Editing Ford County, Kansas

{{short description|County in Kansas, United States}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox U.S. county
|county             = Ford County
|state              = Kansas
|type               = [[County (United States)|County]]
|ex image           = Ford_county_kansas_courthouse_2000.jpg
|ex image cap       = Ford County Courthouse in [[Dodge City, Kansas|Dodge City]] (2009)
|founded            = February 26, 1867
|named for          = [[James Hobart Ford|James Ford]]
|seat wl            = Dodge City
|largest city wl    = Dodge City
|area_total_sq_mi   = 1099
|area_land_sq_mi    = 1098
|area_water_sq_mi   = 0.8
|area percentage    = 0.07%

|population_footnotes = <ref name="QF"/>
|population_as_of   = 2020
|population_total   = 34287
|pop_est_footnotes  =
|pop_est_as_of      =
|population_est     =
|population_density_sq_mi = 31.2

|district           = 1st
|time zone          = Central
|website            = {{URL|http://www.fordcounty.net/|fordcounty.net}}
}}

'''Ford County''' is a [[County (United States)|county]] located in the [[U.S. state]] of [[Kansas]].  Its [[county seat]] and most populous city is [[Dodge City, Kansas|Dodge City]].<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/20150509170006/http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |archive-date=May 9, 2015 }}</ref>  As of the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]], its population was 34,287.<ref name="QF">{{cite web |title=QuickFacts; Ford County, Kansas; Population, Census, 2020 & 2010 |url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/fordcountykansas/POP010220 |publisher=United States Census Bureau |access-date=August 16, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210816064553/https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/fordcountykansas/POP010220 |archive-date=August 16, 2021 |url-status=live}}</ref>  The county was named in honor of [[James Hobart Ford|James Ford]], a brevet brigadier general during the [[American Civil War|Civil War]].<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/n127 128]}}</ref>

==History==
{{See also|History of Kansas}}One of the earliest military posts in Kansas, Fort Atkinson, was located in Ford County. Fort Dodge, established in 1864, was on the north bank of the [[Arkansas River]], about five miles southeast of what would become [[Dodge City, Kansas|Dodge City]]. During the California Gold Rush in 1849, thousands of gold seekers passed through the area along the Santa Fe Trail, but few settled there.

Ford County was established in 1867 and named for Colonel James H. Ford of the Second Colorado Cavalry, who was in charge of the construction of Fort Dodge after the Civil War.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Cutler |first=William |url=https://www.kancoll.org/books/cutler/ford/ford-co-p1.html |title=History of the State of Kansas |year=1883 |isbn=9780722248751}}</ref> The region had been frequently traveled by pioneers along the Santa Fe Trail since the early 19th century.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Ford County, Kansas – Legends of Kansas |url=https://legendsofkansas.com/ford-county-kansas/ |access-date=April 4, 2024}}</ref>

The town of Dodge City was established in 1872 upon the completion of the [[Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway|Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad]]. Before the buffalo were wiped out, their hides were extensively shipped from Dodge City. Dodge City would later develop into a rough and tumble cowtown during the peak cattle drive years of 1875–1885.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=Gribben |first=Brian |title=Research Guides: Kansas Heritage: Ford County |url=https://fhsuguides.fhsu.edu/kansasheritage/fordcounty |access-date=April 4, 2024 |website=fhsuguides.fhsu.edu |language=en}}</ref>

==Geography==
According to the [[U.S. Census Bureau]], the county has a total area of {{convert|1099|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|1098|sqmi|abbr=on}} are land and {{convert|0.8|sqmi}} (0.07%) is covered by 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===
* [[Hodgeman County, Kansas|Hodgeman County]] (north)
* [[Edwards County, Kansas|Edwards County]] (northeast)
* [[Kiowa County, Kansas|Kiowa County]] (east)
* [[Clark County, Kansas|Clark County]] (south)
* [[Meade County, Kansas|Meade County]] (southwest)
* [[Gray County, Kansas|Gray County]] (west)

===Transit===
* [[D-TRAN]]
* [[Dodge City station]]

