Highland, Kansas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Highland, Kansas
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Location within Doniphan County and Kansas
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| Country | United States |
| State | Kansas |
| County | Doniphan |
| Founded | 1854 |
| Platted | 1857 |
| Incorporated | 1857 |
| Named for | Highland, Illinois |
| Area | |
| • Total | 0.53 sq mi (1.36 km2) |
| • Land | 0.53 sq mi (1.36 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) |
| Elevation | 1,037 ft (316 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 903 |
| • Density | 1,704/sq mi (664.0/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (CST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP code |
66035
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| Area code | 785 |
| FIPS code | 20-31850 |
| GNIS ID | 239437 |
Highland is a small city in Doniphan County, Kansas, United States. In 2020, about 903 people lived there. Highland is special because it's home to Highland Community College.
Contents
History of Highland
How Highland Began
Highland's story started in 1837 with the Iowa and Sac & Fox Mission State Historic Site. This mission was founded by Reverend Samuel Irvin and Reverend William Hamilton. The Presbyterian Church supported and funded their work.
The founders wanted Highland to be a town focused on education. In 1857, when the town was planned, they even set aside land for a future university. Samuel Irvin built the first Highland Community College building, called Irvin Hall, in 1858. The college officially started that same year and has changed its name eight times since then!
In 2011, Highland proudly declared itself the "Snowflake City of Kansas."
Early Days and First Buildings
Reverend Samuel Irvin and Reverend William Hamilton also started the Ioway Presbyterian Church in 1843. Reverend Hamilton was its first minister. The church later moved from the mission to Highland in 1860.
In 1854, John Powers Johnson built a log home two miles west of the mission. This cabin was the very first building in Highland. It stood where the Senior Citizen Center is today. Johnson used a law called the Preemption Act of 1841 to claim the land. He had to improve the land to buy it, but he couldn't actually purchase it until the Iowa tribe members moved and the land was officially measured.
John Bayless claimed the land next to Johnson's. He created the Susquehanna Western Immigration Company. This company encouraged people who were against slavery to move to Kansas. Samuel Irvin looked after these land claims until they could be bought in 1857.
The Highland Town Company
On May 16, 1857, the Highland Town Company was formed. This company bought town lots and hoped to sell them to people moving to what they imagined would be a busy town. John Bayless was the company's president, John Johnson was the secretary, and Samuel Irvin was the treasurer.
Even though the town grew slowly, the company built some important things, like a large hotel. Despite its small size, Highland had its own newspaper called The Highlander. The town's first bank opened in 1862, started by John Johnson.
These three founders dreamed that Highland would become a center for both education and religion in Kansas and the surrounding areas. In November 1857, the Highland Presbytery was organized. It eventually included 21 Presbyterian churches in the Kansas and Nebraska territories.
Highland University is Born
At their first meeting, the presbytery members decided to create a Presbyterian academy in Highland. On December 26, 1857, they changed their minds. They felt an academy, which was like a private high school, wasn't enough. Instead, they voted to establish Highland University. James Cambell became its president, and Samuel Irvin was the secretary.
The university's board of trustees wrote a special document called a charter. This charter was taken to Lecompton, which was the Territorial capital of Kansas at the time. Governor Denver signed it on February 9, 1858, making the university official. The Highland Town Company then set aside four blocks on the west side of town just for the university. For many years, elementary classes were even held at the college until a separate grade school opened in the mid-1870s.
Geography
Highland is a small city. The United States Census Bureau says it covers about 0.53 square miles (1.36 square kilometers). All of this area is land, with no water.
Population and People
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1860 | 120 | — | |
| 1870 | 282 | 135.0% | |
| 1880 | 441 | 56.4% | |
| 1890 | 493 | 11.8% | |
| 1900 | 780 | 58.2% | |
| 1910 | 763 | −2.2% | |
| 1920 | 809 | 6.0% | |
| 1930 | 788 | −2.6% | |
| 1940 | 764 | −3.0% | |
| 1950 | 717 | −6.2% | |
| 1960 | 755 | 5.3% | |
| 1970 | 899 | 19.1% | |
| 1980 | 954 | 6.1% | |
| 1990 | 942 | −1.3% | |
| 2000 | 976 | 3.6% | |
| 2010 | 1,012 | 3.7% | |
| 2020 | 903 | −10.8% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
Highland is part of the larger St. Joseph, Missouri–Kansas Metropolitan Statistical Area. This means it's connected to the economy and community of the St. Joseph area.
Highland's Population in 2020
The 2020 United States census found that 903 people lived in Highland. There were 251 households and 160 families. The city had about 1,720 people per square mile.
Most people in Highland (about 75.6%) were white. About 15.6% were Black or African-American. Other groups included Native American, Asian, and people of two or more races. About 4.6% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.
In terms of age, about 14% of the people were under 18. A large group, 36.3%, were between 18 and 24 years old. About 17.5% were 65 or older. The average age in Highland was 24.9 years.
Education
Schools in Highland
The public schools in Highland are part of the Doniphan West USD 111 school district. Highland is home to Doniphan West Jr/Sr High School, which opened in 2009. The school's mascot is the Doniphan West Mustangs.
Highland High School used to exist but closed when school districts combined. Its sports teams, the Highland Blue Streaks, won the Kansas State High School boys class 1A Track & Field championship in 1969 and 1990.
Colleges and Universities
Highland Community College is a big part of the community. It's a member of the Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference (KJCCC).
Notable people
- John Misse, a baseball player
See also
In Spanish: Highland (Kansas) para niños
