Hiawatha, Kansas

Hiawatha, Kansas
City
Nickname:  The City of Beautiful Maples
Location of Hiawatha, Kansas
Country	United States
State	Kansas
County	Brown
Area
• Total	2.2 sq mi (5.8 km2)
• Land	2.2 sq mi (5.8 km2)
• Water	0.0 sq mi (0.0 km2)
Elevation	1,132 ft (345 m)
Population  (2006)
• Total	3,237
• Density	1,529.2/sq mi (590.4/km2)
Time zone	UTC-6 (Central (CST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code	66434
Area code	785
FIPS code	20-31675Template:GR
GNIS feature ID	0472987Template:GR

Hiawatha is the largest city and county seat of Brown County, Kansas, United States. The population was 3,417 at the 2000 census, and it was estimated to be 3,237 in the year 2006. It is the largest city on U.S. Route 36 between St. Joseph, Missouri, and Denver, Colorado. Hiawatha is named after a poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow called The Song of Hiawatha. In the poem is legendary Onongada and Mohawk Indian leader Hiawatha. Hiawatha is nicknamed the "City of Beautiful Maples" because of its countless trees that produce delightful colors in the fall season. The year 2007 marked Hiawatha's 150th anniversary.

Geography

Hiawatha is located at 39°51′9″N 95°32′11″W (39.852530, -95.536429).Template:GR

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 5.8 square kilometers (2.2 sq mi), all land.

History

Hiawatha was founded in 1857. John M. Coe, John P. Wheller, and Thomas J. Drummond were instrumental in organizing the town, and the site was staked out February 17, 1857. B.L. Rider reportedly was responsible for naming Hiawatha, taking the young Indian's name from Henry W. Longfellow's poem, "Song of Hiawatha." The main street was designated Oregon Street after the Oregon Trail. Parallel streets north of it were named after Indian tribes north of the Trail, and streets south carried tribal names of those south of the Trail. Hiawatha became the Brown County Seat in 1858, and the first school opened in 1870.

Tourist attractions

Town clock

700 Oregon Street; downtown area

This is the only such clock between Indianapolis and Denver on U.S. Route 36. It was built in 1891 as part of the First National Bank building and is listed on the Kansas Register.

Brown County Historical Museum

611 Utah Street, South of Brown County Courthouse Square

It is owned and operated by the Brown County Historical Society. This building is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

Brown County Ag Museum

E. Iowa Street, West of Davis Memorial

It resembles a 1900 farmstead with a paved windmill trail for sightseers and joggers to use and enjoy. There is a log cabin replica that is the office, wash house, barn, brooder house, corn crib, cabinet shop, horse drawn implement building, antique tractor building and many windmills and wind chargers.

Davis Memorial

Mt. Hope Cemetery, E. Iowa Street

John Milburn Davis erected this memorial to "the sacred memory" of his wife, Sarah. After she died in 1930, he almost immediately commissioned the work to begin. In every sense, it was a monumental project. The lifesize Italian marble statues of the Davises were striking in their detail and their accuracy. The cost of the memorial was staggering in a small town during the Great Depression. The stubbornness of Davis toward his project in the face of public criticism was prelude to a legend. Most of the lifesize statues were commissioned, crafted in Italy and positioned at the memorial between 1931 and 1934. All but one of the stone figures is carved from Italian marble, which was deemed most suitable for a woman's delicate facial features. Estimated total cost of the memorial was $200,000, an extravagant sum during the Depression. The marble canopy over the main section of the memorial weighs 105,000 points -- more than 50 tons! The memorial has been featured in Newsweek, Life and People magazines and on a TV version of Ripley's Believe It or Not. The marble-and-granite display is visited annually by 20-30,000 people from across the United States and around the world. [A memorial page with pictures and this information can be found at: http://skyways.lib.ks.us/towns/Hiawatha/davis.html.]

Leisure

Hiawatha City Lake

Located south of Hiawatha, the Hiawatha City Lake attracts many visitors because of its calmness and beauty. The lake is surrounded by maple trees and by meeting buildings that are for organization or public use. The lake is home to many geese, which can be fed by visitors. Some visitors fish at the site. On the south side of the lake there is a playground, and on the north side there is a sand volleyball court and more playground equipment. Hiawatha has expressed interest in building a bridge spanning the lake. A recent law passed by the Hiawatha city council has prohibited feeding any wildlife at the lake.

