Chanute, Kansas
Chanute is a city in Neosho County, Kansas, United States. The 2004 United States Census Bureau population estimate for Chanute was 9,043. Although Chanute is the largest city in Neosho County, it is not the county seat, the position held by Erie, Kansas.
Founded on January 1, 1873, it was named after railroad engineer and aviation pioneer Octave Chanute.
History
Though Chanute was not founded until 1873, settlers had begun populating the area as early as 1856. With the LL&G Railroad set to arrive shortly thereafter, the early residents of the towns of Tioga, Chicago Junction, Alliance, and New Chicago needed an innovative solution to an escalating dispute over which town would claim the right to house the LL&G Railroad’s new land office. The towns were unable to settle their differences until an an individual by the name of Octave Chanute came to town. Octave was the Chief Engineer and General Superintendent of the LL&G Railroad. In 1872, he suggested the towns merge together to end the bickering. On January 1, 1873 the towns merged and became chartered as the City of Chanute.
With the Southern Kansas Railroad locating a division headquarters in Chanute, the city began to flourish. In 1887, Chanute boasted a rapid growth in flourmills, grain elevators, banks, drug and hardware stores, and natural gas. In 1903, the City of Chanute established the electric utility, and in the years to follow, established the gas, water, wastewater, and refuse utilities. Chanute is one of only a handful of remaining full-service cities in the State of Kansas.
Geography
Chanute is located at 37°40′37″N 95°27′23″W / 37.67694°N 95.45639°WInvalid arguments have been passed to the {{#coordinates:}} function (37.677070, -95.456468)Template:GR.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 16.1 km² (6.2 mi²). 15.9 km² (6.1 mi²) of it is land and 0.3 km² (0.1 mi²) of it (1.61%) is water.
Demographics
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
|---|---|---|
| 1880 | 887 | — |
| 1890 | — | |
| 2,826 | 218.6% | — |
| 1900 | 4,208 | — |
| 48.9% | 1910 | — |
| 9,272 | 120.3% | — |
| 1920 | 10,286 | — |
| 10.9% | 1930 | — |
| 10,277 | -0.1% | — |
| 1940 | 10,142 | — |
| -1.3% | 1950 | — |
| 10,109 | -0.3% | — |
| 1960 | 10,849 | — |
| 7.3% | 1970 | — |
| 10,341 | -4.7% | — |
| 1980 | 10,506 | — |
| 1.6% | 1990 | — |
| 9,488 | -9.7% | — |
| 2000 | 9,411 | — |
| -0.8% | — |
As of the censusTemplate:GR of 2000, there were 9,411 people, 3,864 households, and 2,496 families residing in the city. The population density was 591.8/km² (1,533.7/mi²). There were 4,262 housing units at an average density of 268.0/km² (694.6/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 93.20% White, 1.42% African American, 1.11% Native American, 0.47% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 1.39% from other races, and 2.37% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.89% of the population.
There were 3,864 households out of which 30.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.9% were married couples living together, 10.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.4% were non-families. 31.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.34 and the average family size was 2.92.
In the city the population was spread out with 25.2% under the age of 18, 10.1% from 18 to 24, 25.2% from 25 to 44, 20.5% from 45 to 64, and 18.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 88.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.8 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $29,912, and the median income for a family was $36,630. Males had a median income of $25,696 versus $17,938 for females. The per capita income for the city was $16,288. About 12.0% of families and 15.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 20.3% of those under age 18 and 9.9% of those age 65 or over.
Education
Unified School District #413 Public Schools
Chanute public schools (Unified School District #413) include four elementary schools, one middle school, and one high school. Elementary schools include: Lincoln Kindergarten, Alcott Elementary, Hutton Elementary, and Murray Hill Elementary. Chanute’s middle school is Royster Middle School. Chanute’s high school is Chanute High School. Chanute’s public school system also includes a separately housed but Chanute High School-affiliated New Beginnings Academy, a program for students lacking credits to graduate and designed for individuals who have dropped out or are in danger of dropping out of high school. High school credits for New Beginnings Academy are provided by Chanute High School.
