Hugoton, Kansas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Hugoton, Kansas
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City and County seat
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Stevens County Courthouse (2009)
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| Nickname(s):
Natural Gas Capital
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Location within Stevens County and Kansas
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| Country | United States |
| State | Kansas |
| County | Stevens |
| Founded | 1885 |
| Incorporated | 1910 |
| Named for | Victor Hugo |
| Government | |
| • Type | Mayor–Council |
| Area | |
| • Total | 2.08 sq mi (5.39 km2) |
| • Land | 2.08 sq mi (5.39 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2) |
| Elevation | 3,107 ft (947 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 3,747 |
| • Density | 1,801/sq mi (695.2/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (CST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP code |
67951
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| Area code | 620 |
| FIPS code | 20-33425 |
| GNIS ID | 2394441 |
Hugoton /hjuːɡətən/ is a city in Stevens County, Kansas, United States. It is also the county seat, which means it is the main town for the county's government. In 2020, about 3,747 people lived in Hugoton.
Contents
History of Hugoton
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Hugoton was started in 1885 by settlers from McPherson, Kansas. They first called the settlement "Hugo." This name honored the famous French writer Victor Hugo. Later, they changed the name to Hugoton. This was to make sure people didn't confuse it with Hugo, Colorado.
The first church in Hugoton was Hugoton United Methodist. It was also the first church in all of Stevens County. It started in 1886 and is still active today. Hugoton got its first post office in April 1886.
County Seat Conflict
In 1886, the Kansas Legislature created Stevens County. The governor, John Martin, chose Hugoton to be the temporary county seat. A county seat is the main town where the county government is located. This decision led to a "county seat war" with a nearby town called Woodsdale. Both towns wanted to be the permanent county seat.
Hugoton became the permanent county seat in 1887. But the conflict didn't stop. It led to a violent event called the Hay Meadow Massacre in 1888. The founder of Woodsdale, Samuel Newitt Wood, was very involved in this fight. He was killed outside the Hugoton courthouse in 1891.
Growth and Challenges
During the 1890s, many people left Hugoton. The economy was not doing well, and new lands were opening up in the American Southwest. This caused the city's population to shrink a lot.
Things changed when the Santa Fe Railway arrived in Hugoton in 1913. This helped the city grow again. Even bigger growth came in 1927. That's when Natural gas was found southwest of the city. This discovery led to the creation of the Hugoton Natural Gas Area. Hugoton then became a very important center for getting natural gas out of the ground.
Dust Bowl Era
In the mid-1930s, Hugoton faced a big challenge. It was hit by the Dust Bowl. This was a time when severe dust storms happened across the Great Plains. Southwest Kansas, including Hugoton, was especially affected between 1932 and 1936. A famous dust storm known as "Black Sunday" hit Hugoton on April 14, 1935. This storm was so big it affected many counties and even parts of Oklahoma.
Bonnie and Clyde Story
Some local stories say that the famous duo, Bonnie and Clyde, stayed in the areas near Hugoton for a while. People believed they used the names Jewell and Blackie Underwood. Locals said Jewell ran a cafe, and Blackie worked on farms. They even thought the cafe might have been used for illegal activities. While official records show Clyde was in prison during this time, some locals still believe the story. After Bonnie and Clyde died in 1934, receipts from Jewell's Cafe were found in their car.
Geography and Climate
Hugoton is in southwestern Kansas. It is located where U.S. Route 56, K-25, and K-51 meet. It is about 136 miles (219 km) north of Amarillo. It is also about 222 miles (357 km) west-southwest of Wichita.
The city is in the High Plains part of the Great Plains. It is about 11 miles (18 km) southeast of the Cimarron River. Hugoton is also part of the Hugoton Natural Gas Area. This area is home to the largest natural gas field in North America. It is the second largest in the world.
The United States Census Bureau says Hugoton covers about 1.75 square miles (4.53 km2). All of this area is land.
Hugoton's Weather
Hugoton has a semi-arid steppe climate. This means it has hot, dry summers and cold, dry winters. The hottest temperature ever recorded in Hugoton was 116°F (47°C) on June 25, 1911. This is one of the highest temperatures ever recorded in Kansas for June. Hugoton also holds the state record for the highest temperature in March. The coldest temperature recorded was -22°F (-30°C) on January 7, 1912.
