Augusta

History

The confluence of the Whitewater River and the Walnut River was originally inhabited by Osage people, who found the land ideal for hunting and fishing. In 1868, C. N. James settled in the area and built a log cabin to serve also as a general store and trading post. Around that same time, a post office was established in the settlement, and as the first postmaster, C. N. James named the post office and the town in honor of his wife, Augusta James. In 1877, the Florence, El Dorado, and Walnut Valley Railroad Company built a branch line from Florence to El Dorado. In 1881 it was extended to Douglass, and later to Arkansas City. The rail line was leased and operated by the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway. Service from Florence to El Dorado was abandoned in 1942. The original branch line connected Florence, Burns, De Graff, El Dorado, Augusta, Douglass, Rock, Akron, Winfield, Arkansas City. In 2020, the Santa Fe (now BNSF) still maintains tracks through Augusta at the 301 E. Fifth St. headquarters, a brick depot constructed in 1916–1917. The St. Louis & San Francisco (Frisco) Railroad established a depot in Augusta in 1880, serving both passengers and freight. Passenger service ended in 1960. The discovery of oil near Augusta in 1914, and soon elsewhere in Butler County, led to the doubling of the population of Augusta between 1910 and 1920. Oil drilling and refining became a major source of employment for many years. In 1916, L. L. Marcell founded the White Eagle Oil Company in Augusta. Other early refineries were the Walnut Refining Company and the Lakeside Refinery. In 1930, White Eagle was purchased by the Standard Oil Company of New York and was known as "Socony-Vacuum" for many years, then renamed Mobil in 1966. In 2010, the Keystone-Cushing Pipeline (Phase…

Geography

Augusta is located at the confluence of the Walnut and Whitewater Rivers. It is located along the western edge of Butler County. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which is land and is water. The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Augusta has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.

Race & ethnicity

Largest nearby schools

• Andover eCademy
  Other · Andover · 3,223 students · 111.1:1 ratio
• Andover High
  High · Andover · 1,014 students · 18.8:1 ratio
• Andover Central High School
  High · Andover · 856 students · 17.5:1 ratio
• Andover Middle School
  Middle · Andover · 726 students · 16.9:1 ratio
• Augusta Sr High
  High · Augusta · 634 students · 14.7:1 ratio
• Andover Central Middle School
  Middle · Andover · 601 students · 15.4:1 ratio
• Circle High
  High · Towanda · 600 students · 18.2:1 ratio
• Robert M. Martin Elementary
  Elementary · Wichita · 506 students · 16.9:1 ratio