Editing Rooks County, Kansas

{{short description|County in Kansas, United States}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox U.S. county
|county             = Rooks County
|state              = Kansas
|type               = [[County (United States)|County]]
|ex image           = Rooks County, Kansas courthouse from NE 1.JPG
|ex image cap       = Rooks County Courthouse in [[Stockton, Kansas|Stockton]] (2014)
|founded            = February 26, 1867
|named for          = John C. Rooks
|seat wl            = Stockton
|largest city wl    = Plainville
|area_total_sq_mi   = 895
|area_land_sq_mi    = 891
|area_water_sq_mi   = 4.6
|area percentage    = 0.5

|population_footnotes = <ref name="QF"/>
|population_as_of   = 2020
|population_total   = 4919
|pop_est_footnotes  =
|pop_est_as_of      =
|population_est     =
|population_density_sq_mi = 5.5

|district           = 1st
|time zone          = Central
|website            = {{URL|https://rookscounty.net/|rookscounty.net}}
}}

'''Rooks County''' is a [[U.S. county|county]] located in the [[U.S. state]] of [[Kansas]].  Its [[county seat]] is [[Stockton, Kansas|Stockton]],<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> and its largest city is [[Plainville, Kansas|Plainville]].  As of the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]], the county population was 4,919.<ref name="QF">{{cite web |title=QuickFacts; Rooks County, Kansas; Population, Census, 2020 & 2010 |url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/rookscountykansas/POP010220 |publisher=United States Census Bureau |access-date=August 19, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210819224719/https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/rookscountykansas/POP010220 |archive-date=August 19, 2021 |url-status=live}}</ref>  The county was named for John Rooks, a private in Company I of the [[11th Kansas Cavalry Regiment]], who died at the [[Battle of Prairie Grove]] during the American Civil War.<ref>Kansas Place-Names, John Rydjord, University of Oklahoma Press, 1972, {{ISBN|0-8061-0994-7}}</ref>

==History==

===Early history===
{{See also|History of Kansas}}
For many [[millennia]], the [[Great Plains]] of [[North America]] was inhabited by [[nomadic]] [[Native Americans in the United States|Native Americans]]. From the 16th century to 18th century, the [[Kingdom of France]] claimed ownership of large parts of [[North America]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Burpee |first=Lawrence J. |url=https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/30145 |title=Pathfinders of the Great Plains: A Chronicle of La Vérendrye and his Sons |publisher=GLASGOW, BROOK & COMPANY |year=1914 |location=Toronto |pages=112 |language=en |chapter=Chapter VI LA VÉRENDRYES' LATTER DAYS |lccn=15013575}}</ref> In 1762, after the [[French and Indian War]], France secretly ceded [[New France]] to [[Spain]], per the [[Treaty of Fontainebleau (1762)|Treaty of Fontainebleau]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Louisiana as a Spanish Colony |url=https://www.loc.gov/collections/louisiana-european-explorations-and-the-louisiana-purchase/articles-and-essays/louisiana-as-a-spanish-colony/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240120122907/https://www.loc.gov/collections/louisiana-european-explorations-and-the-louisiana-purchase/articles-and-essays/louisiana-as-a-spanish-colony/ |archive-date=January 20, 2024 |access-date=March 14, 2024 |website=Library of Congress}}</ref>

===19th century===
In 1802, Spain returned most of the land to France, but keeping title to about 7,500 square miles. In 1803, most of the land for [[History of Kansas|modern day Kansas]] was acquired by the United States from France as part of the 828,000 square mile [[Louisiana Purchase]] for 2.83 [[Penny (United States coin)|cents]] per [[acre]].{{Citation needed|date=August 2023}}

In 1854, the [[Kansas Territory]] was organized, then in 1861 [[Kansas]] became the 34th [[U.S. state]]. In 1867, '''Rooks County''' was established.{{Citation needed|date=August 2023}}

