Concordia is a city in and the

county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or parish (administrative division), civil parish. The term is in use in five countries: Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, and the United States. An equiva ...

of Cloud County,

Kansas Kansas ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Nebraska to the north; Missouri to the east; Oklahoma to the south; and Colorado to the west. Kansas is named a ...

, United States. It is located along the Republican River in the

Smoky Hills The Smoky Hills are an upland region of hills in the central Great Plains of North America. They are located in the Midwestern United States, encompassing north-central Kansas and a small portion of south-central Nebraska. The hills are a diss ...

region of the

Great Plains The Great Plains is a broad expanse of plain, flatland in North America. The region stretches east of the Rocky Mountains, much of it covered in prairie, steppe, and grassland. They are the western part of the Interior Plains, which include th ...

in North Central Kansas. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 5,111. Concordia is home of the Cloud County Community College and the Nazareth Convent and Academy.

History

19th century

Concordia holds the distinction of being elected the

before the town was created. The founder of the town, James M. Hagaman, had created a complete layout of the town on paper including streets, blocks, courthouse, and parks. The name "Concordia" was chosen because a member of the early group of promoters ("Cap" Snyder) had once lived in Concordia, Missouri, and liked the name because it paid homage to the settlers-to-be's German heritage; the name "Concordia" is a German name found in many early Germanic poems. December 1869 was the first election for the county seat with Concordia, Clyde, and the now defunct town, Sibley. Without a clear majority, a second election was held between Concordia and Sibley on January 4, 1870. Concordia was declared the winner over Sibley, 165 votes to 129. It was over a year later when Concordia officially became a community when the Republican Land District Office opened on January 16, 1871. The Concordia Land Office continued until February 28, 1889, when it was consolidated with the land office in

Topeka, Kansas Topeka ( ) is the capital city of the U.S. state of Kansas and the county seat of Shawnee County. It is along the Kansas River in the central part of Shawnee County, in northeastern Kansas, in the Central United States. As of the 2020 cen ...

. Also in 1871, Concordia elected its first mayor, R. E. Allen. Under his leadership, Concordia was officially incorporated as a third class city under Kansas law in August 1872. Concordia was visited in its early years by many traveling shows. As early as 1876, various traveling entertainers, including

Wild Bill Hickok James Butler Hickok (May 27, 1837August 2, 1876), better known as "Wild Bill" Hickok, was a folk hero of the American Old West known for his life on the frontier as a soldier, reconnaissance, scout, lawman, cattle rustler, gunslinger, gambler, s ...

Buffalo Bill Cody William Frederick Cody (February 26, 1846January 10, 1917), better known as Buffalo Bill, was an American soldier, bison hunter, and showman. One of the most famous figures of the American Old West, Cody started his legend at the young age o ...

, Ringling Brothers, and others came to Concordia. In 1892, the Ringling train wrecked east of the town killing two men and 20 horses, but the show played the next day to a crowd of 4,000. The first schoolteacher to teach inside the city limits was Milo Stevens, who was paid a salary of $20 per month. A state normal school was set up in Concordia in 1874 with F. E. Robinson as principal and former state Superintendent H. D. McCarty became president the second year. In 1876, the state ceased to provide funding and the school was closed. In 1887,

Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway , often referred to as the Santa Fe or AT&SF, was one of the largest Class 1 railroads in the United States between 1859 and 1996. The Santa Fe was a pioneer in intermodal freight transport; at vario ...

built a branch line from

Neva The Neva ( , ; , ) is a river in northwestern Russia flowing from Lake Ladoga through the western part of Leningrad Oblast (historical region of Ingria) to the Neva Bay of the Gulf of Finland. Despite its modest length of , it is the fourth- ...

(three miles west of Strong City) through Concordia to

Superior, Nebraska Superior is a city in Nuckolls County, Nebraska, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 1,957. Superior bills itself as the "Victorian Capital of Nebraska", and holds an annual Victorian Festival.

