Before settlement by European-Americans in the 1850s, the land around Manhattan was home to Native tribes.[8] From 1780 to 1830, it was home to theKaw people, also known as the Kansa.[8] The Kaw settlement was called Blue Earth Village (Manyinkatuhuudje),[8] named after the river which the tribe had named the Great Blue Earth River, today known as theBig Blue River, which intersected with theKansas River near their village.[8] Blue Earth Village was the site of a large battle between the Kaw and thePawnee in 1812.[8]
TheKansas–Nebraska Act opened the territory to settlement by U.S. citizens in 1854. That fall,George S. Park founded the first Euro-American settlement within the borders of the current Manhattan. Park named it Polistra (some histories refer to it as Poliska or Poleska).[10]
Later that year, Samuel D. Houston and three other pioneers founded Canton, a neighboring community near the mouth of the Big Blue River.[11] Neither Canton nor Polistra ever grew beyond their original founders.[8]
In March 1855, a group of New EnglandFree-Staters traveled toKansas Territory under the auspices of theNew England Emigrant Aid Company to found a Free-State town.[12] Led byIsaac Goodnow, the first members of the group (with the help ofSamuel C. Pomeroy) selected the location of the Polistra and Canton claims for the Aid Company's new settlement. Soon after theNew Englanders arrived at the site, in April 1855, they agreed to join Canton and Polistra to make one settlement named Boston.[10] They were soon joined by dozens more New Englanders, including Goodnow's brother-in-lawJoseph Denison.
In June 1855, thepaddle steamerHartford, carrying 75 settlers fromOhio, ran aground in theKansas River near the settlement. The Ohio settlers, who were members of the Cincinnati-Manhattan Company, had been headed 20 miles (32 km) farther upstream to the headwaters of the Kansas River, the location today ofJunction City.[13] After realizing they were stranded, theHartford passengers accepted an invitation to join the new town, but insisted that it be renamed Manhattan, which was done on June 29, 1855.[14] Manhattan wasincorporated on May 30, 1857.[10][15]
Early Manhattan settlers sometimes conflicted with Native tribes, and the town was threatened by pro-enslavement Southerners. Manhattan was staunchly Free-State, and it elected the only two Free-State legislators to the first Territorial Legislature, commonly called the "Bogus Legislature".[8] However, nearbyFort Riley protected the settlement from the major violence visited upon other Free-State towns during the "Bleeding Kansas" era. This allowed the town to develop relatively quickly. On January 30, 1858, Territorial GovernorJames W. Denver signed an act naming Manhattan ascounty seat forRiley County.[8] Ten days later, on February 9, 1858, Governor Denver chartered aMethodist college in Manhattan, namedBlue Mont Central College.[8]
The young city received another boost whengold was discovered in theRocky Mountains in 1859 andFifty-Niners began to stream through Manhattan on their way to prospect in the mountains. Manhattan was one of the last significant settlements on the route west, and the village's merchants did a brisk business selling supplies to miners. Manhattan's first newspaper,The Kansas Express, began publishing on May 21, 1859.[8]
By the time theKansas Pacific Railroad laid its tracks west through Manhattan in 1866, the 11-year-old settlement was permanently ensconced in thetallgrass prairie. Manhattan's population has grown every decade since its founding.
According to theUnited States Census Bureau, the city has an area of 18.79 square miles (48.67 km2), of which 18.76 square miles (48.59 km2) is land and 0.03 square miles (0.08 km2) is water.[19]
Manhattan is in theFlint Hills region of Kansas, which consists of continuous rolling hills covered in tall grasses. However, the downtown area – Manhattan's original site – was built on a broad, flatfloodplain at the junction of the Kansas and Big Blue rivers. Manhattan is the largest town in the Flint Hills, and is home to theFlint Hills Discovery Center.
Kansas is not known for earthquake activity, but Manhattan is near theNemaha Ridge, a long structure bounded by several faults, and which is still active.[20] In particular, theHumboldt Fault Zone lies just 12 miles (19 km) eastward of Tuttle Creek Reservoir.
On April 24, 1867, the1867 Manhattan earthquake struck Riley County. Measuring 5.1 on theRichter magnitude scale, the earthquake'sepicenter was by Manhattan. It remains the strongest earthquake to originate in Kansas, at an intensity of VII (Very strong) on theMercalli intensity scale, and felt across roughly 193,051 square miles (500,000 km2). It caused largely minor damage, reports of which were confined to Kansas, Iowa, and Missouri, according to theUnited States Geological Survey.