In 1881, the first county courthouse was built in Stockton. The county jail was built nearby from cottonwood logs strengthened by tons of iron.<ref name="Blackmar">{{cite book | last1 = Blackmar | first1 = Frank Wilson | title = Kansas: A Cyclopedia of State History, Volume 2 | url = https://archive.org/details/kansascycloped02blac | location = Chicago | publisher = Standard Publishing Company | page = [https://archive.org/details/kansascycloped02blac/page/605 605] | date = 1912}}</ref>

===20th century===
In 1923, a new courthouse opened in Stockton. The [[Rooks County Courthouse]] was added to the [[National Register of Historic Places]] in 2002.<ref name=nrhpdoc>{{cite web|url={{NRHP url|id=02000400}}|title=National Register of Historic Places Registration: Rooks County Courthouse |publisher=[[National Park Service]]|author=Dana Cloud |author2=Sally F. Schwenk |date=April 30, 2000 |accessdate=December 29, 2017}} With {{NRHP url|id=02000400|photos=y|title=11 photos}}.</ref>

==Geography==
According to the [[U.S. Census Bureau]], the county has a total area of {{convert|895|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|891|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|4.6|sqmi}} (0.5%) 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===
*[[Phillips County, Kansas|Phillips County]] (north)
*[[Smith County, Kansas|Smith County]] (northeast)
*[[Osborne County, Kansas|Osborne County]] (east)
*[[Ellis County, Kansas|Ellis County]] (south)
*[[Trego County, Kansas|Trego County]] (southwest)
*[[Graham County, Kansas|Graham County]] (west)

==Demographics==
[[Image:USA Rooks County, Kansas age pyramid.svg|thumb|175px|left|[[Population pyramid]] based on 2000 census age data]]
{{US Census population
|1880= 8112
|1890= 8018
|1900= 7960
|1910= 11282
|1920= 9966
|1930= 9534
|1940= 8497
|1950= 9043
|1960= 9734
|1970= 7628
|1980= 7006
|1990= 6039
|2000= 5685
|2010= 5181
|2020= 4919
|estyear=2023
|estimate=4778
|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 5,685 people, 2,362 households, and 1,556 families residing in the county. The [[population density]] was {{convert|6|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|people&nbsp;|people|}}. There were 2,758 housing units at an average density of {{convert|3|/mi2|/km2|}}. The racial makeup of the county was 97.13% [[Race (United States Census)|White]], 1.13% [[Race (United States Census)|Black]] or [[Race (United States Census)|African American]], 0.42% [[Race (United States Census)|Native American]], 0.19% [[Race (United States Census)|Asian]], 0.02% [[Race (United States Census)|Pacific Islander]], 0.37% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 0.74% from two or more races. 1.06% of the population were [[Race (United States Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Race (United States Census)|Latino]] of any race.

There were 2,362 households, out of which 29.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.40% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 7.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.10% were non-families. 31.80% of all households were made up of individuals, and 18.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.32 and the average family size was 2.93.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 25.20% under the age of 18, 6.40% from 18 to 24, 25.50% from 25 to 44, 21.50% from 45 to 64, and 21.50% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 98.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.30 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $30,457, and the median income for a family was $36,931. Males had a median income of $26,794 versus $18,389 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the county was $15,588. About 7.30% of families and 9.80% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 9.70% of those under age 18 and 7.40% 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=Rooks 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|2,153|349|35|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|2020|Republican|2,325|339|35|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|2016|Republican|2,031|275|113|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|2012|Republican|2,038|361|61|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|2008|Republican|2,068|468|52|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|2004|Republican|2,121|534|55|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|2000|Republican|2,016|597|162|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1996|Republican|1,864|650|273|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1992|Republican|1,249|771|1,070|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1988|Republican|1,938|1,012|57|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1984|Republican|2,604|699|46|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1980|Republican|2,275|725|187|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1976|Republican|1,664|1,412|61|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1972|Republican|2,457|904|64|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1968|Republican|2,252|1,012|310|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1964|Republican|1,985|1,923|16|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1960|Republican|2,840|1,639|11|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1956|Republican|3,059|1,238|19|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1952|Republican|3,331|1,105|46|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1948|Republican|2,197|1,636|49|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1944|Republican|2,361|1,166|22|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1940|Republican|2,590|1,650|33|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1936|Democratic|2,150|2,235|0|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1932|Democratic|2,005|2,229|88|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1928|Republican|2,583|1,044|25|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1924|Republican|2,442|930|327|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1920|Republican|2,143|843|78|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1916|Democratic|1,621|2,394|219|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1912|Democratic|545|865|848|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1908|Republican|1,280|1,003|126|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1904|Republican|1,266|495|203|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1900|Republican|927|925|29|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1896|Democratic|817|971|24|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1892|Populist|811|0|881|Kansas}}
{{PresFoot|1888|Republican|1,112|412|383|Kansas}}
}}<!-- End of Hidden template -->

