Greeley County, Kansas

Not to be confused with Greeley, Kansas.

Greeley County
Consolidated city-county
Greeley County Courthouse in Tribune (2010)
Location within the U.S. state of Kansas
Kansas's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 38°28′00″N101°49′59″W / 38.4667°N 101.833°W / 38.4667; -101.833
Country	United States
State	Kansas
Founded	March 20, 1873
Named for	Horace Greeley
Seat	Tribune
Largest city	Tribune
Area
• Total	778 sq mi (2,020 km2)
• Land	778 sq mi (2,020 km2)
• Water	0.0 sq mi (0 km2)  0.0%
Population  (2020) [1]
• Total	1,284
• Estimate  (2021) [2]	1,304
• Density	1.7/sq mi (0.7/km2)
Time zone	UTC−7 (Mountain)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−6 (MDT)
Congressional district	1st
Website	greeleycounty.org

Greeley County is a county located in western Kansas, in the Central United States. Its county seat and largest city is Tribune. ^[3] As of the 2020 census, the population was 1,284, ^[1] making it the least populous county in Kansas. As of 2018, it is tied with Wallace County as the least densely populated county in the state. ^[4] The county is named after Horace Greeley, ^[5] editor of the New York Tribune , who encouraged western settlement with the motto "Go West, young man". ^[6]

History

Early history

See also: History of Kansas

For many millennia, the Great Plains of North America was inhabited by nomadic Native Americans. From the 16th century to 18th century, the Kingdom of France claimed ownership of large parts of North America. In 1762, after the French and Indian War, France secretly ceded New France to Spain, per the Treaty of Fontainebleau.

19th century

In 1802, Spain returned most of the land to France, but Spain kept title to about 7,500 square miles. In 1803, most of the land in 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 Kansas became the 34th U.S. state in 1861. In 1873, Greeley County was established.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 778 square miles (2,020 km²), all of which is land. ^[7] It is the largest of five United States counties and twelve (Virginia) independent cities that officially have no water area.^{[ citation needed ]}

Adjacent counties

• Wallace County (north)
• Wichita County (east/Central Time border)
• Hamilton County (south)
• Prowers County, Colorado (southwest)
• Kiowa County, Colorado (west)
• Cheyenne County, Colorado (northwest)

Demographics

Population pyramid based on 2000 census age data

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1890	1,264		—
1900	493		−61.0%
1910	1,335		170.8%
1920	1,028		−23.0%
1930	1,712		66.5%
1940	1,638		−4.3%
1950	2,010		22.7%
1960	2,087		3.8%
1970	1,819		−12.8%
1980	1,845		1.4%
1990	1,774		−3.8%
2000	1,534		−13.5%
2010	1,247		−18.7%
2020	1,284		3.0%
2023 (est.)	1,181	[8]	−8.0%
U.S. Decennial Census [9] 1790-1960 [10] 1900-1990 [11] 1990-2000 [12] 2010-2020 [1]

As of the census of 2000, there were 1,534 people, 602 households, and 414 families residing in the county. The population density was 2 people per square mile (0.77 people/km²). There were 712 housing units at an average density of 1 per square mile (0.39/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 93.09% White, 0.26% Native American, 0.20% Black or African American, 0.13% Pacific Islander, 0.07% Asian, 5.22% from other races, and 1.04% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 11.54% of the population.

There were 602 households, out of which 34.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.10% were married couples living together, 4.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.20% were non-families. 28.60% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.80% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.50 and the average family size was 3.10.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 28.20% under the age of 18, 6.80% from 18 to 24, 27.30% from 25 to 44, 19.90% from 45 to 64, and 17.70% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 98.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.80 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $34,605, and the median income for a family was $45,625. Males had a median income of $29,018 versus $18,984 for females. The per capita income for the county was $19,974. About 8.20% of families and 11.60% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.20% of those under age 18 and 6.80% of those age 65 or over.

Government

County

As of January 1, 2009, Greeley County and the City of Tribune have operated as a unified government. ^[13] The resulting government consists of a five-member commission with two members elected by city residents, two by rural residents, and one at-large. ^[14] Similar to Wyandotte County, the only other consolidated city-county in the state, part of the county was not included: Horace decided against consolidation. ^[15]

Presidential elections

This county is often carried by Republican candidates, as are most rural western Kansas counties. The last time a Democratic candidate won the county was in 1976, and a Democratic candidate has only won the county three times in its history: 1932 (Franklin D. Roosevelt), 1964 (Lyndon B. Johnson), and most recently in 1976 by Jimmy Carter.