Hiawatha Aquatic Park

This is Hiawatha's main swimming pool located on E. Iowa Street that is open around Memorial Day in May until Labor Day in September. The pool features a zero-depth entry and a frog slide for toddlers. A splash mushroom is also in the low-depth area. A giant water slide is the pool's main attraction, along with the diving board. Concessions are available along with picnic areas. Swimming lessons, aerobics, and pool parties are all available. This is also home to the Hiawatha swim team and holds meets during summertime.

Tennis courts

Hiawatha's tennis courts are located on S. 1st street and are available virtually all the time. There are 5 courts that are in great condition and have been resurfaced in the past few years.

Baseball and softball parks

• Bruning Park, located in west Hiawatha has 3 main fields; 2 for baseball, 1 for softball. Other fields are available, but are not managed. Bruning Park also has a concession stand and a small playground. The park is also home to soccer.
• Noble Park is a recent addition Hiawatha that lies just south of the aquatic park. Deemed as one of the most premier Legion fields in the state, Hiawatha has been host to Zone and State Legion baseball tournaments. This is American Legion Post #66's home field. The park has a concession stand, batting cage, and playground. Every year the Leo Tritsch Memorial Tournament is held at Noble Park.
• The Hiawatha Middle School softball field is home to Hiawatha High School softball practices and some games. The field lies between the middle school and the Fisher Center.

Running and walking tracks and trails

The Hiawatha High School and Hiawatha Middle School both have tracks that are available for walking and/or running. There are also other routes for biking and jogging.

Morrill Public Library

The Morrill Public Library is Hiawatha's place for research, reading, and development. The library has many programs including Summer Kids Reading, Film Cafe, Writers Club, Discussion Groups, and Preschool Discovery Classes. The library holds books, magazines, newspapers, Internet service, CDs, and videos.

Movies

The Arrow Theatre located in the business district is Hiawatha's lone movie theatre. Movie rentals can be obtained at Total Entertainment, McDonald's, or Lindy's Thriftway.

Shopping

In February 2006, Hiawatha added a Super Wal-Mart to their list of shopping possibilities. The new facility is located in west Hiawatha. Dollar General is another shopping place. Hiawatha has many specialty stores, including jewelry, photography, crafts, quiltmaking, antiques, cards, home decoration, furniture, and office supplies. Other places include farm supplies, car dealerships, and flower shops. Hiawatha has grocery shopping at Lindy's Thriftway, Schwans, and Super Wal-Mart.

Fisher Center/Schuneman Addition

The Fisher Center is a facility next to the Hiawatha Aquatic Park that is used for many purposes. Wedding receptions, meetings, business affairs, debates, anniversaries, birthdays, reunions, and other celebrations are its main uses. The Schuneman Addition was completed in March 2006 and is a cultural hall and gym.

Hiawatha County Club

The Hiawatha Country Club is Hiawatha's golf course. The country club also has a clubhouse and cart storage sheds. There is a large practice green. The country club also has a restaurant and a place for celebrations. The country club is host to a high school cross country meet each year and held Regionals in 2005, it is also home to the high school golf team. The country club renovated its old swimming pool and it re-opened in summer 2007.

Events

Summerfest

Hiawatha's most recent festivity that includes lots of summertime fun. A car show, food, and music occur. Small booths around the courthouse square are there for browsing or shopping purposes.

Maple Leaf Festival/Heritage Days

Held around the first weekend in October, this festival celebrates the autumn season. There are many small booths around the courthouse square and lots of things to see. The Brown County Ag Museum sponsors rides from the courthouse to the museum and a ride down historic windmill lane.

Halloween Frolic

This is the United States' oldest Halloween parade. There are actually 2 parades, one in the afternoon and another in the evening. The parades include spooky floats, marching bands, Halloween Queen candidates, business floats, farm equipment, old-fashioned cars, motorcycles, horses, and scary people on foot. Halloween 2006 marked Hiawatha's 92nd annual parade. Kids also participate in pumpkin decorating contests, along with Halloween poster contests. Awards are given out to many people who put a lot of work into their Halloween projects.

HAATS

Hiawatha's own theatrical society that produces a few shows each year.