. In 1996, the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway merged with

Burlington Northern Railroad The Burlington Northern Railroad was a United States–based railroad company formed from a merger of four major U.S. railroads. Burlington Northern operated between 1970 and 1995. Its historical lineage begins in the earliest days of railroad ...

and renamed to the current

BNSF Railway BNSF Railway is the largest freight railroad in the United States. One of six North American Class I railroads, BNSF has 36,000 employees, of track in 28 states, and over 8,000 locomotives. It has three Transcontinental railroad, transcontine ...

. Most locals still refer to this railroad as the "Santa Fe." In 1897,

Pope Leo XIII Pope Leo XIII (; born Gioacchino Vincenzo Raffaele Luigi Pecci; 2March 181020July 1903) was head of the Catholic Church from 20 February 1878 until his death in July 1903. He had the fourth-longest reign of any pope, behind those of Peter the Ap ...

founded the Roman Catholic Diocese of Concordia, Kansas. The diocese was renamed in 1947 when the see was transferred to Salina, and it is now known as the Roman Catholic Diocese of Salina. It was later restored as a titular see in 1995.

20th century

Carrie Nation Caroline Amelia Nation (November 25, 1846June 9, 1911), often referred to as Carrie, Carry Nation, Carrie A. Nation, or Hatchet Granny, was an American who was a radical member of the temperance movement, which opposed alcohol before the advent ...

visited Concordia in the early 1900s. Records are mixed, but the date is placed between 1908 and 1910. The ''Concordia Blade'' newspaper (now the '' Concordia Blade-Empire'') reported:

"Carrie Nation is in town. That wonderfully brave little woman who started the crusade against Kansas saloons lectured at the M.E. Church this afternoon, and will talk again tonight at the courthouse. While in this city she is the guest of Mrs. George Mohr."

A major geographic change in the city and the area occurred on July 9, 1902. The Republican River flooded near town and broke a dam. The flooding resulted in re-routing the river by 1/4 of a mile. The year of 1912 brought a major blizzard to Concordia with snow so deep that a Union Pacific train became stuck northeast of town and snowbanks on main street piled as high as peoples' heads. Also in 1912, the first official inspection team for Meridian Highway (now US-81) came through Concordia on their tour from

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...

Mexico Mexico, officially the United Mexican States, is a country in North America. It is the northernmost country in Latin America, and borders the United States to the north, and Guatemala and Belize to the southeast; while having maritime boundar ...

. In 1913, the Missouri Pacific Railway depot was rebuilt after a fire destroyed the old building. Another flood took place on June 20, 1915. Damage from the flood was significant but not as wide-sweeping as the flood of 1902. From May 1, 1943 through November 8, 1945, Camp Concordia was a World War II internment camp for German POWS.

Geography

Concordia lies on the south side of the Republican River in the

region of the

. Lost Creek, a tributary of the Republican, flows north along the western edge of the city. Located in north-central Kansas at the intersection of U.S. Route 81 and K-9, Concordia is approximately north of Wichita, southwest of

Omaha Omaha ( ) is the List of cities in Nebraska, most populous city in the U.S. state of Nebraska. It is located in the Midwestern United States along the Missouri River, about north of the mouth of the Platte River. The nation's List of United S ...

, and west-northwest of

Kansas City The Kansas City metropolitan area is a bi-state metropolitan area anchored by Kansas City, Missouri. Its 14 counties straddle the border between the U.S. states of Missouri (9 counties) and Kansas (5 counties). With and a population of more t ...

. According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...

, the city has a total area of , all land.

Climate

Concordia has a humid continental climate (Köppen ''Dfa''), with hot, humid summers and cold, dry winters; it is part of USDA

Hardiness zone A hardiness zone is a geographic area defined as having a certain average annual minimum temperature, a factor relevant to the survival of many plants. In some systems other statistics are included in the calculations. The original and most widely ...

6a. The normal monthly mean temperature ranges from in January to in July. On average, there are 7.1 days that reach or higher, 50.2 days that reach or higher, 28.4 days that do not climb above freezing, and 4.1 days with a low of or below. Extreme temperatures officially range from on January 8, 1886, up to on August 12, 1936; the record cold daily maximum is on January 14, 1888, while, conversely, the record warm daily minimum is on July 1, 1933. Precipitation is greatest in May and has ranged from in 1956 to in 1993. Snowfall averages per season, and has historically ranged from in 1903–04 to in 1959–60.

