Salina

 

(səlī'nə) , city (1990 pop. 42,303), seat of Saline co., central Kans., on the Smoky Hill River; founded 1858 by settlers opposed to slavery, inc. 1870. It is the marketing and shipping center for an area that produces grain, livestock, oil, and natural gas, and a hub of the hard-winter-wheat belt. The city has grain elevators, flour mills, foundries, and factories that make aircraft, industrial gases, houseboats, electronic devices, soft drinks, plastic and aluminum products, machinery, office supplies, and frozen foods. Kansas Wesleyan Univ., a branch of Kansas State Univ., and a military school are there. Nearby are prehistoric Native American burial grounds.

Salina, Kansas
Location of Salina, Kansas
Coordinates: 38°49′27″N 97°36′26″W / 38.82417, -97.60722
Country	United States
State	Kansas
County	Saline
Area
- City	sq mi (km²)
- Land	sq mi ( km²)
- Water	sq mi ( km²)
Elevation	ft ( m)
Population (2000)
- City
- Density	/sq mi (/km²)
Time zone	Central (CST) (UTC-6)
- Summer (DST)	CDT (UTC-5)
ZIP codes	67401-67402
Area code(s)	785
FIPS code	20-627002
GNIS feature ID	04768083

Salina is a city in and the county seat of Saline County, Kansas, United States.⁶ First settled by Preston B. Plum in 1856 along the Saline and Smoky Hill Rivers, and founded by William A. Phillips in 1858, Salina is situated at the intersection of Interstate Highways I-70 and I-135 in central Kansas. The population was 45,679 at the 2000 census. Recent population counts put the population at around 50,000 people.^[1]

Geography

Salina is located at 38°49′27″N, 97°36′26″W (38.824267, -97.607205)¹.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 59.0 km² (22.8 mi²). 58.9 km² (22.7 mi²) of it is land and 0.1 km² (0.04 mi²) of it (0.18%) is water.

Salina is the closest city to the geographic and geodetic centers of the United States with a population of over 50,000. Salina stands at an elevation of 1281 feet.

History

In 1860 Salina, the westernmost post on the Smoky Hill Trail, began to establish itself as a staging post for prospectors traveling to Pikes Peak, as well as a trading post between local native tribes, and Fort Leavenworth. After the Civil War, Phillips, then a colonel, used his influence to extend the Union Pacific Railroad to Salina in 1867. Starting in 1872, Salina began transporting meat shipped in refrigerated cars down the rails. During the 1870s, wheat became the dominant crop in Salina and a steam-powered flour mill was built. At the same time Dr. E. R. Switzer, of Salina, introduced alfalfa to Kansas farmers.

During World War II Salina's air field was one of several notable B-29 training bases. The exponential growth of the 1950s of Salina was related largely to the re-opening of Smoky Hill Air Force Base, later renamed to Schilling Air Force Base, which was closed in 1965 by the Department of Defense. As Schilling AFB, it was home to the Strategic Air Command's 40th and 310th Bomb Wings of the 802nd Air Division between 1952 and 1960, flying B-47 Stratojets and KC-97 Stratotankers; to the 310th Strategic Aerospace Wing between 1960 and 1962; and between 1962 and 1965, to the 22nd Strategic Aerospace Division, controlling the 310th SAW and the Atlas ICBM missile silos of the 550th Strategic Missile Squadron.

On February 28, 2005, the city was home to the "Last Great Aviation Record" when Steve Fossett took off from the Salina Airport in the Virgin Atlantic GlobalFlyer, to attempt the first solo, non-stop, non-refueled aerial circumnavigation of the globe by airplane. Fossett completed the record-breaking flight on March 3, 2005 when he landed back in Salina after 67 hours, 1 minute and 10 seconds, at an average speed of 342.2 mph. Support for the venture was provided by the Kansas State Aviation Research (KStAR) Lab.

Industry

Predictably, agriculture is the predominant industry in Salina, and its grain elevators are visible from miles away.

This agrarian emphasis is even reflected in a local Catholic Church, Sacred Heart Cathedral, which is built in white cylindrical shapes intriguingly like grain silos. However, Salina has several other important employers. The city also has a strong manufacturing base. Tony's Pizza, a Schwan Food Company brand, is Salina's largest single employer with over 2000 workers employed. Tony's makes consumer retail frozen pizzas as well as food intended for school cafeterias and other institutions. Additionally, over 500 are employed in factories for Philips Lighting, Exide Battery, Great Plains Manufacturing (farm equipment), ElDorado-National (commercial bus manufacturer) and Raytheon Aircraft.