Jingle Bell Ride

The Jingle Bell Ride is held in late November to kick off the Christmas season. Horses decorated with Christmas gear spread the holiday joy to all people.

Dining

Family restaurants

• Country Cabin
• Gus' Family Restaurant
• Hiawatha Country Club
• Hiawatha's First Street Bar & Grill (New in 2005)
• Laurie Beth's Restaurant & Bakery
• Elk's Lodge Restaurant & Lounge (New in 2007)
• China Food
• Lori Lou's BBQ (New in 2008)

Fast food

• McDonald's
• Sonic Drive-In
• Subway
• Krispy Krunchy Chicken (New in 2006)
• Super Wal-Mart Deli

Pizza

• Pizza Hut
• Hunt Brother's Pizza (New in 2006)
• Casey's General Store Pizza

Lodging

• Hiawatha Lodge — located on the south side of Hiawatha.
• Gateway Inn Express — located on the south side of Hiawatha, just west of Hiawatha Inn.
• Sunflower Motel — located on First Street.
• Country Cabins — located in the country northwest of Hiawatha that has several log cabins overlooking a lake.
• Country Squire Motel & RV Park — located in west Hiawatha that includes an RV park.

Economy

Hiawatha is a current economic progression with several new additions to the city. Here are a list of things that are changing the face of Hiawatha.

• Super Wal-Mart booms in town: The old Wal-Mart on the west end of Hiawatha was moved and changed into a Super Wal-Mart that was completed and opened in late winter 2006.
• Old Wal-Mart turns into Hemisphere GPS: The old building got a completely new look as Hemisphere GPS changed the appearance of west Hiawatha with a state-of-the-art building that is home to new farm technologies.
• Industrial park no longer empty: Koch and Co., Inc. from Seneca, KS has made an intention to take over the industrial park in west Hiawatha. The company be a manufacturer and would ship out products.
• Downtown Streetscape: Hiawatha revamped its downtown business district with new light post lanterns, new traffic lights, new sidewalks, new planters, and trash recepticals. The sidewalks have brick laid inside of concrete to allude to the historic brick streets. The city is lit up downtown 24 hours a day. The project was completed in spring 2007.
• Post Lantern Project: One thing the town is known for is for its street lanterns that keep the city glowing during the dark times of day. The city commission moved to replace the posts with new ones and with fresh paint and brighter lights. The project is to be completed during the summer of 2007.
• Lake to get new bridge: The city lake south of the city will have a new bridge spanning the water. A roof will also be over the bridge and personalized bricks and benches will enhance the view.
• Disc Golf to be added to Noble Park: The Robinson Boy Scouts group will be adding a disc golf course near the Legion baseball field in east Hiawatha as part of an Eagle Scout project.
• Two old tennis renovated: Hiawatha has a total of five tennis courts, two that were in poor condition. The city along with the school board decided to split costs to redo the two ancient courts.
• Hiawatha Inn/Heartland Restaurant renewed: The new name of the hotel is Hiawatha Lodge, and inside is Laurie Beth's Restaurant & Bakery. The hotel was in poor condition and has been updated and refreshed.
• Clock Tower gets new life: The state-wide known Clock Tower will soon be a critical part of the city, as the Hiawatha City Hall will move its headquarters there. The tower will also be home to City Commission meetings and to city artifacts. Inside work will be done, such as replacement of stone, thanks to a sizeable donation from Frances Plamann. Due to her commitment, the site will be renamed as the "Plamann History Center".

