Fort Scott, Kansas

Fort Scott is a city in and the county seat of Bourbon County, Kansas, United States. It is named for Gen. Winfield Scott. The city is located south of Kansas City on the Marmaton River. It is the home of the Fort Scott National Historic Site and the Fort Scott National Cemetery.

History

Established and garrisoned by the U.S. Army from 1842 to 1853, soldiers at military Fort Scott assisted with the protection of the Permanent Indian Frontier. After the army abandoned the fort in 1853, the buildings were purchased by local settlers at a government auction in 1855. The community of Fort Scott was laid out in 1857, and was chartered as a city in 1860.

Between 1855 and 1861, the citizens of Fort Scott experienced the violent unrest that preceded the American Civil War on the Kansas and Missouri border. Eastern newspapers described this violence as "Bleeding Kansas", a result of the national controversy concerning the extension of slavery into the new territories. On January 29, 1861, Kansas entered the union as a free state, but the turmoil of "Bleeding Kansas" continued throughout the Civil War.

During the Civil War, Fort Scott was a U.S. Army district Headquarters, quartermaster supply depot, training center, and recruitment station. It was strategically vital to the defense of Kansas and the Midwest. A battle over the fort occurred in August 1861 just across the Missouri line in the Battle of Dry Wood Creek. The battle was a pro-South victory for Sterling Price and his Missouri State Guard.

Price did not hold the fort and instead continued a northern push into Missouri in an attempt to recapture the state. Senator James H. Lane was to launch a Jayhawker offensive behind Price from Fort Scott that led to the Sacking of Osceola. The ill will of these actions was to be the basis for the 1976 Clint Eastwood film The Outlaw Josey Wales.

After the Civil War, Fort Scott was a premier city of the frontier, one of the largest cities in eastern Kansas. On three occasions, between 1870 and 1900, Fort Scott was in competition with Kansas City to become the largest railroad center west of the Mississippi.

During the first half of the 20th century, Fort Scott became an agricultural and small industrial center which it continues to be today.

Downtown fire

On March 11, 2005, a fire destroyed several historic buildings in Fort Scott's downtown. The Victorian-era buildings were among many that are a symbol of the town.

Geography

Fort Scott lies on the Osage Plains on the south side of the Marmaton River. Located at the intersection of U.S. Routes 54 and 69 in southeastern Kansas, Fort Scott is approximately north of Joplin, Missouri, south of Kansas City and east of Wichita.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which is land and is water.

Climate

Fort Scott has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa) with hot, humid summers and cool winters. The average temperature in Fort Scott is with temperatures exceeding on an average of 52.6 afternoons a year and dropping below during an average of 100.6 mornings per year.

Demographics

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, Fort Scott had a population of 7,552, including 3,080 households and 1,811 families. The median age was 37.0 years. 24.2% of residents were under the age of 18, 11.7% were from 18 to 24, 22.5% were from 25 to 44, 21.9% were from 45 to 64, and 19.7% were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females, there were 95.2 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.7 males age 18 and over.

There were 3,080 households, of which 29.8% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 38.7% were married-couple households, 19.4% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 33.5% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 35.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.2 and the average family size was 2.8.

{| class="wikitable"

|+ Racial composition as of the 2020 census

Demographic estimates

The 2016-2020 5-year American Community Survey estimates show that 13.9% of the population age 25 and older held a bachelor's degree or higher.

Income and poverty

The 2016-2020 5-year American Community Survey estimates show that the median household income was $37,279 (with a margin of error of +/- $6,086) and the median family income was $53,245 (+/- $5,079). Males had a median income of $27,788 (+/- $4,795) versus $20,145 (+/- $4,501) for females. The median income for those above 16 years old was $23,424 (+/- $3,628). Approximately, 12.1% of families and 18.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.1% of those under the age of 18 and 16.7% of those ages 65 or over.

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 8,087 people, 3,285 households, and 1,941 families living in the city. The population density was . There were 3,819 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 90.3% White, 4.7% African American, 0.8% Native American, 0.6% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 0.7% from other races, and 2.9% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.5% of the population.

There were 3,285 households, of which 31.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.8% were married couples living together, 13.6% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.7% had a male householder with no wife present, and 40.9% were non-families. 34.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.34 and the average family size was 3.02.

The median age in the city was 35.2 years. 25.5% of residents were under the age of 18; 12.3% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 21.6% were from 25 to 44; 22.5% were from 45 to 64; and 18.1% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 47.7% male and 52.3% female.

Education

thumb|right|Fort Scott Carnegie Library (2013)

Colleges

Fort Scott Community College, founded in 1919, is the oldest community college in the state of Kansas.

Primary and secondary

The community is served by Fort Scott USD 234 public school district, which includes two public elementary schools (Eugene Ware Elementary and Winfield Scott Elementary), one public middle school (Fort Scott Middle School) and one high school (Fort Scott High School).

There is a Catholic school for grades K–5, Fort Scott Christian Heights for K–12 and a few other small private schools for students from grades K–12. There is also a public preschool in the old middle school building.

Points of interest

Gunn Park

thumb|220x124px|right|Shelter house 1 was one of the first structures built in the park.

Gunn Park is a 155-acre city-owned park that features seven shelter houses (four enclosed and three open), two lakes for fishing, several playground areas, and 14 camping sites with electricity and water.

A nine-hole Frisbee golf course was added in 1999 through a partnership with the City and the Kiwanis Club of Fort Scott. It has since been expanded to 18 holes.

There are two fishing lakes in the park. From October 15 to April 15, Fern Lake is stocked with trout.

About 6.5 miles of single-track mountain biking and hiking trails run through the park’s wooded areas and along the Marmaton River.

The first stone shelter house was built in 1910 on the edge of Fern Lake. A large wooden theater once stood across the lake, seating up to 800 people. During special events such as the Fourth of July, streetcars reportedly carried as many as 10,000 visitors to the park in a single day.

Media

Fort Scott Tribune, twice-weekly newspaper, founded in 1884.
KOMB 103.9 FM – Fort Scott Broadcasting. Classic and contemporary hits station, with talk shows throughout the week. Airs Kansas Jayhawks, Kansas City Chiefs, Kansas City Royals, Fort Scott Greyhounds and Fort Scott High School sports.
KMDO 1600 AM, rebroadcast on an FM translator on 98.3. Plays a "Red dirt country" format.
KVCY, 104.7 FM, a rebroadcaster for VCY America.

Notable people

Richard Christy – drummer, personality on The Howard Stern Show
Clark Clifford – former United States Secretary of Defense
Jerry Elliott – jurist
Charles Hatfield – "rain maker"
Mark Hart – musician, songwriter, producer
William Hawkins – U.S. Marine awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously during World War II
Stephen Johnson – music video director
Adam LaRoche – retired Major League Baseball first baseman
Andy LaRoche – former major league third baseman for the Pittsburgh Pirates.
David Lowe – Kansas judge
Bob Marshall — Kansas state senator
Elmer McCollum – biochemist, discoverer of vitamin A
William McDonald – first governor of the State of New Mexico; resident of Fort Scott.
Gordon Parks – photographer, author, filmmaker, and composer
Lon Ury – baseball player

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References

External links

Fort Scott - Directory of Public Officials
Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce
Fort Scott National Cemetery photo tour
Fort Scott city map, KDOT