Presidential election results

United States presidential election results for Greeley County, Kansas ^[16]

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2020	549	85.65%	78	12.17%	14	2.18%
2016	534	82.15%	83	12.77%	33	5.08%
2012	543	81.04%	113	16.87%	14	2.09%
2008	591	79.33%	151	20.27%	3	0.40%
2004	584	79.46%	138	18.78%	13	1.77%
2000	628	78.21%	143	17.81%	32	3.99%
1996	567	71.95%	161	20.43%	60	7.61%
1992	504	57.73%	191	21.88%	178	20.39%
1988	506	59.32%	317	37.16%	30	3.52%
1984	699	73.27%	227	23.79%	28	2.94%
1980	600	63.36%	235	24.82%	112	11.83%
1976	389	43.42%	479	53.46%	28	3.13%
1972	639	68.49%	212	22.72%	82	8.79%
1968	465	59.85%	227	29.21%	85	10.94%
1964	388	44.80%	469	54.16%	9	1.04%
1960	645	70.57%	262	28.67%	7	0.77%
1956	599	77.09%	174	22.39%	4	0.51%
1952	725	79.06%	181	19.74%	11	1.20%
1948	391	53.34%	326	44.47%	16	2.18%
1944	378	63.00%	215	35.83%	7	1.17%
1940	497	64.55%	268	34.81%	5	0.65%
1936	396	50.45%	388	49.43%	1	0.13%
1932	359	42.64%	440	52.26%	43	5.11%
1928	439	78.25%	121	21.57%	1	0.18%
1924	357	64.21%	75	13.49%	124	22.30%
1920	273	69.47%	93	23.66%	27	6.87%
1916	210	43.57%	168	34.85%	104	21.58%
1912	95	35.58%	33	12.36%	139	52.06%
1908	206	64.58%	89	27.90%	24	7.52%
1904	149	85.63%	14	8.05%	11	6.32%
1900	118	75.64%	36	23.08%	2	1.28%
1896	121	60.80%	76	38.19%	2	1.01%
1892	241	67.89%	0	0.00%	114	32.11%
1888	422	59.02%	180	25.17%	113	15.80%

Laws

The Kansas Constitution was amended in 1986 to allow the sale of alcoholic liquor by the individual drink with the approval of voters. Greeley County remained a prohibition, or "dry", county until 2008, when voters approved to allow sales of liquor by the drink. ^[17]

Education

Unified school districts

• Greeley County USD 200

Communities

2005 map of Greeley County (map legend)

List of townships / incorporated cities / unincorporated communities / extinct former communities within Greeley County. ^[18]

Cities

• Horace
• Tribune (county seat)

Ghost Towns

• Astor
• Colokan
• Hector
• Walkinghood
• Whitelaw

Townships

Greeley County was previously divided into three townships. However, in 1992, Colony Township and Harrison Township were merged into Tribune Township, leaving only one township for the county. This was not reported to the U.S. census until 2006, thus the 2000 census did not reflect the merger, but the 2010 census did. ^[19]

None of the cities within the county are considered governmentally independent, and all figures for the townships 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
Colony	14975		172	0 (0)	919 (355)	0 (0)	0%	38°28′10″N101°55′42″W / 38.46944°N 101.92833°W / 38.46944; -101.92833
Harrison	30325		107	0 (1)	511 (197)	0 (0)	0%	38°21′25″N101°41′14″W / 38.35694°N 101.68722°W / 38.35694; -101.68722
Tribune	71475	Tribune	1,255	2 (6)	586 (226)	0 (0)	0%	38°31′51″N101°44′36″W / 38.53083°N 101.74333°W / 38.53083; -101.74333
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

• Horace Greeley Museum, home in Tribune of the Greeley County Historical Society

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; Greeley 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, 2021" . Retrieved October 3, 2022.
3. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
4. http://www.ipsr.ku.edu/ksdata/ksah/population/popden2.pdf ^{[ bare URL PDF ]}
5. Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Govt. Print. Off. p. 143.
6. Josiah Busnell Grinnell (1891). Men and Events of Forty Years. Boston: D. Lothrop. p. 87. ISBN   9780598638700 . Retrieved February 13, 2009.
7. "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
8. "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved April 3, 2024.
9. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 24, 2014.
10. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved July 24, 2014.
11. "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 24, 2014.
12. "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.
13. "Unified Greeley County, Kansas - Innovative Government - Greeley County, Kansas". greeleycounty.org. February 2012. Retrieved March 3, 2019.
14. Greeley County residents pass unification Archived March 21, 2009, at the Wayback Machine , Garden City Telegram , November 7, 2007. Accessed November 8, 2007.
15. TRIBUNE | City and county to unify, The Kansas City Star , November 7, 2007. Accessed November 8, 2007.
16. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved March 3, 2019.
17. "Map of Wet and Dry Counties". Alcoholic Beverage Control, Kansas Department of Revenue. November 2010. Archived from the original on September 30, 2011. Retrieved August 1, 2011.
18. "General Highway Map of Greeley County, Kansas" (PDF). Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT). December 2010. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 2, 2023.
19. Kansas: 2010, Population and Housing unit Counts, pdf p. 21 (2012)

Notes

Further reading

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

External links

County

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

Maps

• Greeley County maps: Current, Historic, KDOT
• Kansas highway maps: Current, Historic, KDOT
• Kansas railroad maps: Current, 1996, 1915, KDOT and Kansas Historical Society

38°28′N101°50′W / 38.467°N 101.833°W / 38.467; -101.833