Wallace County, Kansas

Wallace County
County
Wallace County Courthouse in Sharon Springs (2010)
Location within the U.S. state of Kansas
Kansas's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 38°45′52″N101°34′33″W / 38.7644°N 101.5758°W / 38.7644; -101.5758
Country	United States
State	Kansas
Founded	1868
Named for	W. H. L. Wallace
Seat	Sharon Springs
Largest city	Sharon Springs
Area
• Total	914 sq mi (2,370 km2)
• Land	914 sq mi (2,370 km2)
• Water	0.05 sq mi (0.1 km2)  0.01%
Population  (2020) [1]
• Total	1,512
• Estimate  (2021) [2]	1,508
• Density	1.7/sq mi (0.7/km2)
Time zone	UTC−7 (Mountain)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−6 (MDT)
Congressional district	1st
Website	wallacecountyks.gov

Wallace County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kansas. Its county seat is Sharon Springs. ^[3] As of the 2020 census, the county population was 1,512, ^[1] making it the second-least populous county in Kansas (Greeley County is the least). The county was created in 1868 and named in honor of Brigadier General W.H.L. Wallace, who had been mortally wounded in combat in the Battle of Shiloh. Wallace County is home to Mount Sunflower, the highest point in Kansas at 4,039 feet (1,231 meters). Mount Sunflower is located approximately 15 miles (24 km) north-northwest of Weskan, less than one mile (1.6 km) from the Colorado state line. It is one of four Kansas counties to use the Mountain Time Zone rather than the Central Time Zone like the remainder of Kansas.

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. In 1868, Wallace County was established.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 914 square miles (2,370 km²), of which 914 square miles (2,370 km²) is land and 0.05 square miles (0.13 km²) (0.01%) is water. ^[4]

Adjacent counties

• Sherman County (north)
• Logan County (east/Central Time border)
• Wichita County (southeast/Central Time border)
• Greeley County (south)
• Cheyenne County, Colorado (west)
• Kit Carson County, Colorado (northwest)

Demographics

Population pyramid based on 2000 census age data

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1870	538		—
1880	686		27.5%
1890	2,468		259.8%
1900	1,178		−52.3%
1910	2,759		134.2%
1920	2,424		−12.1%
1930	2,882		18.9%
1940	2,216		−23.1%
1950	2,508		13.2%
1960	2,069		−17.5%
1970	2,215		7.1%
1980	2,045		−7.7%
1990	1,821		−11.0%
2000	1,749		−4.0%
2010	1,485		−15.1%
2020	1,512		1.8%
2023 (est.)	1,509	[5]	−0.2%
U.S. Decennial Census [6] 1790-1960 [7] 1900-1990 [8] 1990-2000 [9] 2010-2020 [1]

As of the census of 2000, there were 1,749 people, 674 households, and 477 families residing in the county. The population density was 2 people per square mile (0.77 people/km²). There were 791 housing units at an average density of 1 per square mile (0.39/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 94.63% White, 0.63% Black or African American, 0.80% Native American, 0.17% Asian, 2.52% from other races, and 1.26% from two or more races. 4.80% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 674 households, out of which 33.80% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.60% were married couples living together, 4.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.20% were non-families. 27.60% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.60% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 3.12.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 29.10% under the age of 18, 6.50% from 18 to 24, 23.60% from 25 to 44, 22.80% from 45 to 64, and 18.10% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 99.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.40 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $33,000, and the median income for a family was $42,022. Males had a median income of $25,610 versus $18,333 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,016. About 10.70% of families and 16.10% of the population were below the poverty line, including 24.50% of those under age 18 and 12.70% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Presidential elections

Presidential election results

United States presidential election results for Wallace County, Kansas ^[10]