The city has a local daily newspaper, The Salina Journal, several radio stations; 99.9FM KSKG, 910AM KINA, 92.7FM KILS, 95.5FM KQNS, Y93.7 KYEZ, 1150AM KSAL and 104.9FM KZBZ, though no local television news. However, they use KWCH Wichita's custom weather forecast system. Salina is also served by 89.5 FM KHCD, a repeater station for the NPR-affiliated Radio Kansas network.

Salina is served by one commercial airline at Salina Municipal Airport, but most airtravel is done at larger airports in Wichita, Kansas and Kansas City, Missouri.

Schools

Kansas State University - Salina, a branch of Kansas State University (main campus in Manhattan, Kansas) offers undergraduate degrees in both technology and aviation related fields. (Kansas State University - Salina was previously known as Kansas Technical Institute) K-State Salina is based at Salina Municipal Airport (KSLN). Salina is also home of Kansas Wesleyan University, a private liberal arts college that affiliates itself with the United Methodist Church, and Brown Mackie College. Enrollment in Salina at each of these institutions is around 800.

{[2] Salina has five high schools - three public and two private: Salina High School Central, Salina High School South, Southeast of Saline School (located outside of the town of Gypsum) are public and are supplemented by Sacred Heart Catholic High School and St. John's Military School. Salina also has two middle schools Lakewood Middle School and South Middle School. Total enrollment of the public school system is about 11,000.

Climate

Over the course of a year, temperatures range from an average low under 20°F in January to an average high of over 93°F in July. The maximum temperature reaches 90°F an average of 61 days per year and reaches 100°F an average of 14 days per year. The minimum temperature falls below the freezing point (32°F) an average of 114 days per year. Typically the first fall freeze occurs between early October and early November, and the last spring freeze occurs during the month of April.

The area receives about 32 inches of precipitation during an average year with the largest share being received in May and June—with a combined 18 days of measurable precipitation. During a typical year the total amount of precipitation may be anywhere from 24 to 44 inches. There are on average 77 days of measurable precipitation per year. Winter snowfall averages almost 19 inches, but the median is less than 10 inches. Measurable snowfall occurs an average of 9 days per year with at least an inch of snow being received on seven of those days. Snow depth of at least an inch occurs an average of 27 days per year.

On September 25, 1973 a tornado measuring F3 passed through the southeast part of town injuring 6 people, destroying 2 houses and the Sundowner East trailer park.

Source: Monthly Station Climate Summaries, 1971-2000, U.S. National Climatic Data Center

Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Temperatures (°F)
Mean high	39.1	45.8	56.4	66.7	76.3	87.5	93.3	91.0	81.8	69.9	53.6	42.5	67.0
Mean low	18.8	23.9	33.6	43.1	53.5	63.6	69.3	67.8	58.4	45.9	32.5	22.7	44.4
Highest recorded	78 (1990)	84 (1954)	89 (1978)	105 (1989)	100 (1994)	112 (1980)	113 (1954)	110 (1956)	110 (2000)	100 (1954)	86 (1980)	72 (2001)	113 (1954)
Lowest recorded	−18 (1985)	−19 (1979)	−5 (1960)	13 (1975)	27 (1953)	40 (1954)	49 (1972)	46 (1967)	30 (1984)	14 (1993)	−5 (1952)	−24 (1989)	−24 (1989)
Precipitation (inches)
Median	0.66	1.04	2.17	2.63	5.06	3.93	3.42	3.68	1.91	2.15	1.13	0.73	31.57
Mean number of days	4.5	4.5	6.8	7.7	9.7	8.6	7.1	6.9	6.2	5.8	4.6	4.6	77.0
Highest monthly	2.88 (1979)	2.77 (1993)	10.82 (1973)	6.99 (1985)	15.60 (1995)	10.04 (1981)	17.93 (1993)	13.75 (1977)	8.12 (1973)	6.77 (1979)	4.18 (1975)	3.12 (1973)
Snowfall (inches)
Median	3.2	2.9	1.3	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	trace	2.0	9.4
Mean number of days	3.3	1.8	1.1	0.3	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.2	0.8	1.9	9.4
Highest monthly	32.7 (1979)	23.0 (1971)	9.0 (1984)	4.2 (1983)	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	5.3 (1991)	5.0 (1975)	16.1 (1983)
Notes: Temperatures are in degrees Fahrenheit. Precipitation includes rain and melted snow or sleet in inches; median values are provided for precipitation and snowfall because mean averages may be misleading. Mean and median values are for the 30-year period 1971–2000; temperature extremes are for the station's period of record (1952–2001). The station is located at Salina Municipal Airport at 38°49′N 97°40′W, elevation 1,263 feet.