===Major highways===
* [[Image:US 50.svg|20px]] [[U.S. Route 50 in Kansas|U.S. Route 50]]
* [[Image:US 54.svg|20px]] [[U.S. Route 54 in Kansas|U.S. Route 54]]
* [[Image:US 56.svg|20px]] [[U.S. Route 56 in Kansas|U.S. Route 56]]
* [[Image:US 283.svg|20px]] [[U.S. Route 283 in Kansas|U.S. Route 283]]
* [[Image:US 400.svg|20px]] [[U.S. Route 400 (Kansas)|U.S. Route 400]]
* [[Image:K-34.svg|25px]] [[K-34 (Kansas highway)|K-34]]

==Demographics==
[[Image:USA Ford County, Kansas age pyramid.svg|thumb|175px|left|[[Population pyramid]] based on 2000 census age data]]
{{US Census population
|1870= 427
|1880= 3122
|1890= 5308
|1900= 5497
|1910= 11393
|1920= 14273
|1930= 20647
|1940= 17254
|1950= 19670
|1960= 20938
|1970= 22587
|1980= 24315
|1990= 27463
|2000= 32458
|2010= 33848
|2020= 34287
|estyear=2023
|estimate=33980
|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 Dodge City [[Micropolitan Statistical Area]] includes all of Ford County.

As of the [[2010 United States Census|2000 census]],<ref name="GR2">{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=October 19, 2018 |title=U.S. Census website }}</ref> 33,848 people, 10,852 households, and 7,856 families were residing in the county. The [[population density]] was {{convert|30|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|people|people|abbr=on}}. The 11,650 housing units averaged {{convert|11|/mi2|/km2|}}. The [[Race (United States Census)|racial makeup]] of the county was 75.3% [[White American|White]], 2.1%  [[African American]], 1.0% [[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]], 1.4% [[Asian American|Asian]], 0.2% [[Pacific Islander American|Pacific Islander]], 17.8% from other races, and 2.7% from [[Multiracial|two or more races]].  [[Hispanic and Latino Americans]] of any race were 51.2% of the population.

Of the 10,852 [[household]]s, 40.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.90% were married couples living together, 9.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.60% were not families. About 22.70% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.92, and the average family size was 3.42.

In the county, the age distribution was 31.10% under 18, 11.20% from 18 to 24, 29.40% from 25 to 44, 17.30% from 45 to 64, and 11.00% who were 65 or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females, there were 107.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 105.30 males.

The [[Median household income|median income for a household]] in the county was $37,860, and for a family was $42,734. Males had a median income of $27,189 versus $22,165 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the county was $15,721. About 9.90% of families and 12.40% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 15.40% of those under age 18 and 8.40% of those age 65 or over.

==Government==

===Presidential elections===
Ford County has been strongly Republican for most of its history, especially in recent elections. Only eight Democratic presidential candidates from 1880 to 2024 have carried the county, the most recent being [[Jimmy Carter]] in 1976.
{{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=Ford 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|5,616|2,461|170|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|2020|Republican|5,803|2,947|165|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|2016|Republican|5,114|2,149|511|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|2012|Republican|5,602|2,600|160|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|2008|Republican|5,730|2,991|143|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|2004|Republican|6,632|2,286|98|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|2000|Republican|6,050|2,566|301|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1996|Republican|5,681|2,628|958|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1992|Republican|4,342|2,635|3,379|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1988|Republican|5,685|3,817|195|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1984|Republican|6,935|2,914|98|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1980|Republican|5,686|3,194|781|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1976|Democratic|4,679|4,934|214|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1972|Republican|6,232|2,804|249|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1968|Republican|4,645|3,191|961|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1964|Democratic|3,481|5,221|59|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1960|Republican|5,200|3,792|25|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1956|Republican|5,561|2,710|49|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1952|Republican|6,359|2,748|114|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1948|Democratic|4,089|4,396|177|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1944|Republican|4,110|2,994|77|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1940|Republican|4,356|3,954|72|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1936|Democratic|3,378|5,335|17|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1932|Democratic|3,335|4,442|238|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1928|Republican|4,893|1,870|72|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1924|Republican|3,449|1,551|948|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1920|Republican|3,305|1,879|155|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1916|Democratic|2,337|3,044|420|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1912|Democratic|529|1,125|1,104|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1908|Republican|1,333|1,089|80|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1904|Republican|1,148|526|98|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1900|Republican|653|610|31|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1896|Democratic|555|643|15|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1892|Republican|648|0|565|Kansas}}
{{PresFoot|1888|Republican|882|630|169|Kansas}}
}}<!-- End of Hidden template -->