Rooks County is overwhelmingly Republican. No Democratic presidential candidate has won Rooks County since [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]] – ironically against Kansan [[Alf Landon]] – carried the county by eighty-five votes in 1936. The last Democrat to exceed a quarter of the county's vote was [[Michael Dukakis]] in 1988 during [[1988–89 North American drought|a major drought on the Great Plains]].

===Laws===
Following amendment to the [[Kansas Constitution]] in 1986, the 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==

===Unified school districts===
* [https://www.usd269.net/ Palco USD 269]
**limited to western edge of county; includes Palco, Damar and Zurich
* [https://www.plainville270.net/ Plainville USD 270]
**southern half of county, except western edge zoned to Palco
* [https://www.usd271.com/ Stockton USD 271]
**northern half of county

==Communities==
[[Image:Map of Rooks Co, Ks, USA.png|thumb|300px|2005 map of Rooks 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 Rooks County.<ref name="County-Map-Current">{{cite web |title=General Highway Map of Rooks County, Kansas |url=https://www.ksdot.gov/Assets/wwwksdotorg/bureaus/burTransPlan/maps/county-pdf/rooks.PDF |publisher=[[Kansas Department of Transportation]] (KDOT) |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230405215717/https://www.ksdot.gov/Assets/wwwksdotorg/bureaus/burTransPlan/maps/county-pdf/rooks.PDF |archive-date=April 5, 2023 |date=January 2010 |url-status=live}}</ref>

===Cities===
{{div col}}
* [[Damar, Kansas|Damar]]
* [[Palco, Kansas|Palco]]
* [[Plainville, Kansas|Plainville]]
* [[Stockton, Kansas|Stockton]] (county seat)
* [[Woodston, Kansas|Woodston]]
* [[Zurich, Kansas|Zurich]]
{{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}}
* [[Codell, Kansas|Codell]]†
* [[Webster, Kansas|Webster]]
{{div col end}}

===Ghost towns===
{{div col}}
* [[Adamson, Kansas|Adamson]]
* [[Alcona, Kansas|Alcona]]
* [[Amboy, Kansas|Amboy]]
* [[Chandler, Kansas|Chandler]]
* [[Cresson, Kansas|Cresson]]
* [[Earnest, Kansas|Earnest]]
* [[Frankton, Kansas|Frankton]]
* [[Gould City, Kansas|Gould City]]
* [[Highhill, Kansas|Highhill]]
* [[Hoskins, Kansas|Hoskins]]
* [[Igo, Kansas|Igo]]
* [[Laton, Kansas|Laton]]
* [[McHale, Kansas|McHale]]
* [[Motor, Kansas|Motor]]
* [[Nyra, Kansas|Nyra]]
* [[Portage, Kansas|Portage]]
* [[Slate, Kansas|Slate]]
* [[Sugarloaf, Kansas|Sugarloaf]]
* [[Survey, Kansas|Survey]]
* [[Rockport, Kansas|Rockport]]
{{div col end}}

===Townships===
Rooks County is divided into twelve [[Civil township|townships]]. None of the cities within the county are considered ''governmentally independent'', and all figures for the townships include those of the cities. In the following table, the population center is the largest city (or cities) included in that township's population total, if it is of a significant size.

