Cheyenne County, Kansas

Cheyenne County
County
Cheyenne County Courthouse in St. Francis (2010)
Location within the U.S. state of Kansas
Kansas's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 39°48′N101°48′W / 39.800°N 101.800°W / 39.800; -101.800
Country	United States
State	Kansas
Founded	March 20, 1873
Named for	Cheyenne tribe [1]
Seat	St. Francis
Largest city	St. Francis
Area
• Total	1,021 sq mi (2,640 km2)
• Land	1,020 sq mi (2,600 km2)
• Water	1.1 sq mi (3 km2)  0.1%
Population  (2020) [2]
• Total	2,616
• Density	2.6/sq mi (1.0/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Area code	785
Congressional district	1st
Website	cncoks.us

Cheyenne County is a county located in the northwest corner of the U.S. state of Kansas. Its county seat and most populous city is St. Francis. ^[3] As of the 2020 census, the county population was 2,616. ^[2] The county was named after the Cheyenne tribe. ^[1]

History

See also: History of Kansas

19th century

In 1854, the Kansas Territory was organized, then in 1861 Kansas became the 34th U.S. state.

Cheyenne County was established by an act of the state legislature on 1873-03-06, ^[4] which defined the original borders of the county as:

Commencing where the east line of range 37 west, intersects the fortieth degree of north latitude; thence south with said range line to the first standard parallel; thence west with said parallel to the west line of the State of Kansas; thence north with the state line to the fortieth degree of north latitude; thence east with said parallel to the place of beginning. ^[1]

The county was surveyed the following year, and its first settlers arrived in 1879. ^[4]

Early settlement was in and around Wano, the "T" ranch (the county's first cattle ranch) being established 9 miles (14 km) from there in 1876, and Jacob Buck and the families of A. M. Brenaman, L. R. Heaton, a man named Bateman all settling around the area. ^[4] Brenaman was the first postmaster at Wano post office, established on 1880-08-23. ^[4] The first storekeepers opened their store the following month, with the first school being Kepferle, and the first school district established on 1881-12-03. ^[4] A dedicated school building, for 10 pupils, was donated by F. J. Graham and opened on 1882-01-10. ^[4] By 1886 there were 5 school districts. ^[5]

The name Wano was an Anglicization by the settlers of the Spanish word "bueno" meaning "good". ^[6] It was not only the name of the post office but of its first newspaper, the Wano News, also run by Brenaman. ^[6] Like the county's second newspaper, the Echo, the News was short lived and only had 5 issues. ^[6] Later newspapers were the Cheyenne County Rustler, established on 1885-07-03 and originally published in Wano and later St Francis; the Frontiersman, the Cheyenne County Democrat, and the Bird City News, all published in Bird City; ^{[4] [5]} and the Plaindealer published in St Francis. ^[7]

Independent county government was finally established in April 1886, by proclamation of Governor John A. Martin in response to a petition from the previous month. ^[6] The appointed county commissioners were J. M. Ketcham, W. W. McKay and J. F. Murray; with B. W. Knott as the county clerk. ^[6] Martin originally proclaimed Bird City as the county seat, as an initial temporary arrangement. ^{[6] [8]} An election for the county seat and for elected county and township officers was held in May 1886, ^[9] and Wano was chosen as county seat. ^[10] However, that first election was tainted by voter fraud and later voided by a judge. ^[11] The current county seat of St. Francis was eventually chosen by an election in February 1889 ^[12] and later approved by act of the state legislature on in February 1891. ^[6]

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,021 square miles (2,640 km²), of which 1,020 square miles (2,600 km²) is land and 1.1 square miles (2.8 km²) (0.1%) is water. ^[13]

Farming and biota

In 1886, 6,890 acres (2,790 ha) of the county was fenced farms and 68,807 acres (27,845 ha) unfenced farmland, comprising 12% of the county. ^[14] There were 13,413 acres (5,428 ha) of cultivated land, 8,035 acres (3,252 ha) being devoted to corn, then the most lucrative crop, followed by 2,042 acres (826 ha) to sorghum, its second most lucrative, and 480 acres (190 ha) of enclosed prairie land. ^[14] However, most farmers were livestock farmers. ^[14]

By 1910, the leading crops were (in descending order of value) wheat, corn, barley, hay, and broomcorn. ^[1] There was not originally much native timberland in the county. ^[1]

