| Walker, Kansas | |
| Settlement Type: | Unincorporated community |
| Image Map1: | Map of Ellis Co, Ks, USA.png |
| Map Caption1: | KDOT map of Ellis County (legend) |
| Pushpin Map: | Kansas#USA |
| Pushpin Label: | Walker |
| Pushpin Label Position: | right |
| Coordinates: | 38.8672°N -99.0758°W |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | United States |
| Subdivision Type1: | State |
| Subdivision Name1: | Kansas |
| Subdivision Type2: | County |
| Subdivision Name2: | Ellis |
| Subdivision Type3: | Township |
| Established Title: | Founded |
| Established Date: | 1872 |
| Established Title1: | Platted |
| Named For: | Robert J. Walker |
| Unit Pref: | Imperial |
| Elevation Ft: | 1942 |
| Population Density Sq Mi: | auto |
| Timezone: | CST |
| Utc Offset: | -6 |
| Timezone Dst: | CDT |
| Utc Offset Dst: | -5 |
| Postal Code Type: | ZIP code |
| Postal Code: | 67674 |
| Area Code Type: | Area code |
| Area Code: | 785 |
| Blank Name: | FIPS code |
| Blank Info: | 20-74675 |
| Blank1 Name: | GNIS ID |
| Blank1 Info: | 475301 |
Walker is an unincorporated community in Herzog Township, Ellis County, Kansas, United States. It is located between Hays and Russell, along old Hwy 40 on the north side of I-70.[1] Walker has a post office with ZIP code 67674.[2]
Settlers from Ohio founded Walker in 1872.[3] They likely named the settlement for Robert J. Walker, the 4th Territorial Governor of Kansas.[4] From 1876 to 1878, they were joined by Volga German immigrants and Plattdeutsch-speaking Germans from Ohio and Kentucky who settled in the area.[3]
The first post office in Walker opened in 1873, closed temporarily in 1876, and then reopened in 1878.[5] St. Ann's Church was built and dedicated in 1905. The community's first school was built in 1893, followed by a second building in 1925. The school has since closed but remains in use as a community center.[3]
In 1942, the U.S. Army built Walker Army Airfield northwest of Walker. During World War II, thousands were stationed at the airfield, mostly for training in operation of the Boeing B-29 Superfortress bomber aircraft. The military closed the base in 1946.[6]
Construction of Interstate 70 reached Walker in 1966, passing immediately south of the community.
Walker is located approximately 1.5miles west of Walker Creek, part of the Smoky Hill River watershed, in the Smoky Hills region of the Great Plains.[7] [8] Walker is immediately north of Interstate 70 roughly 13miles east of Hays, the county seat.[8]
Walker Avenue, a paved county road, runs north–south through Walker, intersecting Interstate 70 and U.S. Route 40, which run concurrently east-west, immediately south of town.[8] The old alignment of U.S. 40, now a paved county road, runs northeast–southwest through Walker.[9]
The Kansas Pacific (KP) line of the Union Pacific Railroad runs northeast–southwest through Walker, parallel to the old alignment of U.S. 40.[8] [10]