Editing Clark County, Kansas

{{short description|County in Kansas, United States}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox U.S. county
|county             = Clark County
|state              = Kansas
|type               = [[County (United States)|County]]
|ex image           = First National Bank bldg (Ashland, KS) from SE 2.JPG
|ex image cap       = [[Stockgrowers State Bank]] in [[Ashland, Kansas|Ashland]] (2016)
|founded            = February 26, 1867
|named for          = Charles F. Clarke
|seat wl            = Ashland
|largest city wl    = Ashland
|area_total_sq_mi   = 977
|area_land_sq_mi    = 975
|area_water_sq_mi   = 2.6
|area percentage    = 0.3%

|population_footnotes = <ref name="QF"/>
|population_as_of   = 2020
|population_total   = 1991
|pop_est_footnotes  = <ref name="USCensusEst2021">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/popest/2020s-counties-total.html|title=Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2021|access-date=October 23, 2022}}</ref>
|pop_est_as_of      = 2021
|population_est     = 1977 {{decrease}}
|population_density_sq_mi = 2.0

|area codes         = [[Area code 620|620]]
|district           = 1st
|time zone          = Central
|website            = {{URL|http://www.clarkcountyks.com/|ClarkCountyKS.com}}
|coordinates        = {{coord|37|14|N|99|50|W|region:US-KS_type:adm2nd_source:GNIS|display=inline,title}}
}}

'''Clark County''' is a [[County (United States)|county]] located in the [[U.S. state]] of [[Kansas]].  Its [[county seat]] and most populous city is [[Ashland, Kansas|Ashland]].<ref name="GR6">{{cite web|url=http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |access-date=June 7, 2011 |title=Find a County |publisher=National Association of Counties |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110531210815/http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |archive-date=May 31, 2011}}</ref>  As of the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]], the county population was 1,991.<ref name="QF">{{cite web |title=QuickFacts; Clark County, Kansas; Population, Census, 2020 & 2010 |url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/clarkcountykansas/POP010220 |publisher=United States Census Bureau |access-date=August 15, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210815222524/https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/clarkcountykansas/POP010220 |archive-date=August 15, 2021 |url-status=live}}</ref>  The county was named after Charles Clarke.

==History==
{{See also|History of Kansas}}
Clark County, Kansas, was established on February 26, 1867, from the territory of the former [[Peketon County, Kansas Territory|Peketon County]], and named for Charles F. Clarke, a captain in the 6th Regiment Kansas Volunteer Cavalry during the [[American Civil War]], though the final 'e' was later dropped. As an unorganized county, it was initially attached to Ford County for judicial purposes until 1883, when it was incorporated into Ford County on account of its sparse population and prosperous cattle ranches. This inclusion displeased the settlers of Clark County, and Clark County was again detached from Ford County in March 1885, this time attached to Comanche County for judicial purposes. Clark County was finally organized in May 1885, with the county seat at Ashland.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=Blackmar |first=Frank Wilson |url=https://www.ksgenweb.org/archives/1912/c/clark_county.html |title=Kansas: A Cyclopedia of State History, Embracing Events, Institutions, Industries, Counties, Cities, Towns, Prominent Persons, Etc; Volume 2 |date=2018-10-30 |publisher=Creative Media Partners, LLC |isbn=978-0-344-49002-6 |language=en}}</ref>

The opening of the Mount Jesus Trail, passing near a hill in the center of the county named Mount Jesus by the Custer expedition in 1868 on its way from [[Fort Dodge (United States Army Post)|Fort Dodge]] to [[Fort Supply (Oklahoma)|Fort Supply]], along with the onset of Texas cattle drives through the county, marked the beginning of American settlement in Clark County. Settlement intensified with the establishment of a road ranch by John Glenn in 1874 near present-day Ashland, the beginning of weekly [[stagecoach]] service along the Mount Jesus Trail in 1875, and the opening of additional cattle ranches in 1876. Efforts to create a [[Benedictines|Benedictine]] colony in the late 1870s near Mount Casino were abandoned after resistance from cattlemen and an Indian raid.<ref name=":0" />

Clark City hosted the first school and newspaper in the county, but both activities shifted to Ashland as the latter town grew, including by direct payments to Clark City residents to relocate. Ultimately Ashland became the county's dominant town and was officially designated the county seat in 1885 while Clark City was abandoned.<ref name=":0" /> Ashland remains the county seat and principal city of Clark County to this day.

