Gypsum, Kansas facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Gypsum, Kansas
City
Location within Saline County and Kansas
KDOT map of Saline County (legend)
Country	United States
State	Kansas
County	Saline
Founded	1800s
Incorporated	1887
Named for	Gypsum Creek
Government
• Type	Mayor–Council
Area
• Total	0.37 sq mi (0.97 km2)
• Land	0.37 sq mi (0.97 km2)
• Water	0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation	1,227 ft (374 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	400
• Density	1,080/sq mi (410/km2)
Time zone	UTC-6 (CST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code	67448
Area code	785
FIPS code	20-29250
GNIS ID	476963

Gypsum is a small city in Saline County, Kansas, United States. It's a quiet place with a population of about 400 people, according to the 2020 census.

History of Gypsum

A railroad map of Saline County from 1915.

Early Beginnings

For thousands of years, the Great Plains of North America were home to nomadic Native American tribes. They moved around, following animals and seasons.

Later, in the 16th to 18th centuries, France claimed a large part of North America. But in 1762, after a war, France secretly gave this land to Spain.

How Kansas Became a State

In 1802, Spain gave most of the land back to France. Then, in 1803, the United States bought a huge area from France. This deal, called the Louisiana Purchase, included most of what is now Kansas. It was a massive area, about 828,000 square miles!

In 1854, the Kansas Territory was set up. Kansas officially became the 34th U.S. state in 1861. The area where Gypsum is today became part of Saline County in 1860.

Founding the Community

Gypsum started as a special community called Tempelfeld. It was founded by a religious group known as Templers. The city later got its name, Gypsum, from a nearby stream called Gypsum Creek. The Gypsum post office has been open since 1886.

Where is Gypsum?

Gypsum is located in Kansas. Its exact spot is 38°42′18″N 97°25′37″W / 38.70500°N 97.42694°W / 38.70500; -97.42694. The city covers a total area of about 0.36 square miles (0.93 square kilometers), and all of it is land.

People of Gypsum

Gypsum is part of the Salina area. This means it's connected to a larger group of towns and cities.

Population in 2020

The 2020 United States census counted 400 people living in Gypsum. There were 173 households and 101 families. The city had about 1,070 people per square mile.

Most people in Gypsum (about 86.75%) were white. About 5.75% were black. A small number were Asian or from two or more races. About 3.25% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.

In terms of households, about 30.6% had children under 18. Many households (38.2%) were married couples. The average household had 2.4 people.

The average age in Gypsum was 38.5 years. About 26.5% of the people were under 18. About 16.0% were 65 years or older.

Population Over Time

Education in Gypsum

The schools in Gypsum are part of the Southeast of Saline USD 306 public school district. Students attend Southeast of Saline High School. Their school mascot is the Trojans.

Long ago, Gypsum had its own high school. Its mascot was the Pirates. But that school closed when the local school districts combined.

Famous People from Gypsum

• Steve Fritz (born 1967): He placed 4th in the decathlon at the 1996 Olympics. He also coached track and field at Kansas State University for 21 years.
• Bill Wheatley (1909-1992): A basketball player who won a gold medal with the American team at the 1936 Summer Olympics.
• Frank Wilkeson (1848-1913): A journalist for the New York Times and an explorer. He owned a large ranch in Gypsum for almost 40 years.
• JD Andrew (born 1973): A sound engineer and musician. He is a member of the band The Boxmasters with actor Billy Bob Thornton.