Lucas, Kansas facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Lucas, Kansas
City
Location within Russell County and Kansas
KDOT map of Russell County (legend)
Country	United States
State	Kansas
County	Russell
Founded	1877
Incorporated	1899
Named for	Lucas Place
Government
• Type	Mayor-Council
Area
• Total	0.61 sq mi (1.58 km2)
• Land	0.61 sq mi (1.58 km2)
• Water	0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation	1,493 ft (455 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	332
• Density	544/sq mi (210.1/km2)
Time zone	UTC-6 (CST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code	67648
Area code	785
FIPS code	20-43150
GNIS ID	472535

Lucas is a small city in Russell County, Kansas, in the United States. In 2020, about 332 people lived there. It is known for its unique folk art and friendly community.

A Look Back in Time

Lucas started as a community called Blue Stem in 1877. In 1887, its name was changed to Lucas. The city was named after Lucas Place in St. Louis, Missouri. Lucas officially became an incorporated city in 1899.

Where Lucas Is Located

Lucas is in the middle of northern Kansas. It sits where two highways meet: Kansas Highway 18 (K-18) and Kansas Highway 232 (K-232).

Nearby Cities and Natural Features

Lucas is about 115 miles (185 km) northwest of Wichita. It is 212 miles (341 km) west of Kansas City. The city of Russell, which is the county seat, is 21 miles (34 km) northeast.

Lucas is in the Smoky Hills area of the Great Plains. It is about 8 miles (13 km) north of Wilson Lake. A stream called Wolf Creek flows along the southern edge of the city.

Understanding the Climate

The weather in Lucas has hot and humid summers. Winters are usually mild to cool. This type of weather is called a humid subtropical climate.

Who Lives in Lucas

Population in 2020

The 2020 United States census counted 332 people living in Lucas. There were 171 households and 95 families. Most residents, about 90%, were white. About 4.5% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.

About 22.6% of the people were under 18 years old. About 28.3% were 65 years or older. The average age in Lucas was 49.4 years.

Population in 2010

In 2010, there were 393 people living in Lucas. There were 192 households. Most people, about 97.7%, were White. About 1.5% were Hispanic or Latino.

About 21.1% of the population was under 18 years old. About 26.2% were 65 years or older. The average age was 49.5 years.

Working and Earning in Lucas

In 2012, more than half of the people over 16 years old had jobs. Many worked in sales, office jobs, or management. Other common jobs were in manufacturing and retail.

The cost of living in Lucas is lower than the average for the United States. For example, in 2012, the average home value was $56,000.

Learning in Lucas

The public schools in Lucas are part of the Sylvan–Lucas USD 299 school district. Before 2010, students went to schools in the Russell County USD 407 district.

Lucas High School closed in 1977. Then, Lucas and Luray schools joined together. In 2010, Lucas-Luray schools combined with Sylvan Unified schools. This formed the Sylvan-Lucas Unified district.

Today, students in kindergarten through 6th grade attend Lucas-Sylvan Unified Elementary School. Older students (grades 7-12) go to school in Sylvan Grove.

School Mascots

• Lucas High School: Lucas Demons
• Lucas-Luray High School: Lucas-Luray Cougars
• Sylvan-Lucas Unified: Mustangs

Getting Around and Services

Roads and Airport

K-18 is a highway that runs east-west near Lucas. K-232, also known as the Post Rock Scenic Byway, ends where it meets K-18 southeast of the city.

Lucas Airport is just east of the city. It has one runway and is used for small planes.

City Services

The City of Lucas provides electricity to its residents. Wilson Telephone offers phone service, cable TV, and internet. Most homes use natural gas for heating, provided by Kansas Gas Service.

Media and News

Lucas is part of the Wichita-Hutchinson, Kansas television market. This means residents receive TV channels from that area.

Fun Things to Do and See

Annual Events

Lucas has several fun events each year:

• Adams Apple Festival: This festival happens on the Saturday before Labor Day. It includes an art show, a fun run, and games.
• Spook Parade: A children's costume contest held the Saturday before Halloween.
• Santa Claus Day: Held on the Saturday before Christmas.

Since 1949, Lucas has hosted the K-18 Baseball state tournament. This league is for players aged 13–16 from towns in western and central Kansas. A K-18 softball tournament also started in 2020.

Interesting Places to Visit

In 1996, Lucas was named the "Grassroots Art Capital of Kansas." This is because of the many places in town that show local folk art. Folk art is art made by ordinary people, often using everyday materials.

• The Garden of Eden: This is an outdoor sculpture exhibit created by Samuel P. Dinsmoor between 1905 and 1927. It includes his unique "log cabin" home made of carved limestone. There are over 150 sculptures that tell stories from the Bible and world history.
• Florence Deeble's Rock Garden: Inspired by Dinsmoor, local resident Florence Deeble built a rock garden around her home. She used rocks from her travels to create art that showed places she had visited.
• Garden of Isis: Since 2002, Florence Deeble's house has been a gallery called the Garden of Isis. It shows art made from recycled materials by artist Mri-Pilar.
• Grassroots Arts Center: This gallery in downtown Lucas shows and supports the work of Kansas folk artists.
• Other Art Sites: You can also find Eric Abraham's Flying Pig Studio & Gallery, The World's Largest Collection of the World's Smallest Version of the World's Largest Things traveling museum, Bowl Plaza, Miller's park, Fork Art Park, a historical mural, and the World's Largest Travel Plate.

Famous People From Lucas

Some notable people who were born or lived in Lucas include:

• Samuel P. Dinsmoor (1843-1932), a sculptor who created the Garden of Eden.
• Bill Volok (1910-1991), a football player.

See also

In Spanish: Lucas (Kansas) para niños