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party(ies)
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2024	659	91.66%	50	6.95%	10	1.39%
2020	770	93.33%	44	5.33%	11	1.33%
2016	721	90.35%	46	5.76%	31	3.88%
2012	719	90.10%	68	8.52%	11	1.38%
2008	690	85.82%	96	11.94%	18	2.24%
2004	742	84.70%	112	12.79%	22	2.51%
2000	737	85.60%	103	11.96%	21	2.44%
1996	738	76.24%	160	16.53%	70	7.23%
1992	679	63.70%	164	15.38%	223	20.92%
1988	655	69.61%	257	27.31%	29	3.08%
1984	838	82.97%	152	15.05%	20	1.98%
1980	811	78.28%	167	16.12%	58	5.60%
1976	600	52.77%	486	42.74%	51	4.49%
1972	782	73.22%	214	20.04%	72	6.74%
1968	608	61.54%	235	23.79%	145	14.68%
1964	516	50.69%	496	48.72%	6	0.59%
1960	727	68.20%	339	31.80%	0	0.00%
1956	684	72.69%	251	26.67%	6	0.64%
1952	945	78.82%	249	20.77%	5	0.42%
1948	637	58.23%	439	40.13%	18	1.65%
1944	720	70.80%	292	28.71%	5	0.49%
1940	756	67.08%	361	32.03%	10	0.89%
1936	658	56.68%	492	42.38%	11	0.95%
1932	561	40.27%	761	54.63%	71	5.10%
1928	738	66.19%	356	31.93%	21	1.88%
1924	603	53.70%	171	15.23%	349	31.08%
1920	632	70.38%	203	22.61%	63	7.02%
1916	381	39.48%	497	51.50%	87	9.02%
1912	81	15.17%	152	28.46%	301	56.37%
1908	350	59.32%	206	34.92%	34	5.76%
1904	278	83.99%	39	11.78%	14	4.23%
1900	212	66.25%	102	31.88%	6	1.88%
1896	181	59.34%	124	40.66%	0	0.00%
1892	377	55.93%	0	0.00%	297	44.07%
1888	412	65.71%	198	31.58%	17	2.71%

Wallace has long been one of the most overwhelmingly Republican of all the state's counties. Only two Democratic presidential nominees have ever won Wallace County – Woodrow Wilson in 1916 and Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1932. Since 1944 only three Democratic presidential candidates have won 31 percent of Wallace County's vote – Harry S. Truman in 1948, Lyndon Johnson in 1964 and Jimmy Carter in 1976 – whilst since 1980 only Michael Dukakis during the drought-affected 1988 election has obtained so much as seventeen percent for the Democratic Party. Indeed, in the 2016 election Hillary Clinton recorded less than six percent of the county's vote, whilst the last seven Republican nominees have all exceeded 80 percent. In the 2012, 2016, 2020, and 2024 elections, Wallace was the only county in Kansas to give over 90% of the vote to the Republican nominee, namely Mitt Romney followed by Donald Trump.

Laws

Although the Kansas Constitution was amended in 1986 to allow the sale of alcoholic liquor by the individual drink with the approval of voters, Wallace County has remained a prohibition, or "dry", county, the only such county remaining in the state as of March 2023. ^[11]

Education

Unified school districts

• Wallace County USD 241
• Weskan USD 242

Communities

2005 map of Wallace County (legend)

"Mount Sunflower," the highest point in Kansas, is located in Wallace County

List of townships / incorporated cities / unincorporated communities / extinct former communities within Wallace County. ^[12]
† means a community is designated a Census-Designated Place (CDP) by the United States Census Bureau.

Cities

• Sharon Springs (county seat)
• Wallace

Unincorporated communities

• Weskan†

Townships

Wallace County is divided into four 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
Harrison	30450		85	0 (1)	210 (81)	0 (0)	0%	38°45′53″N101°34′34″W / 38.76472°N 101.57611°W / 38.76472; -101.57611
Sharon Springs	64400	Sharon Springs	1,096	1 (3)	885 (342)	0 (0)	0%	38°54′12″N101°45′3″W / 38.90333°N 101.75083°W / 38.90333; -101.75083
Wallace	74775	Wallace	175	0 (1)	488 (188)	0 (0)	0.01%	38°58′15″N101°33′35″W / 38.97083°N 101.55972°W / 38.97083; -101.55972
Weskan	76700	Weskan	393	1 (1)	784 (303)	0 (0)	0.01%	38°53′8″N101°56′10″W / 38.88556°N 101.93611°W / 38.88556; -101.93611

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; Wallace County, Kansas; Population, Census, 2020 & 2010". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on August 22, 2021. Retrieved August 21, 2021.
2. "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2021" . Retrieved October 23, 2022.
3. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
4. "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
5. "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved April 3, 2024.
6. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 29, 2014.
7. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved July 29, 2014.
8. "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 29, 2014.
9. "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.
10. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections".
11. "Map of Wet and Dry Counties" (PDF). Kansas Department of Revenue Alcoholic Beverage Control. March 1, 2023. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 7, 2023. Retrieved December 4, 2023.
12. "General Highway Map of Wallace County, Kansas" (PDF). Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT). July 2010. Archived (PDF) from the original on July 23, 2023.

Further reading

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

• Standard Atlas of Wallace County, Kansas; Geo. A. Ogle & Co; 42 pages; 1908.

External links

County

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

Maps

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

38°55′N101°46′W / 38.917°N 101.767°W / 38.917; -101.767