Private Schools
Chanute is also home to two private schools: Saint Patrick Catholic School and Chanute Christian Academy. Saint Patrick Catholic School provides schooling for students from kindergarten through the fifth grade while Chanute Christian Academy provides schooling for students from kindergarten through the twelfth grade.
Colleges
Chanute’s only college is the Neosho County Community College known locally as NCCC. Neosho County Community College is a public, two-year institution, that currently provides post-secondary education for just under 2,000 students.
Tourist Attractions
The Chanute area has many tourist attractions known for their historical significance and small-town charm.
The Chanute Art Gallery
The Chanute Art Gallery, unique for a small town, houses a permanent core collection of over 500 works of art and special collections include: The Luigi Kasimir Etchings, European and Oriental art, The Kansas Prairie Printmakers, as well as works of art from local and area artists.
The Martin and Osa Johnson Safari Museum
The Martin and Osa Johnson Safari Museum offers award winning exhibits and programs that highlight the achievements of Martin and Osa Johnson, pioneering documentary filmmakers, photographers, authors, explorers, and Kansans. A trip to the musuem allows one to relive the Johnsons’ 1917-1936 adventures in Africa, Borneo and the South Seas. Additional exhibits feature the rich cultures and art of Africa.
Other Local Area Attractions
Another recent and popular addition to Chanute's list of attractions includes the Carlson Brothers Farm where one can enjoy a challenging corn maze, nature trail hike, farm animals, hayrack rides, labyrinth, flower maze, camping, fishing, antique farm equipment, family gathering and local gifts and produce sold in the comfort of an air conditioned barn. Local antique stores, flea markets, farmers markets, and historic downtown tours are also available.
Transportation
Location
Chanute is within a two-hour drive from several major metropolitan areas including:
| Rank | City Name | City Proper Population |
Metropolitan Statistical Area Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kansas City, Missouri | 444,387 | 1,925,319 |
| 2 | Tulsa, Oklahoma | 383,764 | 881,815 |
| 3 | Wichita, Kansas | 353,823 | 584,671 |
| 4 | Springfield, Missouri | 150,704 | 390,986 |
| 5 | Topeka, Kansas | 121,809 | 227,820 |
| 6 | Joplin, Missouri | 46,830 | 164,235 |
Highways
Major highways running through Chanute are US-169 (North-South) and K-39 (East-West). US-75 and K-59 both are within 10 miles of Chanute. These highways provide easy access to I-70, I-35, and US-400. A full-line of trucking companies serve Chanute.
Railways
The South Kansas Oklahoma (SKO) Railroad serves Chanute, as well as Southern and Eastern Kansas and Northern Oklahoma. The SKO connects to several major railroads allowing local businesses the opportunity to bid and negotiate their rail transportation costs to acquire the best possible price to all locations throughout North America.
Airports
Chanute's Martin Johnson Municipal Airport is one of the nicest general aviation airports in Kansas with a 4,255-foot runway and taxiway. Expansion of services and infrastructure is in the planning stages, including new T-hangars and pavement improvements.
Workforce
Chanute has a viable workforce. Centered between Neosho, Allen, Wilson and Woodson Counties, Chanute draws workers to its broad base of commercial and industrial businesses from over a 45-mile radius on a daily basis. Chanute businesses’ employ workers from an active workforce of nearly 21,500 people and a population base of close to 45,500 people. Current unemployment in Chanute is 4.7%, similar to that within the four county area. Union activity is very low at less than 5% with no strikes or labor-management concerns in the last ten years.