| Climate data for Hugoton, Kansas, 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1904–present | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 82 (28) |
88 (31) |
100 (38) |
100 (38) |
104 (40) |
116 (47) |
110 (43) |
114 (46) |
107 (42) |
97 (36) |
90 (32) |
84 (29) |
116 (47) |
| Mean maximum °F (°C) | 70.1 (21.2) |
76.4 (24.7) |
83.8 (28.8) |
89.9 (32.2) |
95.3 (35.2) |
101.4 (38.6) |
102.9 (39.4) |
100.4 (38.0) |
97.1 (36.2) |
91.5 (33.1) |
79.6 (26.4) |
69.5 (20.8) |
104.1 (40.1) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 47.4 (8.6) |
51.5 (10.8) |
60.6 (15.9) |
69.0 (20.6) |
78.6 (25.9) |
88.3 (31.3) |
92.3 (33.5) |
89.7 (32.1) |
82.9 (28.3) |
70.5 (21.4) |
57.7 (14.3) |
47.1 (8.4) |
69.6 (20.9) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 33.7 (0.9) |
37.1 (2.8) |
45.6 (7.6) |
54.2 (12.3) |
64.4 (18.0) |
74.1 (23.4) |
78.4 (25.8) |
76.3 (24.6) |
68.8 (20.4) |
56.0 (13.3) |
43.5 (6.4) |
34.0 (1.1) |
55.5 (13.1) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 20.1 (−6.6) |
22.6 (−5.2) |
30.7 (−0.7) |
39.4 (4.1) |
50.2 (10.1) |
59.9 (15.5) |
64.6 (18.1) |
62.9 (17.2) |
54.8 (12.7) |
41.6 (5.3) |
29.3 (−1.5) |
21.0 (−6.1) |
41.4 (5.2) |
| Mean minimum °F (°C) | 3.2 (−16.0) |
6.9 (−13.9) |
13.3 (−10.4) |
24.7 (−4.1) |
36.4 (2.4) |
49.2 (9.6) |
56.8 (13.8) |
54.8 (12.7) |
40.8 (4.9) |
25.9 (−3.4) |
12.4 (−10.9) |
3.5 (−15.8) |
−2.3 (−19.1) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −22 (−30) |
−21 (−29) |
−5 (−21) |
14 (−10) |
19 (−7) |
38 (3) |
42 (6) |
38 (3) |
24 (−4) |
12 (−11) |
−8 (−22) |
−16 (−27) |
−22 (−30) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 0.46 (12) |
0.31 (7.9) |
1.14 (29) |
1.58 (40) |
2.18 (55) |
3.40 (86) |
2.67 (68) |
3.17 (81) |
1.77 (45) |
1.61 (41) |
0.51 (13) |
0.93 (24) |
19.73 (501.9) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 2.9 (7.4) |
1.5 (3.8) |
2.8 (7.1) |
0.5 (1.3) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.1 (0.25) |
1.1 (2.8) |
4.0 (10) |
12.9 (32.65) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) | 2.0 | 2.2 | 3.4 | 5.1 | 6.2 | 6.7 | 6.4 | 6.7 | 4.1 | 4.1 | 2.6 | 2.8 | 52.3 |
| Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) | 1.1 | 1.2 | 1.0 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.6 | 1.2 | 5.5 |
| Source 1: NOAA | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: National Weather Service | |||||||||||||
People of Hugoton
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1890 | 136 | — | |
| 1900 | 54 | −60.3% | |
| 1910 | 105 | 94.4% | |
| 1920 | 644 | 513.3% | |
| 1930 | 1,368 | 112.4% | |
| 1940 | 1,349 | −1.4% | |
| 1950 | 2,781 | 106.2% | |
| 1960 | 2,912 | 4.7% | |
| 1970 | 2,739 | −5.9% | |
| 1980 | 3,165 | 15.6% | |
| 1990 | 3,179 | 0.4% | |
| 2000 | 3,708 | 16.6% | |
| 2010 | 3,904 | 5.3% | |
| 2020 | 3,747 | −4.0% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
2020 Census Information
The 2020 United States census counted 3,747 people living in Hugoton. There were 1,355 households and 976 families. The population density was about 1,800 people per square mile (695 per km2).
Most people in Hugoton, about 61.84%, were white. About 44.62% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.
In the households, 38.1% had children under 18 years old. About 56.1% were married couples living together. The average household had 3.1 people. The average family had 3.6 people.
About 28.6% of the people were under 18 years old. About 15.5% were 65 years or older. The average age in Hugoton was 35.1 years.
The average income for a household was about $56,786. For families, it was about $61,318. About 19.1% of all people lived below the poverty line. This included 25.0% of those under 18.
Economy
In 2011, about 67.5% of people over 16 years old had jobs. Most people worked in these areas:
- Management, business, science, and arts (27.2%)
- Natural resources, construction, and maintenance (25.2%)
- Sales and office jobs (25.0%)
The main industries that employed people were:
- Farming, fishing, and mining (23.0%)
- Education, health care, and social help (20.7%)
- Construction (8.3%)
The cost of living in Hugoton is lower than the U.S. average. For example, if the U.S. average is 100, Hugoton's cost of living is 80.5. In 2011, the average home value was $79,300.
Education
Hugoton has its own public school district, Hugoton USD 210. This district runs five schools in the city:
- Hugoton Primary School (for Pre-K to 2nd grade)
- Hugoton Intermediate School (for 3rd to 6th grade)
- Hugoton Middle School (for 7th to 8th grade)
- Hugoton High School (for 9th to 12th grade)
- Hugoton Learning Academy (a charter school for 7th to 12th grade)
There is also a private school called Heritage Christian Academy. It offers preschool and classes for students from kindergarten to 8th grade.
Transportation
Several important roads meet in Hugoton. U.S. Route 56 and K-25 come into the city from the north. They meet K-51 in the southern part of Hugoton. K-51 runs east-west. Both U.S. 56 and K-25 then continue west with K-51.
The Hugoton Municipal Airport is just west of the city, south of U.S. 56. It is a public airport with two paved runways. It is used for general aviation, which means private and business flights.
A train line belonging to the Cimarron Valley Railroad also passes through the northwest part of Hugoton.
Media
Hugoton has one local newspaper called The Hugoton Hermes. It is published every week.
There are two radio stations that are licensed to Hugoton:
- K222AK: This station broadcasts on 92.3 FM. It is a translator station for NPR programs from High Plains Public Radio in Garden City, Kansas.
- KFXX-FM: This station broadcasts on 106.7 FM from Garden City. It plays Classic Hits music.
Hugoton is part of the Wichita-Hutchinson, Kansas television market. This means it receives TV channels from that area.
Notable people
- Billy Drago (1945–2019), an actor.
- Steve Morris (1946- ), who was the Kansas Senate president for eight years (2005-2013).
See also
In Spanish: Hugoton (Kansas) para niños
