Herington

History

Herington was named after its founder, Monroe Davis Herington. His name at birth was Davis Monroe Herrington, but he later dropped the second "r" from his last name. The first post office in Herington was established in February 1884. In 1887, Mr. Herington successfully got the Chicago, Kansas and Nebraska Railway to build through Herington. He gave the land and right-of-way for Herington to become a division point with shops, two round houses, freight house, bridge yards, telegraph office and many other buildings. He furnished the limestone for the freight house, and for a two-story depot that was and later enlarged to . That same year, the Chicago, Kansas and Nebraska Railway built a main line from Topeka to Herington. Also in 1887, the Chicago, Kansas and Nebraska Railway extended its main line from Herington to Pratt. This line is called the "Golden State Limited". That same year, the Chicago, Kansas and Nebraska Railway built a branch line north–south from Herington to Caldwell. By 1893, this branch line was incrementally built to Fort Worth, Texas. This line is called the "OKT". The Chicago, Kansas and Nebraska Railway was foreclosed in 1891 and was taken over by Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railway, which shut down in 1980 and reorganized as Oklahoma, Kansas and Texas Railroad, merged in 1988 with Missouri Pacific Railroad, merged in 1997 with Union Pacific Railroad. Most locals still refer to this railroad as the "Rock Island". The National Old Trails Road, also known as the Ocean-to-Ocean Highway, was established in 1912, and was routed through Herington, Delavan, and Council Grove. The American Discovery Trail passes through Herington. In World War II, Herington Army Airfield was built and was one of only two fields that processed heavy…

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which is land and is water.

Race & ethnicity

Most-observed species

• Mourning Dove

  Zenaida macroura (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  106
• American Crow

  Corvus brachyrhynchos C.L.Brehm, 1822 · Aves
  100
• Northern Cardinal

  Cardinalis cardinalis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  94
• Turkey Vulture

  Cathartes aura (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  83
• Canada Goose (canadensis Group)

  Branta canadensis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  83
• Double-crested Cormorant

  Phalacrocorax auritus (Lesson, 1831) · Aves
  78
• Great Blue/Cocoi Heron

  Ardea herodias Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  78
• Red-tailed Hawk

  Buteo jamaicensis (Gmelin, 1788) · Aves
  75

Largest nearby schools

• White City Elem
  Elementary · White City · 126 students · 11.5:1 ratio
• White City High
  High · White City · 47 students · 11.8:1 ratio