Goessel is a city in Marion County,

Kansas Kansas () is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. Its Capital city, capital is Topeka, Kansas, Topeka, and its largest city is Wichita, Kansas, Wichita. Kansas is a landlocked state bordered by Nebras ...

, United States. It was named after Captain Kurt von Goessel (1852–1895) who went down with his ship, the

Elbe The Elbe (; cs, Labe ; nds, Ilv or ''Elv''; Upper and dsb, Łobjo) is one of the major rivers of Central Europe. It rises in the Giant Mountains of the northern Czech Republic before traversing much of Bohemia (western half of the Czech Re ...

, in the

English Channel The English Channel, "The Sleeve"; nrf, la Maunche, "The Sleeve" ( Cotentinais) or ( Jèrriais), ( Guernésiais), "The Channel"; br, Mor Breizh, "Sea of Brittany"; cy, Môr Udd, "Lord's Sea"; kw, Mor Bretannek, "British Sea"; nl, Het Ka ...

after it was rammed. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 556. It is located about 11 miles north of North Newton on the west side of K-15 highway.

History

Stouffer's Railroad Map of Kansas 1915-1918 Marion County

Early history

For many millennia, the

Great Plains The Great Plains (french: Grandes Plaines), sometimes simply "the Plains", is a broad expanse of flatland in North America. It is located west of the Mississippi River and east of the Rocky Mountains, much of it covered in prairie, steppe, a ...

North America North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere and almost entirely within the Western Hemisphere. It is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South America and th ...

was inhabited by nomadic Native Americans. From the 16th century to the 18th century, the

Kingdom of France The Kingdom of France ( fro, Reaume de France; frm, Royaulme de France; french: link=yes, Royaume de France) is the historiographical name or umbrella term given to various political entities of France in the medieval and early modern period. ...

claimed ownership of large parts of

. In 1762, after the

French and Indian War The French and Indian War (1754–1763) was a theater of the Seven Years' War, which pitted the North American colonies of the British Empire against those of the French, each side being supported by various Native American tribes. At the st ...

, France secretly ceded

New France New France (french: Nouvelle-France) was the area colonized by France in North America, beginning with the exploration of the Gulf of Saint Lawrence by Jacques Cartier in 1534 and ending with the cession of New France to Great Britain and Spa ...

Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = '' Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , ...

per the Treaty of Fontainebleau.

19th century

In 1802, Spain returned most of the land to France. In 1803, most of the land for present-day Kansas was acquired by the United States from France as part of the 828,000-square-mile

Louisiana Purchase The Louisiana Purchase (french: Vente de la Louisiane, translation=Sale of Louisiana) was the acquisition of the territory of Louisiana by the United States from the French First Republic in 1803. In return for fifteen million dollars, or ap ...

for 2.83 cents per

acre The acre is a unit of land area used in the imperial and US customary systems. It is traditionally defined as the area of one chain by one furlong (66 by 660 feet), which is exactly equal to 10 square chains, of a square mile, 4,840 square ...

. The

Kansas Territory The Territory of Kansas was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from May 30, 1854, until January 29, 1861, when the eastern portion of the territory was admitted to the Union as the free state of Kansas. ...

was organized in 1854, and Kansas became the 34th U.S. state in 1861. In 1855, Marion County was established within the

and included present-day Goessel. The year 1874 saw the first wave of an immigration of Plautdietsch-speaking

Russian Mennonite The Russian Mennonites (german: Russlandmennoniten it. "Russia Mennonites", i.e., Mennonites of or from the Russian Empire occasionally Ukrainian Mennonites) are a group of Mennonites who are descendants of Dutch Anabaptists who settled for abo ...

s to south-central Kansas. The move was an attempt to preserve religious heritage and freedom after exclusion from military service was rescinded. In 1873 twelve Mennonite delegates from the Russian Empire toured

Manitoba Manitoba ( ) is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada at the Centre of Canada, longitudinal centre of the country. It is Canada's Population of Canada by province and territory, fifth-most populous province, with a population o ...

