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Wathena, Kansas
Location within Doniphan County and Kansas
Location within Doniphan County and Kansas
KDOT map of Doniphan County (legend)
Country United States
State Kansas
County Doniphan
Founded 1861
Incorporated 1873
Named for Chief Wathena
Area
 • Total 2.38 sq mi (6.17 km2)
 • Land 2.34 sq mi (6.07 km2)
 • Water 0.04 sq mi (0.11 km2)
Elevation
827 ft (252 m)
Population
 (2010)
 • Total 1,364
 • Estimate 
(2019)
1,294
 • Density 552.52/sq mi (213.31/km2)
Time zone UTC-6 (CST)
 • Summer (DST) UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code
66090
Area code 785
FIPS code 20-76000
GNIS ID 473057

Wathena is a city in Doniphan County, Kansas, United States, located about 5 miles (8.0 km) west of Saint Joseph, Missouri. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 1,364.

History

Wathena was founded in 1856. The city is named in honor of Chief Wathena, a Native American chief of the Kickapoo tribe who previously lived in the area.

The first post office in Wathena was established in 1855, but before August, 1859, the post office was called Bryan.

The St. Joseph & Denver Railroad was extended to Wathena in 1860.

Wathena was incorporated as a city in 1873.

Geography

Wathena is located at 39°45′44″N 94°56′53″W / 39.76222°N 94.94806°W / 39.76222; -94.94806 (39.762161, -94.948117). According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 2.31 square miles (5.98 km2), of which 2.28 square miles (5.91 km2) is land and 0.03 square miles (0.08 km2) is water.

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop.
1880 710
1890 694 −2.3%
1900 798 15.0%
1910 777 −2.6%
1920 645 −17.0%
1930 854 32.4%
1940 860 0.7%
1950 797 −7.3%
1960 837 5.0%
1970 1,150 37.4%
1980 1,418 23.3%
1990 1,160 −18.2%
2000 1,348 16.2%
2010 1,364 1.2%
2019 (est.) 1,294 −5.1%
U.S. Decennial Census

Wathena is part of the St. Joseph, MO–KS Metropolitan Statistical Area.

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 1,364 people, 550 households, and 365 families living in the city. The population density was 598.2 inhabitants per square mile (231.0/km2). There were 587 housing units at an average density of 257.5 per square mile (99.4/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 96.6% White, 1.3% African American, 0.3% Native American, 0.3% Asian, and 1.5% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.1% of the population.

There were 550 households, of which 32.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.0% were married couples living together, 12.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.6% had a male householder with no wife present, and 33.6% were non-families. 29.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 2.92.

The median age in the city was 40.9 years. 24.7% of residents were under the age of 18; 6.5% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 24.9% were from 25 to 44; 25.9% were from 45 to 64; and 17.8% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 47.2% male and 52.8% female.

Education

The community is served by Riverside USD 114 public school district. School unification in 2010 consolidated Elwood schools and Wathena schools forming USD 114. The Riverside High School mascot is Cyclones.

Wathena High School closed through school unification. The Wathena High School mascot was Wathena Wildcats.

Notable people

  • Louis W. Staudenmaier, Wisconsin state legislator and lawyer, was born in Wathena.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Wathena (Kansas) para niños

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