Clements, Kansas
Clements, Kansas | |
|---|---|
1886 Clements Stone Arch Bridge over Cottonwood River (2006) | |
KDOT map of Chase County (legend) | |
Clements Clements | |
| Coordinates: 38°18′00″N 96°44′27″W / 38.30000°N 96.74083°W[1] | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Kansas |
| County | Chase |
| Township | Cottonwood |
| Founded | 18?? (Crawfordsville) 1884 (Clements) |
| Elevation | 1,227 ft (374 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (CST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| Area code | 620 |
| FIPS code | 20-14000 [1] |
| GNIS ID | 477389 [1] |
Clements is an unincorporated community in Chase County, Kansas, United States.[1] It is located about halfway between Strong City and Florence near the intersection of U.S. Route 50 highway and G Rd.
History
In 1862, a post office opened in nearby Silver Creek (an extinct town).
In 1871, the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway built a main line east–west through the community.[2] In 1996, it merged with Burlington Northern Railroad and renamed to the current BNSF Railway. Most locals still refer to this railroad as the "Santa Fe".
In 1881, the post office from Silver Creek was moved to the rail community of Crawfordsville, which was renamed in 1884 to Clements. The post office was discontinued in 1988.[3]
In 1887, the nearby Clements Stone Arch Bridge was completed over the Cottonwood River.
There have been numerous floods during the history of Clements. In June and July 1951, due to heavy rains, rivers and streams flooded numerous cities in Kansas, including Clements. Many reservoirs and levees were built in Kansas as part of a response to the Great Flood of 1951.
Geography
Clements is located in the Flint Hills of the Great Plains. The Cottonwood River runs through the southern part of the community.
Arts and culture
Clements has one listing on the National Register of Historic Places listings in Chase County, Kansas (NRHP). The Clements Stone Arch Bridge was built of native limestone across Cottonwood River in 1887. The two-span bridge with a main span of 57.1 ft (17.4 m) and a length of 126.9 ft (38.7 m) is now open only to pedestrians.[4][5][6]
Education
The community is served by Chase County USD 284 public school district. It has two schools.
Infrastructure
U.S. Route 50 highway and the La Junta Subdivision branch of BNSF Railway pass through Clements.
References
- ^ a b c d e "Clements, Kansas", Geographic Names Information System, United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior
- ^ Santa Fe Rail History
- ^ "Kansas Post Offices, 1828-1961 (archived)". Kansas Historical Society. Archived from the original on October 9, 2013. Retrieved June 5, 2014.
- ^ National Register of Historic Places - Clements Stone Arch Bridge
- ^ Clements Stone Arch Bridge - Kansas Travel
- ^ Clements Stone Arch Bridge; Kansas Flint Hills Tourism.
Further reading
External links
- Historical and Photos
- Clements - A "Quiet" town of Chase County, Kansas, History and photographs
- Clements Stone Arch Bridge, archive of official website
- Kansas Photo Tour - Clements Stone Bridge, archive of kansasphototour.com