Although Kansas is not seismically active, a strong earthquake could pose significant threats to the state. If an earthquake had occurred along the Nemaha Ridge prior to 2010, it could have destroyed the dam on Tuttle Creek Reservoir, releasing 300,000 feet (91,440 m) of water per second and flooding the nearby area, threatening roughly 13,000 people and 5,900 homes. A study in the 1980s found a moderate earthquake "between 5.7 to 6.6 would cause sand underneath the dam to liquefy into quicksand, causing the dam to spread out and the top to drop up to three feet." To address this threat, theArmy Corps of Engineers completed a project in July 2010 that replaced the sand with more than 350 concrete walls and equipped the dam with sensors. Alarms are connected to these sensors, which would alert nearby citizens to the earthquake.[21]
Manhattan has ahumid continental climate (KöppenDfa), typically experiencing hot, humid summers and cold, dry winters.[22] The monthly daily average temperature ranges from 29.1 °F (−1.6 °C) in January to 80.0 °F (26.7 °C) in July. The high temperature reaches or exceeds 90 °F (32 °C) an average of 58.9 days a year and 100 °F (38 °C) an average of 9.6 days. The minimum temperature falls to or below 0 °F (−18 °C) on an average 4.1 days a year.[23] Extreme temperatures range from 116 °F (47 °C) on August 13, 1936, down to −35 °F (−37 °C) onFebruary 12, 1899.[24]
On average, Manhattan receives 35.77 inches (908.6 mm) of precipitation annually, a majority of which occurs from May to August, and records 102 days of measurable precipitation. Measurable snowfall occurs an average of 8.8 days per year with 5.6 days receiving at least 1.0 inch (2.5 cm). Snow depth of at least one inch occurs an average of 20.3 days a year. Typically, the average window for freezing temperatures is October 16 through April 20.[23][24]
Climate data for Manhattan, Kansas, 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1893–present
The state of Kansas falls within an area sometimes calledTornado Alley. The most destructivetornado in Manhattan touched down at approximately 10:30 pm on June 11, 2008. Thirty-one homes and several businesses were destroyed by theEF4 tornado.Kansas State University's campus incurred about $20 million in damage – a number of university buildings sustained significant damage and the tornado's winds destroyed the Wind Erosion Laboratory's garage.[25] No one was killed.[26]
Previously, the most destructive tornado to hit Manhattan was on June 8, 1966. The1966 tornado caused $5 million in damage and injured at least 65 people in Manhattan.[27][28]
The Tuttle Creek Spillway Downstream Flooding after the emergency gates were opened in July 1993
Manhattan was built on a floodplain at the junction of theKansas andBig Blue rivers, and it has faced recurring problems withflooding from heavy precipitation. The worstfloods were the 1903 and 1908 floods, theGreat Flood of 1951, and theGreat Flood of 1993.[29][30] In 2019, record amounts of rainfall in Kansas brought water levels up massive amounts and flood records were broken that had not been seen since 1993. Tuttle Creek Reservoir recorded its second highest flood level ever on May 31 at 1,135.80 feet above sea-level.[31] The only level higher came from The Great Flood of 1993, which recorded an astounding 1,138 feet above sea-level on July 23.[32] The top of the emergency Spillway gates measures at 1,136 feet, only 0.2 feet above the 2019 record lake level. The only time that the emergency Spillway gates have ever been opened was on July 19, 1993, at 3:15 PM. The gates were opened 0.8 feet which allowed 10,000 cubic feet per second of water to move through the downstream channel. The gates were slowly opened more each day until July 23 at a peak 60,000 cubic feet per second (450,000 gallons per second).[33] The gates remained open until August 9, 1993. The normal level for Tuttle Creek Reservoir averages 1,075 feet.[34]
Manhattan is the principal city of theManhattan metropolitan area which, as of 2014, had an estimated population of 98,091.[37] It is also the principal city of the Manhattan-Junction City, Kansas Combined Statistical Area which, as of 2014, had an estimated population of 134,804, making it the fourth largest urban area in Kansas.[38]
Of the 21,414 households, 21.9% had children under the age of 18; 34.9% were married couples living together; 29.9% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. 35.5% of households consisted of individuals and 7.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.[40] The average household size was 2.4 and the average family size was 2.9.[44] The percent of those with a bachelor's degree or higher was estimated to be 30.7% of the population.[45]
In the city the population was spread out with 16.5% of residents under the age of 18, 32.6% from 18 to 24, 27.3% from 25 to 44, 13.5% from 45 to 64, and 10.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 25.4 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.0 males.[40] For every 100 females ages 18 and older, there were 98.4 males.[40]
The 2016-2020 5-yearAmerican Community Survey estimates show that the median household income was $50,957 (with a margin of error of +/- $2,480) and the median family income was $79,601 (+/- $9,139).[46] Males had a median income of $21,285 (+/- $2,275) versus $14,590 (+/- $1,280) for females. The median income for those above 16 years old was $17,843 (+/- $1,668).[47] Approximately, 11.2% of families and 26.9% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 21.0% of those under the age of 18 and 2.4% of those ages 65 or over.[48][49]
As of the census[50] of 2010, there were 52,281 people, 20,008 households, and 9,466 families residing in the city.[51] The population density was 2,786.8 inhabitants per square mile (1,076.0/km2). There were 21,619 housing units at an average density of 1,152.4 per square mile (444.9/km2). The racial makeup was 83.5%Caucasian, 5.5%African American, 0.5%Native American, 5.1%Asian, 0.2%Pacific Islander, 1.7% fromother races, and 3.5% from two or more races.Hispanic orLatino of any race were 5.8% of the population.