and Kansas, with the four conservative Mennonite delegates selecting the

East Reserve The East Reserve was a block settlement in Manitoba set aside by the Government of Canada exclusively for settlement by Russian Mennonite settlers in 1873 (although settlement did not occur until 1874). Most of the East Reserve's earliest settl ...

in Manitoba and the eight liberal delegates selecting immigration to Kansas. In the next decade, one-third of Mennonites in Russia moved to North America. In 1874 a large number of Mennonites from the Molotschna Colony emigrated en masse to the United States aboard the ships Teutonia and Cimbria. This group split into two groups. The Alexanderwohl group sailed on the Cimbria and settled around present-day Goessel, and the Hoffnungsau group sailed on the Teutonia and settled around present-day Buhler and Inman. The Alexanderwohl group split into eight communal

village A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet but smaller than a town (although the word is often used to describe both hamlets and smaller towns), with a population typically ranging from a few hundred ...

s. The village of Gnadenfeld (translation: Grace Field) was located where Goessel now stands. The village lasted for several years as a communal village, and then families moved onto their own larger parcels of land nearby. Several years passed before a trading center developed. The first public structure erected in Goessel was the Mennonite Brethren church in 1890, and one of the first businesses was a creamery station established that same year. In 1891 a small mercantile store was opened and Dr. Peter Richert moved into a building that was used as his doctor's office; later it became a post office. Dr. Richert read the story of Captain Kurt von Goessel, who went down with his steamship ''Elbe'' in the English Channel, and decided to submit the name Goessel to the U.S. Postal Department; the name was accepted on April 13, 1895.''Marion County Kansas : Past and Present''; Sondra Van Meter; MB Publishing House; LCCN 72-92041; 344 pages; 1972.

20th century

In 1910, Goessel was platted and had a population of 100 people. In 1952, Goessel was incorporated and had a population of 260. In 2010, the United States Census reported 248 households and a population of 539. On March 13, 1990, Goessel was damaged by an "extreme F5" tornado during a

tornado outbreak __NOTOC__ A tornado outbreak is the occurrence of multiple tornadoes spawned by the same synoptic scale weather system. The number of tornadoes required to qualify as an outbreak typically are at least six to ten, with at least two rotational ...

. The severity of the damage left behind by this tornado led some meteorologists to believe that the Goessel tornado was among the strongest ever documented at that time. Goessel is home to the Mennonite Heritage Museum, a complex of eight buildings that preserve artifacts from early Mennonite households, farms, schools, and churches and the Bethesda Mennonite Hospital.

Geography

Goessel is located at

coordinates In geometry, a coordinate system is a system that uses one or more numbers, or coordinates, to uniquely determine the position of the points or other geometric elements on a manifold such as Euclidean space. The order of the coordinates is sig ...

38.2463992, -97.3489233 in the

of the state of

. According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of th ...

, the city has a total area of , all of it land. The county line is 1 mile west of Goessel.

Climate

The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters with very cold periods.

Area events

* Goessel Threshing Days, located at Mennonite Heritage and Agricultural Museum, 37th annual in 2010. Old-fashioned

threshing Threshing, or thrashing, is the process of loosening the edible part of grain (or other crop) from the straw to which it is attached. It is the step in grain preparation after reaping. Threshing does not remove the bran from the grain. History ...

demonstration and show with more than 100 exhibitors from a seven-state area displaying and demonstrating antique equipment related to

farming Agriculture or farming is the practice of cultivating plants and livestock. Agriculture was the key development in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that enabled peopl ...

during the past century. Numerous antique tractors are displayed. Ethnic Mennonite food is available. * Goessel Harvest Festival.

Area attractions

* Mennonite Heritage and Agricultural Museum, 200 N Poplar St. The Mennonite Heritage Museum was dedicated in 1974. It is a museum of artifacts of the Mennonites that settled in the Goessel area. The museum has eight buildings that depict the life of the immigrants who moved to Goessel. *

Alexanderwohl Mennonite Church The Alexanderwohl Mennonite Church of Goessel, Kansas, is a congregation affiliated with Mennonite Church USA. The congregation has a continuous history dating from 16th-century Europe. Background Alexanderwohl Church families trace their roots t ...

, 1 mi north on K-15 Highway. * Kansas Historical Marker
''The Mennonites In Kansas''
1 mi north on K-15 Highway.

