Map of Willard city, Kansas

Willard is a city in Shawnee and Wabaunsee counties in the State of Kansas in the United States. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 74.

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Willard location map. Where is Willard city?

History

Before 1883, Willard was a tiny community but when the Rock Island Railroad laid tracks through it, Willard became a typical railroad town.

In 1887, the Chicago, Kansas and Nebraska Railway built a main line from Topeka through Willard to Herington. The Chicago, Kansas and Nebraska Railway was foreclosed in 1891 and taken over by Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railway, which shut down in 1980 and reorganized as Oklahoma, Kansas and Texas Railroad, merged in 1988 with Missouri Pacific Railroad, merged in 1997 with Union Pacific Railroad. Most locals still refer to this railroad as the “Rock Island”.

In the early 1920s, Willard boasted a population of over 300 and was a major cattle shipping point for this region. During the 1930s Great Depression many businesses closed, the railroad became less important. During the Great Flood of 1951, it destroyed much of the community and caused the roadway bridge over the Kansas River to collapse isolating it from Rossville until a new roadway bridge was built in 1955.

Willard Road Map

Willard city Satellite Map

Geography

Willard is located at 39°5′38″N 95°56′36″W / 39.09389°N 95.94333°W / 39.09389; -95.94333 (39.093917, -95.943334). According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 0.11 square miles (0.28 km), all of it land.

Climate

The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Willard has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated “Cfa” on climate maps.

See also