Editing Edwards County, Kansas

{{short description|County in Kansas, United States}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox U.S. county
|county             = Edwards County
|state              = Kansas
|type               = [[County (United States)|County]]
|ex image           = Watertower in Kinsley Kansas 4-5-2008.jpg
|ex image cap       = Watertower in [[Kinsley, Kansas|Kinsley]] (2009)
|founded            = March 18, 1874
|named for          = W. C. Edwards
|seat wl            = Kinsley
|largest city wl    = Kinsley
|area_total_sq_mi   = 622
|area_land_sq_mi    = 622
|area_water_sq_mi   = 0.1
|area percentage    = 0.01%

|population_footnotes = <ref name="QF"/>
|population_as_of   = 2020
|population_total   = 2907
|pop_est_footnotes  =
|pop_est_as_of      =
|population_est     =
|population_density_sq_mi = 4.7

|area codes         = [[Area code 620|620]]
|district           = 4th
|time zone          = Central
|website            = {{URL|http://www.edwardscounty.org/|edwardscounty.org}}
|coordinates        = {{coord|37|53|N|99|16|W|region:US-KS_type:adm2nd_source:GNIS|display=title}}
}}

'''Edwards County''' is a [[County (United States)|county]] located in the [[U.S. states]] of [[Kansas]].  Its [[county seat]] and most populous city is [[Kinsley, Kansas|Kinsley]].<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/20120712220218/http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |archive-date=July 12, 2012 }}</ref>  As of the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]], the county population was 2,907,<ref name="QF">{{cite web |title=QuickFacts; Edwards County, Kansas; Population, Census, 2020 & 2010 |url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/edwardscountykansas/POP010220 |publisher=United States Census Bureau |access-date=August 16, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210816061230/https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/edwardscountykansas/POP010220 |archive-date=August 16, 2021 |url-status=live}}</ref>  The county was founded in 1874 and named for W. C. Edwards, of Hutchinson, a pioneer settler who owned much land in the area.<ref>{{cite book | url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_9V1IAAAAMAAJ | title=The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States | publisher=Govt. Print. Off. | author=Gannett, Henry | year=1905 | pages=[https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_9V1IAAAAMAAJ/page/n114 115]}}</ref>

==History==
{{See also|History of Kansas}}
In 1873, '''Edwards County''' was established, and named for W. C. Edwards, of Hutchinson, a pioneer settler who owned much land in the area and built the first brick building in Kinsley.<ref>[https://www.kshs.org/geog/geog_counties/view/county:ED Edwards County, Kansas; Kansas Historical Society.]</ref>

N.C. Boles became the first postmaster in the county with the opening of the Peters post office at Kinsley, then known as Petersboro, in 1873. Kinsley's present name honors E.W. Kinsley, a Bostonian who generously funded the construction of the first church edifice, a Congregationalist building completed in 1875.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=Cutler |first=William G. |url=https://kancoll.org/books/cutler/edwards/edwards-co-p1.html |title=History of the State of Kansas: With Biographical Sketches and Portraits |publisher=Library Reprints, Incorporated |isbn=978-0-7222-4875-1 |language=en}}</ref>

The infamous grasshopper raid of 1874 decimated crops, leaving many residents without means to sustain themselves. The county commissioners petitioned Governor Osborn for aid, emphasizing the plight of families and advocating for work programs over handouts.<ref name=":0" />

In its first decade, Kinsley suffered two planned train robberies, as well as a bank robbery on December 9, 1882. The County Treasurer, J. W. Crawford, was implicated in the bank robbery and removed from office.<ref name=":0" />

==Geography==
According to the [[U.S. Census Bureau]], the county has a total area of {{convert|622|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|622|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|0.1|sqmi}} (0.01%) 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>

===Geographic Features===
The [[Arkansas River]] flows through Edwards County from the southwest corner to the [[Pawnee County, Kansas|Pawnee County]] line near [[U.S. Route 56 in Kansas|U.S. Route 56]].

===Major highways===
Three U.S. Routes run through Edwards County, all meeting in [[Kinsley, Kansas|Kinsley]]. An east–west route, [[U.S. Route 50 in Kansas|U.S. Route 50]] circumvents Belpre and Lewis before joining with westbound [[U.S. Route 56 in Kansas|U.S. Route 56]] in Kinsley. The single road then passes through Offerle and west into Ford County. [[U.S. Route 183 in Kansas|U.S. Route 183]] runs from Kiowa County in the south to Kinsley, where it joins eastbound U.S. 56, running as a single highway to Pawnee County. [[K-19 (Kansas highway)|K-19]] starts at [[U.S. Route 50 in Kansas|U.S. Route 50]] near Belpre, and travels north into Pawnee County.