Demographics

According to the census ( estimate), Concordia is the most populous city in the county and of all six adjacent counties.

2020 census

The 2020 United States census counted 5,111 people, 2,023 households, and 1,169 families in Concordia. The population density was 1,134.8 per square mile (438.1/km). There were 2,512 housing units at an average density of 557.7 per square mile (215.3/km). The racial makeup was 89.57% (4,578)

white White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...

European American European Americans are Americans of European ancestry. This term includes both people who descend from the first European settlers in the area of the present-day United States and people who descend from more recent European arrivals. Since th ...

(87.63%

non-Hispanic white Non-Hispanic Whites, also referred to as White Anglo Americans or Non-Latino Whites, are White Americans who are classified by the United States census as "White" and not of Hispanic or Latino origin. According to annual estimates from the Unit ...

), 2.21% (113)

black Black is a color that results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without chroma, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness.Eva Heller, ''P ...

African-American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from any of the Black racial groups of Africa. ...

, 0.57% (29) Native American or

Alaska Native Alaska Natives (also known as Native Alaskans, Alaskan Indians, or Indigenous Alaskans) are the Indigenous peoples of the Americas, Indigenous peoples of Alaska that encompass a diverse arena of cultural and linguistic groups, including the I ...

, 0.63% (32) Asian, 0.16% (8)

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...

Native Hawaiian Native Hawaiians (also known as Indigenous Hawaiians, Kānaka Maoli, Aboriginal Hawaiians, or simply Hawaiians; , , , and ) are the Indigenous peoples of Oceania, Indigenous Polynesians, Polynesian people of the Hawaiian Islands. Hawaiʻi was set ...

, 1.47% (75) from other races, and 5.4% (276) from two or more races.

Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...

or Latino of any race was 5.81% (297) of the population. Of the 2,023 households, 26.9% had children under the age of 18; 42.4% were married couples living together; 27.6% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. 35.5% of households consisted of individuals and 16.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.2 and the average family size was 2.7. The percent of those with a bachelor's degree or higher was estimated to be 16.8% of the population. 21.6% of the population was under the age of 18, 13.3% from 18 to 24, 22.6% from 25 to 44, 21.9% from 45 to 64, and 20.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37.5 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.8 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older, there were 102.3 males. The 2016-2020 5-year

American Community Survey The American Community Survey (ACS) is an annual demographics survey program conducted by the United States Census Bureau. It regularly gathers information previously contained only in the long form of the United States census, decennial census ...

estimates show that the median household income was $44,185 (with a margin of error of +/- $2,603) and the median family income was $48,333 (+/- $12,035). Males had a median income of $28,219 (+/- $5,160) versus $21,441 (+/- $4,464) for females. The median income for those above 16 years old was $26,147 (+/- $4,160). Approximately, 6.9% of families and 13.6% 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 13.1% of those under the age of 18 and 4.9% of those ages 65 or over.

2010 census

As of the

census A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...

of 2010, there were 5,395 people, 2,186 households, and 1,301 families residing in the city. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: Standing stock (disambiguation), 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 geog ...

was . There were 2,545 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 95.3%

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

, 0.8%

African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...

, 0.4% Native American, 0.2% Asian, 1.4% from other races, and 1.9% from two or more races.

or Latino of any race were 4.3% of the population. There were 2,186 households, of which 28.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.6% were

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

living together, 9.6% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.3% had a male householder with no wife present, and 40.5% were non-families. 34.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.26 and the average family size was 2.86. The median age in the city was 38.7 years. 22.3% of residents were under the age of 18; 14.2% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 20.2% were from 25 to 44; 23.3% were from 45 to 64; and 20.1% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 47.7% male and 52.3% female.

