Dickinson County, Kansas

From Vero - Wikipedia
Jump to navigation Jump to search

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

Dickinson County is a county in Central Kansas. Its county seat and most populous city is Abilene.<ref name="GR6">Template:Cite web</ref> As of the 2020 census, the county population was 18,402.<ref name="QF">Template:Cite web</ref> The county was named in honor of Daniel Dickinson, a U.S. Senator from New York that was a Kansas statehood advocate.<ref>Template:Cite book</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. In 1762, after the French and Indian War, France secretly ceded New France to Spain, per the Treaty of Fontainebleau. 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 1848, after the Mexican–American War, the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo with Spain brought into the United States all or part of land for ten future states, including southwest Kansas. In 1854, the Kansas Territory was organized, then in 1861 Kansas became the 34th U.S. state.

19th century

1915-1918 railroad map of Dickinson County

In 1857, