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Harlan, Kansas facts for kids

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Harlan, Kansas
KDOT map of Smith County (legend)
Harlan, Kansas is located in Kansas
Harlan, Kansas
Harlan, Kansas
Location in Kansas
Harlan, Kansas is located in the United States
Harlan, Kansas
Harlan, Kansas
Location in the United States
Country United States
State Kansas
County Smith
Named for John Harlan
Elevation
1,585 ft (483 m)
Time zone UTC-6 (CST)
 • Summer (DST) UTC-5 (CDT)
Area code 785
FIPS code 20-30075
GNIS ID 472153

Harlan is a small, quiet place in Smith County, Kansas, in the United States. It's what we call an unincorporated community. This means it's not officially a city or town with its own local government. Instead, it's part of the larger county area.

A Look Back at Harlan's History

How Harlan Got Its Name

Harlan was named after a man named John C. Harlan. He was one of the first people to settle in this area. He was a pioneer settler, meaning he was among the very first people to build a home and start a life there.

The Post Office in Harlan

For many years, Harlan had its own post office. This was a very important place for people to send and receive mail. The post office first opened its doors in the 1870s. It served the community for a long time, until it closed down in 1995.

Education in Harlan

Local School District

Students living in Harlan are part of the Smith Center USD 237 public school district. A school district is a group of schools in an area that are managed together. This district helps make sure that kids in Harlan get a good education.

Harlan High School's Legacy

Harlan used to have its own high school, called Harlan High School. However, this school was closed because of something called school unification. This is when smaller schools or school districts join together to form a larger one. Even though the high school is closed, its mascot was the Cardinals, a symbol of its past school spirit.

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