Oberlin, Kansas
Oberlin is a city in Decatur County, Kansas, United States. It is also the county seat of Decatur County. In 2010, 1,788 people lived there.
History
Oberlin was platted as a town in 1878. It was named after Oberlin, Ohio.
The first post office in Oberlin was created in April 1878.
On September 30, 1878, Northern Cheyenne were running from the Indian Territory to their homes in the north. The Northern Cheyenne Exodus, attacked people near Oberlin.
Oberlin was incorporated as a city in 1885.
Geography
Oberlin is at (39.821235, -100.528369). It has an elevation of 2,562 feet (781 m). It is on the northwest side of Sappa Creek, a tributary of the Republican River, in the High Plains region of the Great Plains. It is at the intersection of U.S. Route 36 and U.S. Route 83 in northwest Kansas. Oberlin is northwest of Wichita, east of Denver, and west-northwest of Kansas City.
The United States Census Bureau says that the city has a total area of . All of it is land.
Weather
Oberlin has a humid continental climate (Koppen Dfa). It has hot, dry summers and cold, dry winters. The average temperature in Oberlin is 52 degF (11 degC). Temperatures hotter than 90 degF (32 degC) happen on average 62 days per year and dropping below 32 degF (0 degC) an average of 158 days a year. Oberlin gets precipitation 66 days a year and snowfall happens 11 days a year. Precipitation averages 23 inches (574 mm) per year, and snowfall averages 32 inches (80 cm) per year. On average, January is the coldest month, and July is both the hottest month and the wettest month. The hottest temperature ever in Oberlin was 111 degF (44 degC) in 1954; the coldest temperature ever was -31 degF (-35 degC) in 1989.
People
2010 census
The 2010 census says that there were 1,788 people, 824 households, and 477 families living in Oberlin.
Education
Oberlin USD 294 has two public schools in the city: Oberlin Elementary School (Grades Pre-K-6) and Decatur Community Junior/Senior High School (7-12).
Media
The Oberlin Herald is Oberlin's only newspaper. It is published once per week.
Oberlin is in the Wichita-Hutchinson, Kansas television market. NBC affiliate KSNK is licensed to McCook, Nebraska. It broadcasts on channel 8 from studios west of Oberlin. KSNK is a satellite station of KSNW in Wichita.
Famous people
Brun Campbell - ragtime composer, pianist
Sam Francis - Overall #1 pick in 1937 NFL Draft, football coach at Kansas State University
Elmer Hackney - NFL running back
Richard Rogers - U.S. federal judge
Cora Simpson - nurse and nurse educator, founder of nursing school in Fuzhou, China
References
Other websites
City
City of Oberlin, and Decatur County website
Oberlin - Directory of Public Officials
Schools
USD 294, local school district
Maps
Oberlin City Map, KDOT
Cities in Kansas
County seats in Kansas
1878 establishments in Kansas