Emporia, Kansas
Emporia is a city of 24,131 people in Lyon County, Kansas, founded in 1857.
Why visit Emporia
Townapedia lists 21 museums and landmarks, 25 parks and trails, 46 places to eat, 9 places to stay and 3 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Emporia State University, Flint Hills 8 Theater, Emporia Downtown Historic District and Emporia Granada Theatre.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 88°F; January lows average 18°F.
Weather in Emporia
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Emporia
Emporia is a city in, as well as the county seat of, Lyon County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 24,139. Emporia lies between Topeka and Wichita at the intersection of highways K-99, U.S. Route 50, Interstates 335 and 35 (Kansas Turnpike). It is home to Emporia State University and Flint Hills Technical College, and two annual sporting events: Unbound Gravel (gravel bicycle race) and Dynamic Discs Open (disc golf tournament).
From the Wikipedia article Emporia, Kansas (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do3
Emporia State University
School · 1.2 mi
Public university in Emporia, Kansas, United States
Museums and landmarks21
Emporia Downtown Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.8 mi
Historic district in Kansas, United States
Emporia Granada Theatre
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.9 mi
Theatre in Emporia, Kansas, United States
Harris-Borman House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.2 mi
Historic house in Kansas, United States
Richard Howe House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.3 mi
House in Emporia, Kansas
Walt Mason House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.8 mi
In Emporia, Kansas, listed on the NRHP in Lyon County, Kansas
William Allen White House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.2 mi
Historic house in Emporia, Kansas, USA
National Teachers Hall of Fame
Museum · 1.3 mi
American non-profit organization that honors exceptional school teachers
9 more on the map.
Parks, trails and playgrounds25
13 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes46
IHOP
Restaurant · Breakfast, Pancake · 1.9 mi
2831 West 18th Street, Emporia
Mo-Th,Su 06:00-22:00; Fr,Sa 06:00-24:00
Mi Chavelita Mexican Grill
Restaurant · Mexican · 1.0 mi
1120 Commercial Street, Emporia
Mo-Sa 11:00-20:00
Casa Ramos
Restaurant · Mexican · 0.7 mi
402 West 4th Avenue, Emporia
Su-Th 11:00-21:00; Fr-Sa 11:00-23:00
Casa Ramos (moved)
Restaurant · Mexican · 0.8 mi
707 Commercial Street, Emporia
Mo-Su 11:00-22:00
Mulready's Pub
Bar and pub · 0.8 mi
Mo-We 14:00-24:00; Th 14:00-02:00; Fr-Sa 12:00-02:00; Su 12:00-24:00
El Lorito
Restaurant · Mexican · 0.9 mi
2144 West U.S. Hwy 50, Emporia
Mo-Th 11:00-21:00; Fr,Sa 11:00-22:00; Su 11:00-15:00
34 more on the map.
History
Located on upland prairie, Emporia was founded in 1857, drawing its name from ancient Carthage, a place known in history as a prosperous center of commerce.
In 1864, the Union Pacific Railway, Southern Branch (later incorporated into the Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad) received land grants to build from Fort Riley to Emporia. The road eventually reached Emporia in 1869, becoming the first railroad to serve the burgeoning town. In July 1870, a second railroad, the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway reached Emporia, and in the years following the American Civil War the city became a booming railroad hub. In 1888, railroad executive and educator John Byers Anderson donated his personal library to the College of Emporia to commemorate his 50th wedding anniversary, and his former mentee Andrew Carnegie donated additional funds to build a library in Anderson's honor (conditioned upon the new college paying off its mortgage).
In 1953, Emporia was the site of the first Veterans Day observance in the United States. At the urging of local cobbler Alvin J. King, U.S. Representative Edward Rees introduced legislation in The United States Congress to rename Armistice Day as Veterans Day. President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed the bill into law on October 8, 1954.
On June 8, 1974, an F4 tornado struck Emporia, killing 6 people, injuring 200, and causing $25 million in damages.
From the History section of Emporia, Kansas on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay9
Holiday Inn Express & Suites Emporia Northwest, an IHG Hotel;Holiday Inn
Motel and hotel · 1.9 mi
3007 West 18th Street, Emporia
Churches and places of worship33
Saint Andrew's Episcopal Church
Church · Episcopal · 0.9 mi
828 ommercial Street, Emporia
First Congregational Church
Church · Conservative Congregational · 0.9 mi
326 West 12th Avenue, Emporia
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Church · Latter Day Saints · 2.4 mi
2313 Graphic Arts Road, Emporia
Shopping20
Gas and EV charging12
Schools, colleges and libraries34
Flint Hills Technical College Adult Education Center
School · 0.7 mi
620 Constitution Street, Emporia
Healthcare4
Map of Emporia
207 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 39°F | 18°F | 0.8 in |
| Feb | 44°F | 22°F | 1.2 in |
| Mar | 55°F | 31°F | 2.3 in |
| Apr | 65°F | 41°F | 3.4 in |
| May | 74°F | 52°F | 5.4 in |
| Jun | 84°F | 62°F | 4.8 in |
| Jul | 88°F | 67°F | 4.6 in |
| Aug | 87°F | 65°F | 4.0 in |
| Sep | 79°F | 56°F | 3.2 in |
| Oct | 68°F | 44°F | 2.9 in |
| Nov | 54°F | 32°F | 1.8 in |
| Dec | 42°F | 22°F | 1.4 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Emporia 3 Nw (2 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Lyon County has had 19 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.
