Winfield is a city in and the county seat of Cowley County, Kansas, United States. It is situated along the Walnut River in south central Kansas. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 11,777. It is home to Southwestern College.
History
19th century Winfield was founded in 1870.History of Cowley County Kansas; D.A. Millington / E.P. Greer; Winfield Courier; 162 pages; 1901. It was named for Rev. Winfield Scott, who promised to build the town a church in exchange for the naming rights. The first post office at Winfield was established in May 1870. In 1873, Winfield incorporated as a city.
Railroads Railroads reached Winfield in the late 1870s, and finished at Arkansas City in 1881.Marion County Kansas : Past and Present; Sondra Van Meter; MB Publishing House; LCCN 72-92041; 344 pages; 1972.Railway Abandonment 1942 Eventually, a total of five railroads passed through Winfield.
State mental hospital In 1881, the State of Kansas established the Kansas State Asylum for Idiotic and Imbecile Youth, temporarily established at Lawrence, but moved to Winfield in 1887/1888, where it served as a dominant local employer for 117 years.Disability History and Awareness: A Resource Guide,, 2009, Kansas State Department of Education, State of KansasRanney, Dave, "Council calls for closing state hospital: Kansas no longer needs two state hospitals for the developmentally disabled," June 29, 2006, Lawrence Journal-World, retrieved April 6, 2017""WSH reunion Saturday," July 21, 2016, Winfield / Arkansas City Courier-Traveler
20th century The Winfield–Arkansas City area became an industrial community in the 20th century, manufacturing consumer goods, and eventually aircraft and aircraft parts, while retaining its traditional dominant employer, the Winfield State Hospital."Area Industries," Cowley County government, retrieved April 6, 2017
Strother Field In World War II, Winfield, along with neighboring Arkansas City, became home to a military pilot–training base, Strother Field, which remained in operation until the end of the war, bringing several thousand military personnel into the area. After the war, in the early 1950s, the field became the shared municipal airport and industrial park for Winfield and Arkansas City.Neumann, Mary Lucille, "History of Strother Field," April 30, 1975, Arkansas City Traveler as transcribed at "Aviation History in Arkansas City, Kansas""Strother Field History" (note on official website of Cowley County), retrieved April 5, 2017
Aviation industry
The aircraft-manufacturing industry in nearby Wichita ( to the north)—one of the world's principal aircraft-manufacturing centers—provided employment for many Winfield residents, directly and indirectly. That opportunity grew substantially in the last half of the century, as General Electric's GE Aviation division, in the late 1940s, began producing engines for Wichita aircraft, and eventually in the 1960s, one of Wichita's principal manufacturers, Cessna Aircraft Company built a factory at Strother Field.
Crayola The Crayola plant, near Winfield, was established in 1952. At the time, it was the only Crayola plant that made paints. The plant made a large part of the jobs in the county. Tours were conducted until 1992, and five years later, in 1997, the plant shut down and the paint-making equipment was moved to Pennsylvania. Lots of crayons and memorabilia from the plant can still be seen at the Winfield Historical Society museum.
Institutions The Winfield State Hospital and Training Center, established in the community in the prior century to house and confine the mentally ill and developmentally disabled, remained as a dominant local employer throughout the 20th century. Towards the end of the century the (now designated "Winfield State Hospital and Training Center") housed developmentally disabled people. Social, political and legal changes, led to closing of most of the facility in 1998. It was gradually turned into the Winfield Correctional Facility.Official history timeline: "WCF History." (Winfield Correctional Facility), 2013, Kansas Department of Corrections, State of Kansas
Southwestern College grew to become a leading local institution and employer, drawing students from throughout the central United States, and bringing an extra level of intellectual and cultural development and diversity to the community.
21st century In the 21st century, Winfield remained an industrial and institutional town. With the exception of Cessna, most of the area's major employers (some under new names and ownership) continued into the early 21st century.
1902 shooting On August 13, 1903, 35-year-old Gilbert Twigg, armed with a 12-gauge double-barrelled shotgun, opened fire at a concert, killing six people and wounding at least 25, before killing himself.
Geography Winfield is situated along the Walnut River at its confluence with Timber Creek. It is located north of the Kansas-Oklahoma state border at the junction of U.S. Routes 77 and 160. State highway route K-15 follows U.S. Route 77 to the north of the city and U.S. Route 160 to the east. K-360 is a bypass around the southeastern part of the city between U.S. Route 77 and U.S. Route 160. Arkansas City is south of Winfield along U.S. Route 77, and Strother Field, a general aviation airport, is approximately five miles (8 km) south.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which is land and is water.