Schools

Hiawatha High School

File:Copy of imageMRH.jpg

HHS Mascot

• Grades 9-12
• Located at 600 Red Hawk Drive
• Mascot: Red Hawks (Changed from Redskins after 2000)
• Colors: Red & Blue
• HHS is an accredited Class 4A school known for its proficient learning and great academic environment, and the campus lies on the far east side of Hiawatha. The high school is in rather circular form, with a domed circular gym nicknamed "The Roundhouse." The classrooms are also connected in "pods." HHS has an extended business department and has (relatively) current technology. Hiawatha also has one of the largest bands around, which takes a big trip to a music festival every 3 or 4 years. Previous trips have been Orlando, Florida and San Antonio, Texas. HHS also has a talented vocal music program. "West Campus" is a separate building for agricultural and industrial arts classes. Memorial Stadium lies just north of the school and a prairie trail area and practice field is east of the main school. In athletics, Hiawatha has won 2 girls' basketball state championships in 1978 and 1979 and a state football championship in 1980. The Hiawatha Red Hawks are a member of the Big 7 League, with a total of 8 teams in northeast Kansas. Athletics include: football, volleyball, boys' and girls' cross country running, boys' and girls' basketball, wrestling, boys' and girls' track and field, boys' and girl's tennis, softball, and boys' golf. Other activities and organizations include: Scholar's Bowl, Cheerleading, Color Guard, Dance Team, Journalism, Yearbook, Gifted-Talented Program, National Honor Society, Red Hawk Club, Kansas Association for Youth, International Club, Student Council, Red Hawk Reader's Club, Biology Club (travels to the Bahamas annually), National FFA Organization, Business Professionals of America, Family Career and Community Leaders of America, and Fellowship of Christian Athletes. The school has a new greenhouse at West Campus and will have a new weightroom that will be completed in the summer of 2008. Also, more SmartBoards will be added the classrooms. Hiawatha High School gives away the most scholarships around to graduating seniors.

Hiawatha Middle School

File:HMSHawks.jpg

• Grades 5-8
• Located at 307 S. Morrill Street
• Mascot: Hawks (Changed from Warriors after 2000)
• Colors: Burgundy & White
• HMS is a recently erected school in 2000 after moving from Robinson Middle School in Robinson, Kansas. The school lies on the east side of Hiawatha, just south of the high school. The school is divided into 4 sections, by grade level. HMS has an advanced Life Skills technology classroom and a modern gym. There is a Gifted-Talented program along with Title Math and Reading. There is a softball field to the south of the school and a practice field and track west of the school. The Hiawatha Hawks are a member of the Big 7 League, with a total of 6 teams in northeast Kansas. Athletics include: football, volleyball, wrestling, boys' and girls' basketball, and track and field. Scholars' Bowl and gymnastics are also available.

Hiawatha Elementary School

• Grades K-4
• Located at 600 Miami Street
• Mascot: Junior Hawks (Changed from Braves after 2000)
• HES is located in north central Hiawatha and has been for many years. The school starts kids out in Kindergarten and graduates them after 4th grade. The school is divided into halls for each grade level. HES has many school programs including Title Reading, Speech, Gifted-Talented, and Extended Learning. The playground is modern with new fitness equipment for children.

Mascot Conversion

• In December 2000, the Hiawatha USD 415 School District voted 4-3 to eliminate the American Indian mascots from the schools. The high school had the nickname 'Redskins', similar to 'Indians' the school was in its early years. The middle school was the 'Warriors' and the elementary school, the 'Braves'. The District received much praise for its transition, including the National Congress of American Indians and organizations as far away as Washington, D.C. After narrowing down many potential new nickname possibilities, the high school decided to retain its red pride, renaming itself the 'Red Hawks'. The middle school obtained the name 'Hawks' and the elementary school, 'Junior Hawks'. Hiawatha avoided potential lawsuits and controversy by making a quick move to a nickname that doesn't imply perpetuated racism.

Demographics

Hiawatha's population was estimated to be 3,237 in the year 2006, a decrease of 180, or -5.3%, over the previous six years.

As of the censusTemplate:GR of 2000, there were 3,417 people, 1,466 households, and 914 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,529.2 people per square mile (591.6/km²). There were 1,646 housing units at an average density of 736.7/sq mi (285.0/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 91.43% White, 2.78% African American, 2.19% Native American, 0.15% Asian, 1.20% from other races, and 2.25% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.99% of the population.

There were 1,466 households out of which 28.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.2% were married couples living together, 9.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.6% were non-families. 34.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 19.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.27 and the average family size was 2.91.

In the city the population was spread out with 24.4% under the age of 18, 7.7% from 18 to 24, 23.8% from 25 to 44, 21.9% from 45 to 64, and 22.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 87.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.6 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $35,854, and the median income for a family was $46,310. Males had a median income of $31,843 versus $20,385 for females. The per capita income for the city was $16,981. About 8.5% of families and 9.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.3% of those under age 18 and 6.8% of those age 65 or over.

Notable natives

• Homer A. McCrerey - Commissioned US Naval Academy officer and bioengineering oceanographer
• John McLendon - Inducted into Basketball Hall of Fame in 1979

External links

• City of Hiawatha