Editing Pratt County, Kansas

{{short description|County in Kansas, United States}}
{{Distinguish|Pratt, Kansas}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox U.S. county
|county             = Pratt County
|state              = Kansas
|type               = [[County (United States)|County]]
|ex image           = Pratt county kansas courthouse 2009.jpg
|ex image cap       = Pratt County Courthouse in [[Pratt, Kansas|Pratt]] (2009)
|founded            = February 26, 1867
|named for          = [[Caleb S. Pratt]]<ref name="eponym">{{cite web |url=http://www.kansastowns.us/prathist.html |title=Pratt, Kansas History |publisher=Kansas Community Networks |access-date=November 4, 2012}}</ref>
|seat wl            = Pratt
|largest city wl    = Pratt
|area_total_sq_mi   = 736 
|area_land_sq_mi    = 735
|area_water_sq_mi   = 0.7
|area percentage    = 0.09%

|population_footnotes = <ref name="QF"/>
|population_as_of   = 2020
|population_total   = 9,157
|pop_est_footnotes  =
|pop_est_as_of      =
|population_est     =
|population_density_sq_mi = 12.5

|district           = 4th
|time zone          = Central
|website            = {{URL|http://www.prattcounty.org/|PrattCounty.org}}
}}

'''Pratt County''' is a [[County (United States)|county]] located in the [[U.S. state]] of [[Kansas]].  Its [[county seat]] and largest city is [[Pratt, Kansas|Pratt]].<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}}</ref>  As of the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]], the county population was 9,157.<ref name="QF">{{cite web |title=QuickFacts; Pratt County, Kansas; Population, Census, 2020 & 2010 |url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/prattcountykansas/POP010220 |publisher=United States Census Bureau |access-date=August 19, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210819063225/https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/prattcountykansas/POP010220 |archive-date=August 19, 2021 |url-status=live}}</ref>  The county was named for [[Caleb S. Pratt|Caleb Pratt]], a U.S. soldier who died in the [[Battle of Wilson's Creek]] during the [[American Civil War|Civil War]] and who had previously been involved in [[Bleeding Kansas]].

The county consists overwhelmingly of prairie and contains few watercourses; the most important of these is the [[Ninnescah River]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=Cutler |first=William G. |url=https://www.kancoll.org/books/cutler/pratt/pratt-co-p1.html |title=History of the State of Kansas |date=1883}}</ref>

Farming continues to be important to the county, which is among the state’s leading winter wheat producers.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=Pratt County, Kansas - Kansapedia - Kansas Historical Society |url=https://www.kshs.org/kansapedia/pratt-county-kansas/15331 |access-date=February 3, 2024 |website=www.kshs.org}}</ref>

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

'''Pratt County''' was established in 1867. The county's first attempt at organization, termed the "fraudulent organization," occurred in 1873. A group from Hutchinson traveled through various counties, organizing them as they went. However, since there were no genuine settlers in Pratt County at the time, this organization required the submission of false statements to the governor. This fraudulent attempt was not recognized, and the Pratt County was legitimately organized in 1879.<ref name=":0" />

The county's first bona fide settler, A. J. Johnson, arrived in the fall of 1873 near Springvale in the southwest corner, where he cultivated the county's first crops. The county saw significant settlement in 1877, primarily from Iowa, and further in 1878 from all sections of the United States, keeping land office officials busy with pre-emption claims. Despite a prosperous period for crops in 1879 and 1880, many settlers departed in subsequent years, while others arrived in large numbers, especially in 1882. During the county's early years, owing to the scarcity of lumber, many constructed sod houses or dugouts.<ref name=":0" />