Demographics

2010 census

As of the

census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses inc ...

of 2010, there were 539 people, 206 households, and 140 families residing in the city. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopu ...

was . There were 231 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 97.0%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White ...

, 0.2%

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...

, 0.4% Native American, 0.9% from other races, and 1.5% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to viceroyalties for ...

or Latino of any race were 2.0% of the population. There were 206 households, of which 28.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.8% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between ...

living together, 7.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 2.9% had a male householder with no wife present, and 32.0% were non-families. 30.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 18% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.36 and the average family size was 2.91. The median age in the city was 48.6 years. 22.6% of residents were under the age of 18; 5.1% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 18.9% were from 25 to 44; 23.4% were from 45 to 64; and 30.1% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 45.8% male and 54.2% female.

2000 census

As of the

of 2000, there were 565 people, 203 households, and 142 families residing in the city. The

was 1,870.3 people per square mile (727.2/km²). There were 221 housing units at an average density of 731.6 per square mile (284.4/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 97.70%

, 0.18% Native American, 0.18% from other races, and 1.95% from two or more races.

or Latino of any race were 0.71% of the population. There were 203 households, of which 28.6% had children under the age of 18 living in them; 63.1% were

living together, 6.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.0% were non-families. Individuals made up 27.6% of all households, and 17.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.44 people, and the average family size was 2.98 people. In the city, the population was spread out, with 21.6% under the age of 18, 7.4% from 18 to 24, 22.8% from 25 to 44, 16.1% from 45 to 64, and 32.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females, there were 73.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 71.0 males. As of 2000 the median income for a household in the city was $33,250, and the median income for a family was $42,727. Males had a median income of $30,313 versus $18,750 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...

for the city was $14,106. About 2.2% of families and 14.2% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...

, including 1.7% of those under age 18 and 39.4% of those age 65 or over.

Government

The Goessel government consists of a mayor and five council members. The council meets the 3rd Monday of each month at 8PM.Goessel - Directory of Public Officials
/ref> * City Hall, 101 S Cedar St.

Education

Public

The community is served by

Goessel USD 411 Goessel USD 411 is a public unified school district headquartered in Goessel, Kansas, United States. The district includes the community of Goessel, and nearby rural areas of Marion / McPherson / Harvey Counties. History In 1945, the ''Scho ...

public school district. *

Goessel High School Goessel High School is a public secondary school in Goessel, Kansas, United States. It is operated by Goessel USD 411 school district. It is the sole public high school for the community of Goessel and nearby rural areas of Marion / McPherson ...

, 100 E Main St. * Goessel Junior High School, 100 E Main St. * Goessel Elementary School, 500 E Main St.

Sports

The Goessel High School mascot is a Bluebird. One of only two schools in the nation with this mascot. It offers football, volleyball, cross country, basketball, golf and track and field. Goessel Jr/Sr. High School is a member of the Wheat State League and the Kansas State High School Activities Association (KSHSAA). Past Championships: * 1976 Boys Cross Country - Class 1A * 1988 Boys Basketball - Class 1A * 2015 Scholars' Bowl - Class 1A * 2015 Volleyball - Class 1A * 2016 Girls Cross Country - Class 1A

Library

Each USD 411 school has a library for student access. The city is served by the Goessel City Library at 101 South Cedar Street. The library is a member of th
North Central Kansas Libraries System
which provides an inter-library book loan service for its members.

Media

Print

* ''

Hillsboro Free Press The ''Hillsboro Free Press'' is a local weekly newspaper from Hillsboro, Kansas. The paper publishes every Wednesday. It is one of two newspapers in the city, the other being the Hillsboro Star-Journal. See also The other newspapers in Mar ...

'', free newspaper for greater Marion County area. * '' The Newton Kansan'', regional newspaper from Newton.

Radio

Goessel is served by numerous

radio stations Radio broadcasting is transmission of audio (sound), sometimes with related metadata, by radio waves to radio receivers belonging to a public audience. In terrestrial radio broadcasting the radio waves are broadcast by a land-based radio sta ...

of the Wichita- Hutchinson listening market area, and

satellite radio Satellite radio is defined by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU)'s ITU Radio Regulations (RR) as a '' broadcasting-satellite service''. The satellite's signals are broadcast nationwide, across a much wider geographical area than t ...

