Rooks County, Kansas

Rooks County
County
Rooks County Courthouse in Stockton (2014)
Location within the U.S. state of Kansas
Kansas's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 39°27′05″N99°06′07″W / 39.4514°N 99.1019°W / 39.4514; -99.1019
Country	United States
State	Kansas
Founded	February 26, 1867
Named for	John C. Rooks
Seat	Stockton
Largest city	Plainville
Area
• Total	895 sq mi (2,320 km2)
• Land	891 sq mi (2,310 km2)
• Water	4.6 sq mi (12 km2)  0.5%
Population  (2020) [1]
• Total	4,919
• Density	5.5/sq mi (2.1/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district	1st
Website	rookscounty.net

Rooks County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kansas. Its county seat is Stockton, ^[2] and its largest city is Plainville. As of the 2020 census, the county population was 4,919. ^[1] The county was named for John Rooks, a private in Company I of the 11th Kansas Cavalry Regiment, who died at the Battle of Prairie Grove during the American Civil War. ^[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. ^[4] In 1762, after the French and Indian War, France secretly ceded New France to Spain, per the Treaty of Fontainebleau. ^[5]

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.^{[ citation needed ]}

In 1854, the Kansas Territory was organized, then in 1861 Kansas became the 34th U.S. state. In 1867, Rooks County was established.^{[ citation needed ]}

In 1881, the first county courthouse was built in Stockton. The county jail was built nearby from cottonwood logs strengthened by tons of iron. ^[6]

20th century

In 1923, a new courthouse opened in Stockton. The Rooks County Courthouse was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2002. ^[7]

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 895 square miles (2,320 km²), of which 891 square miles (2,310 km²) is land and 4.6 square miles (12 km²) (0.5%) is water. ^[8]

Adjacent counties

• Phillips County (north)
• Smith County (northeast)
• Osborne County (east)
• Ellis County (south)
• Trego County (southwest)
• Graham County (west)

Demographics

Population pyramid based on 2000 census age data

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1880	8,112		—
1890	8,018		−1.2%
1900	7,960		−0.7%
1910	11,282		41.7%
1920	9,966		−11.7%
1930	9,534		−4.3%
1940	8,497		−10.9%
1950	9,043		6.4%
1960	9,734		7.6%
1970	7,628		−21.6%
1980	7,006		−8.2%
1990	6,039		−13.8%
2000	5,685		−5.9%
2010	5,181		−8.9%
2020	4,919		−5.1%
2023 (est.)	4,778	[9]	−2.9%
U.S. Decennial Census [10] 1790-1960 [11] 1900-1990 [12] 1990-2000 [13] 2010-2020 [1]

As of the census ^[14] of 2000, there were 5,685 people, 2,362 households, and 1,556 families residing in the county. The population density was 6 people per square mile (2.3 people/km²). There were 2,758 housing units at an average density of 3 per square mile (1.2/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 97.13% White, 1.13% Black or African American, 0.42% Native American, 0.19% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.37% from other races, and 0.74% from two or more races. 1.06% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 2,362 households, out of which 29.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.40% were married couples living together, 7.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.10% were non-families. 31.80% of all households were made up of individuals, and 18.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.32 and the average family size was 2.93.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 25.20% under the age of 18, 6.40% from 18 to 24, 25.50% from 25 to 44, 21.50% from 45 to 64, and 21.50% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 98.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.30 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $30,457, and the median income for a family was $36,931. Males had a median income of $26,794 versus $18,389 for females. The per capita income for the county was $15,588. About 7.30% of families and 9.80% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.70% of those under age 18 and 7.40% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Presidential elections

Presidential election results

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

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2020	2,325	86.14%	339	12.56%	35	1.30%
2016	2,031	83.96%	275	11.37%	113	4.67%
2012	2,038	82.85%	361	14.67%	61	2.48%
2008	2,068	79.91%	468	18.08%	52	2.01%
2004	2,121	78.27%	534	19.70%	55	2.03%
2000	2,016	72.65%	597	21.51%	162	5.84%
1996	1,864	66.88%	650	23.32%	273	9.80%
1992	1,249	40.42%	771	24.95%	1,070	34.63%
1988	1,938	64.45%	1,012	33.65%	57	1.90%
1984	2,604	77.75%	699	20.87%	46	1.37%
1980	2,275	71.38%	725	22.75%	187	5.87%
1976	1,664	53.04%	1,412	45.01%	61	1.94%
1972	2,457	71.74%	904	26.39%	64	1.87%
1968	2,252	63.01%	1,012	28.32%	310	8.67%
1964	1,985	50.59%	1,923	49.01%	16	0.41%
1960	2,840	63.25%	1,639	36.50%	11	0.24%
1956	3,059	70.88%	1,238	28.68%	19	0.44%
1952	3,331	74.32%	1,105	24.65%	46	1.03%
1948	2,197	56.59%	1,636	42.14%	49	1.26%
1944	2,361	66.53%	1,166	32.85%	22	0.62%
1940	2,590	60.61%	1,650	38.61%	33	0.77%
1936	2,150	49.03%	2,235	50.97%	0	0.00%
1932	2,005	46.39%	2,229	51.57%	88	2.04%
1928	2,583	70.73%	1,044	28.59%	25	0.68%
1924	2,442	66.02%	930	25.14%	327	8.84%
1920	2,143	69.94%	843	27.51%	78	2.55%
1916	1,621	38.29%	2,394	56.54%	219	5.17%
1912	545	24.14%	865	38.31%	848	37.56%
1908	1,280	53.13%	1,003	41.64%	126	5.23%
1904	1,266	64.46%	495	25.20%	203	10.34%
1900	927	49.28%	925	49.18%	29	1.54%
1896	817	45.09%	971	53.59%	24	1.32%
1892	811	47.93%	0	0.00%	881	52.07%
1888	1,112	58.31%	412	21.60%	383	20.08%

Rooks County is overwhelmingly Republican. No Democratic presidential candidate has won Rooks County since Franklin D. Roosevelt – ironically against Kansan Alf Landon – carried the county by eighty-five votes in 1936. The last Democrat to exceed a quarter of the county's vote was Michael Dukakis in 1988 during a major drought on the Great Plains.

