Pawnee County, Kansas: Difference between revisions

Latest revision as of 11:10, 20 March 2025

Template:Short description Template:Distinguish Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox U.S. county

Pawnee County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kansas. Its county seat and largest city is Larned.<ref name="GR6">Template:Cite web</ref> As of the 2020 census, the county population was 6,253.<ref name="QF">Template:Cite web</ref> The county is named after the Pawnee tribe.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

Agriculture remains a cornerstone of Pawnee County's economy, with the county being one of the state's leading producers of winter wheat. Other agricultural products include oilseed, grain, vegetables, melons, and cotton. The county also supports beef cattle ranching and feedlots.<ref name=":0">Template:Cite web</ref>

History

Template:See also Pawnee County was established in 1867 and organized in 1872. The county derives its name from the Pawnee Indian tribe, who historically inhabited the region. Prior to its establishment as Pawnee County, the area was contained in the old Washington County, Peketon County, and later Marion County.<ref name=":0" />

Ford Larned was established near the site of present-day Larned, Kansas between 1859 and 1860 to provide protection for wagon trains traversing the Santa Fe Trail. Notably, in January 1863, a wagon train was stopped by a starving band Cheyenne and Arapaho Indians. After refusing the Indians' request for supplies, the wagon train was attacked and all but one of the teamsters killed. The survivor sought refuge at Ford Larned.<ref name=":0" />

Against this background of increasing tension in the region, Fort Larned became a base of operations for Major General Winfield Hancock's campaign against the Plains tribes. After Hancock requested reinforcements from U.S. Seventh Cavalry, led by Lieutenant Colonel George A. Custer, Custer began a campaign against the Cheyenne culminating in their defeat in the Battle of the Washita River in Oklahoma.<ref name=":0" />

Additionally, Fort Larned played a vital role in safeguarding railroad construction workers, distributing treaty-established annuities to the Indians, and serving as a Bureau of Indian Affairs office during the 1860s. While the fort officially closed in 1878, a detachment from Fort Dodge remained stationed there until 1883.<ref name=":0" />

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of Template:Convert, of which Template:Convert is land and Template:Convert (0.05%) is water.<ref name="GR1">Template:Cite web</ref>

Adjacent counties

Rush County (north)
Barton County (northeast)
Stafford County (east)
Edwards County (south)
Hodgeman County (west)
Ness County (northwest)

National protected area

Fort Larned National Historic Site

Demographics

File:USA Pawnee County, Kansas age pyramid.svg

Population pyramid based on 2000 census age data

Template:US Census population

As of the census<ref name="GR2">Template:Cite web</ref> of 2000, there were 7,233 people, 2,739 households, and 1,785 families residing in the county. The population density was Template:Convert. There were 3,114 housing units at an average density of Template:Convert. The racial makeup of the county was 90.96% White, 5.00% Black or African American, 0.95% Native American, 0.57% Asian, 1.22% from other races, and 1.30% from two or more races. 4.16% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 2,739 households, out of which 29.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.80% were married couples living together, 7.30% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.80% were non-families. 32.20% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.60% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.31 and the average family size was 2.91.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 24.20% under the age of 18, 7.30% from 18 to 24, 25.40% from 25 to 44, 24.60% from 45 to 64, and 18.50% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 112.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 112.70 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $35,175, and the median income for a family was $45,634. Males had a median income of $26,751 versus $20,931 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,584. About 5.40% of families and 11.80% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.00% of those under age 18 and 9.90% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Presidential elections

Pawnee County has been primarily Republican for the majority of its history. However, there have been multiple stretches where it was considered a swing county, backing the national winner in all presidential elections from 1904 to 1936 as well as 1964 to 1988. It has trended away from bellwether status since 1988 however. Template:Hidden

Laws

Following amendment to the Kansas Constitution in 1986, Pawnee County remained a prohibition, or "dry", county until 1992, when voters approved the sale of alcoholic liquor by the individual drink with a 30 percent food sales requirement.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Education

Unified school districts

Communities

File:Map of Pawnee Co, Ks, USA.png

2005 map of Pawnee County<ref name="County-Map-Current"/> (map legend)

List of townships / incorporated cities / unincorporated communities / extinct former communities within Pawnee County.<ref name="County-Map-Current">Template:Cite web</ref>

Cities

Burdett
Garfield
Larned (county seat)
Rozel

Unincorporated communities

Townships

Pawnee County is divided into twenty-one townships. The city of Larned 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.

Sources: 2000 U.S. Gazetteer from the U.S. Census Bureau.
Township	FIPS	Population	Population density /km² (/sq mi)	Land area km² (sq mi)	Water %	Geographic coordinates
Ash Valley	02825	49	1 (1)	95 (37)	0.07%	Template:Coord
Browns Grove	08750	310	3 (9)	93 (36)	0%	Template:Coord
Conkling	15225	26	0 (1)	94 (36)	0.07%	Template:Coord
Garfield	25775	259	3 (7)	93 (36)	0.03%	Template:Coord
Grant	27925	234	3 (7)	92 (36)	0.04%	Template:Coord
Keysville	36625	55	1 (2)	94 (36)	0%	Template:Coord
Larned	38725	266	3 (8)	87 (34)	0%	Template:Coord
Lincoln	40975	28	0 (1)	93 (36)	0.12%	Template:Coord
Logan	42075	48	1 (1)	93 (36)	0.07%	Template:Coord
Morton	48525	56	1 (2)	92 (36)	0%	Template:Coord
Orange	53000	73	1 (2)	92 (36)	0%	Template:Coord
Pawnee	54800	82	1 (2)	93 (36)	0.06%	Template:Coord
Pleasant Grove	56400	230	2 (6)	93 (36)	0.22%	Template:Coord
Pleasant Ridge	56475	56	1 (2)	93 (36)	0.02%	Template:Coord
Pleasant Valley	56600	128	1 (4)	93 (36)	0%	Template:Coord
River	60050	87	1 (2)	92 (36)	0%	Template:Coord
Santa Fe	63025	788	9 (22)	92 (36)	0%	Template:Coord
Sawmill	63250	24	0 (1)	93 (36)	0.07%	Template:Coord
Shiley	65275	28	0 (1)	94 (36)	0.15%	Template:Coord
Valley Center	73225	57	1 (2)	92 (35)	0.07%	Template:Coord
Walnut	75050	113	1 (3)	93 (36)	0.08%	Template:Coord

References

Template:Reflist

External links

Template:Commons category

County

Maps

Pawnee County Maps: Current, Historic, KDOT
Kansas Highway Maps: Current, Historic, KDOT
Kansas Railroad Maps: Current, 1996, 1915, KDOT and Kansas Historical Society

Template:Geographic location

Template:Pawnee County, Kansas Template:Kansas Template:Authority control Template:Coord