Editing Ellis County, Kansas

{{short description|County in Kansas, United States}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox U.S. county
|county             = Ellis County
|state              = Kansas
|type               = [[County (United States)|County]]
|ex image           = Ellis county courthouse kansas.jpg
|ex image cap       = Ellis County Courthouse in [[Hays, Kansas|Hays]] (1979)
|founded            = 1867
|named for          = George Ellis{{sfn|Blackmar|1912a|p=578}}
|seat wl            = Hays
|largest city wl    = Hays
|area_total_sq_mi   = 900
|area_land_sq_mi    = 899
|area_water_sq_mi   = 0.5
|area percentage    = 0.05%

|population_footnotes = <ref name="QF"/>
|population_as_of   = 2020
|population_total   = 28934
|pop_est_footnotes  =
|pop_est_as_of      =
|population_est     =
|population_density_sq_mi = 32.2

|area codes         = [[Area code 785|785]]
|district           = 1st
|time zone          = Central
|website            = {{URL|https://www.ellisco.net/|ellisco.net}}
|coordinates        = {{coord|38|55|N|99|19|W|region:US-KS_type:adm2nd_source:GNIS|display=title}}
}}

'''Ellis County''' is a [[County (United States)|county]] located in the U.S. state of [[Kansas]].  Its [[county seat]] and most populous city is [[Hays, Kansas|Hays]].<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 28,934.<ref name="QF">{{cite web |title=QuickFacts; Ellis County, Kansas; Population, Census, 2020 & 2010 |url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/elliscountykansas/POP010220 |publisher=United States Census Bureau |access-date=August 16, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210816061315/https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/elliscountykansas/POP010220 |archive-date=August 16, 2021 |url-status=live}}</ref>
The county was named for George Ellis, a first lieutenant of the Twelfth Kansas Infantry.{{sfn|Blackmar|1912a|p=578}}
Ellis County is the official German Capital of Kansas. German immigrants settled in Hays, Ellis, Victoria, and nearby villages in the 1870s and 1880s.<ref name="Tidbits">{{cite news|title=Tidbits: Did You Know...|publisher=Publishing Group of America (americanprofiles.com)|page=13}}</ref>

==History==
{{See also|History of Kansas}}

===19th century===
In 1854, the [[Kansas Territory]] was organized, then in 1861 [[Kansas]] became the 34th [[U.S. state]].

Ellis County was established by an act of the state legislature on February 16, 1873,{{sfn|Blackmar|1912a|p=578}} which defined the original borders of the county as: {{blockquote|Commencing where the east line of range 16 west intersects the second standard parallel, thence south to the third standard parallel, thence west to the east line of range 21 west, thence north to the second standard parallel, thence east to the place of beginning.{{sfn|Blackmar|1912a|p=578}}|}}
The first settlers had been arriving since May 1867, with Fort Fletcher (later [[Fort Hays]]) having been built in 1865.{{sfn|Blackmar|1912a|p=578}}

Independent county government was established in October 1867, by proclamation of Governor [[Samuel J. Crawford]] in response to a petition.{{sfn|Blackmar|1912a|p=578}}
Hays was chosen as the permanent seat by an election in April 1870.{{sfn|Blackmar|1912a|p=578}}
Early settlers the Lull brothers, from Salina, had in May 1867 begun a town called Rome just north of the railroad route and on the west of Big Creek, expecting that to become the county seat.{{sfn|Blackmar|1912a|p=578}}
It gained a general supply store, Bloomfield, Moses & Co, the following month, and a hotel run by Joseph Perry.{{sfn|Blackmar|1912a|p=578}}
However, the Big Creek Land Company platted a competing town named Hays City on the east of Big Creek, which gained the important support of the railroad company.{{sfn|Blackmar|1912a|p=578}}
Rome disappeared, with Perry's hotel and several other of its buildings being relocated to Hays City.{{sfn|Blackmar|1912a|p=578}}

Ellis County was named for George Ellis, first lieutenant of the [[12th Regiment Kansas Volunteer Infantry|Twelfth Kansas Infantry]].{{sfn|Blackmar|1912a|p=578}}<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/n116 117]}}</ref>

The county's early newspapers were the ''Star-Sentinel'', ''Hays City Times'', and ''Ellis County Free Press'' published in Hays City; and the ''Ellis Head-Light'' and ''Ellis Review'' published in Ellis.{{sfn|Sims|Wheeler|1887|p=212}}

==== English and Russian-German immigrants ====
The initial wave of settlement was slow, with three colonies being established in 1872.{{sfn|Blackmar|1912a|p=579}}

George Grant, a wealthy Scottish merchant, purchased {{convert|70000|acre|ha}} of land that year, and some 300 farmers from England settled there over the next two years.{{sfn|Blackmar|1912a|p=579}}{{sfn|Muilenburg|Swineford|1975|p=21}}
Grant bought the land from the Kansas Pacific Railroad with the intention of creating a community of British aristocrats and agriculturalists in the middle of rural Kansas.{{sfn|Muilenburg|Swineford|1975|p=21}}
His first town was [[Victoria, Kansas|Victoria]] named after [[Queen Victoria]] where Victoria Manor, a two story stone structure, acted as temporary housing for the immigrants and as a transport depot for the Kansas Pacific.{{sfn|Muilenburg|Swineford|1975|p=21}}

Grant's sales pitch to the immigrants was that it was cheaper to buy land in Kansas at {{USD|11|year=1872}} per acre (Grant himself having purchased it at {{USD|0.88|year=1872}} per acre) than it was to buy land in Britain, and that Grant would [[Tillage|till]] the land and seed it with imported British stock.{{sfn|Muilenburg|Swineford|1975|p=21}}

The first wave of young British aristocratic families set sail on April 1, 1873.{{sfn|Muilenburg|Swineford|1975|p=21}} Stories of the time recorded them as not becoming agriculturalists, as Grant had hoped, but mainly indulging in aristocratic pursuits whilst living off family remittances, including hunting the local wildlife.{{sfn|Muilenburg|Swineford|1975|p=21}}

Another story recounts them placing a dam across Big Creek to make a lake between Victoria and Hays which they then sailed across in a steamboat until the dam was broken by a flood; although at the time of the Ellis County centennial in the 1970s, one local resident expressed doubts at the historical veracity of this tale, considering the geography of Big Creek in that area.{{sfn|Muilenburg|Swineford|1975|p=21}}

However, whilst Grant himself put in great effort to start the colony, including importing [[Black Angus]] cattle and running his own cattle farm to the south of Victoria, he died in 1878 and after his death all of the British aristocrats  returned to Britain.{{sfn|Muilenburg|Swineford|1975|p=21}}

A plague of grasshoppers in 1874 drove many emigres away, to be replaced in 1875 by many Russian immigrants.{{sfn|Blackmar|1912a|p=579}}{{sfn|Muilenburg|Swineford|1975|p=21}}

The Russian immigrants were, strictly speaking, [[Volga Germans]] who had settled in Russia in 1760.{{sfn|Muilenburg|Swineford|1975|p=22}}<ref>Gabel, Marie. "Proverbs of Volga German settlers in Ellis County." ''Heritage of Kansas'' v.9 no.2-3:55-59, (2012).</ref> The [[Russification]] policies begun in 1871 by [[Alexander II of Russia|Alexander II]], and especially the January 13, 1874 reversal of the original decree that had exempted them from [[conscription]] into the Russian military when they had settled in Russia in the first place, prompted them to look to the United States and elsewhere.{{sfn|Muilenburg|Swineford|1975|p=22}}{{sfn|Laing|1910|p=3}}

Five delegates originally went on a ten-day exploratory mission to Nebraska.{{sfn|Laing|1910|p=4}} In December 1874, a four-person delegation went to [[Topeka, Kansas|Topeka]] and [[Larned, Kansas|Larned]] in Kansas, reporting unfavourably on what they found.{{sfn|Laing|1910|p=4}} In the meantime the first Germans had been conscripted in November 1874, spurring many to emigrate anyway,{{sfn|Laing|1910|p=5}} which they did arriving in [[Baltimore]] on November 23, 1875 and in Topeka on the 28th of that month.{{sfn|Laing|1910|p=6}}

