Shawnee, Kansas

Before and after the American Civil War, Shawnee served as a government road that connected Fort Leavenworth to Fort Riley. During the mid 19th century, branches of the Oregon Trail and nearby Santa Fe Trail that travelled through, Olathe, Overland Park and Kansas City, Missouri saw settlers travel through the area.[8] A Shawnee Indian mission had been established at the present site of Shawnee in 1831. Shawnee was laid out as a town in 1857.[9] Kansas entered the union as a free state on January 29, 1861 to become the 34th state.[10] The declaration of a free state, added to the tension between the anti-slave abolitionists and pro-slave Confederate guerrillas.

William Quantrill was a confederate Guerrilla Leader who led Confederate soldiers that were known as bushwhackers. In October 1862, Willam Quantrill ordered an attack on Shawnee, which saw the town pillaged and burned to the ground.[11] Quantrill and his army of bushwhackers return in the summer of 1863, to raid and look for an escape route from Lawrence, which he was intending to sack. The raids on Shawnee served as a training exercise before attempting the full scale siege on Lawrence.[12]

Shawnee was selected by Quantrill for its proximity to Lawrence, being 35 miles away (56 kms). Lawrence was established for the political reason of being an anti-slave town and had many clashes with the confederate army started before the American Civil War. The first documented event of Bleeding Kansas was the Wakarusa War that saw both sides clash and come to a temporary truce. This allowed Lawrence to add to its defenses before the Sacking of Lawrence. In August 1863, the Lawrence Massacre took place at the hands of William Quantrill. This saw 250 men corralled and murdered and $2.2 million from damages.[12]

As of the census of 2010, there were 62,209 people, 23,651 households, and 16,876 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,463.7 inhabitants per square mile (565.1/km²). There were 24,954 housing units at an average density of 587.1 per square mile (226.7/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 86.3% White, 5.3% African American, 0.4% Native American, 3.0% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 2.3% from other races, and 2.6% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 7.5% of the population.

There were 23,651 households, of which 36.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.7% were married couples living together, 9.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.6% were non-families. 23.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.61 and the average family size was 3.11 persons.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 27.7% under the age of 18, 6.9% from 18 to 24, 28.7% from 25 to 44, 26.6% from 45 to 64, and 10.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36.4 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.8 males.

According to the town's 2020 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report,[17] the top employers in the city are: