Smith County, Kansas

Smith County
County
Home on the Range Cabin near Smith Center (2014)
Location within the U.S. state of Kansas
Kansas's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 39°50′N98°45′W / 39.833°N 98.750°W / 39.833; -98.750
Country	United States
State	Kansas
Founded	1872
Named for	J. Nelson Smith
Seat	Smith Center
Largest city	Smith Center
Area
• Total	897 sq mi (2,320 km2)
• Land	895 sq mi (2,320 km2)
• Water	1.5 sq mi (4 km2)  0.2%
Population  (2020) [1]
• Total	3,570
• Estimate  (2023)	3,590
• Density	4.0/sq mi (1.5/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Area code	785
Congressional district	1st
Website	SmithCoKS.com

Smith County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kansas. Its county seat is Smith Center. ^[2] As of the 2020 census, the population was 3,570. ^[1] The county is named in memory of J. Nelson Smith, a major in the 2nd Colorado Cavalry, killed at the Battle of Westport on October 21, 1864. The geographic center of the contiguous United States is located within the county, near Lebanon. ^[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.^{[ citation needed ]} 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 1872, Smith County was established. The first homestead in Smith County was in 1871 and there were 3,800 inhabitants by 1875. The county grew to 15,000 people by 1889. Corn was the main crop at first but drought and grasshopper plagues severely hurt the crops. When hardy Winter wheat was introduced to Kansas by Russian settlers, it eventually became the predominant crop in Smith County. The population of the county has slowly declined since 1900 due in large part because of advanced farming techniques that require less human labor.^{[ citation needed ]}

Brewster Higley wrote the song "Home on the Range" in 1873 in a cabin 9 miles northwest of Smith Center. It later became the Kansas State song. ^{[4] [5]}

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 897 square miles (2,320 km²), of which 895 square miles (2,320 km²) is land and 1.5 square miles (3.9 km²) (0.2%) is water. ^[6] The county is divided into 25 townships, each of which is listed below in the subdivisions section of this article.

The geographic center of the 48 contiguous states is located within the county, near the city of Lebanon. ^[7] The geographic center of North America is located in neighboring Osborne County.

The Solomon River runs through the southern part of the county and provides a flat basin and water for irrigated crops.

Major highways

There are two major highways serving the county. The main east–west route is U.S. Highway 36, which travels through Athol, Kensington, and Smith Center. The main north–south route is U.S. Highway 281, which intersects US-36 in Smith Center. Kansas state highways K-8, K-9 and K-180 serve other areas of the county.

Adjacent counties

• Webster County, Nebraska (northeast)
• Jewell County (east)
• Osborne County (south)
• Rooks County (southwest)
• Phillips County (west)
• Franklin County, Nebraska (northwest)

Demographics

Population pyramid based on 2000 census age data

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1870	66		—
1880	13,883		20,934.8%
1890	15,613		12.5%
1900	16,384		4.9%
1910	15,365		−6.2%
1920	14,985		−2.5%
1930	13,545		−9.6%
1940	10,582		−21.9%
1950	8,846		−16.4%
1960	7,776		−12.1%
1970	6,757		−13.1%
1980	5,947		−12.0%
1990	5,078		−14.6%
2000	4,536		−10.7%
2010	3,853		−15.1%
2020	3,570		−7.3%
2023 (est.)	3,590	[8]	0.6%
U.S. Decennial Census [9] 1790-1960 [10] 1900-1990 [11] 1990-2000 [12] 2010-2020 [1]

As of the census ^[13] of 2000, there were 4,536 people, 1,953 households, and 1,322 families residing in the county. The population density was 5 people per square mile (1.9 people/km²). There were 2,326 housing units at an average density of 3 per square mile (1.2/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 98.79% White, 0.11% Black or African American, 0.24% Native American, 0.04% Asian, 0.11% Pacific Islander, 0.22% from other races, and 0.49% from two or more races. 0.73% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 1,953 households, out of which 25.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.60% were married couples living together, 4.70% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.30% were non-families. 30.20% of all households were made up of individuals, and 18.60% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.27 and the average family size was 2.78.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 21.70% under the age of 18, 4.70% from 18 to 24, 22.10% from 25 to 44, 23.60% from 45 to 64, and 27.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 46 years. For every 100 females there were 92.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.40 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $28,486, and the median income for a family was $36,951. Males had a median income of $25,089 versus $18,608 for females. The per capita income for the county was $14,983. About 8.80% of families and 10.70% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.80% of those under age 18 and 9.50% of those age 65 or over.

The population distribution by township is as follows according to the 2000 census: Banner 54; Beaver 60; Blaine 60; Cedar 619; Center 2,094; Cora 38; Crystal Plains 40; Dor 46; Garfield 33; German 34; Harlan 100; Harvey 130; Houston 206; Lane 134; Lincoln 73; Logan 47; Martin 24; Oak 399; Pawnee 35; Pleasant 34; Swan 42; Valley 75; Washington 63; Webster 47; White Rock 49.

Government

Presidential elections

Presidential election results

United States presidential election results for Smith County, Kansas ^[14]

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party(ies)
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2024	1,658	83.48%	297	14.95%	31	1.56%
2020	1,763	82.81%	336	15.78%	30	1.41%
2016	1,661	81.34%	297	14.54%	84	4.11%
2012	1,624	80.28%	358	17.70%	41	2.03%
2008	1,719	77.78%	446	20.18%	45	2.04%
2004	1,803	76.08%	540	22.78%	27	1.14%
2000	1,534	70.24%	534	24.45%	116	5.31%
1996	1,628	65.38%	638	25.62%	224	9.00%
1992	1,236	43.34%	789	27.66%	827	29.00%
1988	1,951	65.29%	1,004	33.60%	33	1.10%
1984	2,332	75.74%	684	22.22%	63	2.05%
1980	2,415	71.70%	719	21.35%	234	6.95%
1976	2,009	58.47%	1,333	38.80%	94	2.74%
1972	2,600	74.26%	818	23.36%	83	2.37%
1968	2,558	67.49%	939	24.78%	293	7.73%
1964	2,026	52.34%	1,809	46.73%	36	0.93%
1960	3,013	71.88%	1,157	27.60%	22	0.52%
1956	3,142	72.95%	1,139	26.45%	26	0.60%
1952	3,623	77.75%	986	21.16%	51	1.09%
1948	2,760	61.94%	1,590	35.68%	106	2.38%
1944	3,282	69.93%	1,377	29.34%	34	0.72%
1940	3,630	65.58%	1,855	33.51%	50	0.90%
1936	3,292	53.48%	2,847	46.25%	17	0.28%
1932	2,870	46.52%	3,155	51.14%	144	2.33%
1928	4,021	74.34%	1,338	24.74%	50	0.92%
1924	3,226	57.23%	1,634	28.99%	777	13.78%
1920	3,251	66.10%	1,535	31.21%	132	2.68%
1916	2,605	41.08%	3,431	54.10%	306	4.82%
1912	970	25.84%	1,534	40.86%	1,250	33.30%
1908	1,843	51.65%	1,593	44.65%	132	3.70%
1904	2,254	66.02%	596	17.46%	564	16.52%
1900	1,770	46.47%	1,978	51.93%	61	1.60%
1896	1,385	40.23%	2,019	58.64%	39	1.13%
1892	1,389	41.33%	0	0.00%	1,972	58.67%
1888	1,726	51.71%	777	23.28%	835	25.01%

Smith County is overwhelmingly Republican. No Democratic presidential candidate has won Smith County since Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1932. Since 1940 the only Democrat to win forty percent of the county's vote has been Lyndon Johnson during his 1964 landslide, and the last to pass thirty percent was Michael Dukakis during the drought-affected 1988 election

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. ^[15]

Education

Unified school districts

• Thunder Ridge USD 110
• Smith Center USD 237

Communities

2005 map of Smith County (map legend)

List of townships / incorporated cities / unincorporated communities / extinct former communities within Smith County. ^[16]

Cities

• Athol
• Cedar
• Gaylord
• Kensington
• Lebanon
• Smith Center (county seat)

Unincorporated communities

• Bellaire
• Claudell
• Dispatch
• Harlan
• Reamsville
• Thornburg
• Womer

Ghost towns

• Anderson
• Clifford
• Cora
• Corvallis
• Covington
• Crystal Plains
• Custer
• Germantown
• Hardilee
• Jacksonburg
• Judson
• Ohio
• Troublesome
• Twelve Mile
• Tyner
• Uhl