Initially deterred from homesteading by the {{USD|5|year=1975}} per acre price of land in North Topeka, they were escorted on three tours of Ellis County by A. Roedelheiner of the Kansas Pacific.{{sfn|Laing|1910|p=6}}

Their initial tour of land around Hog Back almost persuaded the immigrants to return to Russia, but they were shown further land on the [[Smoky Hill River]] and near what was to become Catherine and Herzog.{{sfn|Laing|1910|p=6}}
This Ellis land was cheaper at {{USD|2.5|year=1876}} per acre, and so on February 21, 1876 fourteen German families came to Hays and from there moved to Liebenthal in [[Rush County, Kansas|Rush County]].{{sfn|Laing|1910|p=7}}
Three families from [[Katherinenstadt]] in Russia also came to Hays on March 1, 1876 and, whilst temporarily renting accommodation therein, built their homes in Catherine to which they moved on April 8.{{sfn|Laing|1910|p=7}}

Twenty-three families settled in the failing British colony at Victoria on April 8, 1876, settling on the east bank of Victoria Creek just west of where Victoria now exists.{{sfn|Laing|1910|p=7}}
Another large wave of immigrants left Russia in June 1876, and some of them arrived in Hays on July 26, 1876 and in Catherine the next day.{{sfn|Laing|1910|p=7}}
Others took a different route and arrived and settled in Topeka.{{sfn|Laing|1910|p=8}} Thirteen of the families arrived in Hays on August 20, 1876 and settled in [[Pfeifer, Kansas|Pfeifer]] the next day.{{sfn|Laing|1910|p=8}}

One of the largest groups of immigrants was 104 families (originally to be 108, but four had been held back because family members had been conscripted, which legally prevented them from emigrating from Russia) in 1876.{{sfn|Laing|1910|p=8}}

The Mennonites in the group settled in Nebraska, while the others arrived in Victoria on August 3, 1876 and thereafter settled in Herzog.{{sfn|Laing|1910|p=9}} The settlers of Munjor stayed in Herzog for two months, before settling on Big Creek, just north of the present location of Munjor.{{sfn|Laing|1910|p=9}}

A small wave of immigrants followed the first wave to Pfeifer in late September 1876, with another small wave from Katherinenstadt arriving in Catherine on September 26.{{sfn|Laing|1910|p=10}}
The last wave of immigrants in 1876 settled in Munjor.{{sfn|Laing|1910|p=10}}

The German immigrants founded Schoenchen in 1877, some coming directly from Schoenchen in Russia,  with others coming from Liebenthal in Rush County.{{sfn|Laing|1910|p=10}} Their original plan had been to move from Liebenthal to another site in Rush, but the place that they had chosen was school land that they could not afford, meaning that they could not deed enough of it to the community to erect their church, whilst at the same time land for a church had been deeded in Liebenthal.{{sfn|Laing|1910|p=10}}

In recrimination, the Rush County settlers moved to Ellis, joining the direct immigrant party at Schoenchen in April and May 1877.{{sfn|Laing|1910|p=10}}
Two other small waves came that year, one to Catherine on August 6, 1877 from Katherinenstadt,{{sfn|Laing|1910|p=11}} and one to Pfiefer from Pfiefer and Kamenka in Russia.{{sfn|Laing|1910|p=12}}

Immigration began to wane in 1878, with a party from Katherinenstadt arriving on June 20 to settle in Herzog and Pfeifer, and another party from Obermonjour in late July/early August.{{sfn|Laing|1910|p=12}} By this point, property prices had been depressed back in Russia by all of the sales made by the preceding emigrants, and further emigrants were now emigrating at a net loss.{{sfn|Laing|1910|p=12}} Another party, having had to cover the Russian emigration fees through deceit, claiming that two of their number had died to officials who only dealt with the two people who left the train, since the party collectively had not enough money for all even though they had pooled their funds, arrived in Herzog and Munjor and was the last large wave of Volga German immigrants to Ellis.{{sfn|Laing|1910|p=12}}{{sfn|Laing|1910|p=14}}

