Kearny County, Kansas

Kearny County
County
Kearny County Courthouse in Lakin (2015)
Location within the U.S. state of Kansas
Kansas's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 38°00′29″N101°08′54″W / 38.0081°N 101.1483°W / 38.0081; -101.1483
Country	United States
State	Kansas
Founded	March 20, 1873
Named for	Philip Kearny
Seat	Lakin
Largest city	Lakin
Area
• Total	871 sq mi (2,260 km2)
• Land	871 sq mi (2,260 km2)
• Water	0.4 sq mi (1 km2)  0.05%
Population  (2020) [1]
• Total	3,983
• Density	4.6/sq mi (1.8/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district	1st
Website	KearnyCountyKansas.com

1893 map of Kansas showing Kearney County spelled with an extra "e"

Kearny County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kansas. Its county seat and most populous city is Lakin. ^[2] As of the 2020 census, the county population was 3,983. ^[1] The county is named in honor of Philip Kearny, a general during the American Civil War that died during the Battle of Chantilly.

History

See also: History of Kansas

The original Kearney County was established on March 6, 1873, and was dissolved in 1883, with the land area being split between Hamilton and Finney counties. It was reestablished with its original borders in 1887, and organized on March 27, 1888. The county is named in honor of Philip Kearny, ^[3] a U.S. Army officer in the Mexican–American War and a Union army general in the American Civil War. In 1889, the name was corrected to Kearny County. ^[4]

Prior to settlement, Kearny County was unorganized territory that was entirely "cow country," undeveloped and with no agricultural activity except for cattlemen grazing their herds. The region was part of the vast open range found in the American West at that time. ^[5]

In the mid-1880s, homesteaders began pouring into the area, initiating conflicts with the existing cattle ranching industry as they claimed land and fenced off the open range. ^{[5] [6]} Towns like Leeser, established in 1885, and Pierceville, est. 1886, were built to service the cattle industry, but disappeared as homesteading displaced the great cattle herds. ^[6]

The arrival of homesteaders was seen as both an opportunity for development but also a threat to the cattle industry's way of life, with numerous allegations of ranchers trying to drive settlers out by destroying crops and setting prairie fires appearing in local newspapers. ^[5]

In the 1930s, the prosperity of the area was severely affected by its location within the Dust Bowl. This catastrophe intensified the economic impact of the Great Depression in the region.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 871 square miles (2,260 km²), of which 871 square miles (2,260 km²) is land and 0.4 square miles (1.0 km²) (0.05%) is water. ^[7]

Major highways

• U.S. Highway 50
• U.S. Highway 400
• K-25

Time zones

Further information: Time in Kansas

The west half of Kearny County observed Mountain Standard Time until October 28, 1990, when the Kansas Department of Transportation moved the entire county into the Central Time Zone, which 100 of the state's other 104 counties observe. Only four counties (Hamilton, Greeley, Wallace, and Sherman), all of which border Colorado, observe Mountain Time. ^[8]

Adjacent counties

• Wichita County (north)
• Scott County (northeast)
• Finney County (east)
• Grant County (south)
• Stanton County (southwest)
• Hamilton County (west/Mountain Time border)

Demographics

Population pyramid based on 2000 census age data

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1880	159		—
1890	1,571		888.1%
1900	1,107		−29.5%
1910	3,206		189.6%
1920	2,617		−18.4%
1930	3,196		22.1%
1940	2,525		−21.0%
1950	3,492		38.3%
1960	3,108		−11.0%
1970	3,047		−2.0%
1980	3,435		12.7%
1990	4,027		17.2%
2000	4,531		12.5%
2010	3,977		−12.2%
2020	3,983		0.2%
2023 (est.)	3,823	[9]	−4.0%
U.S. Decennial Census [10] 1790-1960 [11] 1900-1990 [12] 1990-2000 [13] 2010-2020 [1]

Kearny County is included in the Garden City, KS Micropolitan Statistical Area.

As of the 2000 census, ^[14] there were 4,531 people, 1,542 households, and 1,199 families residing in the county. The population density was 5 people per square mile (1.9 people/km²). There were 1,657 housing units at an average density of 2 per square mile (0.77/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 80.34% White, 0.55% Black or African American, 0.86% Native American, 0.31% Asian, 0.09% Pacific Islander, 15.71% from other races, and 2.14% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 26.55% of the population.

There were 1,542 households, out of which 43.50% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 65.10% were married couples living together, 8.30% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.20% were non-families. 20.20% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.91 and the average family size was 3.35.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 34.30% under the age of 18, 8.30% from 18 to 24, 27.10% from 25 to 44, 19.20% from 45 to 64, and 11.10% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females there were 104.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.50 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $40,149, and the median income for a family was $43,703. Males had a median income of $30,117 versus $20,179 for females. The per capita income for the county was $15,708. About 8.40% of families and 11.70% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.90% of those under age 18 and 4.80% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Presidential elections