{| class="toccolours" border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=4 style="text-align:center; border-collapse:collapse; font-size:90%;"
|+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 1, Rooks County, Kansas|Township 1]] || 71203 || || 280 || 1 (3) || 276 (107) || 1 (0) || 0.23% || {{coord|39|27|6|N|99|6|8|W|}}
|-
| [[Township 2, Rooks County, Kansas|Township 2]] || 71207 || || 382 || 1 (4) || 278 (107) || 1 (0) || 0.25% || {{coord|39|26|33|N|99|13|22|W|}}
|-
| [[Township 3, Rooks County, Kansas|Township 3]] || 71211 ||[[Stockton, Kansas|Stockton]] || 1,489 || 8 (21) || 184 (71) || 0 (0) || 0.14% || {{coord|39|27|13|N|99|17|35|W|}}
|-
| [[Township 4, Rooks County, Kansas|Township 4]] || 71215 || || 27 || 0 (1) || 93 (36) || 0 (0) || 0.12% || {{coord|39|21|11|N|99|18|36|W|}}
|-
| [[Township 5, Rooks County, Kansas|Township 5]] || 71219 || || 74 || 0 (1) || 276 (107) || 0 (0) || 0.05% || {{coord|39|30|10|N|99|30|0|W|}}
|-
| [[Township 6, Rooks County, Kansas|Township 6]] || 71224 || || 60 || 0 (1) || 173 (67) || 13 (5) || 7.13% || {{coord|39|24|44|N|99|26|24|W|}}
|-
| [[Township 7, Rooks County, Kansas|Township 7]] || 71229 || || 218 || 2 (6) || 91 (35) || 1 (0) || 0.93% || {{coord|39|20|37|N|99|33|24|W|}}
|-
| [[Township 8, Rooks County, Kansas|Township 8]] || 71234 || || 344 || 4 (10) || 94 (36) || 0 (0) || 0.09% || {{coord|39|15|20|N|99|33|33|W|}}
|-
| [[Township 9, Rooks County, Kansas|Township 9]] || 71239 || || 51 || 1 (1) || 94 (36) || 0 (0) || 0.05% || {{coord|39|10|31|N|99|32|20|W|}}
|-
| [[Township 10, Rooks County, Kansas|Township 10]] || 71243 || || 197 || 1 (3) || 187 (72) || 0 (0) || 0.08% || {{coord|39|14|5|N|99|26|0|W|}}
|-
| [[Township 11, Rooks County, Kansas|Township 11]] || 71246 || [[Plainville, Kansas|Plainville]] || 2,380 || 9 (22) || 279 (108) || 1 (0) || 0.44% || {{coord|39|14|13|N|99|17|39|W|}}
|-
| [[Township 12, Rooks County, Kansas|Township 12]] || 71249 || || 183 || 1 (2) || 277 (107) || 1 (0) || 0.24% || {{coord|39|12|56|N|99|9|10|W|}}
|}

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

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
{{Kansas books}}
* [http://www.kansasmemory.org/item/223950/ ''Standard Atlas of Rooks County, Kansas'']; Geo. A. Ogle & Co; 67 pages; 1905.

==External links==
{{Commons category|Rooks County, Kansas}}
;County
* {{Official website|https://rookscounty.net/|Rooks County - Official Website}}
* [https://www.lkm.org/members/?id=41260483 Rooks County - Directory of Public Officials]
;Maps
* Rooks County Maps: [http://www.ksdot.org/Assets/wwwksdotorg/bureaus/burTransPlan/maps/county-pdf/rooks.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
|Center    = Rooks County, Kansas
|North     = [[Phillips County, Kansas|Phillips County]]
|Northeast = [[Smith County, Kansas|Smith County]]
|East      = [[Osborne County, Kansas|Osborne County]]
|Southeast = 
|South     = [[Ellis County, Kansas|Ellis County]]
|Southwest = [[Trego County, Kansas|Trego County]]
|West      = [[Graham County, Kansas|Graham County]]
|Northwest = 
}}

{{Rooks County, Kansas}}
{{Kansas}}
{{Authority control}}
{{coord|39|21|N|99|19|W|type:adm2nd_region:US-KS|display=title}}

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