The special election of September 2, 1879, focused on the choice of a county seat, was disputed due to irregularities. After a lawsuit second election was scheduled for August 19, 1880. In the lead-up to that election, a proponent of Saratoga named W. F. Gibbons made a deal with W. H. Weidner from Medicine Lodge, agreeing to pay him $40 to bring about fifteen cowboys into Pratt County thirty days before the election to vote for Saratoga. Each cowboy was promised $5, free whisky, and a free dance at Saratoga on the night of the election. Weidner located the cowboys and provided Gibbons with a list of names as agreed, receiving $25 as part payment. However, due to a contract dispute, all the cowboys left Pratt County before the election, causing Saratoga to lose their intended votes. Iuka was ultimately declared the county seat with a significant majority.<ref name=":0" />

Efforts to relocate the county seat to Pratt commenced in 1885 and succeeded in 1888 over the objections of Saratoga. An 1888 blizzard killed over 80% of the county's cattle, causing widespread hardship.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":0" />

In 1887, the [[Chicago, Kansas and Nebraska Railway]] extended its main line from [[Herington, Kansas|Herington]] to [[Pratt, Kansas|Pratt]].<ref name="Rock Island Rail History">{{cite web|url=http://home.covad.net/~scicoatnsew/rihist4.htm|title=Rock Island's Family Tree - Page 4|website=home.covad.net|access-date=April 18, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110619230000/http://home.covad.net/~scicoatnsew/rihist4.htm|archive-date=June 19, 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref>  This main line connected Herington, [[Ramona, Kansas|Ramona]], [[Tampa, Kansas|Tampa]], [[Durham, Kansas|Durham]], [[Waldeck, Kansas|Waldeck]], [[Canton, Kansas|Canton]], [[Galva, Kansas|Galva]], [[McPherson, Kansas|McPherson]], [[Groveland, Kansas|Groveland]], [[Inman, Kansas|Inman]], [[Medora, Kansas|Medora]], [[Hutchinson, Kansas|Hutchinson]], [[Whiteside, Kansas|Whiteside]], [[Partridge, Kansas|Partridge]], [[Arlington, Kansas|Arlington]],  [[Langdon, Kansas|Langdon]], [[Turon, Kansas|Turon]], [[Preston, Kansas|Preston]], [[Natrona, Kansas|Natrona]] and Pratt. In 1888, this main line was extended to [[Liberal, Kansas|Liberal]]. Later, this line was extended to [[Tucumcari, New Mexico]] and [[El Paso, Texas]]. This line is called the "Golden State Limited".

During World War II, Pratt Army Airfield trained, processed, and housed [[Boeing B-29 Superfortress|B-29s]] and their crews before they were sent to war.<ref name=":1" />

==Geography==
According to the [[U.S. Census Bureau]], the county has a total area of {{convert|736|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|735|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|0.7|sqmi}} (0.09%) 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===
* [[Stafford County, Kansas|Stafford County]] (north)
* [[Reno County, Kansas|Reno County]] (northeast)
* [[Kingman County, Kansas|Kingman County]] (east)
* [[Barber County, Kansas|Barber County]] (south)
* [[Kiowa County, Kansas|Kiowa County]] (west)
* [[Edwards County, Kansas|Edwards County]] (northwest)

==Demographics==
[[Image:USA Pratt County, Kansas age pyramid.svg|thumb|175px|left|[[Population pyramid]] based on 2000 census age data]]
{{US Census population
|1880= 1890
|1890= 8118
|1900= 7085
|1910= 11156
|1920= 12909
|1930= 13312
|1940= 12348
|1950= 12156
|1960= 12122
|1970= 10056
|1980= 10275
|1990= 9702
|2000= 9647
|2010= 9656
|2020= 9157
|estyear=2023
|estimate=9082
|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 28, 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 28, 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 28, 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 28, 2014}}</ref> 2010-2020<ref name="QF"/>
}}

As of the [[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> of 2000, there were 9,647 people, 3,963 households, and 2,639 families residing in the county. The [[population density]] was {{convert|13|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|people&nbsp;|people|}}. There were 4,633 housing units at an average density of {{convert|6|/mi2|/km2|}}. The racial makeup of the county was 95.28% [[Race (United States Census)|White]], 0.98% [[Race (United States Census)|Black]] or [[Race (United States Census)|African American]], 0.35% [[Race (United States Census)|Native American]], 0.55% [[Race (United States Census)|Asian]], 0.03% [[Race (United States Census)|Pacific Islander]], 1.73% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 1.07% from two or more races. 3.09% of the population were [[Race (United States Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Race (United States Census)|Latino]] of any race.

