Eudora, Kansas
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Eudora is a city located in Douglas County, Kansas. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 4,307.
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Geography
KSMap-doton-Eudora.png
Location of Eudora, Kansas
Eudora is located at 38°56'18" North, 95°5'51" West (38.938213, -95.097417)Template:GR.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 5.2 km² (2.0 mi²). 5.1 km² (2.0 mi²) of it is land and 0.1 km² (0.04 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 1.49% water.
History
In 1856, three members of a German Immigrant Settlement Company (called Deutsche-Neusiedlungsverein) from Chicago, sent out a location committee to choose a town site in the new Indian Territory, which had been opened up to settlement by the Kansas-Nebraska Bill, passed in May 1854. Both pro-slavery and anti-slavery groups flocked to this territory.
The three Germans sent to the present site were H. Heimann, F. Barteldes and C. Scheifer. Favoring the Eudora area, they drew up contracts with Chief Paschal Fish for 774 1/2 acres, from the Kansas River to the south for about a mile (over 200 blocks total), with two public squares and a park.
In February 1857, Chief Fish entered into contracts with the Trustees of the Chicago Verein, Louis Pfeif and Charles Durr, for purchase of the land "to secure a more perfect title" at a price of $10,000. Fish bought back on the same day the odd numbered lots of at least three blocks between the Kaw and Wakarusa rivers.
A map of Douglas County drawn up in early 1857, before Eudora was a town, shows only four townships in the county with Eudora included in the Wakarusa township.
The formal title, signed by an Indian Agent named Newsom, was drawn up on February 4, 1860. A group of 16 men, 4 women, and some children came in the spring of 1857 to begin settling at the site. Peter Hartig, age 34, was the leader of this Chicago group, and he was accompanied by his wife. Other settlers included J. Fischer, J. Schirmer, A. Veroh, Mr. and Mrs. C. Epple, Mr. and Mrs. Henry Basemann (they had a son), M. Marthey, Fred Deichmann, Mr. and Mrs. J. Herz, C. Marfelius and Anton Gufler.
The Society paid expenses for these people; eight more men, who paid their own way, came later. They were Anton Gufler, Charles Lothholz, Fred Pilla, F. Barteldes, August Ziesenis, Dr. C. Neuman, Dan Kraus and M. Summerfield.
"Eudora"
The town's name was derived from the name of Chief Paschal Fish's 13-year old daughter; it is a name of Greek derivation meaning "giving" or "generous." The German immigrants must have thought highly of Chief Fish to name the town after his daughter.
Development of the Settlement
A circular saw and a corn cracker worth $2,200 were soon purchased for the new town. The first house built by the settlers was a one-story log cabin, 18' x 20', which was shared by all of the inhabitants during the first summer (1857). The first sawmill was set up in the same year, and by fall, the first post office was operating and converted into a money order office the next year. The first hotel was probably The America House on Main Street, or near the 5th and 6th Street area.
The first baby born in the new town was a daughter to Mr. and Mrs. Chris Epple soon after their arrival; she was named Eudora. The first marriage occurred between Mrs. George Harboldt and Fred Deichmann in the spring of 1858. The first death was in the fall of 1857 when J. Loederlie passed away. The captain of the original Townsiters, Hartig, lived until 1902 when he was killed by a Santa Fe train; his wife had died the previous year.
The first public building was a frame town hall and school house built in 1860 and used as a polling place, dance hall and community room. It was situated at Fifth and Main and later moved to Sixth and Main Street. There was a jail under it in the mid-1860's.
Sources
Eudora Community Heritage of Our USA Bicentennial, 1776-1976
History Committee, Eudora Becentennial Committee, 1977 - Pages 19-28
Demographics
As of the censusTemplate:GR of 2000, there are 4,307 people, 1,607 households, and 1,136 families residing in the city. The population density is 839.9/km² (2,173.9/mi²). There are 1,664 housing units at an average density of 324.5/km² (839.9/mi²). The racial makeup of the city is 94.87% White, 0.70% African American, 1.46% Native American, 0.49% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.67% from other races, and 1.79% from two or more races. 2.39% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 1,607 households out of which 40.2% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.8% are married couples living together, 12.6% have a female householder with no husband present, and 29.3% are non-families. 23.5% of all households are made up of individuals and 8.0% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.63 and the average family size is 3.13.
In the city the population is spread out with 30.7% under the age of 18, 8.8% from 18 to 24, 34.1% from 25 to 44, 15.9% from 45 to 64, and 10.5% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 31 years. For every 100 females there are 88.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 84.5 males.
The median income for a household in the city is $41,713, and the median income for a family is $50,909. Males have a median income of $37,833 versus $25,202 for females. The per capita income for the city is $18,693. 6.4% of the population and 4.3% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 5.6% of those under the age of 18 and 7.9% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.
External links
- Blue Collar Distro (http://www.bluecollardistro.com/) - Blue Collar Distro, a Eudora-based company.
- Black Lodge Recording (http://www.blacklodgerecording.com/) - Recording Studio located at 9th and Main Streets.