Shawnee, Kansas

History

Territory of Kansas

Before and after the Civil War, Shawnee served as a government road that connected Fort Leavenworth to Fort Riley. During the mid 19th century, branches of the Oregon Trail and nearby Santa Fe Trail that passed through Olathe, Overland Park and Kansas City, Missouri saw settlers travel through the area. A Shawnee Indian mission had been established at the present site of Shawnee in 1831. Shawnee was laid out as a town in 1857. Kansas entered the union as a free state on January 29, 1861, to become the 34th state. The declaration of a free state added to the tension between the anti-slave abolitionists and pro-slave Confederate guerrillas.

American Civil War

In October 1862, Willam Quantrill ordered an attack on Shawnee, which saw the town pillaged and burned to the ground. Quantrill and his army of bushwhackers return in the summer of 1863, to raid and look for an escape route from Lawrence, which he was intending to sack. The raids on Shawnee served as a training exercise before attempting the full scale siege on Lawrence.

Shawnee was selected by Quantrill for its proximity to Lawrence, being 35 miles away (56 km). Lawrence was established for the political reason of being an anti-slave town and had many clashes with the confederate army started before the American Civil War. The first documented event of Bleeding Kansas was the Wakarusa War that saw both sides clash and come to a temporary truce. This allowed Lawrence to add to its defenses before the Sacking of Lawrence. In August 1863, the Lawrence Massacre took place at the hands of William Quantrill. This resulted in 250 men corralled and murdered and $2.2 million in damages.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 42.86 sqmi, of which 41.85 sqmi is land and 1.01 sqmi is water.

Shawnee Mission Park is a 1600 acre park that includes a 120 acre lake.

Demographics

| align-fn = center 2010-2020

Shawnee is the seventh largest city in the Kansas City Metropolitan Area.

2020 census

The 2020 United States census counted 67,311 people, 25,631 households, and 18,131 families in Shawnee. The racial makeup was 78.18% (52,622) white or European American (76.02% non-Hispanic white), 5.71% (3,842) black or African-American, 0.5% (338) Native American or Alaska Native, 3.17% (2,136) Asian, 0.05% (32) Pacific Islander or Native Hawaiian, 3.07% (2,065) from other races, and 9.32% (6,276) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race was 9.21% (6,201) of the population.

Of the 25,631 households, 35.0% had children under the age of 18; 56.2% were married couples living together; 23.0% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. 23.5% of households consisted of individuals and 8.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The percent of those with a bachelor's degree or higher was estimated to be 33.9% of the population.

24.9% of the population was under the age of 18, 7.8% from 18 to 24, 26.5% from 25 to 44, 26.1% from 45 to 64, and 14.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38.4 years. For every 100 females, there were 104.6 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older, there were 106.4 males.

The 2016-2020 5-year American Community Survey estimates show that the median household income was $88,941 (with a margin of error of +/- $3,643) and the median family income was $106,647 (+/- $4,136). Males had a median income of $52,478 (+/- $2,711) versus $36,976 (+/- $2,729) for females. The median income for those above 16 years old was $42,959 (+/- $2,376). Approximately, 4.0% of families and 5.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.8% of those under the age of 18 and 4.6% of those ages 65 or over.

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 62,209 people, 23,651 households, and 16,876 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,463.7 PD/sqmi. There were 24,954 housing units at an average density of 587.1 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 86.3% White, 5.3% African American, 0.4% Native American, 3.0% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 2.3% from other races, and 2.6% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 7.5% of the population.

There were 23,651 households, of which 36.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.7% were married couples living together, 9.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.6% were non-families. 23.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.61 and the average family size was 3.11 persons.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 27.7% under the age of 18, 6.9% from 18 to 24, 28.7% from 25 to 44, 26.6% from 45 to 64, and 10.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36.4 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.8 males.

Economy

Top employers

According to the town's 2020 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city are:

Government

Shawnee has a council–manager government. Mayor and councilmembers are elected to four year terms. Each ward has two representatives whose terms are staggered by two years. However, the elections of April 2010 and 2012 will serve for three years. The day-to-day operations are managed by the city manager.

