Centropolis

History

The area was first settled by Perry Fuller in 1855, who established a store in order to trade with the nearby Ottawa Indians. His store prospered and in 1856 he established the Centropolis Town Company and began selling lots. The community name is a portmanteau of central and metropolis. A missionary newspaper published by Jotham Meeker for the Ottawa Baptist Mission was the first newspaper in Franklin County. The first commercial newspaper in the county, the Kansas Leader, was founded in 1857. Not only did Fuller expect his new town to become county seat but also the territorial capital of Kansas and eventually state capital. Two miles east of Centropolis, St. Bernard was established and the Territorial Legislature made St. Bernard the Franklin County seat but despite having the county seat, St. Bernard did not grow and post office was closed and renamed Minneola. The Centropolis post office closed in 1930.

Geography

Centropolis has an elevation of .

Most-observed species

• Northern Cardinal

  Cardinalis cardinalis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  4,301
• Red-bellied Woodpecker

  Melanerpes carolinus (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  3,506
• Black-capped Chickadee

  Poecile atricapillus (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  3,401
• American Crow

  Corvus brachyrhynchos C.L.Brehm, 1822 · Aves
  3,399
• Blue Jay

  Cyanocitta cristata (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  3,316
• Tufted Titmouse

  Baeolophus bicolor (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  2,886
• Mourning Dove

  Zenaida macroura (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  2,502
• Downy Woodpecker

  Dryobates pubescens (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  2,486

Largest nearby schools

• Ottawa Sr High
  High · Ottawa · 727 students · 13.5:1 ratio
• Ottawa Middle School
  Middle · Ottawa · 498 students · 14.2:1 ratio
• Garfield Elem
  Elementary · Ottawa · 387 students · 13.8:1 ratio
• Lincoln Elem
  Elementary · Ottawa · 360 students · 12.9:1 ratio
• Sunflower Elementary School
  Elementary · Ottawa · 359 students · 13.3:1 ratio
• West Franklin High School
  High · Pomona · 204 students · 11.3:1 ratio
• Appanoose Elementary School
  Elementary · Pomona · 177 students · 12.6:1 ratio
• West Franklin Middle School
  Middle · Pomona · 135 students · 13.5:1 ratio

Most recent

• M 3.5 — 2024-03-15
  2 km NE of Ferrelview, Missouri
• M 2.8 — 2014-11-13
  5 km WNW of Prescott, Kansas
• M 3.1 — 2007-03-23
  5 km N of Nortonville, Kansas