By 1903, there had been 222 immigrants to Catherine, some going elsewhere afterwards.{{sfn|Laing|1910|p=14}} Munjor grew from 130 families and 794 people in 1897 to 156 families and 931 people by 1900.{{sfn|Laing|1910|p=14}}
The largest of the Volga German settlements was Herzog, having roughly 1700 people (measured from church congregation size as accounted in the ''Victoria Chronicle'') in 1895, with Pfeifer and Schoenchen coming fourth and fifth.{{sfn|Laing|1910|p=14}}

===20th century===
In 1942, the [[Walker Army Airfield (Kansas)|Walker Army Airfield]] was built northwest of Walker. Thousands were stationed at the airfield for training of the [[Boeing B-29 Superfortress]] during [[World War II]]. The airfield was abandoned and most of it razed {{when|date=January 2025}}.

==Geography==
According to the [[U.S. Census Bureau]], the county has a total area of {{convert|900|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|900|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|0.5|sqmi}} (0.05%) 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>

===Geology and hydrology===
The county is crossed by the Saline River across the north, with its principal branch being Eagle Creek.{{sfn|Sims|Wheeler|1887|p=209}}{{sfn|Blackmar|1912a|p=578}}
Other rivers include Big Creek, with its principal tributary Victoria Creek, which is in turn a tributary of the Smoky Hill River which flows across the south.{{sfn|Sims|Wheeler|1887|p=209}}{{sfn|Blackmar|1912a|p=578}}
The county had several salt marshes in 1886.{{sfn|Sims|Wheeler|1887|p=209}}{{sfn|Blackmar|1912a|p=578}}

The river banks had a lot of limestone, and around Hays City in the 19th century there were great quantities of clay.{{sfn|Blackmar|1912a|p=578}}

===Adjacent counties===
* [[Rooks County, Kansas|Rooks County]] (north)
* [[Osborne County, Kansas|Osborne County]] (northeast)
* [[Russell County, Kansas|Russell County]] (east)
* [[Rush County, Kansas|Rush County]] (south)
* [[Ness County, Kansas|Ness County]] (southwest)
* [[Trego County, Kansas|Trego County]] (west)

===Major highways===
* [[Image:I-70.svg|25px]] [[Interstate 70 in Kansas|Interstate 70]]
* [[Image:US 183.svg|20px]] [[U.S. Route 183 in Kansas|US-183]]

===Airport===
[[Hays Regional Airport]] is located within the county. Used primarily for [[general aviation]], it hosts one commercial airline, [[United Express]], which offers daily jet service to [[Denver International Airport|Denver, Colorado]].

==Demographics==
[[Image:USA Ellis County, Kansas age pyramid.svg|thumb|175px|left|[[Population pyramid]] based on 2000 census age data]]
{{US Census population
|1870= 1336
|1880= 6179
|1890= 7942
|1900= 8626
|1910= 12170
|1920= 14138
|1930= 15907
|1940= 17508
|1950= 19043
|1960= 21270
|1970= 24730
|1980= 26098
|1990= 26004
|2000= 27507
|2010= 28452
|2020= 28934
|estyear=2023
|estimate=28810
|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"/>
}}
The Hays [[Micropolitan Statistical Area]] includes all of Ellis County.

In 1886, the population was 5.842, having risen from 5,046 in 1885.{{sfn|Sims|Wheeler|1887|p=208}}
In 1910, the population was 12,170.{{sfn|Blackmar|1912a|p=579}}

{{As of|2000}},<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 27,507 people, 11,193 households, and 6,771 families residing in the county. The [[population density]] was {{convert|31|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|people&nbsp;|people|}}. There were 12,078 housing units at an average density of {{convert|13|/mi2|/km2|}}. The [[Race (United States Census)|racial makeup]] of the county was 96.10% [[White American|White]], 0.67% [[Black American|Black]] or [[African American]], 0.21% [[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]], 0.82% [[Asian American|Asian]], 0.02% [[Pacific Islander American|Pacific Islander]], 1.31% from other races, and 0.89% from [[Multiracial|two or more races]]. [[Hispanic]] or [[Hispanic and Latino Americans|Latino]] of any race were 2.37% of the population.