There were 3,963 households, out of which 30.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.70% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 7.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.40% were non-families. 30.40% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.60% 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 2.93.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 24.50% under the age of 18, 9.40% from 18 to 24, 24.00% from 25 to 44, 22.80% from 45 to 64, and 19.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 94.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.30 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $35,529, and the median income for a family was $43,156. Males had a median income of $31,138 versus $20,679 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the county was $17,906. About 6.70% of families and 9.40% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 11.50% of those under age 18 and 8.90% 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=Pratt County, Kansas|source=<ref>{{cite web|url=http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS|title=Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections|first=David|last=Leip|website=uselectionatlas.org}}</ref>}}
<!-- PresRow should be {{PresRow|Year|Winning party|GOP vote #|Dem vote #|3rd party vote #|State}} -->
{{PresRow|2024|Republican|3,054|954|74|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|2020|Republican|3,108|933|96|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|2016|Republican|2,838|771|233|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|2012|Republican|2,771|980|50|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|2008|Republican|2,822|1,294|74|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|2004|Republican|3,121|1,200|63|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|2000|Republican|2,885|1,314|217|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1996|Republican|2,591|1,367|443|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1992|Republican|1,779|1,466|1,541|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1988|Republican|2,505|1,651|89|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1984|Republican|3,244|1,255|50|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1980|Republican|2,866|1,369|448|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1976|Republican|2,427|2,307|116|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1972|Republican|3,253|1,214|102|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1968|Republican|2,670|1,490|451|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1964|Democratic|2,493|2,594|42|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1960|Republican|3,501|1,968|37|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1956|Republican|3,620|1,956|34|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1952|Republican|3,998|1,743|64|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1948|Republican|2,878|2,751|102|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1944|Republican|2,658|2,334|37|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1940|Republican|2,930|2,870|67|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1936|Democratic|1,946|3,871|10|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1932|Democratic|2,167|3,109|121|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1928|Republican|4,055|934|43|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1924|Republican|2,762|1,205|848|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1920|Republican|2,722|1,433|88|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1916|Democratic|1,820|2,607|371|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1912|Progressive|372|947|1,152|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1908|Republican|1,193|1,027|141|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1904|Republican|1,076|421|199|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1900|Republican|821|816|37|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1896|Democratic|621|820|13|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1892|Populist|947|0|1,196|Kansas}}
{{PresFoot|1888|Republican|1,115|652|455|Kansas}}
}}<!-- End of Hidden template -->

===Laws===
Following amendment to the [[Kansas Constitution]] in 1986, Pratt County remained a prohibition, or [[dry county|"dry"]], county until 2000, when voters approved the sale of alcoholic liquor by the individual drink with a 30 percent 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 26, 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===
* [[Pratt Community College]]

===Unified school districts===
* [[Pratt USD 382]]
* [[Skyline USD 438]]

==Communities==
[[Image:Map of Pratt Co, Ks, USA.png|thumb|250px|2005 map of Pratt County<ref name="County-Map-Current"/> ([[:File:Kansas official transportation map legend.png|legend]])]]
List of townships / incorporated cities / unincorporated communities / extinct former communities within Pratt County.<ref name="County-Map-Current">{{cite web |title=General Highway Map of Pratt County, Kansas |url=https://www.ksdot.gov/Assets/wwwksdotorg/bureaus/burTransPlan/maps/county-pdf/pratt.PDF |publisher=[[Kansas Department of Transportation]] (KDOT) |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230207113821/https://www.ksdot.gov/Assets/wwwksdotorg/bureaus/burTransPlan/maps/county-pdf/pratt.PDF |archive-date=February 7, 2023 |date=February 2010 |url-status=live}}</ref>

