Ellsworth County, Kansas

Ellsworth County
County
Ellsworth County Courthouse in Ellsworth (2013)
Location within the U.S. state of Kansas
Kansas's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 38°42′N98°12′W / 38.700°N 98.200°W / 38.700; -98.200
Country	United States
State	Kansas
Founded	February 26, 1867
Named for	Fort Ellsworth
Seat	Ellsworth
Largest city	Ellsworth
Area
• Total	723 sq mi (1,870 km2)
• Land	716 sq mi (1,850 km2)
• Water	7.4 sq mi (19 km2)  1.0%
Population  (2020) [1]
• Total	6,376
• Estimate  (2023) [2]	6,357
• Density	8.9/sq mi (3.4/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Area code	785
Congressional district	1st
Website	ellsworthcounty.org

Ellsworth County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kansas. Its county seat and most populous city is Ellsworth. ^[3] As of the 2020 census, the county population was 6,376. ^[1] The county was named after Fort Ellsworth.

History

1915-1918 Railroad Map of Ellsworth County

Early history

See also: History of Kansas

From the 16th century to 18th century, the Kingdom of France claimed ownership of large parts of North America both east and west of the Mississippi River. In 1762, after losing the French and Indian War to Great Britain, France secretly ceded New France to Spain, per the Treaty of Fontainebleau. In 1763 France ceded its territories east of the Mississippi River to Great Britain.

It regained the western territory under Napoleon, who sold it in 1803 to the United States in the Louisiana Purchase. He had decided to get rid of the New World territories after failing to regain control of Saint-Domingue, where a slave rebellion had toppled colonial control. In 1804 Haiti declared independence as the second republic of the Western Hemisphere.

The Plains Indians retained control of much of their territory until the late 19th century, giving way finally before superior United States arms and technology. Their territories were invaded by settlers, and crossed by the development of improved routes for settlers' emigrant wagon trains to the West Coast, followed by more permanent construction of transcontinental railroads. These brought tens of thousands of settlers to the Plains.^{[ citation needed ]}

19th century

In 1802, Spain returned most of the land to France, but keeping title to about 7,500 square miles. In 1803, most of the land for modern day Kansas was acquired by the United States from France as part of the 828,000 square mile Louisiana Purchase for 2.83 cents per acre.

In 1854, the Kansas Territory was organized; and in 1861 Kansas became the 34th U.S. state. Ellsworth County was established February 26, 1867. The county was named after the old Fort Ellsworth, named in honor of 2nd Lieutenant Allen Ellsworth of the 7th Iowa Cavalry (Company H), who supervised construction of the fort in 1864 during the American Civil War. ^[4] On November 17, 1866, the fort was renamed Fort Harker in honor of General Charles Garrison Harker who had died on June 27, 1864, from wounds received in an abortive offensive action in the Battle of Kennesaw Mountain. The fort was subsequently moved to a new site about one mile to the northeast, and the old fort's remaining buildings were ordered torn down in June 1867.^{[ citation needed ]}

On March 22, 1869, Fourteen Pawnee Indians, including scouts who had been honorably discharged after working for the army, were traveling through Ellsworth County when they ran into U.S. cavalry troops. Though the Pawnees had discharge papers from the army, a fight ensued. The Indians retreated to a sandstone cave, known today as Palmer's Cave. Their attackers set fire to grass at the cave's entrance, and six to nine Pawnees were killed as they ran out. The others died from exposure without their possessions. A few days later, the post surgeon at nearby Fort Harker, in today's town of Kanopolis, removed six heads from their bodies, and shipped them to the Army Medical Museum in Washington, D.C., for cranial study. ^{[5] [6]}

In the later 19th century, this area became known for cattle ranching and cattle drives. Town life was often riotous with cowboys celebrating after long drives.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 723 square miles (1,870 km²), of which 716 square miles (1,850 km²) is land and 7.4 square miles (19 km²) (1.0%) is water. ^[7] It is intersected by the Smoky Hill River. ^[8]

Adjacent counties

• Lincoln County (north)
• Saline County (east)
• McPherson County (southeast)
• Rice County (south)
• Barton County (southwest)
• Russell County (northwest)

Demographics

Population pyramid based on 2000 census age data

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1870	1,185		—
1880	8,494		616.8%
1890	9,272		9.2%
1900	9,626		3.8%
1910	10,444		8.5%
1920	10,379		−0.6%
1930	10,132		−2.4%
1940	9,855		−2.7%
1950	8,465		−14.1%
1960	7,677		−9.3%
1970	6,146		−19.9%
1980	6,640		8.0%
1990	6,586		−0.8%
2000	6,525		−0.9%
2010	6,497		−0.4%
2020	6,376		−1.9%
2023 (est.)	6,357	[9]	−0.3%
U.S. Decennial Census [10] 1790-1960 [11] 1900-1990 [12] 1990-2000 [13] 2010-2020 [1]

As of the 2000 census, ^[14] there were 6,525 people, 2,481 households, and 1,639 families residing in the county. The population density was 9 people per square mile (3.5 people/km²). There were 3,228 housing units at an average density of 4 per square mile (1.5/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 93.67% White, 3.56% Black or African American, 0.48% Native American, 0.25% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.86% from other races, and 1.18% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.59% of the population.

There were 2,481 households, out of which 27.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.20% were married couples living together, 6.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.90% were non-families. 31.40% 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 2.30 and the average family size was 2.88.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 21.40% under the age of 18, 7.30% from 18 to 24, 27.10% from 25 to 44, 23.80% from 45 to 64, and 20.40% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 111.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 114.10 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $35,772, and the median income for a family was $44,360. Males had a median income of $30,110 versus $20,486 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,569. About 4.00% of families and 7.20% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.50% of those under age 18 and 11.10% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Presidential elections

Presidential election results

United States presidential election results for Ellsworth County, Kansas ^[15]

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party(ies)
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2024	2,019	74.97%	631	23.43%	43	1.60%
2020	2,148	75.29%	648	22.71%	57	2.00%
2016	1,969	72.76%	521	19.25%	216	7.98%
2012	1,930	71.17%	702	25.88%	80	2.95%
2008	2,021	68.79%	851	28.97%	66	2.25%
2004	2,259	72.82%	801	25.82%	42	1.35%
2000	1,845	64.99%	825	29.06%	169	5.95%
1996	2,078	64.14%	899	27.75%	263	8.12%
1992	1,197	36.96%	1,010	31.18%	1,032	31.86%
1988	1,711	57.03%	1,219	40.63%	70	2.33%
1984	2,353	71.35%	905	27.44%	40	1.21%
1980	2,155	65.90%	886	27.09%	229	7.00%
1976	1,618	49.85%	1,573	48.46%	55	1.69%
1972	2,087	65.20%	1,028	32.11%	86	2.69%
1968	1,776	57.53%	1,060	34.34%	251	8.13%
1964	1,406	39.75%	2,118	59.88%	13	0.37%
1960	2,189	59.37%	1,488	40.36%	10	0.27%
1956	2,524	64.90%	1,351	34.74%	14	0.36%
1952	3,219	74.67%	1,068	24.77%	24	0.56%
1948	2,155	52.83%	1,879	46.07%	45	1.10%
1944	2,290	57.62%	1,678	42.22%	6	0.15%
1940	2,658	54.13%	2,237	45.56%	15	0.31%
1936	2,058	40.71%	2,990	59.15%	7	0.14%
1932	1,607	34.95%	2,928	63.68%	63	1.37%
1928	2,450	60.23%	1,588	39.04%	30	0.74%
1924	2,286	58.77%	950	24.42%	654	16.81%
1920	2,264	65.60%	1,090	31.59%	97	2.81%
1916	1,945	48.33%	1,936	48.11%	143	3.55%
1912	353	15.33%	1,045	45.38%	905	39.30%
1908	1,213	52.95%	1,039	45.35%	39	1.70%
1904	1,359	68.43%	578	29.10%	49	2.47%
1900	1,333	56.68%	1,006	42.77%	13	0.55%
1896	1,048	50.92%	992	48.20%	18	0.87%
1892	1,102	49.80%	0	0.00%	1,111	50.20%
1888	1,159	56.51%	831	40.52%	61	2.97%

Laws

Ellsworth County was a prohibition, or "dry", county until the Kansas Constitution was amended in 1986. Voters approved the sale of alcoholic liquor by the individual drink, with a 30% food sales requirement. ^[16]

Education

Unified school districts

• Central Plains USD 112
• Ellsworth USD 327

Communities

2005 map of Ellsworth County (map legend)

List of townships / incorporated cities / unincorporated communities / extinct former communities within Ellsworth County. ^[17]