Presidential election results

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

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2020	1,164	80.00%	267	18.35%	24	1.65%
2016	1,075	81.69%	174	13.22%	67	5.09%
2012	1,097	79.15%	268	19.34%	21	1.52%
2008	1,159	78.21%	309	20.85%	14	0.94%
2004	1,177	80.89%	272	18.69%	6	0.41%
2000	1,084	75.54%	320	22.30%	31	2.16%
1996	1,041	70.05%	335	22.54%	110	7.40%
1992	943	55.18%	384	22.47%	382	22.35%
1988	1,073	66.03%	524	32.25%	28	1.72%
1984	1,214	78.42%	321	20.74%	13	0.84%
1980	924	66.38%	375	26.94%	93	6.68%
1976	674	48.95%	658	47.79%	45	3.27%
1972	876	70.87%	325	26.29%	35	2.83%
1968	721	58.00%	423	34.03%	99	7.96%
1964	563	42.81%	737	56.05%	15	1.14%
1960	846	62.11%	513	37.67%	3	0.22%
1956	854	66.98%	418	32.78%	3	0.24%
1952	1,012	72.81%	362	26.04%	16	1.15%
1948	676	54.43%	541	43.56%	25	2.01%
1944	612	62.45%	365	37.24%	3	0.31%
1940	721	58.00%	519	41.75%	3	0.24%
1936	586	44.63%	716	54.53%	11	0.84%
1932	529	38.93%	771	56.73%	59	4.34%
1928	854	77.22%	229	20.71%	23	2.08%
1924	635	57.57%	199	18.04%	269	24.39%
1920	617	63.74%	266	27.48%	85	8.78%
1916	538	45.29%	490	41.25%	160	13.47%
1912	113	17.02%	236	35.54%	315	47.44%
1908	435	56.64%	304	39.58%	29	3.78%
1904	234	70.69%	94	28.40%	3	0.91%
1900	164	53.77%	137	44.92%	4	1.31%
1896	172	49.43%	175	50.29%	1	0.29%
1892	219	60.83%	0	0.00%	141	39.17%
1888	367	59.39%	248	40.13%	3	0.49%

Laws

Following amendment to the Kansas Constitution in 1986, the county remained a prohibition, or "dry", county until 1988, when voters approved the sale of alcoholic liquor by the individual drink with a 30 percent food sales requirement. ^[16]

Education

Unified school districts

• Lakin USD 215
• Deerfield USD 216

Communities

2005 map of Kearny County (map legend)

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

Cities

• Deerfield
• Lakin (county seat)

Townships

Area affected by 1930s Dust Bowl

Kearny County is divided into seven townships. 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
Deerfield	17250	Deerfield	1,104	9 (24)	120 (46)	1 (0)	0.66%	38°0′30″N101°8′55″W / 38.00833°N 101.14861°W / 38.00833; -101.14861
East Hibbard	19550		131	0 (1)	403 (156)	0 (0)	0%	38°9′19″N101°12′14″W / 38.15528°N 101.20389°W / 38.15528; -101.20389
Hartland	30500		128	0 (1)	388 (150)	0 (0)	0.03%	38°0′44″N101°24′49″W / 38.01222°N 101.41361°W / 38.01222; -101.41361
Kendall	36450		157	0 (1)	494 (191)	0 (0)	0%	37°46′56″N101°18′32″W / 37.78222°N 101.30889°W / 37.78222; -101.30889
Lakin	38200	Lakin	2,587	16 (41)	164 (63)	0 (0)	0.04%	37°57′16″N101°15′45″W / 37.95444°N 101.26250°W / 37.95444; -101.26250
Southside	67025		359	1 (3)	286 (110)	0 (0)	0.06%	37°55′9″N101°12′12″W / 37.91917°N 101.20333°W / 37.91917; -101.20333
West Hibbard	77050		65	0 (0)	402 (155)	0 (0)	0%	38°10′10″N101°25′23″W / 38.16944°N 101.42306°W / 38.16944; -101.42306
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

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; Kearny County, Kansas; Population, Census, 2020 & 2010". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on August 18, 2021. Retrieved August 17, 2021.
2. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
3. Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Govt. Print. Off. pp.  172.
4. Hicks, Virginia Pierce (February 1938). "Sketches of Early Days in Kearny County". Kansas Historical Quarterly. VII (1): 54–80. Retrieved January 4, 2007.
5. Blanchard, Leola Howard (July 18, 2017). Conquest of Southwest Kansas: A History of Thrilling Stories of Frontier Life in the State of Kansas (Classic Reprint). Fb&c Limited. ISBN   978-0-282-38556-9.
6. Hicks, Virginia Pierce; Eskelund, Foster; Smith, Mary Gibson; Hurst, Margaret O'Loughlin; Gropp, Olivia Tate Ramsey; Naomi Davis Burrows; Hazel Rinehart Stullken; Helen Brown Rarden; Maybelle James (January 1, 1964). History of Kearny County Kansas. Kearny County Historical Society.
7. "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
8. "TIME DEFINITELY CHANGING FOR KANSAS COUNTY - The Washington Post". The Washington Post .
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 26, 2014.
11. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved July 26, 2014.
12. "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 26, 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 26, 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 26, 2007.
17. "General Highway Map of Kearny County, Kansas" (PDF). Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT). December 2009. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 24, 2024.

Notes

Further reading

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

See also: List of books about Santa Fe Trail

External links

County

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

Maps

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

37°59′N101°19′W / 37.983°N 101.317°W / 37.983; -101.317