Independence, KS, is the city named in commemoration of the United States Declaration of independence. Independence is located on the Verdigris River, just south of the Elk River’s confluence. The city has a total area of 7.75 square miles (20.07 km2), of which 7.74 square miles (20.05 km2) is land and 0.01 square miles (0.03 km2) is water, according to the United States Census Bureau.
Independence, KS, has an estimated population of 8,700 people according to the 2020 census, with a median age of 39.4 and a median household income of $41,778. However, independence’s population fell from 8,847 to 8,698, a 1.68% loss, while its median household income increased by 3.1%, from $40,523 to $41,778.
One may say that Independence, KS, is a diverse city as it hosted approximately 6.69k white (Non-Hispanic) people back in 2019. This was 10.8 times more than any other race or ethnicity. White (Hispanic) and Black or African American were taking the remaining percentage, with Hispanic being 621 and Black American taking a population of 537 in 2019.
Independence, KS, has an interesting history; George A. Brown purchased land from the Osage Indians for $50 in September 1869 while being relocated to Indian Territory in present-day Oklahoma. He named the townsite Colfax after Schuyler Colfax, President Ulysses S. Grant’s vice president. On August 21, 1869, a party of men from Oswego, Kansas, led by R. W. Wright, arrived in Independence, KS, to make it the county seat. Wilson & Irwin Groceries was founded by E. E. Wilson and F. D. Irwin in October 1869. Finally, in 1870, Independence, KS, was selected as the county seat.
On April 17, 1930, a permanent lighting system was employed for the first time in an exhibition baseball game between the Independence Producers and the House of David semi-professional baseball team of Benton Harbor, Michigan, which the Independence team won 9 to 1 in front of 1,700 people.
A rhesus monkey named Miss Able was born at the Ralph Mitchell Zoo. Miss Able and a squirrel monkey, Miss Baker, were the first monkeys to fly into space, returning alive on May 28, 1959.
Independence, KS, has a humid subtropical climate with hot, humid, and unpleasant summers and cold, albeit highly variable, winters. However, thanks to periodic incursions of very moist air from the Gulf of Mexico, summer brings a lot of rain.
You will never go wrong with putting Independence, KS, on top of your travel list. Independence, KS, is a charming city with interesting historical sights and countless opportunities for outdoor adventures. Independence has all that nature has to offer, and it is the place to hide from the hustle and bustle of the city and refresh your mind and body.
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Are you a book lover? Did you read the little house on the Prairie as a child? If you did or didn’t, you have the chance to visit the actual house prairie. The creative chamber where writer Laura Ingalls Wilder spent her time writing these masterpieces. You wouldn’t deny your child to grab one of the books to experience everything in HD. Even if you are not a book lover and wouldn’t love to spend your time in the creative chamber, you still have plenty of opportunities to explore like the Riverside Park and Ralph Mitchell Museum, Elk City State Park, Neewollah, Indy Brew Works, Uncle Jack’s Bar and Grill.
The William Inge Center for the Arts at Independence Community College houses the playwright and William Inge’s archives. In addition, the center hosts a playwright-in-residence program and hosts the annual William Inge Festival. Every year during the festival, a well-known American playwright receives a lifetime achievement award.
Kansas declared Laura Ingalls Wilder’s childhood home near Independence, KS, a historic landmark available to the public. The Ingalls family lived there from 1869 until 1871, as portrayed in Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Little House on the Prairie. It contains a replica of the original cabin and the post office from nearby Wayside, Kansas. There is also a one-room schoolhouse on the site, Sunnyside School. Unfortunately, much of the surrounding land is undeveloped. Once on the Osage reservation, the property is now part of the William Kurtis Ranch, 13 miles southwest of Independence.
Elk City Lake and State Park are five miles west of Independence, KS. Elk City Lake has six hiking routes, two of which are National Trails. However, the remnants of the Le Hunt cement plant are also in this region on private property. It’s 4 miles (6.44 km) south of town on county road 3600. The lake allows for boating and fishing.
It’s on East Oak Street, between Pennsylvania and Park Streets, in the city’s northeast. A merry-go-round, a mini-golf course, and 4-H and meeting facilities are available at the park.
