Edwards County, Kansas

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

Edwards County is a county located in the U.S. states of Kansas. Its county seat and most populous city is Kinsley.<ref name="GR6">Template:Cite web</ref> As of the 2020 census, the county population was 2,907,<ref name="QF">Template:Cite web</ref> The county was founded in 1874 and named for W. C. Edwards, of Hutchinson, a pioneer settler who owned much land in the area.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

History

Template:See also In 1873, Edwards County was established, and named for W. C. Edwards, of Hutchinson, a pioneer settler who owned much land in the area and built the first brick building in Kinsley.<ref>Edwards County, Kansas; Kansas Historical Society.</ref>

N.C. Boles became the first postmaster in the county with the opening of the Peters post office at Kinsley, then known as Petersboro, in 1873. Kinsley's present name honors E.W. Kinsley, a Bostonian who generously funded the construction of the first church edifice, a Congregationalist building completed in 1875.<ref name=":0">Template:Cite book</ref>

The infamous grasshopper raid of 1874 decimated crops, leaving many residents without means to sustain themselves. The county commissioners petitioned Governor Osborn for aid, emphasizing the plight of families and advocating for work programs over handouts.<ref name=":0" />

In its first decade, Kinsley suffered two planned train robberies, as well as a bank robbery on December 9, 1882. The County Treasurer, J. W. Crawford, was implicated in the bank robbery and removed from office.<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 (0.01%) is water.<ref name="GR1">Template:Cite web</ref>

Geographic Features

The Arkansas River flows through Edwards County from the southwest corner to the Pawnee County line near U.S. Route 56.

Major highways

Three U.S. Routes run through Edwards County, all meeting in Kinsley. An east–west route, U.S. Route 50 circumvents Belpre and Lewis before joining with westbound U.S. Route 56 in Kinsley. The single road then passes through Offerle and west into Ford County. U.S. Route 183 runs from Kiowa County in the south to Kinsley, where it joins eastbound U.S. 56, running as a single highway to Pawnee County. K-19 starts at U.S. Route 50 near Belpre, and travels north into Pawnee County.

Adjacent counties

Pawnee County (north)
Stafford County (east)
Pratt County (southeast)
Kiowa County (south)
Ford County (southwest)
Hodgeman County (northwest)

Demographics

File:USA Edwards County, Kansas age pyramid.svg

Population pyramid based on 2000 census age data

Template:US Census population

As of the 2000 census,<ref name="GR2">Template:Cite web</ref> there were 3,449 people, 1,455 households, and 955 families residing in the county. The population density was Template:Convert. There were 1,754 housing units at an average density of Template:Convert. The racial makeup of the county was 92.52% White, 0.32% Black or African American, 0.49% Native American, 0.32% Asian, 5.57% from other races, and 0.78% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 9.71% of the population.

There were 1,455 households, out of which 28.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.30% were married couples living together, 6.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.30% were non-families. 32.00% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.30% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.33 and the average family size was 2.94.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 24.60% under the age of 18, 6.70% from 18 to 24, 25.10% from 25 to 44, 22.80% from 45 to 64, and 20.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 97.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.80 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $30,530, and the median income for a family was $38,250. Males had a median income of $27,050 versus $20,132 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,586. About 7.00% of families and 10.40% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.40% of those under age 18 and 8.00% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Presidential elections

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Laws

Edwards County was a prohibition, or "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>Template:Cite web</ref>

Education

Unified school districts

Communities

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

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

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

Cities

Belpre
Kinsley (county seat)
Lewis
Offerle

Unincorporated communities

Townships

Edwards County is divided into ten townships. The city of Kinsley 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.

Township	FIPS	Population	Population density /km² (/sq mi)	Land area km² (sq mi)	Water area km² (sq mi)	Water %	Geographic coordinates
Belpre	05850	186	1 (3)	140 (54)	0 (0)	0.01%	Template:Coord
Franklin	24350	93	0 (1)	191 (74)	0 (0)	0%	Template:Coord
Jackson	34750	98	1 (1)	187 (72)	0 (0)	0.05%	Template:Coord
Kinsley	37100	160	1 (3)	121 (47)	0 (0)	0.01%	Template:Coord
Lincoln	40650	143	1 (2)	193 (74)	0 (0)	0%	Template:Coord
Logan	41875	42	0 (1)	93 (36)	0 (0)	0%	Template:Coord
North Brown	51100	67	0 (1)	163 (63)	0 (0)	0.05%	Template:Coord
South Brown	66550	90	0 (1)	251 (97)	0 (0)	0%	Template:Coord
Trenton	71400	306	2 (6)	136 (53)	0 (0)	0%	Template:Coord
Wayne	76125	606	5 (12)	132 (51)	0 (0)	0%	Template:Coord
Sources: Template:Cite web

References

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External links

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County

Maps

Edwards 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:Edwards County, Kansas Template:Kansas Template:Authority control