Norton County, Kansas

Not to be confused with Morton County, Kansas or Norton, Kansas.

Norton County
County
Norton County Courthouse in Norton (built 1929)
Location within the U.S. state of Kansas
Kansas's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 39°48′N99°55′W / 39.800°N 99.917°W / 39.800; -99.917
Country	United States
State	Kansas
Founded	February 26, 1867
Named for	Orloff Norton
Seat	Norton
Largest city	Norton
Area
• Total	881 sq mi (2,280 km2)
• Land	878 sq mi (2,270 km2)
• Water	3.2 sq mi (8 km2)  0.4%
Population  (2020) [1]
• Total	5,459
• Density	6.2/sq mi (2.4/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Area code	785
Congressional district	1st
Website	nortoncounty.org

Norton County is a county in the U.S. state of Kansas. Its county seat and largest city is Norton. ^[2] As of the 2020 census, the county population was 5,459. ^[1] The county was established in 1867 and named for Orloff Norton, captain of Company L, 15th Kansas Militia Infantry Regiment. ^[3]

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 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, then in 1861 Kansas became the 34th U.S. state. Norton County was founded by Noah H. Billings, Thomas Beaumont, Henry Gordon, P. Hansen, and George Cole on August 22, 1872. In 1878 Norton became the county seat. The county gets its name for Civil War soldier Orloff Norton, who was killed at Cane Hill, Arkansas in 1864. ^[4]

The first county fair, although not official, was held in Leota in October 1878. After 1900 the fair was held yearly in Elmwood Park in Norton. The first school district was formed in Norton in 1872. School was held in a dugout beginning December 1, 1873. ^[5]

21st century

In 2020, Norton County became a major hotspot in the COVID-19 pandemic. In July, an inmate at the Norton Correctional Facility, a state prison, tested positive for coronavirus. ^[6] By mid-October, more than 130 cases had been reported at the prison. ^[7] On October 19, officials announced that all 62 residents of the Andbe Home nursing home in Norton had tested positive for COVID-19, 10 of whom had died. ^[8] As of October 20, Norton County had the highest rate of infection over the previous 7 and 14 days of any county in the United States. ^{[9] [10]}

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 881 square miles (2,280 km²), of which 878 square miles (2,270 km²) is land and 3.2 square miles (8.3 km²) (0.4%) is water. ^[11]

Adjacent counties

• Furnas County, Nebraska (north)
• Harlan County, Nebraska (northeast)
• Phillips County (east)
• Graham County (south)
• Sheridan County (southwest)
• Decatur County (west)

Demographics

Population pyramid based on 2000 census age data

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1880	6,998		—
1890	10,617		51.7%
1900	11,325		6.7%
1910	11,614		2.6%
1920	11,423		−1.6%
1930	11,701		2.4%
1940	9,831		−16.0%
1950	8,808		−10.4%
1960	8,035		−8.8%
1970	7,279		−9.4%
1980	6,689		−8.1%
1990	5,947		−11.1%
2000	5,953		0.1%
2010	5,671		−4.7%
2020	5,459		−3.7%
2023 (est.)	5,330	[12]	−2.4%
U.S. Decennial Census [13] 1790–1960 [14] 1900–1990 [15] 1990–2000 [16] 2010–2020 [1]

As of the 2000 US census, there were 5,953 people, 2,266 households, and 1,470 families residing in the county. The population density was 7 people per square mile (2.7 people/km²). There were 2,673 housing units at an average density of 3 per square mile (1.2/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 93.35% White, 4.05% Black or African American, 0.44% Native American, 0.42% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 1.02% from other races, and 0.71% from two or more races. 2.37% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 2,266 households, out of which 28.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.50% were married couples living together, 7.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.10% were non-families. 32.30% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.28 and the average family size was 2.89.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 22.00% under the age of 18, 7.70% from 18 to 24, 28.30% from 25 to 44, 22.30% from 45 to 64, and 19.60% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 122.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 122.90 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $31,050, and the median income for a family was $37,036. Males had a median income of $25,983 versus $20,381 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,835. About 6.10% of families and 10.50% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.70% of those under age 18 and 8.20% of those age 65 or over.

Government

County

Noah H. Billings was an early county settler, county superintendent of schools, county attorney, and state representative. Keith Sebelius served as a U.S. congressman from 1969 to 1981. ^[17]

Presidential elections

Presidential election results

United States presidential election results for Norton County, Kansas ^[18]

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party(ies)
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2020	2,007	83.11%	364	15.07%	44	1.82%
2016	1,840	82.36%	281	12.58%	113	5.06%
2012	1,878	80.77%	398	17.12%	49	2.11%
2008	1,878	77.76%	497	20.58%	40	1.66%
2004	2,092	80.49%	473	18.20%	34	1.31%
2000	1,744	71.15%	598	24.40%	109	4.45%
1996	1,814	66.42%	640	23.43%	277	10.14%
1992	1,469	47.88%	779	25.39%	820	26.73%
1988	1,923	67.54%	855	30.03%	69	2.42%
1984	2,515	79.19%	611	19.24%	50	1.57%
1980	2,625	75.50%	666	19.15%	186	5.35%
1976	2,201	60.55%	1,337	36.78%	97	2.67%
1972	2,688	75.80%	776	21.88%	82	2.31%
1968	2,543	70.91%	841	23.45%	202	5.63%
1964	2,245	60.09%	1,449	38.78%	42	1.12%
1960	2,781	68.01%	1,300	31.79%	8	0.20%
1956	3,052	71.58%	1,194	28.00%	18	0.42%
1952	3,530	76.23%	1,047	22.61%	54	1.17%
1948	2,461	60.98%	1,414	35.03%	161	3.99%
1944	2,890	70.87%	1,159	28.42%	29	0.71%
1940	3,415	70.28%	1,378	28.36%	66	1.36%
1936	2,829	54.83%	2,307	44.71%	24	0.47%
1932	2,272	44.16%	2,705	52.58%	168	3.27%
1928	3,365	73.99%	1,087	23.90%	96	2.11%
1924	2,778	59.33%	1,261	26.93%	643	13.73%
1920	2,288	65.24%	1,082	30.85%	137	3.91%
1916	1,616	34.28%	2,876	61.01%	222	4.71%
1912	598	23.98%	1,081	43.34%	815	32.68%
1908	1,448	49.76%	1,337	45.95%	125	4.30%
1904	1,570	67.18%	417	17.84%	350	14.98%
1900	1,329	51.67%	1,212	47.12%	31	1.21%
1896	941	42.07%	1,260	56.33%	36	1.61%
1892	1,054	48.26%	0	0.00%	1,130	51.74%
1888	1,471	56.60%	631	24.28%	497	19.12%