==Geography==
According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the county has a total area of {{convert|977|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|975|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|2.6|sqmi}} (%) is water.<ref name="GR1">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=April 23, 2011|date=February 12, 2011|title=US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990}}</ref>

===Adjacent counties===
* [[Ford County, Kansas|Ford County]] (north)
* [[Kiowa County, Kansas|Kiowa County]] (northeast)
* [[Comanche County, Kansas|Comanche County]] (east)
* [[Harper County, Oklahoma|Harper County]], [[Oklahoma]] (southeast)
* [[Beaver County, Oklahoma|Beaver County]], [[Oklahoma]] (southwest)
* [[Meade County, Kansas|Meade County]] (west)

===Major highways===
Sources: National Atlas,<ref>[http://www.nationalatlas.gov/ National Atlas] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081205020547/http://www.nationalatlas.gov/ |date=December 5, 2008}}</ref> U.S. Census Bureau<ref>[https://www.census.gov/geo/www/tiger/ U.S. Census Bureau TIGER shape files]</ref>
* [[U.S. Route 54 in Kansas|U.S. Route 54]]
* [[U.S. Route 160 in Kansas|U.S. Route 160]]
* [[U.S. Route 183 in Kansas|U.S. Route 183]]
* [[U.S. Route 283 in Kansas|U.S. Route 283]]
* [[K-34 (Kansas highway)|Kansas Highway 34]]

==Demographics==
[[Image:USA Clark County, Kansas age pyramid.svg|thumb|175px|left|[[Population pyramid]] based on 2000 census age data]]
{{US Census population
|1880= 163
|1890= 2357
|1900= 1701
|1910= 4093
|1920= 4989
|1930= 4796
|1940= 4081
|1950= 3946
|1960= 3396
|1970= 2896
|1980= 2599
|1990= 2418
|2000= 2390
|2010= 2215
|2020= 1991
|estyear=2023
|estimate=1847
|estref=<ref name="USCensusEst2023">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/data/tables.html|title=Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=April 3, 2024}}</ref>
|align-fn=center
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=U.S. Decennial Census|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=July 22, 2014}}</ref><br />1790-1960<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu/|title=Historical Census Browser|publisher=University of Virginia Library|access-date=July 22, 2014|archive-date=August 11, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120811110448/http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu/|url-status=dead}}</ref> 1900-1990<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/cencounts/ks190090.txt|title=Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=July 22, 2014}}</ref><br />1990-2000<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100327165705/http://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf |archive-date=March 27, 2010 |url-status=live|title=Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=July 22, 2014}}</ref> 2010-2020<ref name="QF"/>
}}

As of the [[census]] of 2000, there were 2,390 people, 979 households, and 676 families residing in the county. The [[population density]] was {{convert|2|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|people&nbsp;|people|}}. There were 1,111 housing units at an average density of {{convert|1|/mi2|/km2|}}. The [[Race (United States Census)|racial makeup]] of the county was 95.77% [[White American|White]], 0.25% [[Black American|Black]] or [[African American]], 1.13% [[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]], 0.08% [[Asian American|Asian]], 1.88% from other races, and 0.88% from [[Multiracial|two or more races]]. [[Hispanic]] or [[Hispanic and Latino Americans|Latino]] of any race were 4.02% of the population.

There were 979 [[household]]s, out of which 30.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.30% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 6.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.90% were non-families. 29.60% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.00% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 2.95.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 26.60% under the age of 18, 4.90% from 18 to 24, 23.10% from 25 to 44, 23.60% from 45 to 64, and 21.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 95.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.50 males.

The [[Median household income|median income for a household]] in the county was $33,857, and the median income for a family was $40,521. Males had a median income of $27,321 versus $20,833 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the county was $17,795. About 11.30% of families and 12.70% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 18.00% of those under age 18 and 10.20% of those age 65 or over.