===Adjacent counties===
* [[Pawnee County, Kansas|Pawnee County]] (north)
* [[Stafford County, Kansas|Stafford County]] (east)
* [[Pratt County, Kansas|Pratt County]] (southeast)
* [[Kiowa County, Kansas|Kiowa County]] (south)
* [[Ford County, Kansas|Ford County]] (southwest)
* [[Hodgeman County, Kansas|Hodgeman County]] (northwest)

==Demographics==
[[Image:USA Edwards County, Kansas age pyramid.svg|thumb|175px|left|[[Population pyramid]] based on 2000 census age data]]
{{US Census population
|1880= 2409
|1890= 3600
|1900= 3682
|1910= 7033
|1920= 7057
|1930= 7295
|1940= 6377
|1950= 5936
|1960= 5118
|1970= 4581
|1980= 4271
|1990= 3787
|2000= 3449
|2010= 3037
|2020= 2907
|estyear=2023
|estimate=2733
|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 24, 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 24, 2014}}</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 24, 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 24, 2014}}</ref> 2010-2020<ref name="QF"/>
}}

As of the [[2000 United States Census|2000 census]],<ref name="GR2">{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=January 31, 2008 |title=U.S. Census website }}</ref> there were 3,449 people, 1,455 households, and 955 families residing in the county. The [[population density]] was {{convert|6|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|people&nbsp;|people|}}. There were 1,754 housing units at an average density of {{convert|3|/mi2|/km2|}}. The [[Race (United States Census)|racial makeup]] of the county was 92.52% [[White American|White]], 0.32% [[Black American|Black]] or [[African American]], 0.49% [[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]], 0.32% [[Asian American|Asian]], 5.57% from other races, and 0.78% from [[Multiracial|two or more races]]. [[Hispanic]] or [[Hispanic and Latino Americans|Latino]] of any race were 9.71% of the population.

There were 1,455 [[household]]s, out of which 28.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.30% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 6.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.30% were non-families. 32.00% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.30% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.33 and the average family size was 2.94.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 24.60% under the age of 18, 6.70% from 18 to 24, 25.10% from 25 to 44, 22.80% from 45 to 64, and 20.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 97.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.80 males.

The [[Median household income|median income for a household]] in the county was $30,530, and the median income for a family was $38,250. Males had a median income of $27,050 versus $20,132 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the county was $17,586. About 7.00% of families and 10.40% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 14.40% of those under age 18 and 8.00% of those age 65 or over.

==Government==

===Presidential elections===
{{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=Edwards 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|1,042|213|14|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|2020|Republican|1,141|271|19|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|2016|Republican|1,037|212|70|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|2012|Republican|1,059|298|28|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|2008|Republican|995|333|29|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|2004|Republican|1,084|386|26|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|2000|Republican|1,062|447|54|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1996|Republican|1,088|539|188|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1992|Republican|769|567|589|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1988|Republican|993|792|58|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1984|Republican|1,352|606|44|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1980|Republican|1,409|616|179|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1976|Democratic|1,001|1,304|52|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1972|Republican|1,534|757|86|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1968|Republican|1,243|832|189|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1964|Democratic|932|1,427|18|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1960|Republican|1,588|986|10|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1956|Republican|1,816|771|10|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1952|Republican|2,192|647|30|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1948|Republican|1,627|1,083|88|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1944|Republican|1,669|876|19|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1940|Republican|1,886|1,219|31|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1936|Democratic|1,394|1,986|3|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1932|Democratic|1,420|1,693|85|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1928|Republican|2,171|768|20|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1924|Republican|1,929|548|403|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1920|Republican|1,782|681|77|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1916|Democratic|1,158|1,431|249|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1912|Democratic|276|764|680|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1908|Republican|773|704|62|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1904|Republican|816|328|125|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1900|Republican|523|502|19|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1896|Democratic|322|479|7|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1892|Populist|399|0|477|Kansas}}
{{PresFoot|1888|Republican|541|334|134|Kansas}}
}}<!-- End of Hidden template -->

===Laws===
Edwards County was a prohibition, or [[dry county|"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% food sales requirement.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.ksrevenue.org/abcwetdrymap.htm |title=Map of Wet and Dry Counties |publisher=Alcoholic Beverage Control, Kansas Department of Revenue |date=November 2006 |access-date=December 28, 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071008013617/http://www.ksrevenue.org/abcwetdrymap.htm |archive-date=October 8, 2007 }}</ref>

==Education==

===Unified school districts===
* [https://www.kinsleypublicschools.org/ Kinsley-Offerle USD 347]
* [https://www.usd502.com/ Lewis USD 502]

==Communities==
[[Image:Map of Edwards Co, Ks, USA.png|thumb|350px|2005 map of Edwards 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 Edwards County.<ref name="County-Map-Current">{{cite web |title=General Highway Map of Edwards County, Kansas |url=https://www.ksdot.gov/Assets/wwwksdotorg/bureaus/burTransPlan/maps/county-pdf/edwards.PDF |publisher=[[Kansas Department of Transportation]] (KDOT) |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231111090542/https://www.ksdot.gov/Assets/wwwksdotorg/bureaus/burTransPlan/maps/county-pdf/edwards.PDF |archive-date=November 11, 2023 |date=June 2011 |url-status=live}}</ref>

===Cities===
* [[Belpre, Kansas|Belpre]]
* [[Kinsley, Kansas|Kinsley]] (county seat) 
* [[Lewis, Kansas|Lewis]]
* [[Offerle, Kansas|Offerle]]

===Unincorporated communities===
* [[Centerview, Kansas|Centerview]]
* [[Fellsburg, Kansas|Fellsburg]]
* [[Nettleton, Kansas|Nettleton]]
* [[Trousdale, Kansas|Trousdale]]

===Townships===
Edwards County is divided into ten [[Civil township|townships]]. The city of [[Kinsley, Kansas|Kinsley]] is considered ''governmentally independent'' and is excluded from the census figures for the 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.