. See ''

Media in Wichita, Kansas Wichita is a major center of media in Kansas. The following is a list of media outlets based in the city. Print Magazines *''Splurge!'', monthly, local fashion and lifestyle *''Teenview Magazine'', monthly magazine created for teens by teens from ...

''.

Television

Goessel is served by over-the-air

ATSC Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC) standards are an American set of standards for digital television transmission over terrestrial, cable and satellite networks. It is largely a replacement for the analog NTSC standard and, like th ...

digital TV Digital television (DTV) is the transmission of television signals using digital encoding, in contrast to the earlier analog television technology which used analog signals. At the time of its development it was considered an innovative advanc ...

of the Wichita- Hutchinson viewing market area,Wichita-Hutchinson TV market.
/ref>

cable TV Cable television is a system of delivering television programming to consumers via radio frequency (RF) signals transmitted through coaxial cables, or in more recent systems, light pulses through fibre-optic cables. This contrasts with broa ...

, and satellite TV. See ''

''.

Infrastructure

Transportation

K-15 highway runs along the east side of the city.

Utilities

* Internet ** DSL is provided by Moundridge Telephone Company. ** Wireless is provided b
Pixius Communications
** Satellite is provided by HughesNet, StarBand, WildBlue. * TV ** Cable is provided by Moundridge Telephone Company. ** Satellite is provided by

DirecTV DirecTV (trademarked as DIRECTV) is an American multichannel video programming distributor based in El Segundo, California. Originally launched on June 17, 1994, its primary service is a digital satellite service serving the United States. I ...

Dish Network DISH Network Corporation (DISH, an acronym for DIgital Sky Highway) is an American television provider and the owner of the direct-broadcast satellite provider Dish, commonly known as Dish Network, and the over-the-top IPTV service, Sling ...

. ** Terrestrial is provided by regional

stations. * Phone ** Landline is provided b
Moundridge Telephone Company
* Electricity ** City is provided by Westar Energy. ** Rural is provided by Westar Energy and Flint Hills RECA. * Natural Gas ** Service is provided by

Kansas Gas Service Kansas Gas Service is the largest natural gas distribution company in the U.S. state of Kansas, operating in 82 counties. It is a regulated public utility which serves 634,000 customers in 360 communities, employing 1,000 employees. In addition t ...

. * Water ** City is provided by Marion County RWD #4, billed by City of Goessel. ** Rural is provided by Marion County RWD #4
map
and Harvey County RWD #1
map
. * Sewer ** Service is provided by City of Goessel. * Trash ** Service is provided by City of Goessel.

Notable people

Ira Anders Ira Anders (born April 15, 1942) is an American Democratic politician. He is a former member of the Missouri House of Representatives The Missouri House of Representatives is the lower chamber of the Missouri General Assembly. It has 163 memb ...

(1942), politician * Wes Buller (1928-2018), football coach * Shirley Knight (1936-2020), American stage, screen, and

television Television, sometimes shortened to TV, is a telecommunication medium for transmitting moving images and sound. The term can refer to a television set, or the medium of television transmission. Television is a mass medium for advertising, ...

actress.

Academy Award The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...

-nominated actress. * Duane D. Thiessen (1951), Major General,

United States Marine Corps The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for conducting expeditionary and amphibious operations through c ...

Gallery

Image:Wheat Threshing Demo at Goessel Threshing Days in Goessel, Kansas.jpg, Wheat

Threshing Threshing, or thrashing, is the process of loosening the edible part of grain (or other crop) from the straw to which it is attached. It is the step in grain preparation after reaping. Threshing does not remove the bran from the grain. History ...

Demo at Goessel Threshing Days (August 7, 2010) Image:Threshing stone near Goessel, Kansas.jpg,

Threshing stone A threshing stone is a roller-like tool used for the threshing of wheat. Similar to the use of threshing boards, the stone was pulled by horses over a circular pile of harvested wheat on a hardened dirt surface (threshing floor), and the rolling s ...

near

(2011)