Smith County
County
Home on the Range Cabin near Smith Center (2014)
Home on the Range Cabin near Smith Center (2014)
Map of Kansas highlighting Smith County
Location within the U.S. state of Kansas
Map of the United States highlighting Kansas
Kansas's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 39°50′N 98°45′W / 39.833°N 98.750°W / 39.833; -98.750
Country United States
State Kansas
Founded1872
Named forJ. Nelson Smith
SeatSmith Center
Largest citySmith Center
Area
 • Total897 sq mi (2,320 km2)
 • Land895 sq mi (2,320 km2)
 • Water1.5 sq mi (4 km2)  0.2%
Population
 (2020)[1]
 • Total3,570
 • Density4.0/sq mi (1.5/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
Area code785
Congressional district1st
WebsiteSmithCoKS.com

Smith County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kansas. Its county seat is Smith Center.[2] As of the 2020 census, the population was 3,570.[1] The county is named in memory of J. Nelson Smith, a major in the 2nd Colorado Cavalry, killed at the Battle of Westport on October 21, 1864. The geographic center of the contiguous United States is located within the county, near Lebanon.[3]

History

Early history

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. In 1762, after the French and Indian War, France secretly ceded New France to Spain, per the Treaty of Fontainebleau.

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.

In 1854, the Kansas Territory was organized, then in 1861 Kansas became the 34th U.S. state. In 1872, Smith County was established. The first homestead in Smith County was in 1871 and there were 3,800 inhabitants by 1875. The county grew to 15,000 people by 1889. Corn was the main crop at first but drought and grasshopper plagues severely hurt the crops. When hardy Winter wheat was introduced to Kansas by Russian settlers, it eventually became the predominant crop in Smith County. The population of the county has slowly declined since 1900 due in large part because of advanced farming techniques that require less human labor.

Brewster Higley wrote the song "Home on the Range" in 1873 in a cabin 9 miles northwest of Smith Center. It later became the Kansas State song.[4][5]

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 897 square miles (2,320 km2), of which 895 square miles (2,320 km2) is land and 1.5 square miles (3.9 km2) (0.2%) is water.[6] The county is divided into 25 townships, each of which is listed below in the subdivisions section of this article.

The geographic center of the 48 contiguous states is located within the county, near the city of Lebanon.[7] The geographic center of North America is located in neighboring Osborne County.

The Solomon River runs through the southern part of the county and provides a flat basin and water for irrigated crops.

Major highways

There are two major highways serving the county. The main east–west route is U.S. Highway 36, which travels through Athol, Kensington, and Smith Center. The main north–south route is U.S. Highway 281, which intersects US-36 in Smith Center. Kansas state highways K-8, K-9 and K-180 serve other areas of the county.

Adjacent counties

Demographics

Population pyramid based on 2000 census age data
Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
187066—
188013,88320,934.8%
189015,61312.5%
190016,3844.9%
191015,365−6.2%
192014,985−2.5%
193013,545−9.6%
194010,582−21.9%
19508,846−16.4%
19607,776−12.1%
19706,757−13.1%
19805,947−12.0%
19905,078−14.6%
20004,536−10.7%
20103,853−15.1%
20203,570−7.3%
U.S. Decennial Census[8]
1790-1960[9] 1900-1990[10]
1990-2000[11] 2010-2020[1]

As of the census[12] of 2000, there were 4,536 people, 1,953 households, and 1,322 families residing in the county. The population density was 5 people per square mile (1.9 people/km2). There were 2,326 housing units at an average density of 3 per square mile (1.2/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 98.79% White, 0.11% Black or African American, 0.24% Native American, 0.04% Asian, 0.11% Pacific Islander, 0.22% from other races, and 0.49% from two or more races. 0.73% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 1,953 households, out of which 25.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.60% were married couples living together, 4.70% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.30% were non-families. 30.20% of all households were made up of individuals, and 18.60% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.27 and the average family size was 2.78.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 21.70% under the age of 18, 4.70% from 18 to 24, 22.10% from 25 to 44, 23.60% from 45 to 64, and 27.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 46 years. For every 100 females there were 92.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.40 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $28,486, and the median income for a family was $36,951. Males had a median income of $25,089 versus $18,608 for females. The per capita income for the county was $14,983. About 8.80% of families and 10.70% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.80% of those under age 18 and 9.50% of those age 65 or over.

The population distribution by township is as follows according to the 2000 census: Banner 54; Beaver 60; Blaine 60; Cedar 619; Center 2,094; Cora 38; Crystal Plains 40; Dor 46; Garfield 33; German 34; Harlan 100; Harvey 130; Houston 206; Lane 134; Lincoln 73; Logan 47; Martin 24; Oak 399; Pawnee 35; Pleasant 34; Swan 42; Valley 75; Washington 63; Webster 47; White Rock 49.