===Laws===
Ford 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==

===Colleges===
* [[Dodge City Community College]]

===Unified school districts===
* [https://www.usd381.org/ Spearville USD 381]
* [[Dodge City USD 443]]
* [http://www.bucklinschools.com/ Bucklin USD 459]

==Communities==
[[File:Map of Ford Co, Ks, USA.png|thumb|300px|right|2005 map of Ford 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 Ford County.<ref name="County-Map-Current">{{cite web |title=General Highway Map of Ford County, Kansas |url=https://www.ksdot.gov/Assets/wwwksdotorg/bureaus/burTransPlan/maps/county-pdf/ford.PDF |publisher=[[Kansas Department of Transportation]] (KDOT) |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231230002619/https://www.ksdot.gov/Assets/wwwksdotorg/bureaus/burTransPlan/maps/county-pdf/ford.PDF |archive-date=December 30, 2023 |date=June 2010 |url-status=live}}</ref>

===Cities===
{{div col}}
* [[Bucklin, Kansas|Bucklin]]
* [[Dodge City, Kansas|Dodge City]] (county seat)
* [[Ford, Kansas|Ford]]
* [[Spearville, Kansas|Spearville]]
{{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}}
* [[Bellefont, Kansas|Bellefont]]
* [[Bloom, Kansas|Bloom]]
* [[Fort Dodge, Kansas|Fort Dodge]]†
* [[Howell, Kansas|Howell]]
* [[Kingsdown, Kansas|Kingsdown]]
* [[Wilroads Gardens, Kansas|Wilroads Gardens]]†
* [[Windhorst, Kansas|Windhorst]]
* [[Wright, Kansas|Wright]]†
{{div col end}}

===Townships===
Ford County is divided into 14 [[Civil township|townships]]. The city of [[Dodge City, Kansas|Dodge City]] 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
|-
| [[Bloom Township, Ford County, Kansas|Bloom]]|| 07375 || || 113 || 1 (2) || 144 (55) || 0 (0) || 0% || {{coord|37|30|23|N|99|55|4|W|}}
|-
| [[Bucklin Township, Ford County, Kansas|Bucklin]]|| 09025 || || 900 || 3 (8) || 285 (110) || 0 (0) || 0.02% || {{coord|37|34|44|N|99|37|9|W|}}
|-
| [[Concord Township, Ford County, Kansas|Concord]]|| 15150 || || 117 || 1 (2) || 187 (72) || 0 (0) || 0.11% || {{coord|37|36|36|N|100|5|52|W|}}
|-
| [[Dodge Township, Ford County, Kansas|Dodge]]|| 18225 || || 899 || 13 (33) || 70 (27) || 0 (0) || 0.21% || {{coord|37|47|0|N|100|0|52|W|}}
|-
| [[Enterprise Township, Ford County, Kansas|Enterprise]]|| 21450 || || 1,113 || 6 (17) || 175 (67) || 0 (0) || 0.19% || {{coord|37|40|47|N|99|57|8|W|}}
|-
| [[Fairview Township, Ford County, Kansas|Fairview]]|| 22500 || || 346 || 2 (5) || 188 (73) || 0 (0) || 0.06% || {{coord|37|45|11|N|100|8|57|W|}}
|-
| [[Ford Township, Ford County, Kansas|Ford]]|| 23750 || || 456 || 2 (5) || 249 (96) || 0 (0) || 0.01% || {{coord|37|36|58|N|99|46|27|W|}}
|-
| [[Grandview Township, Ford County, Kansas|Grandview]]|| 27350 || || 784 || 3 (9) || 226 (87) || 0 (0) || 0.20% || {{coord|37|47|10|N|99|55|54|W|}}
|-
| [[Richland Township, Ford County, Kansas|Richland]]|| 59300 || || 931 || 9 (24) || 99 (38) || 0 (0) || 0.17% || {{coord|37|42|10|N|100|2|19|W|}}
|-
| [[Royal Township, Ford County, Kansas|Royal]]|| 61575 || || 105 || 1 (1) || 185 (72) || 0 (0) || 0.06% || {{coord|37|51|51|N|100|6|44|W|}}
|-
| [[Sodville Township, Ford County, Kansas|Sodville]]|| 66150 || || 110 || 1 (2) || 145 (56) || 0 (0) || 0.01% || {{coord|37|31|16|N|99|45|6|W|}}
|-
| [[Spearville Township, Ford County, Kansas|Spearville]]|| 67150 || || 1,150 || 2 (6) || 479 (185) || 0 (0) || 0.03% || {{coord|37|47|58|N|99|45|4|W|}}
|-
| [[Wheatland Township, Ford County, Kansas|Wheatland]]|| 77675 || || 170 || 1 (2) || 193 (74) || 0 (0) || 0% || {{coord|37|48|58|N|99|37|22|W|}}
|-
| [[Wilburn Township, Ford County, Kansas|Wilburn]]|| 79100 || || 88 || 0 (1) || 187 (72) || 0 (0) || 0% || {{coord|37|31|22|N|100|7|10|W|}}
|-
|colspan=9|Sources: {{Cite web| url=https://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/places2k.html| title=Census 2000 U.S. Gazetteer Files| publisher=U.S. Census Bureau, Geography Division| url-status=dead| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020802223743/http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/places2k.html| archive-date=August 2, 2002}}
|}