2000 census

As of the

of 2000, there were 5,714 people, 2,310 households, and 1,399 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 2,671 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 97.90%

, 0.58%

, 0.25% Native American, 0.39% Asian, 0.14% from other races, and 0.75% from two or more races.

or Latino of any race were 0.74% of the population. There were 2,310 households, out of which 26.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.3% were

living together, 8.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.4% were non-families. 33.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.24 and the average family size was 2.88. In the city, the population was spread out, with 21.3% under the age of 18, 13.5% from 18 to 24, 21.9% from 25 to 44, 19.9% from 45 to 64, and 23.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 83.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 79.0 males. The median income for a household in the city was $31,398, and the median income for a family was $40,389. Males had a median income of $27,764 versus $20,885 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...

for the city was $17,019. About 7.1% of families and 12.9% of the population were below the

, including 15.3% of those under age 18 and 10.1% of those age 65 or over.

Government

City government

The Concordia city government consists of five commissioners, of which one is elected mayor each year by the other four members. The commission meets the 1st and 3rd Wednesday of each month at 5:30PM.Concordia - Directory of Public Officials
/ref> Other government facilities include city services such as water, sewer, police, and fire departments.

Other government services

Concordia holds other government services in its city limits. The town is home to various county services such as the county sheriff and county court house as well as state government buildings including an armory for the Kansas National Guard. There also are federal offices and buildings common to small communities such as the

United States Post Office The United States Postal Service (USPS), also known as the Post Office, U.S. Mail, or simply the Postal Service, is an independent agency of the executive branch of the United States federal government responsible for providing postal serv ...

Education

Colleges and universities

Concordia is the location of Cloud County Community College, a two-year

junior college A junior college is a type of post-secondary institution that offers vocational and academic training that is designed to prepare students for either skilled trades and technical occupations or support roles in professions such as engineering, a ...

. Other post-secondary schools in Concordia's history are Concordia Normal School and ''Concordia Business College''.

Primary and secondary education

The community is served by Concordia USD 333 public school district. Education for grades K-6 are completed in the district across several buildings. Public secondary education for grades 7-12 is completed at

Concordia Junior-Senior High School Concordia Junior-Senior High School is a public secondary school in Concordia, Kansas, United States operated by Concordia USD 333, and serves students of grades 7 to 12. It is called the "Junior-Senior" high school because the junior high ...

. Class sizes typically range between 80 and 120 students. The school district also runs the Cloud County Alternative High School, primarily for area

non-traditional student Nontraditional student is a term that refers to a category of students at Higher education, colleges and universities. The term originated in North America and usually involves age and social characteristics. Nontraditional students are contrasted ...

s. Students can earn their diploma online or through computer-based classes. Enrollment is very small, typically graduating less than ten students each year. The Catholic Church in Concordia operated Notre Dame High School a private Catholic High School from 1962 to 1969. It remained open as a Catholic grade school until 1971, when the local district purchased the property and has used it for fifth and sixth grades under the name Concordia Middle School.

Libraries

Concordia is home to the Frank Carlson Library, a public library named for former Kansas governor Frank Carlson. Other public libraries in Concordia's history include the Carnegie Library, built with a $10,000 donation from Andrew Carnegie in 1908.

Transportation

Concordia is the host of Blosser Municipal Airport (CNK). Blosser Municipal Airport is publicly owned by the City of Concordia. The

National Weather Service The National Weather Service (NWS) is an Government agency, agency of the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government that is tasked with providing weather forecasts, warnings of hazardous weather, and other weathe ...

and the Kansas National Guard maintain facilities at this location.

Media

The '' Concordia Blade-Empire'' is the official county newspaper and publishes its edition five days a week from its location in Concordia. Radio stations KNCK (1390 AM) and KNCK-FM (94.9 FM) operate from the same broadcasting facility in Concordia and are privately owned. Radio station KVCO (88.3 FM) operates as a broadcast journalism project by Cloud County Community College in Concordia. KVCO is publicly owned and operated by the school.