{| 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&nbsp;mi)</small>
! Land area<br/><small>km<sup>2</sup> (sq&nbsp;mi)</small> !! Water area<br/><small>km<sup>2</sup> (sq&nbsp;mi)</small> !! Water %
! Geographic coordinates
|-
| [[Belpre Township, Edwards County, Kansas|Belpre]]|| 05850 || || 186 || 1 (3) || 140 (54) || 0 (0) || 0.01% || {{coord|37|57|14|N|99|6|12|W|}}
|-
| [[Franklin Township, Edwards County, Kansas|Franklin]]|| 24350 || || 93 || 0 (1) || 191 (74) || 0 (0) || 0% || {{coord|37|48|55|N|99|11|12|W|}}
|-
| [[Jackson Township, Edwards County, Kansas|Jackson]]|| 34750 || || 98 || 1 (1) || 187 (72) || 0 (0) || 0.05% || {{coord|37|59|35|N|99|30|18|W|}}
|-
| [[Kinsley Township, Edwards County, Kansas|Kinsley]]|| 37100 || || 160 || 1 (3) || 121 (47) || 0 (0) || 0.01% || {{coord|37|56|27|N|99|24|0|W|}}
|-
| [[Lincoln Township, Edwards County, Kansas|Lincoln]]|| 40650 || || 143 || 1 (2) || 193 (74) || 0 (0) || 0% || {{coord|37|49|17|N|99|4|39|W|}}
|-
| [[Logan Township, Edwards County, Kansas|Logan]]|| 41875 || || 42 || 0 (1) || 93 (36) || 0 (0) || 0% || {{coord|38|3|5|N|99|23|47|W|}}
|-
| [[North Brown Township, Edwards County, Kansas|North Brown]]|| 51100 || || 67 || 0 (1) || 163 (63) || 0 (0) || 0.05% || {{coord|37|51|43|N|99|21|34|W|}}
|-
| [[South Brown Township, Edwards County, Kansas|South Brown]]|| 66550 || || 90 || 0 (1) || 251 (97) || 0 (0) || 0% || {{coord|37|47|5|N|99|22|5|W|}}
|-
| [[Trenton Township, Edwards County, Kansas|Trenton]]|| 71400 || || 306 || 2 (6) || 136 (53) || 0 (0) || 0% || {{coord|37|52|50|N|99|32|31|W|}}
|-
| [[Wayne Township, Edwards County, Kansas|Wayne]]|| 76125 || || 606 || 5 (12) || 132 (51) || 0 (0) || 0% || {{coord|37|56|28|N|99|15|30|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}}
{{See also Kansas counties}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
{{Kansas books}}
{{See also|Santa Fe Trail#Further reading|l1=List of books about Santa Fe Trail}}
* [http://www.kansasmemory.org/item/209424/ ''Standard Atlas of Edwards County, Kansas'']; Geo. A. Ogle & Co; 40 pages; 1906.

==External links==
{{Commons category|Edwards County, Kansas}}
;County
* {{Official website|http://www.edwardscounty.org/|Edwards County - Official}}
* [https://www.lkm.org/members/?id=41260424 Edwards County - Directory of Public Officials]
;Maps
* Edwards County Maps: [https://www.ksdot.org/Assets/wwwksdotorg/bureaus/burTransPlan/maps/county-pdf/edwards.PDF Current], [https://www.ksdot.org/bureaus/burtransplan/maps/PastPublishedCounty.asp Historic], KDOT
* Kansas Highway Maps: [https://www.ksdot.org/burtransplan/maps/MapsState.asp Current], [https://www.ksdot.org/burtransplan/maps/HistoricStateMaps.asp Historic], KDOT
* Kansas Railroad Maps: [https://www.ksdot.org/BurTransPlan/maps/RRStateMap.asp Current], [https://www.kansasmemory.org/item/227379 1996], [https://www.kansasmemory.org/item/227380 1915], KDOT and Kansas Historical Society

{{Geographic Location
|Centre    = Edwards County, Kansas
|North     = [[Pawnee County, Kansas|Pawnee County]]
|Northeast = [[Stafford County, Kansas|Stafford County]]
|East      = 
|Southeast = [[Pratt County, Kansas|Pratt County]]
|South     = [[Kiowa County, Kansas|Kiowa County]]
|Southwest = [[Ford County, Kansas|Ford County]]
|West      = 
|Northwest = [[Hodgeman County, Kansas|Hodgeman County]]
}}

{{Edwards County, Kansas}}
{{Kansas}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Edwards County, Kansas| ]]
[[Category:Kansas counties]]
[[Category:1874 establishments in Kansas]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1874]]