Government

Presidential elections

Presidential election results
United States presidential election results for Smith County, Kansas[13]
Year Republican Democratic Third party
No. %No. %No. %
2020 1,763 82.81% 336 15.78% 30 1.41%
2016 1,661 81.34% 297 14.54% 84 4.11%
2012 1,624 80.28% 358 17.70% 41 2.03%
2008 1,719 77.78% 446 20.18% 45 2.04%
2004 1,803 76.08% 540 22.78% 27 1.14%
2000 1,534 70.24% 534 24.45% 116 5.31%
1996 1,628 65.38% 638 25.62% 224 9.00%
1992 1,236 43.34% 789 27.66% 827 29.00%
1988 1,951 65.29% 1,004 33.60% 33 1.10%
1984 2,332 75.74% 684 22.22% 63 2.05%
1980 2,415 71.70% 719 21.35% 234 6.95%
1976 2,009 58.47% 1,333 38.80% 94 2.74%
1972 2,600 74.26% 818 23.36% 83 2.37%
1968 2,558 67.49% 939 24.78% 293 7.73%
1964 2,026 52.34% 1,809 46.73% 36 0.93%
1960 3,013 71.88% 1,157 27.60% 22 0.52%
1956 3,142 72.95% 1,139 26.45% 26 0.60%
1952 3,623 77.75% 986 21.16% 51 1.09%
1948 2,760 61.94% 1,590 35.68% 106 2.38%
1944 3,282 69.93% 1,377 29.34% 34 0.72%
1940 3,630 65.58% 1,855 33.51% 50 0.90%
1936 3,292 53.48% 2,847 46.25% 17 0.28%
1932 2,870 46.52% 3,155 51.14% 144 2.33%
1928 4,021 74.34% 1,338 24.74% 50 0.92%
1924 3,226 57.23% 1,634 28.99% 777 13.78%
1920 3,251 66.10% 1,535 31.21% 132 2.68%
1916 2,605 41.08% 3,431 54.10% 306 4.82%
1912 970 25.84% 1,534 40.86% 1,250 33.30%
1908 1,843 51.65% 1,593 44.65% 132 3.70%
1904 2,254 66.02% 596 17.46% 564 16.52%
1900 1,770 46.47% 1,978 51.93% 61 1.60%
1896 1,385 40.23% 2,019 58.64% 39 1.13%
1892 1,389 41.33% 0 0.00% 1,972 58.67%
1888 1,726 51.71% 777 23.28% 835 25.01%

Smith County is overwhelmingly Republican. No Democratic presidential candidate has won Smith County since Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1932. Since 1940 the only Democrat to win forty percent of the county's vote has been Lyndon Johnson during his 1964 landslide, and the last to pass thirty percent was Michael Dukakis during the drought-affected 1988 election

Laws

Following amendment to the Kansas Constitution in 1986, the 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.[14]

