Editing Chase County, Kansas (section)

==History==

===Early history===
{{See also|History of Kansas}}
For many [[millennia]], the [[Great Plains]] of [[North America]] was inhabited by [[nomadic]] [[Native Americans in the United States|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 (1762)|Treaty of Fontainebleau]]. 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 [[History of Kansas|modern day Kansas]] was acquired by the United States from France as part of the 828,000 square mile [[Louisiana Purchase]] for 2.83 [[Penny (United States coin)|cents]] per [[acre]]. In 1848, after the [[Mexican–American War]], the [[Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo]] with [[Mexico]] brought into the United States all or part of land for ten future states, including southwest Kansas. In 1854, the [[Kansas Territory]] was organized, then in 1861 [[Kansas]] became the 34th [[U.S. state]].

===19th century===
In 1806, [[Zebulon Pike]] led the [[Pike Expedition]] westward from [[St Louis, Missouri]], of which part of their journey followed the [[Cottonwood River (Kansas)|Cottonwood River]] through modern Chase County.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://zebulonpike.org/maps/kansas/MAINSEKS.pdf |title=1806 Pike Expedition map through Marion County. |access-date=May 31, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120317175019/http://zebulonpike.org/maps/kansas/MAINSEKS.pdf |archive-date=March 17, 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

In 1859, '''Chase County''' was established within the [[Kansas Territory]].

In 1871, the [[Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway]] extended a main line from [[Emporia, Kansas|Emporia]] to [[Newton, Kansas|Newton]].<ref name="Santa Fe Rail History">{{Cite web|url=http://kansasheritage.org/research/rr/santafe.html|title=Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad: Railroads in Kansas|website=kansasheritage.org}}</ref>  In 1887, [[Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway]] built a branch line from [[Neva, Kansas|Neva]] (3 miles west of [[Strong City, Kansas|Strong City]]) to [[Superior, Nebraska]]. This branch line connected [[Strong City, Kansas|Strong City]], [[Neva, Kansas|Neva]], [[Rockland, Kansas|Rockland]], [[Diamond Springs, Kansas|Diamond Springs]], [[Burdick, Kansas|Burdick]], [[Lost Springs, Kansas|Lost Springs]], [[Jacobs, Kansas|Jacobs]], [[Hope, Kansas|Hope]], [[Navarre, Kansas|Navarre]], [[Enterprise, Kansas|Enterprise]], [[Abilene, Kansas|Abilene]], [[Talmage, Kansas|Talmage]], [[Manchester, Kansas|Manchester]], [[Longford, Kansas|Longford]], [[Oak Hill, Kansas|Oak Hill]], [[Miltonvale, Kansas|Miltonvale]], [[Aurora, Kansas|Aurora]], [[Huscher, Kansas|Huscher]], [[Concordia, Kansas|Concordia]], [[Kackley, Kansas|Kackley]], [[Courtland, Kansas|Courtland]], [[Webber, Kansas|Webber]], [[Superior, Nebraska|Superior]]. At some time, the line from [[Neva, Kansas|Neva]] to [[Lost Springs, Kansas|Lost Springs]] was pulled but the right of way has not been abandoned. This branch line was originally called "Strong City and Superior line" but later the name was shortened to the "Strong City line". In 1996, the [[Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway]] merged with [[Burlington Northern Railroad]] and renamed to the current [[BNSF Railway]].

The south-western border one mile "notch" into [[Marion County, Kansas|Marion County]] was established under unusual circumstances. A murder had occurred and Marion County didn't want to have the trial, so a section one mile wide and eighteen miles long was permanently ceded to Chase County to ensure the murder had occurred there.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.kshs.org/kansapedia/marion-county-kansas/15312|title=Marion County, Kansas|website=kshs.org}}</ref>

===20th century===
In 1931, [[Notre Dame Fighting Irish football|Notre Dame]] coach [[Knute Rockne]] died in a plane crash a few miles southwest of Bazaar, in Chase County, Kansas.

In 1991, the county was the subject of the book: [[PrairyErth|PrairyErth: (A Deep Map)]].

In 1996, the [[Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve]] was established in the county.

The [[center of population]] of Kansas is located in [[Cottonwood Falls, Kansas]], about four miles north of [[Strong City, Kansas|Strong City]].

===Historical markers===
* Landmark of Distinction - The Chase County Courthouse.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20070625201506/http://skyways.lib.ks.us/history/chase.html A Landmark of Distinction - The Chase County Courthouse; Historical Marker; Blue Skyways (archived).]</ref>
* Chase County and The Bluestem Pasture Region of Kansas.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20070625105156/http://skyways.lib.ks.us/history/pasture.html Chase County & The Bluestem Pasture Region of Kansas; Historical Marker; Blue Skyways (archived).]</ref>
* The Bluestem Pasture Region of Kansas.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://skyways.lib.ks.us/history/matfield.html | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070624193703/http://skyways.lib.ks.us/history/matfield.html| archive-date=June 24, 2007 | title=The Bluestem Pasture Region of Kansas|date=June 24, 2007}}</ref>
* W. B. Strong Memorial Railroad Park.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20070809141340/http://skyways.lib.ks.us/history/strong.html W. B. Strong Memorial Railroad Park; Historical Marker; Blue Skyways (archived).]</ref>

===Historical maps===
<gallery widths="200px" heights="150px">
Image:Santa Fe Route Map 1891.jpg|1891 [[Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway]] route map from ''Grain Dealers and Shippers Gazetteer''.
Image:Map elk chase kansas.jpg|1893 Railroad Map.
Image:Grand Canyon Route of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway 1900-05.jpg|1900-1905 [[Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway]] route map of regular stops
Image:Kansas Map 1914 Chase Dickinson Marion Morris.jpg|1914 railroad map.
Image:Kansas population map.png|2000 Kansas population map.
</gallery>