Rooks County, Kansas

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Rooks County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kansas. Its county seat is Stockton,<ref name="GR6">Template:Cite web</ref> and its largest city is Plainville. As of the 2020 census, the county population was 4,919.<ref name="QF">Template:Cite web</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, Template:ISBN</ref>

History

Early history

Template:See also For many millennia, the Great Plains of North America was inhabited by nomadic Native Americans. From the 16th century to 18th century, the Kingdom of France claimed ownership of large parts of North America.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> In 1762, after the French and Indian War, France secretly ceded New France to Spain, per the Treaty of Fontainebleau.<ref>Template:Cite web</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 modern day Kansas was acquired by the United States from France as part of the 828,000 square mile Louisiana Purchase for 2.83 cents per acre.Template:Citation needed

In 1854, the Kansas Territory was organized, then in 1861 Kansas became the 34th U.S. state. In 1867, Rooks County was established.Template:Citation needed

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">Template:Cite book</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>Template:Cite web With Template:NRHP url.</ref>

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 (0.5%) is water.<ref name="GR1">Template:Cite web</ref>

Adjacent counties

Phillips County (north)
Smith County (northeast)
Osborne County (east)
Ellis County (south)
Trego County (southwest)
Graham County (west)

Demographics

File:USA Rooks County, Kansas age pyramid.svg

Population pyramid based on 2000 census age data

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As of the census<ref name="GR2">Template:Cite web</ref> of 2000, there were 5,685 people, 2,362 households, and 1,556 families residing in the county. The population density was Template:Convert. There were 2,758 housing units at an average density of Template:Convert. The racial makeup of the county was 97.13% White, 1.13% Black or African American, 0.42% Native American, 0.19% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.37% from other races, and 0.74% from two or more races. 1.06% of the population were Hispanic or 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 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

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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 a major drought on the Great Plains.

Laws

Following amendment to the Kansas Constitution in 1986, the county remained a prohibition, or "dry", county until 2000, 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

Palco USD 269
- limited to western edge of county; includes Palco, Damar and Zurich
Plainville USD 270
- southern half of county, except western edge zoned to Palco
Stockton USD 271
- northern half of county

Communities

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

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

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

Townships

Rooks County is divided into twelve 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.

Sources: 2000 U.S. Gazetteer from the U.S. Census Bureau.
Township	FIPS	Population center	Population	Population density /km² (/sq mi)	Land area km² (sq mi)	Water area km² (sq mi)	Water %	Geographic coordinates
Township 1	71203		280	1 (3)	276 (107)	1 (0)	0.23%	Template:Coord
Township 2	71207		382	1 (4)	278 (107)	1 (0)	0.25%	Template:Coord
Township 3	71211	Stockton	1,489	8 (21)	184 (71)	0 (0)	0.14%	Template:Coord
Township 4	71215		27	0 (1)	93 (36)	0 (0)	0.12%	Template:Coord
Township 5	71219		74	0 (1)	276 (107)	0 (0)	0.05%	Template:Coord
Township 6	71224		60	0 (1)	173 (67)	13 (5)	7.13%	Template:Coord
Township 7	71229		218	2 (6)	91 (35)	1 (0)	0.93%	Template:Coord
Township 8	71234		344	4 (10)	94 (36)	0 (0)	0.09%	Template:Coord
Township 9	71239		51	1 (1)	94 (36)	0 (0)	0.05%	Template:Coord
Township 10	71243		197	1 (3)	187 (72)	0 (0)	0.08%	Template:Coord
Township 11	71246	Plainville	2,380	9 (22)	279 (108)	1 (0)	0.44%	Template:Coord
Township 12	71249		183	1 (2)	277 (107)	1 (0)	0.24%	Template:Coord

References

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External links

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County

Maps

Rooks 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

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