Cities

• Ellsworth (county seat)
• Wilson
• Kanopolis
• Holyrood
• Lorraine

Unincorporated communities

• Black Wolf
• Carneiro
• Delight
• Elkhorn
• Langley
• Venango
• Yankee Run

Ghost towns

• Arcola ^[18]
• Terra Cotta
• Frantz
• Midway

Townships

Ellsworth County is divided into nineteen townships. The city of Ellsworth is considered governmentally independent and is excluded from the census figures for the townships. 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
Ash Creek	02575		58	1 (2)	93 (36)	0 (0)	0.51%	38°39′17″N98°12′47″W / 38.65472°N 98.21306°W / 38.65472; -98.21306
Black Wolf	07025		87	1 (2)	94 (36)	0 (0)	0.10%	38°44′40″N98°19′33″W / 38.74444°N 98.32583°W / 38.74444; -98.32583
Carneiro	10800		57	1 (2)	93 (36)	0 (0)	0.36%	38°45′2″N97°59′46″W / 38.75056°N 97.99611°W / 38.75056; -97.99611
Clear Creek	13725		91	1 (3)	94 (36)	0 (0)	0.17%	38°44′10″N98°6′16″W / 38.73611°N 98.10444°W / 38.73611; -98.10444
Columbia	15025		60	1 (2)	94 (36)	0 (0)	0.04%	38°50′5″N98°18′50″W / 38.83472°N 98.31389°W / 38.83472; -98.31389
Ellsworth	20525		797	9 (23)	88 (34)	0 (0)	0.23%	38°43′6″N98°10′58″W / 38.71833°N 98.18278°W / 38.71833; -98.18278
Empire	21150		174	1 (3)	171 (66)	14 (6)	7.79%	38°39′6″N98°1′7″W / 38.65167°N 98.01861°W / 38.65167; -98.01861
Garfield	25575		27	0 (1)	92 (36)	0 (0)	0.30%	38°50′9″N98°6′42″W / 38.83583°N 98.11167°W / 38.83583; -98.11167
Green Garden	28600	Lorraine	211	2 (6)	94 (36)	0 (0)	0.22%	38°33′30″N98°19′19″W / 38.55833°N 98.32194°W / 38.55833; -98.32194
Langley	38600		76	1 (2)	92 (35)	2 (1)	1.86%	38°35′33″N97°58′15″W / 38.59250°N 97.97083°W / 38.59250; -97.97083
Lincoln	40675		62	1 (2)	95 (37)	0 (0)	0.22%	38°39′8″N98°18′0″W / 38.65222°N 98.30000°W / 38.65222; -98.30000
Mulberry	49050		44	0 (1)	93 (36)	0 (0)	0.24%	38°50′5″N97°58′28″W / 38.83472°N 97.97444°W / 38.83472; -97.97444
Noble	50825		90	1 (3)	93 (36)	0 (0)	0.04%	38°44′51″N98°25′33″W / 38.74750°N 98.42583°W / 38.74750; -98.42583
Palacky	54100		63	1 (2)	94 (36)	0 (0)	0.08%	38°38′51″N98°25′56″W / 38.64750°N 98.43222°W / 38.64750; -98.43222
Sherman	64950		65	1 (2)	94 (36)	0 (0)	0.22%	38°49′21″N98°13′7″W / 38.82250°N 98.21861°W / 38.82250; -98.21861
Thomas	70450		72	1 (2)	93 (36)	0 (0)	0.21%	38°33′56″N98°11′33″W / 38.56556°N 98.19250°W / 38.56556; -98.19250
Trivoli	71525		55	1 (2)	93 (36)	0 (0)	0.38%	38°35′7″N98°4′23″W / 38.58528°N 98.07306°W / 38.58528; -98.07306
Valley	72800	Holyrood	577	6 (16)	93 (36)	0 (0)	0.14%	38°34′22″N98°24′56″W / 38.57278°N 98.41556°W / 38.57278; -98.41556
Wilson	79700	Wilson	894	10 (25)	93 (36)	0 (0)	0.06%	38°49′34″N98°27′23″W / 38.82611°N 98.45639°W / 38.82611; -98.45639
Sources: "Census 2000 U.S. Gazetteer Files". U.S. Census Bureau, Geography Division. Archived from the original on August 2, 2002.

See also

• Kansas portal

• Faris Caves
• Kanopolis Drive-in Theatre
• Kanopolis State Park and Kanopolis Lake
• Mushroom Rock State Park
• National Register of Historic Places listings in Ellsworth County, Kansas

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. "QuickFacts; Ellsworth County, Kansas; Population, Census, 2020 & 2010". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on August 16, 2021. Retrieved August 16, 2021.
2. "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 24, 2024.
3. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
4. Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Govt. Print. Off. pp.  118.
5. Wishart, David (1994). An Unspeakable Sadness: The Dispossession of the Nebraska Indians. U of Nebraska Press. pp. 182, 183.
6. "Spencer Painting Symbolizes Dark Chapter of Kansas History Few Have Ever Read". Kansas Public Radio. January 27, 2017. Retrieved February 13, 2017.
7. "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
8. Ripley, George; Dana, Charles A., eds. (1879). "Ellsworth, a central county of Kansas"  . The American Cyclopædia .
9. "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved April 3, 2024.
10. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 24, 2014.
11. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved July 24, 2014.
12. "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 24, 2014.
13. "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 24, 2014.
14. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved January 31, 2008.
15. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections".
16. "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 28, 2007.
17. "General Highway Map of Ellsworth County, Kansas" (PDF). Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT). July 2011. Archived (PDF) from the original on July 27, 2023.
18. "Ellsworth County Extinct Towns". Legends of America. Retrieved June 23, 2016.

Notes

Further reading

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

See also: List of books about Chisholm Trail

• Standard Atlas of Ellsworth County, Kansas; Geo. A. Ogle & Co; 70 pages; 1918.
• Plat Book of Ellsworth County, Kansas; North West Publishing Co; 41 pages; 1901.

External links

County

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

Other

• Ellsworth County Independent Reporter (local newspaper)
• Kansas Post Offices, 1828-1961 (Ellsworth County)

Maps

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