Local Major Employing Industries
Ash Grove Cement
Ash Grove Cement Company, a longtime leader in the cement manufacturing industry and headquarted in Overland Park, Kansas, operates nine cement plants and one lime plant in nine states around the country. Ash Grove is the fifth largest cement manufacturer in the United States, and operates some of the most efficient and best maintained in the country and have an annual production capacity of more than 7.8 million tons of cement. The Chanute plant, established in 1908 and employing approximately 150 workers, has an annual production capacity of 1.5 million tons of cement, making it the largest cement plant in the United States. An annual payroll of $6 million makes it one of Chanute's most valuable industries.
Chanute Manufacturing/Chanute Fin Tube/Chanute Tubular Services
Chanute Manufacturing is located on fourty-seven acres of land with 200,000 square-feet of high bay manufacturing facilities. This plant site is served by five rail spurs with a total of 7,600 feet of track on the property. Manufacturing areas are served by twenty-two overhead cranes with capacities up to 200 tons and thirty-six foot hook heights. Annual capacity of the plant exceeds close 400,000 manhours. Chanute Manufacturing is the most experienced fabricator of heat recovery products in North America, and recognized as the leader in quality workmanship. Two additional companies are located on the property: Chanute Fin Tube and Chanute Tubular Services. Chanute Fin Tube, a joint venture company, produces high frequency resistance welded, spiral-wound finned tubes, either solid or serrated, in carbon, alloy or stainless steel. The close proximity of the finning operation and the manufacturing plant allows significant savings in packaging and freight as well as working capital reduction as a result of “just-in-time” scheduling. Chanute Tubular Services supports utilities with maintenance and repair with replacement tubes, bent elements, coil assemblies, and fabricated headers. Chanute Tubular Services incorporates all of the manufacturing capabilities and expertise of the Chanute Manufacturing plant, plus the tubular processing equipment necessary to provide components and assemblies ranging from individual bent tubes to complete replacement coils. Capabilities include tube bending, hot-bending for tight radius bends, weld overlay, and finning capabilities that include spiral and solid fin configurations. Chanute has a dedicated header fabrication shop equipped with TIG, FCAW, and Subarc welding stations and CNC prep equipment for branch connections and tubefield drilling/machining. Chanute also stocks a large inventory of loose tubes ready for quick delivery.
NuWa Industries/Custom Campers
NuWa Industries, the oldest existing manufacturer of recreational fifth wheels, has been in Chanute since 1969. NuWa Industries can be credited with being the first company to build glide rooms for recreational vehicles (although they were not automated). NuWa Industries can also be credited for introducing major innovations, creating the widest variety of floorplans, and perfecting fabrication standards in the fifth wheel recreational vehicle industry. NuWa currently employs approximately 275 workers and is most notably known for its HitchHiker series of fifth wheel recreational vehicles.
Custom Campers, a smaller recreational vehicle manufacturer in Chanute was acquired by NuWa Industries in the 1980's. Custom Campers was put in charge of manufacturing the HitchHiker II series of fifth wheel so that they could focus on smaller, lighter, less expensive fifth wheels, while the NuWa Industries factory focused on larger, more expensive full time trailers. Custom Campers is a separate corporation and operates independently of NuWa Industries in a different location in Chanute, and has it's own service department and staff of 200 employees.
Young's Welding, Inc./Rolco Trailers
Young's Welding, Inc. is a local Chanute family-owned industry that specializes in Original Equipment Manufacturer products using advanced welding and steel fabrication technology. Established in 1934, Young's Welding, Inc. has followed a steady course of expanding technical skills and services, serving customers in the custom steel fabrication, recreational vehichle, trailer frame, storage tanks, steel building trusses, structural steel, steel concrete forms, conveyor systems, and signage industries. It's 144,000 square-foot manufacturing facility and approximately 115 employees annually produce more then 6,000 tons of steel products and related goods.
Rolco Trailers, a family-owned boat-trailer manufacturer has been in operation and based in Chanute since 1958. In January 2000, the Rolco Trailers product line was purchased by Young's Welding, Inc. and the integrated into Young's Welding, Inc.'s preexisting manufacturing facility.
Notable Natives
- Osa Johnson - Adventurer
- Paul Lindblad- MLB player