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 percent food sales requirement. ^[16]

Education

Unified school districts

• Palco USD 269
  • limited to western edge of county; includes Palco, Damar and Zurich
• Plainville USD 270
  • southern half of county, except western edge zoned to Palco
• Stockton USD 271
  • northern half of county

Communities

2005 KDOT Map of Rooks County (map legend)

† means a community is designated a Census-Designated Place (CDP) by the United States Census Bureau.

Cities

• Damar
• Palco
• Plainville
• Stockton (county seat)
• Woodston
• Zurich

Unincorporated communities

• Codell†
• Webster

Ghost towns

• Adamson
• Alcona
• Amboy
• Chandler
• Cresson
• Earnest
• Frankton
• Gould City
• Highhill
• Hoskins
• Igo
• Laton
• McHale
• Motor
• Nyra
• Portage
• Slate
• Sugarloaf
• Survey
• Rockport

Townships

Rooks County is divided into twelve 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.

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
Township 1	71203		280	1 (3)	276 (107)	1 (0)	0.23%	39°27′6″N99°6′8″W / 39.45167°N 99.10222°W / 39.45167; -99.10222
Township 2	71207		382	1 (4)	278 (107)	1 (0)	0.25%	39°26′33″N99°13′22″W / 39.44250°N 99.22278°W / 39.44250; -99.22278
Township 3	71211	Stockton	1,489	8 (21)	184 (71)	0 (0)	0.14%	39°27′13″N99°17′35″W / 39.45361°N 99.29306°W / 39.45361; -99.29306
Township 4	71215		27	0 (1)	93 (36)	0 (0)	0.12%	39°21′11″N99°18′36″W / 39.35306°N 99.31000°W / 39.35306; -99.31000
Township 5	71219		74	0 (1)	276 (107)	0 (0)	0.05%	39°30′10″N99°30′0″W / 39.50278°N 99.50000°W / 39.50278; -99.50000
Township 6	71224		60	0 (1)	173 (67)	13 (5)	7.13%	39°24′44″N99°26′24″W / 39.41222°N 99.44000°W / 39.41222; -99.44000
Township 7	71229		218	2 (6)	91 (35)	1 (0)	0.93%	39°20′37″N99°33′24″W / 39.34361°N 99.55667°W / 39.34361; -99.55667
Township 8	71234		344	4 (10)	94 (36)	0 (0)	0.09%	39°15′20″N99°33′33″W / 39.25556°N 99.55917°W / 39.25556; -99.55917
Township 9	71239		51	1 (1)	94 (36)	0 (0)	0.05%	39°10′31″N99°32′20″W / 39.17528°N 99.53889°W / 39.17528; -99.53889
Township 10	71243		197	1 (3)	187 (72)	0 (0)	0.08%	39°14′5″N99°26′0″W / 39.23472°N 99.43333°W / 39.23472; -99.43333
Township 11	71246	Plainville	2,380	9 (22)	279 (108)	1 (0)	0.44%	39°14′13″N99°17′39″W / 39.23694°N 99.29417°W / 39.23694; -99.29417
Township 12	71249		183	1 (2)	277 (107)	1 (0)	0.24%	39°12′56″N99°9′10″W / 39.21556°N 99.15278°W / 39.21556; -99.15278

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; Rooks County, Kansas; Population, Census, 2020 & 2010". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on August 19, 2021. Retrieved August 19, 2021.
2. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
3. Kansas Place-Names,John Rydjord, University of Oklahoma Press, 1972, ISBN   0-8061-0994-7
4. Burpee, Lawrence J. (1914). "Chapter VI LA VÉRENDRYES' LATTER DAYS". Pathfinders of the Great Plains: A Chronicle of La Vérendrye and his Sons. Toronto: GLASGOW, BROOK & COMPANY. p. 112. LCCN   15013575.
5. "Louisiana as a Spanish Colony". Library of Congress. Archived from the original on January 20, 2024. Retrieved March 14, 2024.
6. Blackmar, Frank Wilson (1912). Kansas: A Cyclopedia of State History, Volume 2. Chicago: Standard Publishing Company. p.  605.
7. Dana Cloud; Sally F. Schwenk (April 30, 2000). "National Register of Historic Places Registration: Rooks County Courthouse". National Park Service . Retrieved December 29, 2017. With 11 photos.
8. "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
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 28, 2014.
11. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved July 28, 2014.
12. "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 28, 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 28, 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.

Further reading

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

• Standard Atlas of Rooks County, Kansas; Geo. A. Ogle & Co; 67 pages; 1905.

External links

County

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

Maps

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

39°21′N99°19′W / 39.350°N 99.317°W / 39.350; -99.317