Medicine Lodge, Kansas
Location of Medicine Lodge, Kansas
Coordinates: 37°17′4″N 98°34′52″W / 37.28444, -98.58111
Country	United States
State	Kansas
County	Barber
Area
- Total	1.2 sq mi (3.1 km²)
- Land	1.2 sq mi (3.1 km²)
- Water	0.0 sq mi (0.0 km²)
Elevation	1,496 ft (456 m)
Population (2006)
- Total	2,036
- Density	1,823.7/sq mi (704.1/km²)
Time zone	Central (CST) (UTC-6)
- Summer (DST)	CDT (UTC-5)
ZIP code	67104
Area code(s)	620
FIPS code	20-45500[1]
GNIS feature ID	0470446[2]

Medicine Lodge is the largest city and county seat of Barber County, Kansas, United States. The population was 2,193 at the 2000 census, and it was estimated to be 2,036 in the year 2006.^[3] It is situated along the Medicine Lodge River.

Geography

Medicine Lodge is located at 37°17′4″N, 98°34′52″W (37.284352, -98.580977)^[4].

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.2 square miles (3.1 km²), all of it land.

The community is at the junction of U.S. Routes 160 and 281.

Demographics

Medicine Lodge's population was estimated to be 2,036 in the year 2006, a decrease of 147, or -6.7%, over the previous six years.^[3]

As of the census^[1] of 2000, there were 2,193 people, 922 households, and 609 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,823.7 people per square mile (705.6/km²). There were 1,085 housing units at an average density of 902.3/sq mi (349.1/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 98.08% White, 0.36% African American, 0.09% Native American, 0.09% Asian, 0.36% from other races, and 1.00% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.69% of the population.

There were 922 households out of which 30.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.8% were married couples living together, 9.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.9% were non-families. 30.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.34 and the average family size was 2.90.

In the city the population was spread out with 25.1% under the age of 18, 7.2% from 18 to 24, 24.7% from 25 to 44, 22.2% from 45 to 64, and 20.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 93.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.6 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $35,262, and the median income for a family was $41,053. Males had a median income of $30,319 versus $18,750 for females. The per capita income for the city was $16,231. About 7.4% of families and 9.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.7% of those under age 18 and 4.6% of those age 65 or over.

History

The area that grew into the modern town of Medicine Lodge was considered sacred ground by the Kiowa tribe of Native Americans. Around 1874, during a period of contention with local natives, a fortified camp was built in Medicine Lodge. Several early settlers were killed within a few miles of the compound, but no direct attack was made on the fortifications.

A pageant is celebrated every three years in the Fall to remember the Medicine Lodge Treaty, an earlier peace treaty (1867), that ended the disputes with the five plains tribes.

Carrie Nation was married to a preacher who brought her to Medicine Lodge and later divorced her. It was while she was living here that she became actively involved in the temperance movement.

References

• Yost, Nellie Snyder. Medicine Lodge: The Story of a Kansas Frontier Town. Sage Books: Chicago, 1970.

Notes:

1. ^ ^{a b} American FactFinder. United States Census Bureau. Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
2. ^ US Board on Geographic Names. United States Geological Survey (2007-10-25). Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
3. ^ ^{a b} Population Estimates. U.S. Census Bureau, Population Division. Annual estimates of the population to 2006-07-01. Released 2007-06-28. Population change is from 2000-07-01 to 2006-07-01.
4. ^ US Gazetteer files: 2000 and 1990. United States Census Bureau (2005-05-03). Retrieved on 2008-01-31.

External links

• Medicine Lodge information
• Medicine Lodge Peace Treaty Pageant

• Medicine Lodge, Kansas is at coordinates 37°17′04″N 98°34′52″W / 37.284352, -98.580977 (Medicine Lodge, Kansas)Coordinates: 37°17′04″N 98°34′52″W / 37.284352, -98.580977 (Medicine Lodge, Kansas)

v â€¢ d â€¢ e Municipalities and communities of Barber County, Kansas
County seat: Medicine Lodge
Cities	Hardtner | Hazelton | Isabel | Kiowa | Medicine Lodge | Sharon | Sun City
Townships	Aetna | Deerhead | Eagle | Elm Mills | Elwood | Hazelton | Kiowa | Lake City | McAdoo | Medicine Lodge | Mingona | Moore | Nippawalla | Ridge | Sharon | Sun City | Turkey Creek | Valley
Unincorporated communities	Aetna | Deerhead | Lake City | Pixley | Stubbs