==Notable people==
Numerous figures of the [[American Old West]] lived in Dodge City during its period as a frontier cowtown. These included, most notably, lawmen [[Wyatt Earp]] and [[Bat Masterson]], and gunfighter [[Doc Holliday]].<ref>{{cite web | title = More Dodge City History | publisher = Dodge City Convention and Visitors Bureau | url = http://www.visitdodgecity.org/index.aspx?NID=106 | access-date = September 23, 2011}}</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal|Kansas}}
[[File:RAILROAD WORK CREW IMPROVES THE TRACKS AND BED OF THE ATCHISON, TOPEKA AND SANTA FE RAILROAD NEAR BELLEFONT, KANSAS... - NARA - 556012.jpg|thumb|right|Railroad crew works on the [[Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway|Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe]] tracks near Bellefont, 1974. Photo by [[Charles O'Rear]].]]
* [[Golden Triangle of Meat-packing]]
* [[National Register of Historic Places listings in Ford County, 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}}
* [https://www.kansasmemory.org/item/225065/ ''Handbook of Ford County, Kansas'']; C.S. Burch Publishing Co; 32 pages; 1887.
* [https://www.kansasmemory.org/item/223983/ ''Atlas and Plat Book of Ford County, Kansas'']; Kenyon Co; 54 pages; 1916.
* [https://www.kansasmemory.org/item/209419/ ''Standard Atlas of Ford County, Kansas'']; Geo. A. Ogle & Co; 63 pages; 1906.

==External links==
{{Commons category|Ford County, Kansas}}
;County
* {{Official website|http://www.fordcounty.net/|Ford County - Official}}
* [https://www.lkm.org/members/?id=41260429 Ford County - Directory of Public Officials]
;Historical
* [http://www.Kansashistory.us/fordco/ Ford County History] from FCHS, Dodge City, KS
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20050723074447/http://skyways.lib.ks.us/genweb/ford/ Ford County GenWeb]
* [http://www.usgennet.org/usa/ks/county/ford/  Ford County] from American History and Genealogy Project (AHGP)
;Maps
* Ford County Maps: [http://www.ksdot.org/Assets/wwwksdotorg/bureaus/burTransPlan/maps/county-pdf/ford.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    = Ford County, Kansas
|North     = [[Hodgeman County, Kansas|Hodgeman County]]
|Northeast = [[Edwards County, Kansas|Edwards County]]
|East      = [[Kiowa County, Kansas|Kiowa County]]
|Southeast = 
|South     = [[Clark County, Kansas|Clark County]]
|Southwest = [[Meade County, Kansas|Meade County]]
|West      = [[Gray County, Kansas|Gray County]]
|Northwest = 
}}

{{Ford County, Kansas}}
{{Kansas}}
{{Authority control}}
{{coord|37|42|N|99|54|W|type:adm2nd_region:US-KS|display=title}}

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