The Early History of Jetmore
by Frank W. Blackmar (1912)
Jetmore, the county seat of Hodgeman county, is located very near the geographical center of the county on Buckner creek, a tributary of the Pawnee river. It was settled in the spring of 1879 and was at first called Buckner. After the organization of Hodgeman county the people voted at the general election of Nov. 4, 1879, for the location of a permanent county seat, and the choice fell on Buckner. Three days after that election T. S. Haun issued the first number of the Buckner Independent.
The exact date when the name was changed to Jetmore cannot be ascertained, but the issue of the Independent for June 24, 1880, was dated at Jetmore, which would indicate that the change was made in the spring of that year. Jetmore is the western terminus of a division of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe R. R., which connects with the main line at Larned. It has a bank, 2 weekly newspapers (the Western Herald and the Republican), a number of business concerns, Congregational, Methodist and Presbyterian churches, telephone, telegraph and express facilities, a graded public school, and an international money order postoffice. The population in 1910 was 317.
Geography
Jetmore is located at 38°5'3N, 99°53'46W (38.084137, -99.895999). According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 2.8 km² (1.1 mi²), all land.
Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 903 people, 362 households, and 241 families residing in the city. The population density was 317.0/km² (823.5/mi²). There were 427 housing units at an average density of 149.9/km² (389.4/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 96.79% White, 1.22% African American, 0.11% Native American, 0.22% from other races, and 1.66% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.99% of the population.
There were 362 households out of which 33.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.5% were married couples living together, 5.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.4% were non-families. 31.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 18.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 3.02.
In the city the population was spread out with 27.7% under the age of 18, 5.0% from 18 to 24, 25.5% from 25 to 44, 19.9% from 45 to 64, and 21.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 88.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.2 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $33,618, and the median income for a family was $39,375. Males had a median income of $27,917 versus $24,250 for females. The per capita income for the city was $15,510. About 10.9% of families and 14.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 19.4% of those under age 18 and 7.5% of those age 65 or over.
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