==Government==

===Presidential elections===
Prior to 1944, Clark County was a swing county, backing the national winner in every presidential election from 1900 to 1940. From 1944 on, it has become a Republican stronghold in presidential elections aside from 1964 when [[Lyndon B. Johnson]] won the county as part of his nationwide landslide victory.
{{Hidden
|headercss  = background: #ccccff; font-size: 100%; width: 100%;
|contentcss = text-align: left; font-size: 100%; width: 100%;
|header     = Presidential election results
|content    =
{{PresHead|place=Clark County, Kansas|source=<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS|title = Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections}}</ref>}}
<!-- PresRow should be {{PresRow|Year|Winning party|GOP vote #|Dem vote #|3rd party vote #|State}} -->
{{PresRow|2024|Republican|867|129|18|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|2020|Republican|904|143|20|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|2016|Republican|825|120|67|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|2012|Republican|805|174|38|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|2008|Republican|897|245|17|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|2004|Republican|1,014|257|20|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|2000|Republican|926|292|43|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1996|Republican|855|334|126|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1992|Republican|676|293|344|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1988|Republican|876|409|30|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1984|Republican|1,075|324|27|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1980|Republican|901|430|86|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1976|Republican|761|680|28|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1972|Republican|1,142|311|49|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1968|Republican|920|446|213|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1964|Democratic|777|881|7|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1960|Republican|1,286|538|6|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1956|Republican|1,243|529|8|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1952|Republican|1,410|479|35|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1948|Republican|999|777|31|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1944|Republican|950|741|15|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1940|Democratic|1,072|1,079|16|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1936|Democratic|899|1,457|2|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1932|Democratic|938|1,152|16|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1928|Republican|1,383|419|8|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1924|Republican|969|410|259|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1920|Republican|923|610|59|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1916|Democratic|653|1,102|144|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1912|Democratic|162|485|467|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1908|Republican|386|350|38|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1904|Republican|246|131|28|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1900|Republican|201|199|9|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1896|Democratic|182|191|1|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1892|Populist|226|0|307|Kansas}}
{{PresFoot|1888|Republican|473|349|100|Kansas}}
}}<!-- End of Hidden template -->

===Laws===
The [[Kansas Constitution]] was amended in 1986 to allow the sale of alcoholic liquor by the individual drink with the approval of voters, either with or without a minimum of 30% of sales coming from food. Clark County is one of 35 counties in the state that allows for the sale of liquor by the drink without the minimum food sales stipulation.<ref>{{Cite web|date=December 30, 2019|title=Map of Wet and Dry Counties|url=https://www.ksrevenue.org/pdf/abcwetdrymap.pdf|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201104064913/https://www.ksrevenue.org/pdf/abcwetdrymap.pdf|archive-date=November 4, 2020|access-date=November 4, 2020|publisher=[[Kansas Department of Revenue]] Alcoholic Beverage Control}}</ref>

==Education==

===Unified school districts===
* [https://www.usd219.org/ Minneola USD 219]
* [[Ashland USD 220]]

==Communities==
[[Image:Map of Clark Co, Ks, USA.png|thumb|300px|2005 map of Clark County<ref name="County-Map-Current"/> ([[:File:Kansas official transportation map legend.png|map legend]])]]	
List of townships / incorporated cities / unincorporated communities / extinct former communities within Clark County.<ref name="County-Map-Current">{{cite web |title=General Highway Map of Clark County, Kansas |url=https://www.ksdot.gov/Assets/wwwksdotorg/bureaus/burTransPlan/maps/county-pdf/clark.PDF |publisher=[[Kansas Department of Transportation]] (KDOT) |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231223092637/https://www.ksdot.gov/Assets/wwwksdotorg/bureaus/burTransPlan/maps/county-pdf/clark.PDF |archive-date=December 23, 2023 |date=July 2009 |url-status=live}}</ref>

===Cities===
* [[Ashland, Kansas|Ashland]] (county seat)
* [[Englewood, Kansas|Englewood]]
* [[Minneola, Kansas|Minneola]]

===Unincorporated communities===
* Acres
* Letitia
* [[Sitka, Kansas|Sitka]]

===Ghost towns===
* Appleton
* Cash City<ref>{{cite book | url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_o8X5krq3fP8C | title=Kansas: A Cyclopedia of State History, Embracing Events, Institutions, Industries, Counties, Cities, Towns, Prominent Persons, Etc. | publisher=Standard Publishing Company | author=Blackmar, Frank Wilson | year=1912 | pages=[https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_o8X5krq3fP8C/page/n294 298]}}</ref>
* [[Lexington, Kansas|Lexington]]
* Vanham
* Vesta

===Townships===
Clark County is divided into six [[Civil township|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.