- 2025-09-11: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2020-03-29: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2019-06-20: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding,Landslides,And Mudslides (Severe Storm)
- 2019-05-28: Tornadoes And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2015-07-20: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Emporia Municipal Airport (EMP) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 5 miles away.
- Americus 8 mi northwest, about 13 min by car
- Olpe 10 mi south, about 16 min by car
- Hartford 14 mi southeast, about 23 min by car
- Lebo 18 mi east, about 29 min by car
- Madison 19 mi south, about 30 min by car
- Cottonwood Falls 19 mi west, about 31 min by car
- Strong City 19 mi west, about 30 min by car
- Council Grove 24 mi northwest, about 39 min by car
- Topeka 51 mi northeast, about 1 h 30 min by car
- El Dorado 54 mi southwest, about 1 h 30 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Downtown Emporia, KS, Ethan James Scherrer, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Anderson Carnegie Memorial Library Emporia Kansas front view, SharonPapierdreams, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Anderson Carnegie Memorial Library Emporia Kansas southeast view, SharonPapierdreams, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Anderson Carnegie Memorial Library Emporia Kansas rear view, SharonPapierdreams, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Walt Mason House Emporia Kansas southwest view, SharonPapierdreams, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Walt Mason House Emporia Kansas front view, SharonPapierdreams, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Walt Mason House Emporia Kansas southeast view, SharonPapierdreams, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Emporia Downtown HD NRHP 12000249 Lyon County, KS, Jon Roanhaus, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Greetings from Emporia, Kansas - Large Letter Postcard (7999420722), Steve Shook from Moscow, Idaho, USA, CC BY 2.0
- Emporia Downtown HD2 NRHP 12000249 Lyon County, KS, Jon Roanhaus, CC BY-SA 4.0
- GranadaTheatre-EmporiaKS-04-24-2024, Sehguhga, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Vendors in Downtown Emporia, Emporia Main Street, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Old Emporia Public Library Kansas front view, SharonPapierdreams, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Old Emporia Public Library Kansas southeast view, SharonPapierdreams, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Old Emporia Public Library Kansas southwest view, SharonPapierdreams, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Old Emporia Public Library Kansas entrance, SharonPapierdreams, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Sunrise in Emporia, Emporia Main Street, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Emporia State University - 8293511648, Stuart Seeger, CC BY 2.0
- William-allen-white-house, Dmadeo, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Richard Howe House NRHP 86001701 Lyon County, KS, Jon Roanhaus, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Fallen Educators Memorial, Corkythehornetfan, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Plumb Administration Building, Ethan James Scherrer, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Saint Andrew's in Winter, KJLackeyII, CC BY-SA 3.0
- ISS043-E-293757 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- Warren Wesley Finney House2 NRHP 92000470 Lyon County, KS, Jon Roanhaus, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Warren Wesley Finney House NRHP 92000470 Lyon County, KS, Jon Roanhaus, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Keebler-Stone House2 NRHP 92000387 Lyon County, KS, Jon Roanhaus, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Keebler-Stone House NRHP 92000387 Lyon County, KS, Jon Roanhaus, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Anderson Carnegie Memorial Library cornerstone jpg, SharonPapierdreams, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Great American Market, Emporia Main Street, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Kress Building NRHP 83000431 Lyon County, KS, Jon Roanhaus, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Kids on Bikes, Emporia Main Street, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Dirty Kanza Welcome Wagon, Emporia Main Street, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Getting Ready for DK, Emporia Main Street, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Granada Theater NRHP 85000693 Lyon County, KS, Jon Roanhaus, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Getting Kids Involved!, Emporia Main Street, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Harris-Borman House NRHP 92000431 Lyon County, KS, Jon Roanhaus, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Harris-Borman House2 NRHP 92000431 Lyon County, KS, Jon Roanhaus, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Mrs. Preston B. Plumb House NRHP 84000011 Lyon County, KS, Jon Roanhaus, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Welcome Back Block Party, Emporia Main Street, CC BY-SA 4.0
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