There were 11,193 [[household]]s, out of which 28.80% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.00% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 7.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.50% were non-families. 30.10% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.80% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.35 and the average family size was 2.96.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 22.40% under the age of 18, 18.40% from 18 to 24, 25.20% from 25 to 44, 19.60% from 45 to 64, and 14.30% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females there were 95.80 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.60 males.

The [[Median household income|median income for a household]] in the county was $32,339, and the median income for a family was $44,498. Males had a median income of $29,885 versus $21,269 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the county was $18,259. About 6.50% of families and 12.90% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 9.20% of those under age 18 and 10.00% 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=Ellis 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|9,743|3,511|314|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|2020|Republican|9,758|3,737|361|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|2016|Republican|8,466|2,742|854|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|2012|Republican|8,399|3,057|258|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|2008|Republican|8,207|4,010|230|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|2004|Republican|7,891|4,033|263|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|2000|Republican|6,516|3,926|718|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1996|Republican|6,809|4,142|1,001|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1992|Democratic|3,985|4,544|3,924|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1988|Democratic|5,194|5,289|189|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1984|Republican|7,509|3,457|133|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1980|Republican|5,634|3,940|1,150|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1976|Democratic|4,719|6,280|241|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1972|Republican|5,463|4,113|237|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1968|Republican|3,944|3,809|688|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1964|Democratic|2,440|5,553|27|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1960|Democratic|3,156|5,815|6|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1956|Republican|4,466|3,058|4|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1952|Republican|4,882|2,528|3|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1948|Democratic|2,676|3,863|67|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1944|Republican|3,369|2,218|16|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1940|Republican|3,622|3,299|25|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1936|Democratic|1,622|4,834|13|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1932|Democratic|1,465|4,449|56|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1928|Democratic|1,700|3,364|11|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1924|Republican|1,763|842|1,197|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1920|Republican|2,385|740|48|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1916|Democratic|1,186|2,335|87|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1912|Democratic|175|1,381|573|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1908|Democratic|768|1,421|37|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1904|Republican|1,009|928|39|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1900|Democratic|627|1,228|14|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1896|Democratic|460|1,051|22|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1892|Populist|546|0|1,083|Kansas}}
{{PresFoot|1888|Democratic|690|756|107|Kansas}}
}}<!-- End of Hidden template -->

Ellis County is an anomaly in western Kansas, having voted several times for [[United States Democratic Party|Democratic]] presidential candidates, even when the vast majority of the state's 105 counties went for the [[United States Republican Party|Republican]] nominee. This is due to the county's distinctive (in Kansas) German Catholic heritage, contrasting with the Southern “[[Bible Belt]]” or [[Yankee]] heritage of most rural Kansas counties. It was the solitary county in Kansas to support Catholic [[Al Smith]] over Herbert Hoover in 1928, when Kansas was Hoover's strongest state nationwide, and also was won by [[John F. Kennedy]] in 1960 by almost thirty percent as one of only two Kansas counties to back the Massachusetts senator. Ellis County bucked the national and statewide trend by voting for [[Michael Dukakis]] over winner [[George H. W. Bush]] in the [[1988 United States presidential election|1988 presidential election]], one of only three Kansas counties to go for Dukakis. Ellis County gave a plurality to [[Bill Clinton]] over Bush and [[Ross Perot]] in the [[1992 United States presidential election|1992 presidential election]], but has been solidly in the Republican column since, giving 66 percent to Republican [[John McCain]] to 32 percent for Democrat [[Barack Obama]] in the [[2008 United States presidential election|2008 election]], higher than the 57 percent McCain won statewide.<ref>[http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/state.php?year=2008&fips=20&f=1&off=0&elect=0 2008 Presidential General Election Results - Kansas]</ref>