===Cities===
{{div col}}
* [[Byers, Kansas|Byers]]
* [[Coats, Kansas|Coats]]
* [[Cullison, Kansas|Cullison]]
* [[Iuka, Kansas|Iuka]]
* [[Pratt, Kansas|Pratt]] (county seat)
* [[Preston, Kansas|Preston]]
* [[Sawyer, Kansas|Sawyer]]
{{div col end}}

===Unincorporated communities===
{{div col}}
* [[Cairo, Kansas|Cairo]]
* [[Croft, Kansas|Croft]]
* [[Hopewell, Pratt County, Kansas|Hopewell]]
* [[Natrona, Kansas|Natrona]]
{{div col end}}

===Townships===
Pratt County is divided into seven [[Civil township|townships]]. The city of [[Pratt, Kansas|Pratt]] 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%;"
|+align="bottom"|Sources: [https://web.archive.org/web/20020802223743/http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/places2k.html 2000 U.S. Gazetteer] from the [[U.S. Census Bureau]].
|- 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
|-
| Township No. 6 || 71223 || || 565 || 1 (4) || 381 (147) || 1 (0) || 0.17% || {{coord|37|44|25|N|98|33|55|W|}}
|-
| Township No. 7 || 71228 || || 366 || 3 (7) || 136 (52) || 0 (0) || 0.02% || {{coord|37|45|20|N|98|43|49|W|}}
|-
| Township No. 8 || 71233 || || 181 || 1 (2) || 197 (76) || 0 (0) || 0% || {{coord|37|47|3|N|98|53|42|W|}}
|-
| Township No. 9 || 71238 || || 317 || 1 (2) || 379 (146) || 0 (0) || 0.05% || {{coord|37|37|59|N|98|54|7|W|}}
|-
| Township No. 10 || 71242 || || 191 || 1 (3) || 188 (73) || 0 (0) || 0.01% || {{coord|37|30|45|N|98|52|17|W|}}
|-
| Township No. 11 || 71245 || || 496 || 2 (5) || 281 (109) || 0 (0) || 0.06% || {{coord|37|30|44|N|98|38|21|W|}}
|-
| Township No. 12 || 71248 || || 961 || 3 (8) || 321 (124) || 1 (0) || 0.19% || {{coord|37|37|44|N|98|40|52|W|}}
|}

==See also==
{{Portal|Kansas}}
{{See also Kansas counties}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}
;Notes
{{Notelist}}

==Further reading==
{{Kansas books}}
* [http://www.kansasmemory.org/item/224038/ ''Standard Atlas of Pratt County, Kansas'']; Geo. A. Ogle & Co; 67 pages; 1922.
* [http://www.kansasmemory.org/item/209431/ ''Standard Atlas of Pratt County, Kansas'']; Geo. A. Ogle & Co; 54 pages; 1906.

==External links==
{{Commons category|Pratt County, Kansas}}
;County
* {{Official website|http://www.prattcounty.org/|Pratt County - Official Website}}
* [https://www.lkm.org/members/?id=41260476 Pratt County - Directory of Public Officials]
;Maps
* Pratt County Maps: [http://www.ksdot.org/Assets/wwwksdotorg/bureaus/burTransPlan/maps/county-pdf/pratt.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    = Pratt County, Kansas
|North     = [[Stafford County, Kansas|Stafford County]]
|Northeast = [[Reno County, Kansas|Reno County]]
|East      = [[Kingman County, Kansas|Kingman County]]
|Southeast = 
|South     = [[Barber County, Kansas|Barber County]]
|Southwest = 
|West      = [[Kiowa County, Kansas|Kiowa County]]
|Northwest = [[Edwards County, Kansas|Edwards County]]
}}

{{Pratt County, Kansas}}
{{Kansas}}
{{Authority control}}
{{Coord|37|39|N|98|44|W|type:adm2nd_region:US-KS|display=title}}

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