Baldwin City, Kansas
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Baldwin City is a city located in Douglas County, Kansas, south of Lawrence. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 3,400. The city, which is intersected by US Highway 56, has many quaint, tree-lined streets, some of which are still paved with bricks. The city is home to Baker University, the oldest university in the state. The mascot of the local high school is the Bull Dogs.
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Attractions
Midland Railway
Midland Railway is a non-profit organization chartered in 1982. Midland purchased the rail line from Baldwin City to Ottawa, Kansas from the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway in 1987, and began running excursion trains on part of the line later that year. Total length of the railroad is 11 miles.
Midland operates a demonstration historic railroad. The base of operations for the Midland Railway is the depot built in 1906 by the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway at 1515 High St. in Baldwin City. This building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1983. Starting in 2004, excursion trains are run all the way from Baldwin City to Ottawa.
The regular operating season runs from Memorial Day to October 31. Special events and fairs are held at various times through the year. Weekend Boy Scout camps are held in the spring and fall. Midland’s Scout program is one of the few in the country to offer a railroading merit badge.
Maple Leaf Festival
The Maple Leaf Festival is an event held every year during the third full weekend in October. It was started in 1956 as a way to celebrate a successful harvest, and to view Baldwin City’s fall foliage, especially that of the numerous maple trees. Today, it is the largest fall family event in the area. Included in the festivities are a parade, arts and craft show, quilt show, theatrical performances, history tours of the area, and train rides on the Midland Railway.
Battle of Black Jack
About three miles east of town near US 56 is the site of the Battle of Black Jack – the first skirmish between opposing armed groups that preceded the Civil War. This event took place on June 2, 1856, when Abolitionist John Brown and his men attacked Pro-slavery advocate Henry Clay Pate and his men. Eventually, Pate’s group surrendered to Brown’s group.
Adjacent to the site are an old log cabin, and wagon wheel swales left from the Santa Fe Trail – the route of westward migration from Missouri to Santa Fe, New Mexico.
Geography
KSMap-doton-Baldwin_City.png
Location of Baldwin City, Kansas
Baldwin City is located at 38°46'39" North, 95°11'15" West (38.777597, -95.187418)Template:GR.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 5.6 km² (2.2 mi²). 5.6 km² (2.2 mi²) of it is land and none of it is covered by water.
Demographics
As of the censusTemplate:GR of 2000, there are 3,400 people, 1,077 households, and 774 families residing in the city. The population density is 605.0/km² (1,565.1/mi²). There are 1,165 housing units at an average density of 207.3/km² (536.3/mi²). The racial makeup of the city is 93.62% White, 1.12% African American, 0.74% Native American, 0.62% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 0.38% from other races, and 3.47% from two or more races. 1.62% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 1,077 households out of which 39.6% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.8% are married couples living together, 10.4% have a female householder with no husband present, and 28.1% are non-families. 24.8% of all households are made up of individuals and 10.0% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.59 and the average family size is 3.10.
In the city the population is spread out with 25.3% under the age of 18, 21.8% from 18 to 24, 24.2% from 25 to 44, 17.4% from 45 to 64, and 11.2% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 28 years. For every 100 females there are 97.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 90.5 males.
The median income for a household in the city is $43,269, and the median income for a family is $51,667. Males have a median income of $37,111 versus $25,850 for females. The per capita income for the city is $16,698. 7.6% of the population and 5.6% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 11.0% of those under the age of 18 and 5.7% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.
External links
- City of Baldwin City (http://www.baldwincity.org)
- Midland Railway (http://www.midland-ry.org)
- Maple Leaf Festival (http://www.mapleleaffestival.com)
- Black Jack Battlefield Trust (http://www.battleofblackjack1856.org)