Climate
According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Winfield has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps. The hottest temperature recorded in Winfield was on August 12, 1936, while the coldest temperature recorded was on February 13, 1905.
Demographics
2020 census As of the 2020 census, Winfield had a population of 11,777. The median age was 38.3 years. 20.8% of residents were under the age of 18 and 19.0% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 105.6 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 107.3 males age 18 and over. The population density was 1,057.2 per square mile (408.1/km).
97.8% of residents lived in urban areas, while 2.2% lived in rural areas.
There were 4,532 households in Winfield, of which 28.0% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 40.6% were married-couple households, 20.5% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 31.3% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 34.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.
There were 5,240 housing units, of which 13.5% were vacant. The homeowner vacancy rate was 3.3% and the rental vacancy rate was 13.0%.
+ Racial composition as of the 2020 census Race Number Percent White 9,454 80.3% Black or African American 487 4.1% American Indian and Alaska Native 182 1.5% Asian 411 3.5% Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 78 0.7% Some other race 285 2.4% Two or more races 880 7.5% Hispanic or Latino (of any race) 923 7.8%
2016–2020 American Community Survey The 2016–2020 5-year American Community Survey estimates show that the median household income was $48,027 (with a margin of error of +/- $3,412) and the median family income $57,236 (+/- $5,345). Males had a median income of $31,570 (+/- $3,388) versus $25,677 (+/- $2,934) for females. The median income for those above 16 years old was $28,904 (+/- $3,107). Approximately, 12.5% of families and 18.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 24.2% of those under the age of 18 and 12.7% of those ages 65 or over.
2010 census As of the census of 2010, there were 12,301 people, 4,600 households, and 2,848 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 5,217 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 85.7% White, 3.9% African American, 1.3% Native American, 3.9% Asian, 1.8% from other races, and 3.4% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 6.1% of the population.
There were 4,600 households, of which 32.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.7% were married couples living together, 12.2% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.1% had a male householder with no wife present, and 38.1% were non-families. 32.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.37 and the average family size was 2.98.
The median age in the city was 36.7 years. 23% of residents were under the age of 18; 12% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 25% were from 25 to 44; 24.4% were from 45 to 64; and 15.7% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 50.7% male and 49.3% female.
Economy 19th century Railroads In 1877, the Florence, El Dorado, and Walnut Valley Railroad Company built a branch line from Florence to El Dorado. The line was extended to Douglass then reached Winfield on October 1, 1879, and finished at Arkansas City in 1881. The line was leased and operated by the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway. The line 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.
The Southern Kansas and Western Railroad was completed from the east to Winfield on February 17, 1880, then continued westward, and it reached the western county line on March 16. This railroad changed its name over time as it merged or purchased by other railroads.
Eventually, a total of five railroads passed through Winfield.
State mental hospital In 1881, The Kansas Constitution stated that the care, treatment, and education of the handicapped were responsibilities of public residential institutions. Accordingly, the Kansas State Asylum for Idiotic and Imbecile Youth was temporarily established at Lawrence, moving to Winfield in 1887.
The Kansas State Imbecile Asylum (later the Winfield State Hospital and Training Center) was established in the community in 1888, on a hill overlooking the city. For the next 117 years, it served as a dominant local employer, housing and confining those with mental problems from throughout the state of Kansas.
20th century Industry The Winfield-Arkansas City area has a wide range of industrial employers—most of which emerged and developed in the 20th century. Many are based at, and around, Strother Field—a municipal airport that the two cities share.
Consumer goods In 1916, Gott Manufacturing was established in Winfield to produce metal water coolers. Over the next 70 years, the enterprise grew into a major supplier of insulated water jugs and urns.Roy, Bill, "Newell Rubbermaid to bring 200 jobs to Kansas," December 22, 2011, Wichita Business Journal, retrieved April 5, 2017""Rubbermaid celebrates its renewed investment in Winfield, Kan.," May 3, 2012, Kansas Dept. of Commerce
In 1986, Gott was acquired by Rubbermaid, a globally dominant manufacturer of rubber storage containers, and converted to producing Rubbermaid-branded products, manufacturing insulated water coolers, ice chests, outdoor-living and outdoor-storage products. Subsequent expansion of its facilities have continued into the present day.
A Crayola crayon-manufacturing plant was located in Winfield from 1952 to 1997.
Aviation industry Strother Field In 1942, as America entered World War II, Winfield, along with neighboring Arkansas City, began development of a shared municipal airport. However, the entry of the U.S. into the war led to military acquisition and completion of the airfield, which became Strother Field. During the war, the airfield was used for military pilot training.