Sherman County, Kansas

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Sherman County
Sherman County, Kansas courthouse from W 1.JPG
Sherman County Courthouse in Goodland (2012)
Map of Kansas highlighting Sherman County.svg
Location within the U.S. state of Kansas
Kansas in United States.svg
Kansas's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 39°21′N101°43′W / 39.35°N 101.72°W / 39.35; -101.72
CountryFlag of the United States.svg United States
StateFlag of Kansas.svg Kansas
FoundedSeptember 20, 1886
Named after William Tecumseh Sherman [1]
Seat Goodland
Largest cityGoodland
Area
  Total
1,056 sq mi (2,740 km2)
  Land1,056 sq mi (2,740 km2)
  Water0.2 sq mi (0.5 km2)  0.02%
Population
 (2020) [2]
  Total
5,927
  Density5.6/sq mi (2.2/km2)
Time zone UTC−7 (Mountain)
  Summer (DST) UTC−6 (MDT)
Congressional district 1st
Website shermancountyks.gov

Sherman County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kansas. Its county seat is Goodland. [3] As of the 2020 census, the county population was 5,927. [2] Sherman County was created by the Legislature of 1873, and named after general William Sherman, a general during the American Civil War. [4]

Contents

History

Early history

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. In 1886, Sherman County was established.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,056 square miles (2,740 km2), of which 1,056 square miles (2,740 km2) is land and 0.2 square miles (0.52 km2) (0.02%) is water. [5]

Sherman County is one of only four Kansas counties to observe Mountain Time. Since Sherman County is part of the Wichita media market and the local broadcast stations are repeat signals of Wichita affiliates, prime-time programming in the county is aired from 6 to 9 p.m. local time, rather than 7 to 10 p.m. as is normal in the Central and Mountain time zones. However, cable providers carry the ABC and NBC affiliates from both Wichita and Denver, affording viewers the opportunity to view programs on those networks at the normal prime-time hours.

Adjacent counties

Major highways

Demographics

Population pyramid based on 2000 census age data USA Sherman County, Kansas age pyramid.svg
Population pyramid based on 2000 census age data
Historical population
CensusPop.Note
1880 13
1890 5,26140,369.2%
1900 3,341−36.5%
1910 4,54936.2%
1920 5,59222.9%
1930 7,40032.3%
1940 6,421−13.2%
1950 7,37314.8%
1960 6,682−9.4%
1970 7,79216.6%
1980 7,759−0.4%
1990 6,926−10.7%
2000 6,760−2.4%
2010 6,010−11.1%
2020 5,927−1.4%
2023 (est.)5,844 [6] −1.4%
U.S. Decennial Census [7]
1790-1960 [8] 1900-1990 [9]
1990-2000 [10] 2010-2020 [2]

As of the census [11] of 2000, there were 6,760 people, 2,758 households, and 1,781 families residing in the county. The population density was 6 people per square mile (2.3 people/km2). There were 3,184 housing units at an average density of 3 per square mile (1.2/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 93.83% White, 0.36% Black or African American, 0.33% Native American, 0.19% Asian, 0.16% Pacific Islander, 4.14% from other races, and 0.99% from two or more races. 8.45% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 2,758 households, out of which 29.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.80% were married couples living together, 6.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.40% were non-families. 29.20% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 3.00.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 24.60% under the age of 18, 11.80% from 18 to 24, 23.90% from 25 to 44, 22.80% from 45 to 64, and 17.10% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 104.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 101.40 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $32,684, and the median income for a family was $38,824. Males had a median income of $28,012 versus $20,927 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,761. About 9.70% of families and 12.90% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.90% of those under age 18 and 7.30% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Sherman County has been predominantly carried by Republican candidates at the presidential level for a century, as is the case with the majority of rural counties. However, Lyndon B. Johnson narrowly carried the county in 1964, the only Democrat to do so since 1936.

Presidential elections

Presidential election results
United States presidential election results for Sherman County, Kansas [12]
Year Republican Democratic Third party(ies)
No.%No.%No.%
2024 2,16183.15%37914.58%592.27%
2020 2,26983.20%39614.52%622.27%
2016 2,08979.58%34713.22%1897.20%
2012 1,97675.33%57722.00%702.67%
2008 1,95972.45%68825.44%572.11%
2004 2,08875.60%63222.88%421.52%
2000 1,89470.62%68125.39%1073.99%
1996 2,11068.42%73623.87%2387.72%
1992 1,63049.73%81024.71%83825.56%
1988 1,92962.94%1,08235.30%541.76%
1984 2,70278.02%71420.62%471.36%
1980 2,31568.86%77923.17%2687.97%
1976 1,67150.15%1,57347.21%882.64%
1972 2,22569.92%78524.67%1725.41%
1968 1,80357.53%95430.44%37712.03%
1964 1,46348.60%1,52250.56%250.83%
1960 2,03065.08%1,07434.43%150.48%
1956 1,82564.97%96234.25%220.78%
1952 2,40370.41%94127.57%692.02%
1948 1,38050.00%1,28946.70%913.30%
1944 1,60860.07%1,02138.14%481.79%
1940 1,56952.16%1,39946.51%401.33%
1936 1,15938.26%1,81459.89%561.85%
1932 1,11232.19%2,11061.09%2326.72%
1928 2,02874.61%63023.18%602.21%
1924 1,12245.89%52821.60%79532.52%
1920 1,06654.33%78940.21%1075.45%
1916 58230.83%1,19663.35%1105.83%
1912 12913.11%46547.26%39039.63%
1908 43943.64%50850.50%595.86%
1904 46560.55%23130.08%729.38%
1900 38046.51%41851.16%192.33%
1896 29139.81%43759.78%30.41%
1892 57143.16%00.00%75256.84%
1888 80355.69%48133.36%15810.96%