There were 20,008 households, of which 22.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 36.0% were married couples living together, 8.2% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.1% had a male householder with no wife present, and 52.7% were non-families. 30.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.30 and the average family size was 2.82.
The population was spread out, with 15.3% of residents under the age of 18; 39.1% between the ages of 18 and 24; 24% from 25 to 44; 14.2% from 45 to 64; and 7.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 23.8 years. The gender makeup of the city was 50.9% male and 49.1% female.
As of the census of 2000, there were 44,831 people, 16,949 households, and 8,254 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,983.9 inhabitants per square mile (1,152.1/km2). There were 17,690 housing units at an average density of 1,177.4 per square mile (454.6/km2). The racial makeup was 87.28% White, 4.86% African American, 0.48% Native American, 3.93% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 1.30% from other races, and 2.07% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.49% of the population.
There were 16,949 households, out of which 22.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.6% were married couples living together, 6.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 51.3% were non-families. 30.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.30 and the average family size was 2.89.
The population was spread out, with 15.8% under the age of 18, 39.2% from 18 to 24, 24.0% from 25 to 44, 13.2% from 45 to 64, and 7.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 24 years. For every 100 females, there were 106.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 105.4 males.
The median income for a household was $30,463, and the median income for a family was $48,289. Males had a median income of $31,396 versus $24,611 for females. The per capita income was $16,566. About 8.7% of families and 24.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.1% of those under age 18 and 7.8% of those age 65 or over. However, traditional measures of income and poverty can be misleading when applied to cities with high student populations, such as Manhattan.[52][53]
Manhattan's economy is heavily based on thepublic sector. Kansas State University is the largest employer in town, and its approximately 24,000 students help support the retail and entertainment venues in the city.[54] The second-largest employer in Manhattan is the city school district.[54] Additionally, many civilians and military personnel employed at nearbyFort Riley also live in Manhattan and support its economy, including more than 3,500 civilian Fort Riley employees.[54] Finally, most of the 150 employees in theKansas Department of Agriculture work in a new office building in Manhattan, next to theNational Bio and Agro-Defense Facility (NBAF).
The Steel & Pipe Supply Co. began in Manhattan in 1933, with corporate headquarters in the city although it has moved its fabrication and distribution to other locations.
Manhattan'sTallgrass Brewing Company was the largest brewery in Kansas until it ceased operations in 2018.[60][61] The formerDickinson Theatres chain began in Manhattan in 1920, and grew to operate in seven states before it was purchased in 2014.
Manhattan is governed under acouncil-manager system, with a five-memberCity Commission. Elections arenonpartisan and are held every other year, in odd-numbered years. Three City Commission positions are chosen in each election. The two highest vote recipients receive four-year terms, while the third highest vote recipient receives a two-year term. The highest vote winner in a general election is established to serve as mayor on the third year of a four-year term. The Mayor presides over Commission meetings, but has the same voting rights as other Commissioners and no veto power. As of 2022, Linda Morse serves as the city's mayor.[62]
Manhattan is located inside several state district boundaries. Most of Manhattan falls within two districts for theKansas House of Representatives. RepresentativeMike Dodson (R) serves in District 67, which includes portions of south, west, and northernRiley County. RepresentativeSydney Carlin (D) represents District 66, which includes most of downtown Manhattan, and the northeastern portions of the city. Small portions of Manhattan extend into other districts to the south and north.
Manhattan is located inKansas's 1st congressional district, which is represented by RepublicanTracey Mann. Manhattan was moved from the2nd District to the 1st District during redistricting in 2012. Manhattan had been placed originally in the 1st District when the state was subdivided in 1874.John Alexander Anderson of Manhattan served as the district's second Congressional representative, from 1879 to 1885.
