Holton

History

The party that chose the site of Holton started at Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in May 1856. A train of six covered wagons, each drawn by two yoke of oxen, started the long trek to take Free State settlers to Kansas. They were financed by the Kansas Society of Milwaukee which was headed by Edward Dwight Holton, the Milwaukee abolitionist. They met General James H. Lane with two hundred men at Nebraska City, Nebraska, a rendezvous for Free State men. They followed the Jim Lane Road into Kansas approximately thirty miles. They came to Elk Creek, miles west of Holton, where they cut timbers to make a bridge, crossed it and made camp where Central School now stands. They liked the two streams (later named Banner Creek and Elk Creek) and the pleasant grassy hills, so they decided to stay. A company was organized and a civil engineer who was with them commenced the survey. They named the new town in honor of Holton. A log house was erected; it was so planned that is could be used for a fort and was known as Jim Lane's Fort. In the spring of 1857, J. B. Ingerson surveyed the townsite lots. The county that contains Holton was previously named Calhoun County for the pro-slavery South Carolina Senator John C. Calhoun. In 1859 the name was changed to Jackson County. Holton was chosen as the county seat in 1858. A frame building served as the first courthouse on the east side of the square, near the middle of the block. The first courthouse was built in the center of the square in 1872. The present courthouse was completed in 1921. In 1859, Holton had seven dwellings, one store, a blacksmith shop and a steam saw mill. The census taken in April, 1857, gave Holton 291 people; in 1860 the population was 1,936. In 1859 the city was incorporated. In 1913, it merged with Kansas City…

Geography

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, Holton has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.

Race & ethnicity

Most-observed species

• American Crow

  Corvus brachyrhynchos C.L.Brehm, 1822 · Aves
  363
• Northern Cardinal

  Cardinalis cardinalis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  278
• Blue Jay

  Cyanocitta cristata (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  276
• Red-tailed Hawk

  Buteo jamaicensis (Gmelin, 1788) · Aves
  243
• Red-bellied Woodpecker

  Melanerpes carolinus (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  218
• Turkey Vulture

  Cathartes aura (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  209
• American Robin

  Turdus migratorius Linnaeus, 1766 · Aves
  193
• Black-capped Chickadee

  Poecile atricapillus (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  192

Largest nearby schools

• Holton Elementary School
  Elementary · Holton · 540 students · 15:1 ratio
• Holton High
  High · Holton · 323 students · 12.9:1 ratio
• Royal Valley Middle School
  Middle · Mayetta · 247 students · 11.8:1 ratio
• Jackson Heights Elementary School
  Elementary · Holton · 228 students · 12:1 ratio
• Holton Middle
  Middle · Holton · 227 students · 11.9:1 ratio
• Jackson Heights High School and Middle School
  High · Holton · 176 students · 9.8:1 ratio

Most recent

• M 3.5 — 2024-03-15
  2 km NE of Ferrelview, Missouri
• M 2.6 — 2018-07-20
  1 km WNW of Saint Joseph, Missouri
• M 2.9 — 2014-01-06
  5 km NW of Liberty, Nebraska
• M 3.1 — 2007-03-23
  5 km N of Nortonville, Kansas