Culture

Points of interest

In November 1905, Concordia resident Colonel Napoleon Bonaparte Brown announced to the townspeople his plans to build the Brown Grand Theatre, a fully outfitted opera house for Concordia. Renowned

theater architect Carl Boller was hired to prepare the design drawings and the blueprints. Restored to its original 1907 state, the 650 seat Brown Grand Theatre now serves as a tourist attraction and performing arts/community center for Concordia and North Central Kansas. Camp Concordia, a

prisoner of war A prisoner of war (POW) is a person held captive by a belligerent power during or immediately after an armed conflict. The earliest recorded usage of the phrase "prisoner of war" dates back to 1610. Belligerents hold prisoners of war for a ...

camp for captured Germans, was maintained a few miles north of Concordia during

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

. The original guard house remains and has been restored. The Cloud County Historical Museum preserves and exhibits objects and documents of historical items representing early-day Kansas. It is housed in the former 1908

Andrew Carnegie Andrew Carnegie ( , ; November 25, 1835August 11, 1919) was a Scottish-American industrialist and philanthropist. Carnegie led the expansion of the History of the iron and steel industry in the United States, American steel industry in the late ...

Library building and a large newer annex.

Cloud County, Kansas Cloud County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kansas. Its county seat and most populous city is Concordia. As of the 2020 census, the county population was 9,032. The county was named after William Cloud, an officer in the America ...

artifacts exhibited for viewing include items relating to nature, radio, railroads, quilts, photography, toys, vintage clothing and furniture, musical instruments, fossils, tools, and stained glass. The museum is also home of one of the largest hand carved brick murals. Records are on display of the military Prisoner of War Camp, churches, organizations, schools, and businesses. Displays of glass cutting, rare coins and books, rock and gem shop, micro-film of county newspapers and many others too numerous to list. Large displays in the annex include the 1908 Lincoln-Page

Airplane An airplane (American English), or aeroplane (Commonwealth English), informally plane, is a fixed-wing aircraft that is propelled forward by thrust from a jet engine, Propeller (aircraft), propeller, or rocket engine. Airplanes come in a vari ...

, an 1898 Holsman belt driven

horseless carriage Horseless carriage is an early name for the motor car or automobile. Prior to the invention of the motor car, carriages were usually pulled by animals, typically horses. The term can be compared to other transitional terms, such as wireless p ...

, and a 1915

Ford Model T The Ford Model T is an automobile that was produced by the Ford Motor Company from October 1, 1908, to May 26, 1927. It is generally regarded as the first mass-affordable automobile, which made car travel available to middle-class Americans. Th ...

. The Cloud County Veterans Memorial is housed in the courthouse block of Concordia. The memorial includes an "eternal flame" that has been burning since the monument was established on November 11, 1968. Concordia is the home of the national

Orphan Train The Orphan Train Movement was a supervised welfare program that transported children from crowded Eastern cities of the United States to foster homes located largely in rural areas of the Midwestern United States, Midwest short on farming Child ...

complex, housed in the restored historic Union Pacific Railroad Depot. The complex currently houses a museum and research center dedicated to the preservation of the stories and artifacts of those who were part of the Orphan Train Movement from 1854 to 1929. The Nazareth Convent and Academy is the official Motherhouse and Home for the 260 Sisters of St. Joseph of Concordia. It was built in 1903 and is listed in the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...

. The sisters at Nazareth earned a reputation for their education of young women, giving them a sound academic program and instruction in the fine arts, music, French, and the social graces. In 1903, the Sisters of St. Joseph entered the health care field in Concordia with the establishment of the St. Joseph Hospital on the original site after the new Nazareth Motherhouse was built at its present location. The most common historic bridge visited is the Republican River Pegram Truss, a three-span through

truss bridge A truss bridge is a bridge whose load-bearing superstructure is composed of a truss, a structure of connected elements, usually forming triangular units. The connected elements, typically straight, may be stressed from tension, compression, or ...

built in 1893 for the

Union Pacific Railway The Union Pacific Railroad is a Railroad classes, Class I freight-hauling railroad that operates 8,300 locomotives over routes in 23 U.S. states west of Chicago and New Orleans. Union Pacific is the second largest railroad in the United Stat ...

