Pierceville, Kansas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Pierceville, Kansas
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 Pierceville, Kansas
Location in Kansas
Pierceville, Kansas
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Kansas |
| County | Finney |
| Named for | Chas. & Carlos Pierce |
| Elevation | 2,749 ft (838 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 98 |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (CST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP code |
67868
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| Area code | 620 |
| FIPS code | 20-55775 |
| GNIS ID | 471624 |
Pierceville is a small community in Finney County, Kansas, United States. It is called a census-designated place (CDP). This means it's a special area the government uses for counting people.
In 2020, about 98 people lived in Pierceville. You can find it along U.S. Routes 50 and 400. It is about 12 miles (19 km) southeast of Garden City.
Contents
History of Pierceville
Pierceville has an interesting history connected to the old Western Trail. This trail was used to move cattle across the country. In 1872, the Barton Brothers brought 3,000 cattle to western Kansas. They started a ranch near the Arkansas River.
The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway was building train tracks nearby. They chose the Barton Ranch area for a new town. The town was named Pierceville to honor Chas. W. and Carlos Pierce. They were important people in the original railroad company.
Early Days and Challenges
A post office opened in Pierceville on June 10, 1873. The town started to grow with a store and some homes. But in July 1874, the town faced a big challenge. A group of Native Americans attacked settlements along the Santa Fe Railroad.
They set fire to the store in Pierceville. They also chased a train, shooting arrows at it. Later, it was learned that this group had also taken four girls from another family. Luckily, these girls were rescued later on.
Rebuilding and Growth
It took a few years for Pierceville to recover. In 1878, new buildings were put up. The post office reopened on July 24. The town was officially mapped out in 1886. At that time, about 400 people lived there.
Pierceville had a newspaper, a hotel, and a hardware store. By 1930, the population had changed to 166 people. The post office in Pierceville closed on April 11, 1992. Today, Pierceville is a quiet place. You can still see a few houses, a community building, an old elementary school, a grain elevator, and a church.
Geography and Climate
Pierceville is located in a part of Kansas that has a special climate.
What is a Semi-Arid Climate?
According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Pierceville has a semi-arid climate. This means it's a dry place, but not as dry as a desert. It gets some rain, but not a lot. The weather can be hot in summer and cold in winter.
People of Pierceville
In 2020, there were 98 people living in Pierceville. These people lived in 31 different homes. About 26 of these homes were families.
Age Groups
The people in Pierceville are of different ages. About 33.7% of the people were under 18 years old. This means about one-third of the population were kids or teenagers. About 20.4% of the people were 65 years or older. The average age in Pierceville was about 41.5 years.
Education
Students in Pierceville attend schools in the Garden City USD 457 public school district.
