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El Dorado, KS

Frequently asked questions

El Dorado, KS

El Dorado is a city and county seat of Butler County, Kansas, United States. It is situated along the Walnut River in the central part of Butler County and located in south-central Kansas. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 12,870. It is home to Butler Community College.

El Dorado is situated along the western bank of the Walnut River, southwest of El Dorado Lake. It is located 30 miles (48 km) east-northeast of Wichita at the junction of U.S. Routes 54 and 77 and K-254. The Kansas Turnpike, designated as Interstate 35, bypasses northwest of the city. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 8.92 square miles (23.10 km²), of which 8.86 square miles (22.95 km²) is land and 0.06 square miles (0.16 km²) is water.

El Dorado was laid out and platted in 1868. The name is of Spanish origin meaning "golden land". El Dorado was incorporated in 1870.

In 1877, the Florence, El Dorado, and Walnut Valley Railroad Company built a branch line from Florence to El Dorado; in 1881 it was extended to Douglass, and later to Arkansas City. 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, and Arkansas City.

In 1915, the El Dorado Oil Field was the first oil field that was found using science/geologic mapping, and part of the Mid-Continent oil province. By 1918, the El Dorado Oil Field was the largest single-field producer in the United States and was responsible for 12.8% of national oil production and 9% of the world production. It was deemed by some as "the oil field that won World War I".

In 1916, there was an anti-black race riot in El Dorado after an incident between a black shoe shiner and a white oil worker. Large numbers of black families removed their household goods and moved out of El Dorado.

In 1943, German and Italian prisoners of World War II were brought to Kansas and other Midwest states as a means of solving the labor shortage caused by American men serving in the war effort. Large internment camps were established in Kansas: Camp Concordia, Camp Funston (at Fort Riley), and Camp Phillips (at Salina under Fort Riley). Fort Riley established 12 smaller branch camps, including El Dorado. Prisoners commonly volunteered to help work on local farms; this enabled them to spend time outside the camp, socialize, and eat better food than that provided by prison guards. In some cases, smaller structures constructed by the work details still stand.

El Dorado places a high priority on the health and wellness of its residents. The Susan B. Allen Memorial Hospital serves as a cornerstone of healthcare, offering a wide range of medical services to the community. Explore the parks, facilities, and programs the El Dorado Parks and Recreation Department offers. These spaces provide opportunities for outdoor activities such as walking, jogging, sports, and picnicking. Join local fitness centers and gyms to participate in exercise programs, fitness classes, and strength training. Some popular options include the YMCA and Activity Center. Discover the walking and biking trails in and around El Dorado, such as the Double Black Diamond Trail and Teter Nature Trail. These trails offer opportunities for outdoor exercise and enjoyment of nature.

Top Sites in El Dorado, KS are Butler County History Center and Kansas Oil Museum, Coutts Memorial Museum of Art, and World War II History Center.

Population: 12,870 (2020). ZIP Code: 67042. Area code: 316. Elevation: 1,332 ft (406 m). Area: 9.20 sq mi (23.82 km²).

FAQs

What is El Dorado, KS famous for?

In 1912, El Dorado had the first woman bailiff in Kansas and the United States, Eva Rider. Mrs. Rider assembled the first women’s jury of Kansas, which was composed entirely of El Dorado women and served in the District Court of Butler County in November 1912. It was a dispute over real estate valuation that a male jury failed to resolve a year earlier. It was said no jury ever showed keener appreciation of its responsibility. The women were praised for their unusual attention to the evidence.

How far is El Dorado, KS from Wichita driving?

The distance between Wichita and El Dorado is 36 miles. The road distance is 30.7 miles. The fastest way to get from Wichita to El Dorado is by taxi which takes 32 min and costs $65 - $85. The cheapest way to get from Wichita to El Dorado is to drive which costs $5 - $8 and takes 32 min.

What is the crime rate in El Dorado, KS?

The crime rate in El Dorado is considerably higher than the national average across all communities in America from the largest to the smallest, although at 24 crimes per one thousand residents, it is not among the communities with the very highest crime rate. The chance of becoming a victim of either violent or property crime in El Dorado is 1 in 41. Based on FBI crime data, El Dorado is not one of the safest communities in America. Relative to Kansas, El Dorado has a crime rate that is higher than 88% of the state's cities and towns of all sizes.

Sources

Wikipedia 

City of El Dorado

Susan B. Allen Memorial Hospital 

El Dorado Parks and Recreation Department

YMCA 

Activity Center

Double Black Diamond Trail 

Teter Nature Trail

Butler County History Center and Kansas Oil Museum

Coutts Memorial Museum of Art

World War II History Center

Rome2Rio

Neighborhood Scout

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