Geology and hydrology

The county is crossed by the Republican River, whose tributaries include Bluff Creek, Cherry Creek, Plum Creek, and Hackberry Creek. ^{[1] [14]} Other trivers include Little Beaver Creek and a 3 miles (4.8 km) reach of Big Beaver Creek in the south-east corner of the county, and the Arickaree River in the north-west corner. ^{[1] [14]}

The soil is mainly sandy, with limited amounts of limestone in some of the streams. ^{[1] [14]}

Adjacent counties

• Dundy County, Nebraska (north/Mountain Time border)
• Rawlins County (east)
• Sherman County (south/Mountain Time border)
• Kit Carson County, Colorado (southwest/Mountain Time border)
• Yuma County, Colorado (west/Mountain Time border)

Major highways

Sources: National Atlas, ^[15] U.S. Census Bureau ^[16]

• U.S. Route 36
• Kansas Highway 27
• Kansas Highway 161

Time Zones

Further information: Time in Kansas

The county is in the Central Time zone, but is bordered by the Mountain Time Zone in three directions; it is the only county in the United States to have this characteristic. Dundy County, Nebraska to the north, Yuma County, Colorado and Kit Carson County, Colorado to the west, and Sherman County to the south are all located in the Mountain Time Zone. As a result, Rawlins County is Cheyenne County's only neighbor to also observe Central Time.

Demographics

Population pyramid based on 2000 census age data

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1880	37		—
1890	4,401		11,794.6%
1900	2,640		−40.0%
1910	4,248		60.9%
1920	5,587		31.5%
1930	6,948		24.4%
1940	6,221		−10.5%
1950	5,668		−8.9%
1960	4,708		−16.9%
1970	4,256		−9.6%
1980	3,678		−13.6%
1990	3,243		−11.8%
2000	3,165		−2.4%
2010	2,726		−13.9%
2020	2,616		−4.0%
2023 (est.)	2,636	[17]	0.8%
U.S. Decennial Census [18] 1790–1960 [19] 1900–1990 [20] 1990–2000 [21] 2010–2020 [2]

In 1886 there were 2607 people in the county. ^[8] By 1910 this had risen to 4248. ^[1]

As of the 2000 census, ^[22] there were 3,165 people, 1,360 households, and 919 families residing in the county. The population density was 3 people per square mile (1.2 people/km²). There were 1,636 housing units at an average density of 2 per square mile (0.77/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 97.91% White, 0.13% Black or African American, 0.09% Native American, 0.32% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.98% from other races, and 0.54% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.59% of the population.

There were 1,360 households, out of which 27.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.10% were married couples living together, 5.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.40% were non-families. 30.80% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.30% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.29 and the average family size was 2.85.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 23.80% under the age of 18, 5.10% from 18 to 24, 22.70% from 25 to 44, 21.80% from 45 to 64, and 26.60% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females there were 97.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.40 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $30,599, and the median income for a family was $34,816. Males had a median income of $24,976 versus $19,569 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,862. About 7.40% of families and 9.40% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.80% of those under age 18 and 6.70% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Presidential elections

Cheyenne County is a Republican stronghold. Only four Republican presidential candidates from 1888 to the present day have failed to carry the county, the most recent of which ironically being Kansas Governor Alf Landon in 1936 as he also failed to win the state's electoral votes.

Presidential election results

United States presidential election results for Cheyenne County, Kansas ^[23]