Demographics

Historical populations
Census	Pop.		%±
1870			—
1880			238.9%
1890			97.7%
1900			-1.2%
1910			59.5%
1920			55.7%
1930			33.6%
1940			4.6%
1950			24.2%
1960			65.0%
1970			-12.7%
1980			10.9%
1990			1.1%
2000			8.0%

As of the census² of 2000, there were 45,679 people, 18,523 households, and 11,873 families residing in the city. The population density was 775.9/km² (2,009.6/mi²). There were 19,599 housing units at an average density of 332.9/km² (862.2/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 87.76% White, 3.57% African American, 0.56% Native American, 1.96% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 3.78% from other races, and 2.32% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.71% of the population.

There were 18,523 households out of which 31.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.8% were married couples living together, 10.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.9% were non-families. 30.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 2.98.

In the city the population was spread out with 25.9% under the age of 18, 10.0% from 18 to 24, 28.7% from 25 to 44, 21.1% from 45 to 64, and 14.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 95.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.8 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $36,066, and the median income for a family was $45,433. Males had a median income of $31,250 versus $21,944 for females. The per capita income for the city was $18,593. About 6.7% of families and 9.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.6% of those under age 18 and 9.2% of those age 65 or over.

Salina is predominantly White and Christian, with over 80% of the population being White (non-Hispanic) and having approximately 65 churches.

Religion

• Roman Catholic Diocese of Salina

Athletics

• Salina is home to the Kansas Cagerz basketball team.
• Salina hosts the National Junior College Athletic Association Division I women's basketball national tournament each season in the Bicentennial Center.
• Salina hosted the Women's Big 8 basketball tournament. When the Big 8 became the Big 12, the tournament was moved to Kansas City, Missouri.

Notable residents

• Deborah Daulton - Miss Kansas USA 1995^[2]
• Marlin Fitzwater - White House Press Secretary 1985-1987
• Dwight Frye - Hollywood actor in early horror films.
• Bill Graves - businessman and Kansas governor 1995-2003
• Steven Hawley - astronaut
• Pat Meares - Major League Baseball player
• George Murdock - Hollywood Actor, born and raised in Salina.
• Terence Newman - NFL player (Dallas Cowboys)
• Dennis Rader - BTK serial killer, Rader attended Kansas Wesleyan University in 1965–66.
• Ben Romans - musician (The Click Five)
• J.D. Rudd - Meteorologist
• Nathan Tysen - Playwright/musician
• Brent Venables - Defensive Coordinator, University of Oklahoma Sooners^[3]
• Patrice Wymore - Hollywood Actress, grew up in Salina. Married to Errol Flynn.
• Paul Harvey spent three years as a station manager for a local radio station in Salina.

Salina in literature/films

• The 1980 teen comedy film "Up the Academy" was filmed entirely in Salina, mostly on the campus of St. John's Military School,^[4]
• Scenes of the 1955 movie Picnic, starring William Holden and Kim Novak, were filmed in Salina.
• Millie Dillmount, the main character in the play Thoroughly Modern Millie, is from Salina. She leaves home for New York City, determined never to return.
• In Alfred Hitchcock's 1958 film Vertigo. The character of Judy Barton, played by Kim Novak, comes from Salina.

Notes

External links

• City website
• Salina Local News
  • Kansas Wesleyan University
  • Kansas State University at Salina
  • Salina Arts & Humanities Commission
• 1150am KSAL
• Y93.7
• The Salina Journal Newspaper
  • Special Collections: A gift of William A. Phillips, the founder of Salina.

Coordinates: 38.824267° N 97.607205° W

Places in Saline County, Kansas, United States
Assaria • Brookville • Gypsum • New Cambria • Salina (county seat) • Smolan • Solomon

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