. As of 2007, the bridge is used for local automobile traffic. Other bridges in the area are the County Line Bowstring bridge near Hollis and the Pott's Ford Bridge near Glasco. All three bridges are listed on the

. Concordia claims the title "The

Stained Glass Stained glass refers to coloured glass as a material or art and architectural works created from it. Although it is traditionally made in flat panels and used as windows, the creations of modern stained glass artists also include three-dimensio ...

Capital of Kansas" and a tour of local stained glass pieces has been established. Although common in houses of worship, many private residences also have quality stained glass installed and available for viewing on the tour.

Parks and recreation

Small game hunting (particularly game birds such as

pheasant Pheasants ( ) are birds of several genera within the family Phasianidae in the order Galliformes. Although they can be found all over the world in introduced (and captive) populations, the pheasant genera's native range is restricted to Eura ...

quail Quail is a collective name for several genera of mid-sized birds generally placed in the order Galliformes. The collective noun for a group of quail is a flock, covey, or bevy. Old World quail are placed in the family Phasianidae, and New ...

, and

dove Columbidae is a bird family consisting of doves and pigeons. It is the only family in the order Columbiformes. These are stout-bodied birds with small heads, relatively short necks and slender bills that in some species feature fleshy ceres. ...

) attracts a large number of people from all over the world. Opening Day of hunting season is an especially active day for Concordia as it brings a large number of visitors and a boost to the local economy. The city of Concordia has complementary overnight camping available at Airport Park, one of several city parks. Airport Park is located at the Blosser Municipal Airport.

Notable people

Academic

* George Norlin, former president of the

University of Colorado The University of Colorado (CU) is a system of public universities in Colorado. It consists of four institutions: the University of Colorado Boulder, the University of Colorado Colorado Springs, the University of Colorado Denver, and the U ...

Arts/Entertainment

* Jim Garver, guitarist for

Garth Brooks Troyal Garth Brooks (born February 7, 1962) is an American Country music, country singer and songwriter. His integration of pop and rock elements into the country genre has earned him his immense popularity, particularly in the United States, ...

* Robert E. Pearson, movie director *

Marilyn Schreffler Marilyn Sue Schreffler (June 14, 1945 – January 7, 1988) was an American voice actress who provided voice-overs for several animated television series, mostly for Hanna-Barbera Productions. Biography Marilyn Schreffler was born in Wichita, ...

, American actress who provided voice-overs for several animated TV programs * Helen Talbot, motion picture actress and

pin-up girl A pin-up model is a model whose mass-produced pictures and photographs have wide appeal within the popular culture of a society. Pin-up models are usually glamour, actresses, or fashion models whose pictures are intended for informal and aesth ...

. Born Helen Darling in Concordia. * ''The Sensational Showmen'', Rock show band from 1964 to 1968, inducted into Kansas Music Hall of Fame in 2009.

Business/Politics

* Charles H. Blosser, local businessman and namesake of Blosser Municipal Airport in Concordia * Napoleon Bonaparte Brown, local businessman and philanthropist, namesake of the Brown Grand Theatre in Concordia * Frank Carlson, former

congressman A member of congress (MOC), also known as a congressman or congresswoman, is a person who has been appointed or elected and inducted into an official body called a congress, typically to represent a particular constituency in a legislature. The t ...

Senator A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or Legislative chamber, chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the Ancient Rome, ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior ...

, and Governor of Kansas * Deanell Reece Tacha, chief judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit * Clyde Short, former chairman of the Kansas Democratic Party

Religion

* Charles J. Chaput,

archbishop In Christian denominations, an archbishop is a bishop of higher rank or office. In most cases, such as the Catholic Church, there are many archbishops who either have jurisdiction over an ecclesiastical province in addition to their own archdi ...

of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of

Philadelphia Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania, officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a U.S. state, state spanning the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern United States, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes region, Great Lakes regions o ...

* John Francis Cunningham, Bishop of Concordia * Jim Garlow, pastor of Skyline Church in

La Mesa, California La Mesa () is a city in San Diego County, California, United States, located east of downtown San Diego in Southern California. The population was 61,121 at the 2020 census, up from 57,065 at the 2010 census. Its civic motto is "the Jewel of ...