No Democratic candidate for president had ever received majority support among Riley County voters, untilJoe Biden won the county in the2020 election. Republicans have carried Riley County in every previous presidential election, except for 1912, when a majority of the county's voters supported theProgressive candidateTheodore Roosevelt.[63]
Presidential elections results for the city of Manhattan, Kansas[64]
Kansas State University is the largest employer and educational institution in the city of Manhattan with nearly 24,000 students.[65] KSU is home to Wildcat sports and to nationally recognized academics. It has ranked first nationally among state universities in its total of Rhodes, Marshall, Truman, Goldwater, and Udall scholars since 1986.[66]
The majority of Manhattan is within theManhattan-Ogden USD 383 public school district.[67][68] This district has one public high school (Manhattan High School), two middle schools (Susan B. Anthony and Dwight D. Eisenhower), and ten elementary schools (Amanda Arnold, Frank V. Bergman, Bluemont, Lee, Marlatt, Northview, Oliver Brown, Theodore Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson). The city also has two private school systems: Flint Hills Christian School (Preschool – 12th grade) and the Manhattan Catholic Schools. Manhattan Catholic School contains two buildings, the grade school building (K-5)and the Luckey Jr. High building (6–8), formerly called the Luckey high building dedicated to Monsignor Luckey. The school's mascot is "Luckey the Cardinal".
Thefirst capitol of theKansas Territory is preserved nearby, on Fort Riley grounds. TheFort Riley military base covers 100,656 acres (407.34 km2) between Manhattan and Junction City, KS. Since 2006 it has, once again, become home to theBig Red One, the 1st Infantry Division of the United States.
As the largest municipality in theFlint Hills region, Manhattan is host to theFlint Hills Discovery Center, a heritage and science center dedicated to the education and preservation of the Flint Hills and the remaining tall grass prairie.
Aggieville is a center of shopping and nightlife with many stores, bars, and live bands. Downtown Manhattan, and theManhattan Town Center Mall, are an anchor for shopping, art, fine dining, and entertainment in eastern Manhattan.
In 2009, the Manhattan, Kansas, metropolitan statistical area (MSA) ranked as the fifth highest in the United States for percentage of commuters who walked to work (8.5 percent).[70]
TheRock Island Railroad also formerly served Manhattan as a stop on Rock Island's Kansas City–Colorado SpringsRocky Mountain Rocket service.[71] The Rock Island depot was located between Fifth and Sixth streets, along former El Paso Street (now Fort Riley Boulevard). The former railroadright-of-way was converted to Manhattan's main southern east–west arterial road,Fort Riley Boulevard, as well as arail-trail,linear park up theWildcat Creek valley through Manhattan's west side.
Within the City of Manhattan,general public transportation is provided by Riley County'sATA Bus service. ATA Bus started its first fixed-route bus route in Manhattan in 2011.[72]
Historically, the city operated astreetcar system from 1909 to 1928. The trolley tracks were torn up and replaced by bus service in 1928, which was later also discontinued.
US-24 runs through Manhattan. East on 24 is Wamego, west is Clay Center. US-24 comes in from Clay Center, runs north of the city, turns into a four-lane highway near Tuttle Creek State Park and travels south into the city as Tuttle Creek Boulevard until an intersection with East Poyntz Avenue, and then turns northeast towards Wamego.
K-177 runs north from I-70 asBill Snyder Highway until the Kansas River viaduct. A half-leaf interchange withK-18 (Tuttle Creek Blvd. and Ft. Riley Blvd.) and officially ends at the intersection withU.S. Route 24 in Manhattan.
K-18 is a major connector in Manhattan. It begins about 18 miles (29 km) east of Manhattan, atK-99. It runs through Wabaunsee and Zeandale to K-177, crosses to Kansas River, and runs west toward theManhattan Regional Airport and Ogden. It then travels south to I-70 as a major gateway to Manhattan.
K-113 (Seth Child Road) runs fromK-18 in southern Manhattan toUS-24, passing through the western areas of the city.
In the 1950s, Route 40 was rerouted nine miles south of Manhattan, due to security concerns that originally arose during World War II about the highway passing through neighboringFort Riley.[8] The new route followed a more direct line between Topeka and Junction City, and in 1956 it was designated asInterstate 70.
The Manhattan Mercury is the city's main newspaper, published six days a week.[74] Other newspapers published in the city include: the alternative weeklyThe Hype Weekly which focuses on events, arts, and culture in the area; the weeklyManhattan Free Press; the agriculture-orientedGrass & Grain; and the K-State university newspaper, theKansas State Collegian.[75] Manhattan has had at least one newspaper published for the town continuously sinceThe Kansas Express published its first edition on May 21, 1859.[8]
Manhattan is a center of broadcast media for the surrounding area. One AM and ten FM radio stations are licensed to and/or broadcast from the city.[76] Manhattan lies within theTopeka, Kansas, television market,[77] and six stations are licensed to and/or broadcast from the city including: a translator ofKTWU, thePBS member station inTopeka; K-State's stationKKSU-LD; twoGCN translators; and two independent stations.[78][79]
The first television station in Kansas was W9XAK in Manhattan, licensed to broadcast by theFederal Radio Commission on March 9, 1932.[80][81]
^abcParrish, Donald (2004).This Land is Our Land: The Public Domain in the Vicinity of Riley County and Manhattan, Kansas. Riley County Historical Society.ISBN0-9677686-2-4.OCLC54769277.