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party(ies)
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2024	1,166	83.40%	201	14.38%	31	2.22%
2020	1,183	82.79%	224	15.68%	22	1.54%
2016	1,173	83.37%	181	12.86%	53	3.77%
2012	1,159	81.28%	233	16.34%	34	2.38%
2008	1,148	76.64%	323	21.56%	27	1.80%
2004	1,353	79.96%	320	18.91%	19	1.12%
2000	1,312	75.97%	350	20.27%	65	3.76%
1996	1,211	66.83%	422	23.29%	179	9.88%
1992	863	49.17%	407	23.19%	485	27.64%
1988	1,105	63.40%	594	34.08%	44	2.52%
1984	1,442	79.06%	356	19.52%	26	1.43%
1980	1,330	73.89%	358	19.89%	112	6.22%
1976	1,008	55.84%	758	41.99%	39	2.16%
1972	1,440	75.51%	399	20.92%	68	3.57%
1968	1,423	70.66%	412	20.46%	179	8.89%
1964	1,147	56.23%	886	43.43%	7	0.34%
1960	1,622	71.42%	636	28.01%	13	0.57%
1956	1,479	68.79%	663	30.84%	8	0.37%
1952	1,915	75.63%	597	23.58%	20	0.79%
1948	1,219	53.51%	978	42.93%	81	3.56%
1944	1,610	67.99%	736	31.08%	22	0.93%
1940	1,760	64.14%	971	35.39%	13	0.47%
1936	1,241	42.43%	1,673	57.20%	11	0.38%
1932	979	34.61%	1,716	60.66%	134	4.74%
1928	1,466	69.61%	586	27.83%	54	2.56%
1924	1,119	50.38%	485	21.84%	617	27.78%
1920	1,079	62.41%	471	27.24%	179	10.35%
1916	498	31.78%	787	50.22%	282	18.00%
1912	140	15.87%	301	34.13%	441	50.00%
1908	486	54.30%	339	37.88%	70	7.82%
1904	446	72.88%	96	15.69%	70	11.44%
1900	348	54.12%	286	44.48%	9	1.40%
1896	327	49.55%	322	48.79%	11	1.67%
1892	505	50.45%	0	0.00%	496	49.55%
1888	779	63.08%	420	34.01%	36	2.91%

Laws

Following amendment to the Kansas Constitution in 1986, the county remained a prohibition, or "dry", county until 2000, when voters approved the sale of alcoholic liquor by the individual drink with a 30% food sales requirement. ^[24]

Education

Unified school districts

• Cheylin USD 103
• St. Francis Schools USD 297

Communities

2005 map of Cheyenne County (map legend)

List of townships / incorporated cities / unincorporated communities / extinct former communities within Cheyenne County. ^[25]

Cities

• Bird City
• St. Francis (county seat)

Unincorporated communities

• Wheeler

Ghost towns

• Marney^{[ citation needed ]}

Post offices

In 1886 there were six post offices in the county: Bird City, Calhoun, Lawnridge, Marney, Orlando, and Wano. ^[5] In 1888, four had been added — Clugh, Gurney, Jaqua, and Neville — and Wano had become St Francis. ^[26] By 1910 this had shrunk to just four: Bird City, Jaqua, St. Francis, and Wheeler. ^[27]

Townships

Cheyenne County is divided into seven townships. None of the cities within the county are considered governmentally independent, and all figures for the township include those of the cities. In the following table, the population center is the largest city (or cities) included in that township's population total, if it is of a significant size.

Township	FIPS	Population center	Population	Population density /km2 (/sq mi)	Land area km2 (sq mi)	Water area km2 (sq mi)	Water %	Geographic coordinates
Benkelman	06025		57	0 (1)	186 (72)	0 (0)	0%	39°37′8″N101°54′35″W / 39.61889°N 101.90972°W / 39.61889; -101.90972
Bird City	06850	Bird City	771	1 (2)	884 (341)	0 (0)	0.02%	39°45′30″N101°31′41″W / 39.75833°N 101.52806°W / 39.75833; -101.52806
Calhoun	09950		57	0 (1)	231 (89)	2 (1)	0.70%	39°56′8″N101°39′18″W / 39.93556°N 101.65500°W / 39.93556; -101.65500
Cleveland Run	14150		67	0 (1)	186 (72)	0 (0)	0.08%	39°52′35″N101°48′20″W / 39.87639°N 101.80556°W / 39.87639; -101.80556
Jaqua	35025		46	0 (1)	124 (48)	0 (0)	0.01%	39°39′48″N102°1′20″W / 39.66333°N 102.02222°W / 39.66333; -102.02222
Orlando	53050		63	1 (2)	93 (36)	0 (0)	0%	39°45′36″N101°41′0″W / 39.76000°N 101.68333°W / 39.76000; -101.68333
Wano	75375	St. Francis	2,104	2 (6)	937 (362)	0 (0)	0.05%	39°45′27″N101°50′4″W / 39.75750°N 101.83444°W / 39.75750; -101.83444
Sources: "Census 2000 U.S. Gazetteer Files". U.S. Census Bureau, Geography Division. Archived from the original on August 2, 2002.