. *

Constantine Scollen Father Con Scollen OMI. (4 April 1841 – 8 November 1902) was an Ireland, Irish Catholic, Missionary priest who lived among and evangelized the Blackfoot, Cree and Métis peoples on the Canadian Prairies and in northern Montana in the United S ...

famous missionary priest was resident from 1896 until 1898

Sports

* Tom Brosius, track and field athlete * Greg Brummett, baseball player in 1990s, pitched for

San Francisco Giants The San Francisco Giants are an American professional baseball team based in San Francisco. The Giants compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League West, West Div ...

and

Minnesota Twins The Minnesota Twins are an American professional baseball team based in Minneapolis. The Twins compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League Central, Central Division. The team is named afte ...

; head baseball coach at Cloud County Community College *

Keith Christensen Keith Elmore "Pinky" Christensen (May 10, 1947 – February 17, 2023) was an American college and professional football player. Christensen played at offensive tackle at the University of Kansas where he was coached first by Jack Mitchell and ...

, former NFL football player

New Orleans Saints The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans. The Saints compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC South, South division. Since 1975, the team ...

* Billy Dewell, former NFL football player

Chicago Cardinals The professional American football team now known as the Arizona Cardinals previously played in Chicago, Illinois, as the Chicago Cardinals from 1898 to 1959 before relocating to St. Louis, Missouri, for the 1960 through 1987 seasons. Roots ca ...

* Bill Dotson, track and field athlete * Mike Gardner, head football coach at Tabor College and Malone University *

Larry Hartshorn Larry LeRoy "Rube" Hartshorn (May 19, 1933 – September 19, 2007) was an American gridiron football player. He played prolifically in the National Football League (NFL) as an Guard (American and Canadian football), offensive guard with the Chi ...

, former NFL football player

* Tim McCarty, head football coach at East Central University * Ernie Quigley, professional basketball

referee A referee is an official, in a variety of sports and competition, responsible for enforcing the rules of the sport, including sportsmanship decisions such as ejection. The official tasked with this job may be known by a variety of other title ...

and

umpire An umpire is an official in a variety of sports and competition, responsible for enforcing the rules of the sport, including sportsmanship decisions such as ejection. The term derives from the Old French , , and , : (as evidenced in cricke ...

Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball league composed of 30 teams, divided equally between the National League (baseball), National League (NL) and the American League (AL), with 29 in the United States and 1 in Canada. MLB i ...

; member

Basketball Hall of Fame The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame is an American history museum and hall of fame, located at 1000 Hall of Fame Avenue in Springfield, Massachusetts. It serves as basketball's most complete library, in addition to promoting and pres ...

Harry Short Harry Bernard Short (1 September 1864 – 15 April 1937) was a Conservative member of the House of Commons of Canada. He was born in Bear River, Nova Scotia and became a corporate manager and municipal politician. Short attended school ...

Texas League The Texas League is a Minor League Baseball league which has operated in the South Central United States since 1902. It is classified as a Double-A league. Despite the league's name, only its five South Division teams are actually based in the ...

baseball player * Shanele Stires, former WNBA basketball player

Minnesota Lynx The Minnesota Lynx are an American professional basketball team based in Minneapolis. The Lynx compete in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) as a member of the Western Conference (WNBA), Western Conference. The team won the WNBA ...

and college basketball coach * Kaye Vaughan, former

Canadian Football League The Canadian Football League (CFL; , LCF) is a Professional gridiron football, professional Canadian football league in Canada. It comprises nine teams divided into two divisions, with four teams in the East Division (CFL), East Division and f ...

and Hall of Fame player with

Ottawa Rough Riders The Ottawa Rough Riders were a Canadian Football League team based in Ottawa, Ontario, founded on September 19, 1876. Formerly one of the oldest and longest-lived professional sports teams in North America, the Rough Riders won the Grey Cup cham ...

