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Independence, Kansas

Independence, Kansas
City
Location within Montgomery County and Kansas
Location within Montgomery County and Kansas
KDOT map of Montgomery County (legend)
KDOT map of Montgomery County (legend)
Coordinates: 37°13′27″N 95°42′30″W / 37.22417°N 95.70833°W / 37.22417; -95.70833Coordinates: 37°13′27″N 95°42′30″W / 37.22417°N 95.70833°W / 37.22417; -95.70833
Country United States
State Kansas
County Montgomery
Government
 • Mayor Gary Hogsett
 • City Manager TBD
Area
 • Total 7.75 sq mi (20.07 km2)
 • Land 7.74 sq mi (20.05 km2)
 • Water 0.01 sq mi (0.03 km2)
Elevation 804 ft (245 m)
Population (2010)
 • Total 9,483
 • Estimate (2015) 8,958
 • Density 1,200/sq mi (470/km2)
Time zone CST (UTC-6)
 • Summer (DST) CDT (UTC-5)
ZIP code 67301
Area code 620
FIPS code 20-33875
GNIS feature ID 0469414
Website City Website

Independence is a city in and the county seat of Montgomery County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 9,483. It was named in commemoration of the Declaration of Independence.

Independence was settled on land that was purchased from the Osage Indians in September 1869 by George A. Brown for the price of $50; they were being moved to Indian Territory in present-day Oklahoma. He originally called the townsite Colfax after Schuyler Colfax, Vice-president under President Ulysses S. Grant. On August 21, 1869 a group of Oswego, Kansas men led by R.W. Wright settled there with the intent to make Independence the county seat. E.E. Wilson and F.D. Irwin opened the first store in October 1869, Wilson & Irwin Groceries. Independence was designated county seat in 1870.

A permanent lighting system was first used for an exhibition baseball game on April 17, 1930 between the Independence Producers and House of David semi-professional baseball team of Benton Harbor, Michigan, with the Independence team winning with a score of 9 to 1 before a crowd of 1,700 spectators.

Miss Able, a rhesus monkey, was born at Ralph Mitchell Zoo. Miss Able along with Miss Baker, a squirrel monkey, became the first monkeys to fly in space; they returned alive on May 28, 1959.

Independence is located along the Verdigris River just south of its confluence with the Elk River. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 7.75 square miles (20.07 km2), of which, 7.74 square miles (20.05 km2) is land and 0.01 square miles (0.03 km2) is water.


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