52) |
2.28 (58) |
0.96 (24) |
0.96 (24) |
25.97 (659) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 4.5 (11) |
2.6 (6.6) |
3.8 (9.7) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.4 (1.0) |
1.4 (3.6) |
3.6 (9.1) |
16.3 (41) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) | 2.7 | 3.8 | 5.3 | 5.9 | 7.0 | 6.4 | 6.6 | 6.5 | 4.5 | 4.7 | 3.4 | 3.2 | 60.0 |
| Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) | 1.7 | 1.7 | 1.2 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.4 | 0.5 | 1.5 | 7.1 |
| Source 1: NOAA | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: National Weather Service | |||||||||||||
People of Greensburg: Population and Demographics
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1890 | 515 | — | |
| 1900 | 343 | −33.4% | |
| 1910 | 1,199 | 249.6% | |
| 1920 | 1,215 | 1.3% | |
| 1930 | 1,338 | 10.1% | |
| 1940 | 1,417 | 5.9% | |
| 1950 | 1,723 | 21.6% | |
| 1960 | 1,988 | 15.4% | |
| 1970 | 1,907 | −4.1% | |
| 1980 | 1,885 | −1.2% | |
| 1990 | 1,792 | −4.9% | |
| 2000 | 1,574 | −12.2% | |
| 2010 | 777 | −50.6% | |
| 2020 | 740 | −4.8% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
Greensburg's Population in 2020
The 2020 United States census counted 740 people living in Greensburg. There were 329 households, and 176 of them were families. The population density was about 414 people per square mile.
Most of the people (88.65%) were white. About 2.3% were black, and 1.76% were Asian. About 2.57% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.
In the households, about 25.8% had children under 18. About 43.8% were married couples. The average household had 2 people, and the average family had 3 people.
About 22.2% of the population was under 18 years old. About 24.7% were 65 years or older. The average age in Greensburg was 44.4 years.
Greensburg's Population in 2010
In 2010, there were 777 people living in Greensburg. There were 355 households and 212 families. The population density was about 525 people per square mile.
Most residents (95.5%) were white. About 3.9% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.
About 24.8% of households had children under 18. About 48.2% were married couples living together. The average household size was 2.18 people.
The median age in the city was 45.2 years. About 22% of residents were under 18. About 22.3% were 65 years or older.
Education in Greensburg
The public schools in Greensburg are part of the Kiowa County USD 422 school district. The Greensburg Rangers boys' basketball team won the Kansas State High School championship in 1948.
In 2019, about 82.35% of students were enrolled in Kindergarten through 12th grade. Many residents have completed some college or earned a degree.
Fun Things to See in Greensburg
Greensburg is home to the world's largest hand-dug well. Work on the well started in 1887. It was built to provide water for steam engines on the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway and Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad. When it was finished in 1888, it was 109 feet deep and 32 feet wide. The well was used for the city's water until 1932. In 1939, it opened as a tourist spot where visitors can go down to the bottom.
Next to the well, there was a museum that displayed a 1000-pound pallasite meteorite. The museum was destroyed during the 2007 tornado. Luckily, the meteorite was found in the rubble. It was moved to a temporary home while Greensburg rebuilt. In May 2012, the new Big Well Museum and Visitor Information Center opened. It has exhibits about Greensburg's history, the Big Well, the tornado, the rebuilding, and the meteorite.
In 2006, a smaller meteorite (154 pounds) was found near Greensburg. Scientists believe it fell to Earth about 20,000 years ago.
Greensburg is also a stop for the annual Race Across America. This is a 3000-mile bicycle race across the country.
The 5.4.7 Arts Center is a non-profit organization. It hosts visual and performing arts events. It is the only arts center between Dodge City and Wichita, Kansas.
The Kiowa County Historical Museum and Soda Fountain tells the history of Kiowa County. It has items from the westward expansion of the United States. It also shows local history, including sports and famous people from the area.
West of Greensburg, you can find the M.T. Liggett Art Environment. This is a unique art display made from discarded metal pieces. It uses wind energy to create moving sculptures.
The Fromme-Birney Round Barn is a famous horse barn built in 1912. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Getting Around Greensburg: Transportation
Greensburg is served by three U.S. Highways:
Bus service is available daily. You can travel eastward towards Wichita, Kansas or westward towards Pueblo, Colorado.
Greensburg in the Media
Many television networks have been interested in Greensburg. This is because the city decided to rebuild as a "green" town. A documentary about its rebuilding, called Greensburg, aired on Planet Green.
Another documentary, Earth 2100, also featured Greensburg. It showed Greensburg as a model for how American towns can use green technology.
Several books have been written about Greensburg and the 2007 tornado. Greensburg: The Twisted Tales by Janice Haney shares stories from residents who experienced the tornado. Aftermath: Scenes from the Sudden Destruction of an American Hometown by Merlin Peck shows pictures of the damage.
Notable People from Greensburg
- Manvel H. Davis, a politician
- Dennis McKinney, who was the Kansas State Treasurer from 2008 to 2010
- Sandra Seacat, an actress and acting coach
Images for kids
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Marine One, carrying President George W. Bush, flies over the damaged city five days after the tornado.
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FEMA recovery meeting about 1 month after the tornado.
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S.D. Robinett Building in 2007 about 3 months after the tornado, the only historic building in downtown Greensburg to survive the tornado.
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Renovated Kiowa County courthouse in 2009 (about 2.4 years after the tornado).
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Arts Center in 2010, constructed with environmental LEED Platinum standards. It has solar panels and wind generators for energy self-sufficiency.
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Rebuilt Big Well in 2013.
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"World's Largest Pallasite Meteorite", now stored in the new Big Well Museum (2013).
See also
In Spanish: Greensburg (Kansas) para niños