, winner CFL's Outstanding Lineman Award

Other

* Boston Corbett, Union

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...

soldier, famous for shooting

John Wilkes Booth John Wilkes Booth (May 10, 1838April 26, 1865) was an American stage actor who Assassination of Abraham Lincoln, assassinated United States president Abraham Lincoln at Ford's Theatre in Washington, D.C., on April 14, 1865. A member of the p ...

, the man who assassinated

Abraham Lincoln Abraham Lincoln (February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865) was the 16th president of the United States, serving from 1861 until Assassination of Abraham Lincoln, his assassination in 1865. He led the United States through the American Civil War ...

Pop Hollinger Harvey T. "Pop" Hollinger (October 13, 1886 – March 6, 1977) was one of the first comic book Comic book collecting, collectors. He set up his retail and mail order shop for new and used comics in Concordia, Kansas, in the late 1930s. Biography ...

, one of the first

comic book A comic book, comic-magazine, or simply comic is a publication that consists of comics art in the form of sequential juxtaposed panel (comics), panels that represent individual scenes. Panels are often accompanied by descriptive prose and wri ...

collectors of all time

Popular culture

The song ''

Friends in Low Places "Friends in Low Places" is a song recorded by American country music artist Garth Brooks. It was released on August 6, 1990, as the lead single from his album '' No Fences''. The song spent four weeks at number one on the Hot Country Songs, and ...

'' made famous by

mentions a bar called "The Oasis" that is named after a now-closed establishment in Concordia.

Image gallery

File:Concordia,_Kansas_City_Limits.JPG, City limits, north side of town File:Concordia,_Kansas_Main_Street.JPG, Main Street (looking west) File:Cloud_County_Court_House.JPG, Cloud County Court House File:Cloud County Fairgrounds.JPG, Welcome sign for the Cloud County Fairgrounds File:Circle B Grain Elevator.JPG, Circle B Grain Elevator File:CO-OP_grain_elevator_(Concordia,_Kansas).JPG,

CO-OP A cooperative (also known as co-operative, coöperative, co-op, or coop) is "an autonomous association of persons united voluntarily to meet their common economic, social and cultural needs and aspirations through a jointly owned and democr ...

grain elevator File:Concordia_City_Park_(Concordia,_Kansas).JPG, City Park File:Concordia_City_Park_and_Farmers_Market_(Concordia,_Kansas).JPG, Farmer's Market File:Decker_Park_(Concordia,_Kansas).JPG, Decker Park File:Hood_Park_(Concordia,_Kansas).JPG, Hood Park File:Sunset_Home_(Concordia,_Kansas).JPG, Sunset Home File:Manna House of Prayer.JPG, Manna House of Prayer File:Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Concordia, Kansas).JPG, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints File:First Baptist Church (Concordia, Kansas).JPG, The Baptist Church File:First Christian Church (Concordia, Kansas).JPG, First Christian Church File:First United Methodist Church (Concordia, Kansas).JPG, First United Methodist Church File:Episcopal_Church_(Concordia,_Kansas).JPG, Episcopal Church File:Faith_Baptist_Church_(Concordia,_Kansas).JPG, Faith Baptist Church File:Lutheran_Church_(Concordia,_Kansas).JPG, Lutheran Church File:Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church (Concordia, Kansas).JPG, Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church File:Presbyterian_Church_(Concordia,_Kansas).JPG, Presbyterian Church File:Trinity_United_Methodist_Church_(Concordia,_Kansas).JPG, Trinity United Methodist Church File:Wesleyan_Church_(Concordia,_Kansas).JPG, Wesleyan Church

Notes

References

External links

*
Concordia - Directory of Public Officials

Concordia - Chamber of Commerce
* , from ''Hatteberg's People'' on

KAKE KAKE (channel 10) is a television station in Wichita, Kansas, United States, affiliated with ABC and owned by Lockwood Broadcast Group. The station's studios are located on West Street in northwestern Wichita, and its transmitter is located i ...

TV news
Concordia city map
KDOT {{Authority control Cities in Kansas County seats in Kansas Cities in Cloud County, Kansas Populated places established in 1871 1871 establishments in Kansas