Libraries and museums

Two branches of the Johnson County Library serves the Shawnee Mission area. The Library includes 13 locations throughout Johnson County, including the Monticello and Shawnee Libraries. Shawnee Town 1929 Museum and Wonderscope Children's Museum are also located within the city.

Media

Shawnee is in the Kansas City metropolitan area's television and radio markets. The Shawnee Dispatch was a weekly newspaper published by the Lawrence Journal-World and The World Company which ceased operation in November 2018. The Shawnee Mission Post provides local media coverage for city, along with other cities within the Shawnee Mission area.

Schools

• USD 512 Shawnee Mission School District
• USD 232 De Soto School District
• Maranatha Christian Academy
• Kansas City, Kansas Archdiocese Catholic Schools
• Midland Adventist Academy
• Hope Lutheran School

Transportation

Johnson County Transit provides local bus service to the city. The nearest intercity transit is located in Kansas City at the Kansas City Union Station and Kansas City Bus Station.

Notable people

Main article: List of people from Shawnee, Kansas

Notable individuals who were born in and/or have lived in Shawnee include energy executive Linda Cook, former Attorney General of Kansas Phill Kline, and comedian Chris Porter.

Sister cities

• DEU Erfurt, Thuringia, Germany
• IRL Listowel, County Kerry, Ireland
• BEL Pittem, Belgium

References

References

1. "City of Shawnee - Members".
2. "2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau.
3. "City and Town Population Totals: 2020−2022". [[United States Census Bureau]].
4. {{GNIS. 485652
5. "Statistical Areas - Metro Dataline".
6. "Profile of Shawnee, Kansas in 2020". United States Census Bureau.
7. "QuickFacts; Shawnee, Kansas; Population, Census, 2020 & 2010". United States Census Bureau.
8. "Shawnee History".
9. Blackmar, Frank Wilson. (1912). "Kansas: A Cyclopedia of State History, Volume 2". Standard Publishing Company.
10. "Kansas enters the Union".
11. "Quantrill's Raid on Shawnee".
12. (2013-08-12). "Quantrill's Shawnee raids were 'practice for the big one'".
13. "US Gazetteer files 2010". [[United States Census Bureau]].
14. "Shawnee Mission Park". jcprd.com.
15. "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023". United States Census Bureau.
16. United States Census Bureau. "Census of Population and Housing".
17. "The Demographic Statistical Atlas of the United States - Statistical Atlas".
18. "US Census Bureau, Table P16: HOUSEHOLD TYPE".
19. "US Census Bureau, Table DP1: PROFILE OF GENERAL POPULATION AND HOUSING CHARACTERISTICS".
20. "Gazetteer Files".
21. "US Census Bureau, Table P1: RACE".
22. "US Census Bureau, Table P2: HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE".
23. "US Census Bureau, Table S1501: EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT".
24. "US Census Bureau, Table S1903: MEDIAN INCOME IN THE PAST 12 MONTHS (IN 2020 INFLATION-ADJUSTED DOLLARS)".
25. "US Census Bureau, Table S2001: EARNINGS IN THE PAST 12 MONTHS (IN 2020 INFLATION-ADJUSTED DOLLARS)".
26. "US Census Bureau, Table S1701: POVERTY STATUS IN THE PAST 12 MONTHS".
27. "US Census Bureau, Table S1702: POVERTY STATUS IN THE PAST 12 MONTHS OF FAMILIES".
28. "COMPREHENSIVE ANNUAL FINANCIAL REPORT CITY OF SHAWNEE, KANSAS Year Ended December 31, 2020".
29. "City Government homepage".
30. "Locations".
31. "Old Shawnee Town Museum homepage".
32. "Wonderscope homepage".
33. (2009-03-21). "Johnson County Museums - About the Museums".
34. "the Shanwee Dispatch homepage".
35. Staff Report. (2018-11-28). "Shawnee Dispatch ceases publication".
36. Senter, Jay. (2022-05-10). "About the Shawnee Mission Post".
37. Chazan, Guy. (2008-11-20). "Linda Cook - Executive Director, Gas & Power, ROYAL DUTCH SHELL". The Wall Street Journal.
38. Mann, Fred (October 8, 2006). "Family, past shape Kline's efforts as attorney general," ''[[Wichita Eagle]]''.
39. "Chris Porter Bio". MTV.com.
40. "Sister Cities".