Laws

Sherman County was a prohibition, or "dry", county until the Kansas Constitution was amended in 1986 and voters approved the sale of alcoholic liquor by the individual drink with a 30 percent food sales requirement. [13]

Education

Colleges

Unified school districts

Communities

2005 map of Sherman County (map legend) Map of Sherman Co, Ks, USA.png
2005 map of Sherman County (map legend)

List of townships / incorporated cities / unincorporated communities / extinct former communities within Sherman County. [14]
† means a community is designated a Census-Designated Place (CDP) by the United States Census Bureau.

Cities

Unincorporated communities

Townships

Sherman County is divided into thirteen townships. The city of Goodland is considered governmentally independent and is excluded from the census figures for the townships. Geographically, Goodland is located at the juncture of Voltaire, Itasca, and Logan 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.

Sources: 2000 U.S. Gazetteer from the U.S. Census Bureau.
Township FIPS Population
center
PopulationPopulation
density
/km2 (/sq mi)
Land area
km2 (sq mi)
Water area
km2 (sq mi)
Water %Geographic coordinates
Grant 281501150 (1)355 (137)0 (0)0.02% 39°28′26″N101°54′41″W / 39.47389°N 101.91139°W / 39.47389; -101.91139
Iowa 34450440 (0)279 (108)0 (0)0% 39°15′27″N101°29′38″W / 39.25750°N 101.49389°W / 39.25750; -101.49389
Itasca 346003214 (10)87 (34)0 (0)0% 39°19′33″N101°40′29″W / 39.32583°N 101.67472°W / 39.32583; -101.67472
Lincoln 41175951 (1)186 (72)0 (0)0.03% 39°19′5″N101°53′3″W / 39.31806°N 101.88417°W / 39.31806; -101.88417
Llanos 41650430 (1)185 (71)0 (0)0% 39°28′31″N101°28′29″W / 39.47528°N 101.47472°W / 39.47528; -101.47472
Logan 422502462 (5)138 (53)0 (0)0% 39°19′15″N101°46′55″W / 39.32083°N 101.78194°W / 39.32083; -101.78194
McPherson 44025520 (1)174 (67)0 (0)0% 39°10′18″N101°56′12″W / 39.17167°N 101.93667°W / 39.17167; -101.93667
Shermanville 65175510 (1)185 (71)0 (0)0% 39°29′54″N101°34′25″W / 39.49833°N 101.57361°W / 39.49833; -101.57361
Smoky 65950870 (1)280 (108)0 (0)0.12% 39°11′48″N101°46′11″W / 39.19667°N 101.76972°W / 39.19667; -101.76972
Stateline 68150 Kanorado 3442 (5)165 (64)0 (0)0.03% 39°19′6″N102°0′17″W / 39.31833°N 102.00472°W / 39.31833; -102.00472
Union 72425560 (1)140 (54)0 (0)0% 39°20′25″N101°27′24″W / 39.34028°N 101.45667°W / 39.34028; -101.45667
Voltaire 741752521 (2)411 (159)0 (0)0% 39°27′12″N101°43′4″W / 39.45333°N 101.71778°W / 39.45333; -101.71778
Washington 757501061 (2)139 (54)0 (0)0% 39°20′0″N101°32′59″W / 39.33333°N 101.54972°W / 39.33333; -101.54972

See also

Community information for Kansas

References

  1. "Welcome To the Official Sherman County Website". Sherman County, Kansas. Archived from the original on February 18, 2009. Retrieved November 4, 2012.
  2. 1 2 3 "QuickFacts; Sherman County, Kansas; Population, Census, 2020 & 2010". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on August 20, 2021. Retrieved August 20, 2021.
  3. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  4. William G. Cutler's History of the State of Kansas, published 1883 by A. T. Andreas, Chicago, Il., http://www.kancoll.org/books/cutler/unorganized/unorganized-co-p1.html
  5. "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
  6. "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved April 3, 2024.
  7. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 29, 2014.
  8. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved July 29, 2014.
  9. "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 29, 2014.
  10. "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 29, 2014.
  11. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  12. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections".
  13. "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.
  14. 1 2 "General Highway Map of Sherman County, Kansas" (PDF). Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT). November 2011. Archived (PDF) from the original on September 11, 2023.

Further reading

County
Maps

39°21′N101°43′W / 39.350°N 101.717°W / 39.350; -101.717