Valley Falls, Kansas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Valley Falls, Kansas
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Downtown Valley Falls (2014)
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Location within Jefferson County and Kansas
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| Country | United States |
| State | Kansas |
| County | Jefferson |
| Founded | 1854 |
| Platted | 1855 |
| Incorporated | 1869 |
| Area | |
| • Total | 0.71 sq mi (1.84 km2) |
| • Land | 0.70 sq mi (1.82 km2) |
| • Water | 0.01 sq mi (0.01 km2) |
| Elevation | 942 ft (287 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 1,092 |
| • Density | 1,538/sq mi (593.5/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (CST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP code |
66088
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| Area code | 785 |
| FIPS code | 20-73300 |
| GNIS ID | 478332 |
Valley Falls is a small city in Jefferson County, Kansas, United States. It is a part of the Topeka area. In 2020, about 1,092 people lived there.
Contents
History of Valley Falls
Valley Falls was first called Grasshopper Falls. This name came from the waterfalls in the Grasshopper River. Today, this river is known as the Delaware River.
The first people settled here in 1854. The town was officially planned out in 1855. Many of the streets in Valley Falls are named after the brave women who were early settlers. In 1869, Valley Falls became an official city.
Geography and Climate
Valley Falls is located in eastern Kansas. It sits at coordinates 39°20′35″N 95°27′38″W.
Land and Water
The city covers a total area of about 0.78 square miles (2.02 square kilometers). Most of this area, about 0.77 square miles (1.99 square kilometers), is land. A very small part, about 0.01 square miles (0.03 square kilometers), is water.
Weather Patterns
Valley Falls has a climate with hot and humid summers. The winters are usually mild to cool. This type of weather is called a humid subtropical climate. On climate maps, you might see it marked as "Cfa."
Population and People
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1860 | 202 | — | |
| 1870 | 603 | 198.5% | |
| 1880 | 1,016 | 68.5% | |
| 1890 | 1,180 | 16.1% | |
| 1900 | 1,078 | −8.6% | |
| 1910 | 1,129 | 4.7% | |
| 1920 | 1,218 | 7.9% | |
| 1930 | 1,238 | 1.6% | |
| 1940 | 1,241 | 0.2% | |
| 1950 | 1,139 | −8.2% | |
| 1960 | 1,193 | 4.7% | |
| 1970 | 1,169 | −2.0% | |
| 1980 | 1,189 | 1.7% | |
| 1990 | 1,253 | 5.4% | |
| 2000 | 1,254 | 0.1% | |
| 2010 | 1,192 | −4.9% | |
| 2020 | 1,092 | −8.4% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
Valley Falls is part of the larger Topeka Metropolitan Statistical Area. This means it's connected to the economy and community of Topeka.
Population in 2010
In 2010, there were 1,192 people living in Valley Falls. These people lived in 444 households. About 290 of these were families.
Most residents, 96.2%, were White. A small number were African American (2.1%) or Native American (1.0%). About 1.8% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.
The average age in the city was 40.8 years old. About 26.1% of the people were under 18 years old. About 18.5% were 65 years or older.
Education in Valley Falls
Students in Valley Falls attend schools in the Valley Falls USD 338 public school district. The district has one school for younger students, from Pre-Kindergarten to 8th grade. There is also a high school for grades 9-12.
The school sports teams are called the Dragons. Their school colors are black and gold.
Famous People from Valley Falls
Several interesting people have connections to Valley Falls:
- Puella Dornblaser was an activist who worked to stop alcohol use. She lived in Valley Falls and edited a newspaper.
- Moses Harman was a schoolteacher and publisher. He published a newspaper called The Kansas Liberal in Valley Falls.
- Fred Marsh was a professional baseball player. He was born in Valley Falls in 1924.
- King O'Malley was a member of the Australian Parliament in the early 1900s. He claimed he was born in Valley Falls, though he also said he was born in Canada.
- George Stafford was born and went to school in Valley Falls. He later became the chairman of the Interstate Commerce Commission.
See also
- In Spanish: Valley Falls (Kansas) para niños