Cheyenne started off in 1883 as a single municipal township attached to Rawlins County for judicial and financial purposes. ^[6] In the May 1886 election before any county or townships officers had been elected and the county seat had been chosen, there were intended to be three townships: Bird City, Wano, and a township named Hour-glass, dividing up what had by then become three municipal townships although swapping some parts of the municipal townships around for the proposed new townships. ^{[9] [8]}

In the end, the county initially had 13 townships: Beaver, Benkelman, Bird City, Calhoun, Cherry Creek, Cleveland Run, Dent, Eureka, Jaqua, Lawn Ridge, Nuttycombe, Orlando, and Wano. ^{[28] [8]} At the start of the 20th century, there were 17 townships: the aforementioned 13 plus Alexander, Evergreen, Jefferson, and Porter, all added some time between 1888 and 1890. ^{[1] [29]} There since has been some consolidation in the 1970s.

See also

• Kansas portal

Community information for Kansas

• Kansas locations by per capita income
• List of counties in Kansas
• List of townships in Kansas
• List of cities in Kansas
• List of unincorporated communities in Kansas
• List of ghost towns in Kansas

References

1. Blackmar 1912a, p. 327.
2. "QuickFacts; Cheyenne County, Kansas; Population, Census, 2020 & 2010". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on August 15, 2021. Retrieved August 15, 2021.
3. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 9, 2015. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
4. Blackmar 1912a, p. 325.
5. Sims & Wheeler 1887, p. 127.
6. Blackmar 1912a, p. 326.
7. Mohler & Sims 1889, p. 68.
8. Sims & Wheeler 1887, p. 124.
9. Denison 1886.
10. Denison_a 1886.
11. Denison 1887.
12. Denison 1889.
13. "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
14. Sims & Wheeler 1887, p. 125.
15. National Atlas Archived December 5, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
16. U.S. Census Bureau TIGER shape files
17. "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved April 3, 2024.
18. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 22, 2014.
19. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Archived from the original on August 11, 2012. Retrieved July 22, 2014.
20. "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 22, 2014.
21. "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 27, 2010. Retrieved July 22, 2014.
22. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved January 31, 2008.
23. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections".
24. "Map of Wet and Dry Counties". Alcoholic Beverage Control, Kansas Department of Revenue. November 2006. Archived from the original on October 8, 2007. Retrieved December 26, 2007.
25. "General Highway Map of Cheyenne County, Kansas" (PDF). Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT). August 2008. Archived (PDF) from the original on May 15, 2023.
26. Mohler & Sims 1889, p. 69.
27. Blackmar 1912a, p. 328.
28. Mohler & Sims 1889, p. 65.
29. Mohler & Sims 1891, p. 31.

Sources

• Blackmar, Frank Wilson (1912). "Cheyenne County". Kansas: A Cyclopedia of State History. Vol. 1. Chicago: Standard publishing Company. pp. 325–328. LCCN   12015729. OL   13489994M. (Kansas: A Cyclopedia of State History at the Internet Archive )
• Sims, Wm.; Wheeler, Joshua (1887). "Cheyenne County". Fifth Biennial Report of the Kansas State Board of Agriculture, for the years 1885–1886. Topeka, Kansas: T. S. Thacher. pp. 124–127.
• Mohler, M.; Sims, Wm. (1889). "Cheyenne County". Sixth Biennial Report of the Kansas State Board of Agriculture, for the years 1887–1888. Topeka, Kansas: T. S. Thacher. pp. 65–69.
• Mohler, M.; Sims, Wm. (1891). "Cheyenne County". Seventh Biennial Report of the Kansas State Board of Agriculture, for the years 1889–1890. Topeka, Kansas: T. S. Thacher. pp. 30–31.
• Denison, C. E. (April 16, 1886). "Townships in Cheyenne county". Cheyenne County Rustler. p. 1.
• Denison_a, C. E. (May 21, 1886). "Victory for Wano". Cheyenne County Rustler. p. 1.
• Denison, C. E. (December 2, 1887). "Bird city vs. truth". Cheyenne County Rustler. p. 4.
• Denison, C. E. (March 14, 1889). "Gets the county seat". Cheyenne County Rustler. p. 1.

Further reading

See also: List of books about Kansas, including historical information about its counties and cities

• Standard Atlas of Cheyenne County, Kansas; Geo. A. Ogle & Co; 48 pages; 1907.

External links

County

• Cheyenne County - Official
• Cheyenne County - Directory of Public Officials

Maps

• Cheyenne County Maps: Current, Historic, KDOT
• Kansas Highway Maps: Current, Historic, KDOT
• Kansas Railroad Maps: Current, 1996, 1915, KDOT and Kansas Historical Society