{| class="toccolours" border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=4 style="text-align:center; border-collapse:collapse; font-size:90%;"
|- style="background:#ccccff"
! Township !! [[FIPS place code|FIPS]] !! Population<br/>center
! Population !! Population<br/>density<br/><small>/km<sup>2</sup> (/sq mi)</small>
! Land area<br/><small>km<sup>2</sup> (sq mi)</small> !! Water area<br/><small>km<sup>2</sup> (sq mi)</small> !! Water %
! Geographic coordinates
|-
| [[Appleton Township, Clark County, Kansas|Appleton]]|| 02100 ||[[Minneola, Kansas|Minneola]] || 921 || 1 (4) || 630 (243) || 2 (1) || 0.29% || {{coord|37|23|28|N|99|55|57|W|}}
|-
| [[Center Township, Clark County, Kansas|Center]]|| 11600 ||[[Ashland, Kansas|Ashland]] || 1,097 || 2 (5) || 528 (204) || 2 (1) || 0.31% || {{coord|37|10|15|N|99|47|52|W|}}
|-
| [[Englewood Township, Clark County, Kansas|Englewood]]|| 21375 ||[[Englewood, Kansas|Englewood]] || 171 || 0 (1) || 536 (207) || 0 (0) || 0.07% || {{coord|37|6|5|N|99|59|7|W|}}
|-
| [[Lexington Township, Clark County, Kansas|Lexington]]|| 39775 || || 83 || 0 (1) || 232 (90) || 0 (0) || 0.21% || {{coord|37|19|20|N|99|38|41|W|}}
|-
| [[Liberty Township, Clark County, Kansas|Liberty]]|| 39900 || || 32 || 0 (1) || 155 (60) || 0 (0) || 0.05% || {{coord|37|25|6|N|99|39|18|W|}}
|-
| [[Sitka Township, Clark County, Kansas|Sitka]]|| 65725 || || 86 || 0 (1) || 444 (171) || 2 (1) || 0.48% || {{coord|37|8|13|N|99|38|28|W|}}
|-
|colspan=9|Sources: {{Cite web |url=https://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/places2k.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020802223743/http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/places2k.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=August 2, 2002 |title=Census 2000 U.S. Gazetteer Files |publisher=U.S. Census Bureau, Geography Division }}
|}

==See also==
{{Portal|Kansas}}
[[Image:Clark County, Kansas.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Rural Clark County]]
* [[Dry counties]]
* [[Big Basin Prairie Preserve]]
{{See also Kansas counties}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
{{Kansas books}}
* [http://www.kansasmemory.org/item/209444/ ''Plat Book of Clark County, Kansas'']; Dick Mackey; 37 pages; 1909.

==External links==
{{Commons category|Clark County, Kansas}}
;County
* {{Official website|http://www.clarkcountyks.com/|Clark County - Official}}
* [https://www.lkm.org/members/?id=41260413 Clark County - Directory of Public Officials]
;Maps
* Clark County Maps: [http://www.ksdot.org/Assets/wwwksdotorg/bureaus/burTransPlan/maps/county-pdf/clark.PDF Current], [http://www.ksdot.org/bureaus/burtransplan/maps/PastPublishedCounty.asp Historic], KDOT
* Kansas Highway Maps: [http://www.ksdot.org/burtransplan/maps/MapsState.asp Current], [http://www.ksdot.org/burtransplan/maps/HistoricStateMaps.asp Historic], KDOT
* Kansas Railroad Maps: [http://www.ksdot.org/BurTransPlan/maps/RRStateMap.asp Current], [http://www.kansasmemory.org/item/227379 1996], [http://www.kansasmemory.org/item/227380 1915], KDOT and Kansas Historical Society

{{Geographic Location
|Centre    = Clark County, Kansas
|North     = [[Ford County, Kansas|Ford County]]
|Northeast = [[Kiowa County, Kansas|Kiowa County]]
|East      = [[Comanche County, Kansas|Comanche County]]
|Southeast = [[Harper County, Oklahoma]]
|South     = [[Harper County, Oklahoma]]
|Southwest = [[Beaver County, Oklahoma]]
|West      = [[Meade County, Kansas|Meade County]]
|Northwest = [[Ford County, Kansas|Ford County]]
}}

{{Clark County, Kansas}}
{{Kansas}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Clark County, Kansas| ]]
[[Category:Kansas counties]]
[[Category:1867 establishments in Kansas]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1867]]