===Laws===
[[Wild Bill Hickok]] served as sheriff in 1870. Ellis 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. The food sales requirement was removed with voter approval in 1988.<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===
There were 44 school districts by 1886.{{sfn|Sims|Wheeler|1887|p=211}}
* [http://www.usd388.k12.ks.us/ Ellis USD 388] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210527080051/http://www.usd388.k12.ks.us/ |date=May 27, 2021 }}
**western third of county; small portion in extreme eastern [[Trego County, Kansas|Trego County]]
* [https://www.usd432.org/ Victoria USD 432]
**eastern third of county to [[Russell County, Kansas|Russell]] county line
* [[Hays USD 489]]
**extends to [[Rooks County, Kansas|Rooks]] and [[Rush County, Kansas|Rush]] county lines and approximately five miles each way on I-70 from city center

===Private schools===
* [http://hfehays.org/ Holy Family Elementary] in [[Hays, Kansas|Hays]]
* [http://stmarysofellis.org/ St. Mary's Elementary] in [[Ellis, Kansas|Ellis]]
* [http://www.tmp-m.org/ Thomas More Prep-Marian High] in [[Hays, Kansas|Hays]]

===Universities and Colleges===
* [[Fort Hays State University]]
* [http://www.ncktc.edu/ North Central Kansas Technical College]

==Communities==
[[File:Map of Ellis Co, Ks, USA.png|thumb|300px|right|2005 map of Ellis County<ref name="County-Map-Current"/> ([[:File:Kansas official transportation map legend.png|map legend]])]]
Many settlements in Ellis are named after the original settlements in Russia from which the Volga Germans immigrated,{{sfn|Muilenburg|Swineford|1975|p=22}} including Catherine from Katherinenstatd (a.k.a. Baronsk and founded in 1765 by Baron de Beauregard), Shoenchen (a.k.a. Paninskoje and founded in 1767), Pfeifer (a.k.a. Gniluska and founded in 1766), Herzog (founded in 1764), and Munjor from Obermonjour (founded 1766) and Neo-Obermonjour (founded 1859).{{sfn|Laing|1910|p=2}} In 1886, there were twelve post offices in the county: Catharine, Easdale, Ellis, Hays City, Martin, Mendota, Munjor, Palatine, Stockrange, Turkville, Victoria, and Walker.{{sfn|Sims|Wheeler|1887|p=212}}

List of townships / incorporated cities / unincorporated communities / extinct former communities within Ellis County.<ref name="County-Map-Current">{{cite web |title=General Highway Map of Ellis County, Kansas |url=https://www.ksdot.gov/Assets/wwwksdotorg/bureaus/burTransPlan/maps/county-pdf/ellis.PDF |publisher=[[Kansas Department of Transportation]] (KDOT) |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230408004826/https://www.ksdot.gov/Assets/wwwksdotorg/bureaus/burTransPlan/maps/county-pdf/ellis.PDF |archive-date=April 8, 2023 |date=June 2010 |url-status=live}}</ref>

===Cities===
{{div col}}
* [[Ellis, Kansas|Ellis]]
* [[Hays, Kansas|Hays]] (county seat)
* [[Schoenchen, Kansas|Schoenchen]]
* [[Victoria, Kansas|Victoria]]
{{div col end}}

===Unincorporated communities===
† means a community is designated a [[Census-designated place|Census-Designated Place]] (CDP) by the [[United States Census Bureau]].
{{div col}}
* [[Antonino, Kansas|Antonino]]
* [[Catharine, Kansas|Catharine]]†
* [[Emmeram, Kansas|Emmeram]]
* [[Munjor, Kansas|Munjor]]†
* [[Pfeifer, Kansas|Pfeifer]]
* [[Toulon, Kansas|Toulon]]
* [[Walker, Kansas|Walker]]
* [[Yocemento, Kansas|Yocemento]]
{{div col end}}

