Walker, Kansas
Walker, Kansas | |
|---|---|
 | |
  Walker  Walker | |
| Coordinates: 38°52′02″N 99°04′33″W / 38.86722°N 99.07583°W[1] | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Kansas |
| County | Ellis |
| Founded | 1872 |
| Named for | Robert J. Walker |
| Elevation | 1,942 ft (592 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (CST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP code | 67674 |
| Area code | 785 |
| FIPS code | 20-74675 |
| GNIS ID | 475301[1] |
Walker is an unincorporated community in Herzog Township, Ellis County, Kansas, United States.[1] It is located between Hays and Russell, along old Hwy 40 on the north side of I-70.[2] Walker has a post office with ZIP code 67674.[3]
History
[edit]Settlers from Ohio founded Walker in 1872.[4] They likely named the settlement for Robert J. Walker, the 4th Territorial Governor of Kansas.[5] From 1876 to 1878, they were joined by Volga German immigrants and Plattdeutsch-speaking Germans from Ohio and Kentucky who settled in the area.[4]
The first post office in Walker opened in 1873, closed temporarily in 1876, and then reopened in 1878.[6] St. Ann's Church was built and dedicated in 1905. The community's first school was built in 1893, followed by a second building in 1925. The school has since closed but remains in use as a community center.[4]
In 1942, the U.S. Army built Walker Army Airfield northwest of Walker. During World War II, thousands were stationed at the airfield, mostly for training in operation of the Boeing B-29 Superfortress bomber aircraft. The military closed the base in 1946.[7]
Construction of Interstate 70 reached Walker in 1966, passing immediately south of the community.
Geography
[edit]Walker is located approximately 1.5 miles (2.4 km) west of Walker Creek, part of the Smoky Hill River watershed, in the Smoky Hills region of the Great Plains.[8][9] Walker is immediately north of Interstate 70 roughly 13 miles (21 km) east of Hays, the county seat.[9]
Transportation
[edit]Walker Avenue, a paved county road, runs north–south through Walker, intersecting Interstate 70 and U.S. Route 40, which run concurrently east-west, immediately south of town.[9] The old alignment of U.S. 40, now a paved county road, runs northeast–southwest through Walker.[10]
The Kansas Pacific (KP) line of the Union Pacific Railroad runs northeast–southwest through Walker, parallel to the old alignment of U.S. 40.[9][11]
See also
[edit]- Walker Army Airfield, an abandoned World War II airfield.
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Walker, Kansas
- ^ "General Highway Map - Ellis County, Kansas" (PDF). Kansas Department of Transportation. 1978. Retrieved December 18, 2010.
- ^ ZIP Code Lookup
- ^ a b c "Ellis County". Kansas Heritage Project. Fort Hays State University. Retrieved October 27, 2014.
- ^ Heim, Michael (2007). Exploring Kansas Highways. p. 33. ISBN 9780974435886.
- ^ "Kansas Post Offices, 1828-1961 (archived)". Kansas Historical Society. Archived from the original on October 9, 2013. Retrieved June 9, 2014.
- ^ "U.S. Army and Air Force Wings Over Kansas". Kansas Historical Quarterly. 25 (1). Kansas State Historical Society: 334–360. Spring 1959.
- ^ "2003-2004 Official Transportation Map" (PDF). Kansas Department of Transportation. 2003. Retrieved December 18, 2010.
- ^ a b c d "General Highway Map - Ellis County, Kansas" (PDF). Kansas Department of Transportation. June 1, 2010. Retrieved December 18, 2010.
- ^ "Official 1960-61 Kansas Highway Map" (PDF). Kansas Department of Transportation. Retrieved December 18, 2010.
- ^ "UPRR Common Line Names" (PDF). Union Pacific Railroad. Retrieved October 10, 2010.
Further reading
[edit]External links
[edit]Municipalities and communities of Ellis County, Kansas, United States | ||
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| Unincorporated communities | ||
| Ghost towns | ||
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