Like all the High Plains, Norton County is overwhelmingly Republican. In 1964, the last time the Republicans did not carry Kansas’ electoral votes, Norton County was Barry Goldwater’s second-best county in the state behind Clay County. The last Democrat to reach forty percent of the county’s vote was Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1936, ironically against Kansas Governor Alf Landon. Roosevelt in 1932 was the last Democrat to carry Norton County, and the only others are Woodrow Wilson (twice) and William Jennings Bryan in his first 1896 campaign.

Laws

Following amendment to the Kansas Constitution in 1986, the county remained a prohibition, or "dry", county until 1992, when voters approved the sale of alcoholic liquor by the individual drink with a 30 percent food sales requirement. ^[19]

Education

Unified school districts

• Norton USD 211
• Northern Valley USD 212

Communities

2005 map of Norton County (map legend)

List of townships / incorporated cities / unincorporated communities / extinct former communities within Norton County. ^[20]

Cities

‡ means a community has portions in an adjacent county.

• Almena
• Clayton‡
• Edmond
• Lenora
• Norton (county seat)

Unincorporated communities

• Calvert
• Dellvale
• Densmore
• New Almelo
• Oronoque
• Reager

Ghost towns

• Bower
• Brett
• Cactus
• Devizes
• Fairhaven
• Hanback
• Hedgewood
• Rayville
• Rockwell
• Smithton
• Wakeman

Townships

Norton County is divided into four townships. The city of Norton 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. The 2010 census shows the area of the former Harrison-District 6 as combined into that of Almena-District 4.

Sources: 2000 U.S. Gazetteer from the U.S. Census Bureau.

Township	FIPS	Population center	Population	Population density /km2 (/sq mi)	Land area km2 (sq mi)	Water area km2 (sq mi)	Water %	Geographic coordinates
Almena-District 4	01450		614	2 (6)	278 (107)	0 (0)	0%	39°53′10″N99°41′2″W / 39.88611°N 99.68389°W / 39.88611; -99.68389
Center-District 1	12260		1,382	2 (5)	654 (253)	0 (0)	0.08%	39°53′43″N99°57′2″W / 39.89528°N 99.95056°W / 39.89528; -99.95056
Harrison-District 6 (defunct [21] )	30460		12	0 (0)	93 (36)	0 (0)	0.02%	39°56′54″N99°48′25″W / 39.94833°N 99.80694°W / 39.94833; -99.80694
Highland-District 2	32060		737	1 (3)	748 (289)	9 (3)	1.13%	39°41′24″N100°1′49″W / 39.69000°N 100.03028°W / 39.69000; -100.03028
Solomon-District 3	66410		196	0 (1)	496 (192)	0 (0)	0.02%	39°40′38″N99°45′56″W / 39.67722°N 99.76556°W / 39.67722; -99.76556

See also

• Kansas portal

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Norton 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; Norton County, Kansas; Population, Census, 2020 & 2010". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on August 18, 2021. Retrieved August 18, 2021.
2. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
3. Blackmar, Frank Wilson (1912). Kansas: A Cyclopedia of State History, Volume 2. Standard Publishing Company. pp.  374.
4. "Norton County, Kansas - Kansas Historical Society". www.kshs.org. Kansas Historical Society. Retrieved August 6, 2019.
5. About nortoncounty.org
6. "COVID-19 at Norton Prison". Https. Retrieved October 20, 2020.
7. "REVIEW: COVID-19 outbreak reported at Norton prison". Https. October 19, 2020. Retrieved October 20, 2020.
8. "All 62 residents at Kansas nursing home have COVID, 10 have died - CBS News". Https. October 20, 2020. Retrieved October 20, 2020.
9. "Kansas averages 700 new cases a day; county sees top US jump". Https. Retrieved October 20, 2020.
10. "Covid in the U.S.: Latest Map and Case Count - The New York Times". Https. Retrieved October 20, 2020.
11. "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
12. "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved April 3, 2024.
13. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 27, 2014.
14. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved July 27, 2014.
15. "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 27, 2014.
16. "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 27, 2014.
17. Norton County, Kansas, Kansas Historical Society
18. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved December 11, 2020.
19. "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.
20. "General Highway Map of Norton County, Kansas" (PDF). Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT). November 2009. Archived (PDF) from the original on July 30, 2023.
21. "Norton County, Kansas - Kansas Historical Society". kshs.org. Retrieved December 11, 2020.

Notes

Further reading

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

• Handbook of Norton County, Kansas; C.S. Burch Publishing Co; 16 pages; 1880s.
• Standard Atlas of Norton County, Kansas; Geo. A. Ogle & Co; 71 pages; 1917.

External links

County

• Norton County - Official Website
• Norton County - Directory of Public Officials

Maps

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