Townships

Smith County is divided into twenty-five 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
Banner	04100		54	0.58 (1.50)	93.29 (36.02)	0 (0)	0%	39°42′3″N98°47′13″W / 39.70083°N 98.78694°W / 39.70083; -98.78694
Beaver	05200		60	0.65 (1.67)	92.89 (35.86)	0.27 (0.10)	0.29%	39°56′50″N98°46′34″W / 39.94722°N 98.77611°W / 39.94722; -98.77611
Blaine	07200		60	0.64 (1.67)	93.24 (36.00)	0.04 (0.01)	0.04%	39°47′20″N98°40′48″W / 39.78889°N 98.68000°W / 39.78889; -98.68000
Cedar	11350	Kensington	619	6.68 (17.29)	92.71 (35.80)	0.08 (0.03)	0.09%	39°46′10″N99°1′50″W / 39.76944°N 99.03056°W / 39.76944; -99.03056
Center	12175	Smith Center	2,094	22.48 (58.22)	93.15 (35.97)	0.04 (0.02)	0.05%	39°46′47″N98°47′7″W / 39.77972°N 98.78528°W / 39.77972; -98.78528
Cora	15525		38	0.41 (1.06)	92.96 (35.89)	0.17 (0.06)	0.18%	39°52′45″N98°40′7″W / 39.87917°N 98.66861°W / 39.87917; -98.66861
Crystal Plains	16575		40	0.43 (1.11)	93.00 (35.91)	0.05 (0.02)	0.05%	39°41′27″N98°40′52″W / 39.69083°N 98.68111°W / 39.69083; -98.68111
Dor	18300		46	0.50 (1.29)	92.55 (35.73)	0.30 (0.11)	0.32%	39°37′33″N99°0′4″W / 39.62583°N 99.00111°W / 39.62583; -99.00111
Garfield	25825		33	0.35 (0.92)	92.96 (35.89)	0.04 (0.02)	0.04%	39°35′48″N98°40′21″W / 39.59667°N 98.67250°W / 39.59667; -98.67250
German	26150		34	0.37 (0.96)	91.78 (35.44)	0.27 (0.10)	0.29%	39°56′41″N99°0′39″W / 39.94472°N 99.01083°W / 39.94472; -99.01083
Harlan	30100		100	1.07 (2.78)	93.03 (35.92)	0.05 (0.02)	0.05%	39°36′25″N98°46′42″W / 39.60694°N 98.77833°W / 39.60694; -98.77833
Harvey	30550	Cedar	130	1.40 (3.63)	92.86 (35.85)	0.00 (0.00)	0%	39°41′10″N98°55′32″W / 39.68611°N 98.92556°W / 39.68611; -98.92556
Houston	33225	Gaylord	206	2.22 (5.74)	92.94 (35.88)	0.14 (0.05)	0.15%	39°37′38″N98°52′12″W / 39.62722°N 98.87000°W / 39.62722; -98.87000
Lane	38450	Athol	134	1.44 (3.73)	92.98 (35.90)	0.03 (0.01)	0.04%	39°46′49″N98°53′30″W / 39.78028°N 98.89167°W / 39.78028; -98.89167
Lincoln	41200		73	0.79 (2.04)	92.80 (35.83)	0.15 (0.06)	0.16%	39°36′13″N98°33′23″W / 39.60361°N 98.55639°W / 39.60361; -98.55639
Logan	42275		47	0.51 (1.32)	92.50 (35.72)	0.14 (0.05)	0.15%	39°57′5″N98°34′4″W / 39.95139°N 98.56778°W / 39.95139; -98.56778
Martin	45000		24	0.26 (0.67)	92.49 (35.71)	0.25 (0.10)	0.27%	39°56′40″N98°54′21″W / 39.94444°N 98.90583°W / 39.94444; -98.90583
Oak	51650	Lebanon	399	4.30 (11.13)	92.88 (35.86)	0.07 (0.03)	0.07%	39°48′10″N98°33′29″W / 39.80278°N 98.55806°W / 39.80278; -98.55806
Pawnee	54825		35	0.38 (0.98)	92.13 (35.57)	0.41 (0.16)	0.44%	39°57′7″N98°39′50″W / 39.95194°N 98.66389°W / 39.95194; -98.66389
Pleasant	56300		34	0.37 (0.95)	92.69 (35.79)	0.05 (0.02)	0.05%	39°51′28″N98°54′28″W / 39.85778°N 98.90778°W / 39.85778; -98.90778
Swan	69625		42	0.46 (1.18)	92.00 (35.52)	0.23 (0.09)	0.25%	39°52′56″N99°1′12″W / 39.88222°N 99.02000°W / 39.88222; -99.02000
Valley	73175		75	0.81 (2.09)	92.82 (35.84)	0.015 (0.006)	0.02%	39°41′28″N98°59′59″W / 39.69111°N 98.99972°W / 39.69111; -98.99972
Washington	75775		63	0.68 (1.76)	92.87 (35.86)	0 (0)	0%	39°52′54″N98°46′24″W / 39.88167°N 98.77333°W / 39.88167; -98.77333
Webster	76275		47	0.51 (1.31)	92.76 (35.82)	0.02 (0.01)	0.02%	39°42′27″N98°34′8″W / 39.70750°N 98.56889°W / 39.70750; -98.56889
White Rock	78000		49	0.53 (1.37)	92.88 (35.86)	0.04 (0.02)	0.04%	39°52′37″N98°33′5″W / 39.87694°N 98.55139°W / 39.87694; -98.55139

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; Smith County, Kansas; Population, Census, 2020 & 2010". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on August 20, 2021. Retrieved August 20, 2021.
2. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
3. "Population and Geographic Centers" (PDF). www.census.gov. Archived (PDF) from the original on September 20, 2008. Retrieved March 6, 2014.
4. Kansas Historical Society (October 2015). "Smith County, Kansas". Kansapedia. Retrieved May 21, 2019.
5. Kansas Historical Society (December 2014). "Brewster Higley". Kansapedia. Retrieved May 21, 2019.
6. "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
7. Geographic Center of the Lower 48 United States
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 29, 2014.
10. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved July 29, 2014.
11. "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 29, 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 29, 2014.
13. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved January 31, 2008.
14. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections".
15. "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.
16. "General Highway Map of Smith County, Kansas" (PDF). Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT). January 2011. Archived (PDF) from the original on August 2, 2023.

Further reading

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

• Standard Atlas of Smith County, Kansas; Geo. A. Ogle & Co; 82 pages; 1917.
• Plat Book of Smith County, Kansas; North West Publishing Co; 48 pages; 1900.

External links

County

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

Other

• Geographical Center of the Continental United States

Maps

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