Education

Unified school districts

Communities

2005 KDOT Map of Smith County (map legend)

Cities

Unincorporated communities

Ghost towns

Townships

Smith County is divided into twenty-five 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.
TownshipFIPSPopulation
center		 PopulationPopulation
density
/km2 (/sq mi)		 Land area
km2 (sq mi)		Water area
km2 (sq mi)		Water % Geographic coordinates
Banner04100540.58 (1.50)93.29 (36.02)0 (0)0%39°42′3″N 98°47′13″W / 39.70083°N 98.78694°W / 39.70083; -98.78694
Beaver05200600.65 (1.67)92.89 (35.86)0.27 (0.10)0.29%39°56′50″N 98°46′34″W / 39.94722°N 98.77611°W / 39.94722; -98.77611
Blaine07200600.64 (1.67)93.24 (36.00)0.04 (0.01)0.04%39°47′20″N 98°40′48″W / 39.78889°N 98.68000°W / 39.78889; -98.68000
Cedar11350Kensington6196.68 (17.29)92.71 (35.80)0.08 (0.03)0.09%39°46′10″N 99°1′50″W / 39.76944°N 99.03056°W / 39.76944; -99.03056
Center12175Smith Center2,09422.48 (58.22)93.15 (35.97)0.04 (0.02)0.05%39°46′47″N 98°47′7″W / 39.77972°N 98.78528°W / 39.77972; -98.78528
Cora15525380.41 (1.06)92.96 (35.89)0.17 (0.06)0.18%39°52′45″N 98°40′7″W / 39.87917°N 98.66861°W / 39.87917; -98.66861
Crystal Plains16575400.43 (1.11)93.00 (35.91)0.05 (0.02)0.05%39°41′27″N 98°40′52″W / 39.69083°N 98.68111°W / 39.69083; -98.68111
Dor18300460.50 (1.29)92.55 (35.73)0.30 (0.11)0.32%39°37′33″N 99°0′4″W / 39.62583°N 99.00111°W / 39.62583; -99.00111
Garfield25825330.35 (0.92)92.96 (35.89)0.04 (0.02)0.04%39°35′48″N 98°40′21″W / 39.59667°N 98.67250°W / 39.59667; -98.67250
German26150340.37 (0.96)91.78 (35.44)0.27 (0.10)0.29%39°56′41″N 99°0′39″W / 39.94472°N 99.01083°W / 39.94472; -99.01083
Harlan301001001.07 (2.78)93.03 (35.92)0.05 (0.02)0.05%39°36′25″N 98°46′42″W / 39.60694°N 98.77833°W / 39.60694; -98.77833
Harvey30550Cedar1301.40 (3.63)92.86 (35.85)0.00 (0.00)0%39°41′10″N 98°55′32″W / 39.68611°N 98.92556°W / 39.68611; -98.92556
Houston33225Gaylord2062.22 (5.74)92.94 (35.88)0.14 (0.05)0.15%39°37′38″N 98°52′12″W / 39.62722°N 98.87000°W / 39.62722; -98.87000
Lane38450Athol1341.44 (3.73)92.98 (35.90)0.03 (0.01)0.04%39°46′49″N 98°53′30″W / 39.78028°N 98.89167°W / 39.78028; -98.89167
Lincoln41200730.79 (2.04)92.80 (35.83)0.15 (0.06)0.16%39°36′13″N 98°33′23″W / 39.60361°N 98.55639°W / 39.60361; -98.55639
Logan42275470.51 (1.32)92.50 (35.72)0.14 (0.05)0.15%39°57′5″N 98°34′4″W / 39.95139°N 98.56778°W / 39.95139; -98.56778
Martin45000240.26 (0.67)92.49 (35.71)0.25 (0.10)0.27%39°56′40″N 98°54′21″W / 39.94444°N 98.90583°W / 39.94444; -98.90583
Oak51650Lebanon3994.30 (11.13)92.88 (35.86)0.07 (0.03)0.07%39°48′10″N 98°33′29″W / 39.80278°N 98.55806°W / 39.80278; -98.55806
Pawnee54825350.38 (0.98)92.13 (35.57)0.41 (0.16)0.44%39°57′7″N 98°39′50″W / 39.95194°N 98.66389°W / 39.95194; -98.66389
Pleasant56300340.37 (0.95)92.69 (35.79)0.05 (0.02)0.05%39°51′28″N 98°54′28″W / 39.85778°N 98.90778°W / 39.85778; -98.90778
Swan69625420.46 (1.18)92.00 (35.52)0.23 (0.09)0.25%39°52′56″N 99°1′12″W / 39.88222°N 99.02000°W / 39.88222; -99.02000
Valley73175750.81 (2.09)92.82 (35.84)0.015 (0.006)0.02%39°41′28″N 98°59′59″W / 39.69111°N 98.99972°W / 39.69111; -98.99972
Washington75775630.68 (1.76)92.87 (35.86)0 (0)0%39°52′54″N 98°46′24″W / 39.88167°N 98.77333°W / 39.88167; -98.77333
Webster76275470.51 (1.31)92.76 (35.82)0.02 (0.01)0.02%39°42′27″N 98°34′8″W / 39.70750°N 98.56889°W / 39.70750; -98.56889
White Rock78000490.53 (1.37)92.88 (35.86)0.04 (0.02)0.04%39°52′37″N 98°33′5″W / 39.87694°N 98.55139°W / 39.87694; -98.55139

See also

Community information for Kansas

References

  1. 1 2 3 "QuickFacts; Smith County, Kansas; Population, Census, 2020 & 2010". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on August 20, 2021. Retrieved August 20, 2021.
  2. ↑ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  3. ↑ "Population and Geographic Centers" (PDF). www.census.gov. Archived (PDF) from the original on September 20, 2008. Retrieved March 6, 2014.
  4. ↑ Kansas Historical Society (October 2015). "Smith County, Kansas". Kansapedia. Retrieved May 21, 2019.
  5. ↑ Kansas Historical Society (December 2014). "Brewster Higley". Kansapedia. Retrieved May 21, 2019.
  6. ↑ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
  7. ↑ Geographic Center of the Lower 48 United States
  8. ↑ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 29, 2014.
  9. ↑ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved July 29, 2014.
  10. ↑ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 29, 2014.
  11. ↑ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 27, 2010. Retrieved July 29, 2014.
  12. ↑ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  13. ↑ "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections".
  14. ↑ "Map of Wet and Dry Counties". Alcoholic Beverage Control, Kansas Department of Revenue. November 2006. Archived from the original on October 8, 2007. Retrieved December 26, 2007.

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