===Ghost towns===
In the 19th and early 20th century there were various communities that no longer exist today:
{{div col}}
* [[Chetolah, Kansas|Chetolah]]
* [[Easdale, Kansas|Easdale]]
* Hog Back
* [[Mendota, Kansas|Mendota]] in Hamilton Township {{convert|20|mile|km}} north-west of Hays{{sfn|Blackmar|1912b|p=268}}
* Norfolk in Freedom Township {{convert|16|mile|km}} south-east of Hays{{sfn|Blackmar|1912b|p=372}}
* [[Rome, Ellis County, Kansas|Rome]]{{sfn|Blackmar|1912a|p=578}}
* [[Smoky Hill City, Kansas|Smoky Hill]] in Smoky Hill Township {{convert|15|mile|km}} south-west of Hays{{sfn|Blackmar|1912b|p=708}}
* [[Stockrange, Kansas|Stockrange]]
* [[Turkville, Kansas|Turkville]]
{{div col end}}

===Townships===
Ellis County is divided into nine [[Civil township|townships]]. The cities of [[Ellis, Kansas|Ellis]] and [[Hays, Kansas|Hays]] are considered ''governmentally independent'' and are 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
|-
| [[Big Creek Township, Ellis County, Kansas|Big Creek]]|| 06650 || || 1,798 || 7 (18) || 252 (97) || 0 (0) || 0.01% || {{coord|38|52|40|N|99|20|39|W|}}
|-
| [[Buckeye Township, Ellis County, Kansas|Buckeye]]|| 08950 || || 285 || 1 (2) || 352 (136) || 0 (0) || 0.06% || {{coord|39|1|24|N|99|18|25|W|}}
|-
| [[Catherine Township, Ellis County, Kansas|Catherine]]|| 11050 || || 318 || 2 (4) || 208 (80) || 0 (0) || 0.03% || {{coord|39|0|32|N|99|11|44|W|}}
|-
| [[Ellis Township, Ellis County, Kansas|Ellis]]|| 20475 || || 386 || 1 (2) || 457 (176) || 0 (0) || 0.02% || {{coord|38|58|47|N|99|30|57|W|}}
|-
| [[Freedom Township, Ellis County, Kansas|Freedom]]|| 24625 || || 125 || 1 (3) || 117 (45) || 0 (0) || 0% || {{coord|38|43|48|N|99|7|36|W|}}
|-
| [[Herzog Township, Ellis County, Kansas|Herzog]]|| 31525 || || 894 || 3 (7) || 325 (126) || 1 (0) || 0.18% || {{coord|38|55|29|N|99|7|19|W|}}
|-
| [[Lookout Township, Ellis County, Kansas|Lookout]]|| 42700 || || 569 || 2 (5) || 317 (122) || 0 (0) || 0.10% || {{coord|38|45|43|N|99|25|12|W|}}
|-
| [[Victoria Township, Ellis County, Kansas|Victoria]]|| 73800 || || 845 || 6 (16) || 139 (54) || 0 (0) || 0% || {{coord|38|49|56|N|99|8|31|W|}}
|-
| [[Wheatland Township, Ellis County, Kansas|Wheatland]]|| 77650 || || 401 || 3 (7) || 140 (54) || 0 (0) || 0% || {{coord|38|46|45|N|99|16|19|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 }}
|}
At the start of the 20th century, the townships were: Big Creek, Buckeye, Catherine, Ellis, Freedom, Hamilton, Herzog, Lookout, Pleasant Hill, Saline, Smoky Hill, Victoria, Walker, and Wheatlan.{{sfn|Blackmar|1912a|pp=579&ndash;580}}

==Gallery==
<gallery widths="200px" heights="150px" perrow="4">
Image:Ellissunset.jpg
Image:Elliscountryside.jpg
Image:Elliscountryside2.jpg
Image:Ellisroad.jpg
Image:Ellishomestead.jpg
Image:Ellishomestead2.jpg
Image:Ellislimestone.jpg
Image:Elliswindmill.jpg
</gallery>

==See also==
{{Portal|Kansas}}
* [[National Register of Historic Places listings in Ellis County, Kansas]]
* [[Walker Army Airfield (Kansas)|Walker Army Airfield]], an abandoned [[World War II]] airfield.
{{See also Kansas counties}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

=== Sources ===
{{refbegin}}
* {{cite encyclopaedia|encyclopaedia=Kansas: A Cyclopedia of State History|volume=1|author1-first=Frank Wilson|author1-last=Blackmar|author1-link=Frank W. Blackmar|ol=13489994M|lccn=12015729|location=Chicago|publisher=Standard publishing Company|year=1912|article=Ellis County|pages=578&ndash;580|ref={{harvid|Blackmar|1912a}}}} ({{Internet Archive|id=kansascyclopedia01blac|name=Kansas: A Cyclopedia of State History}})
* {{cite book|title=Fifth Biennial Report of the Kansas State Board of Agriculture, for the years 1885&ndash;188|author1-first=Wm.|author1-last=Sims|author2-first=Joshua|author2-last=Wheeler|location=Topeka, Kansas|publisher=T. S. Thacher|chapter=Ellis County|year=1887|pages=207&ndash;212|url=https://www.ksgenweb.org/archives/1878/ellis.html|access-date=2024-11-25}}
* {{cite book|title=Kansas: A Cyclopedia of State History|volume=2|author1-first=Frank Wilson|author1-last=Blackmar|author1-link=Frank W. Blackmar|ol=13489994M|lccn=12015729|location=Chicago|publisher=Standard publishing Company|year=1912|ref={{harvid|Blackmar|1912b}}}} ({{Internet Archive|id=kansascyclopedia02blac|name=Kansas: A Cyclopedia of State History}})
* {{cite book|title=German-Russian Settlements in Ellis County, Kansas|author1-first=Francis S.|author1-last=Laing|series=Kansas Historical Collections|volume=9|publisher=Kansas State Historical Society|year=1910|pages=489&ndash;528}} ({{Internet Archive|id=germanrussianset00lain|name=German-Russian Settlements in Ellis County, Kansas}})
* {{cite book|title=Land of the Post Rock: Its Origins, History, and People|author1-first=Grace|author1-last=Muilenburg|author2-first=Ada|author2-last=Swineford|publisher=University Press of Kansas|year=1975|isbn=9780700601295}}
{{refend}}

==Further reading==
{{Kansas books}}
* {{cite book|title=Official Centennial History of the Volga-German Settlements in Ellis and Rush Counties in Kansas, 1876&ndash;1976|author1-first=Norbert R.|author1-last=Dreiling|editor1-first=Lawrence|editor1-last=Weigel|editor2-first=Blaine|editor2-last=Burkey|publisher=Volga-German Centennial Association|year=1976}}
* {{cite book|title=A Study of the Russian-German Settlements in Ellis County, Kansas|volume=14|series=Studies in sociology|author1-first=Mary Eloise|author1-last=Johannes|publisher=Catholic University of America Press|location=Washington D.C.|year=1946}}
* [http://www.kansasmemory.org/item/223993/ ''Standard Atlas of Ellis County, Kansas'']; Geo. A. Ogle & Co; 71 pages; 1922.
* [http://www.kansasmemory.org/item/209418/ ''Standard Atlas of Ellis County, Kansas'']; Geo. A. Ogle & Co; 58 pages; 1905.

==External links==
{{Commons category|Ellis County, Kansas}}
;County
* {{Official website|https://www.ellisco.net/|Ellis County - Official}}
* [https://www.lkm.org/members/?id=41260426 Ellis County - Directory of Public Officials]
;Maps
* Ellis County maps: [https://www.ksdot.org/Assets/wwwksdotorg/bureaus/burTransPlan/maps/county-pdf/ellis.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    = Ellis County, Kansas
|North     = [[Rooks County, Kansas|Rooks County]]
|Northeast = [[Osborne County, Kansas|Osborne County]]
|East      = [[Russell County, Kansas|Russell County]]
|Southeast = 
|South     = [[Rush County, Kansas|Rush County]]
|Southwest = [[Ness County, Kansas|Ness County]]
|West      = [[Trego County, Kansas|Trego County]]
|Northwest = 
}}

{{Ellis County, Kansas}}
{{Kansas}}
{{Authority control}}

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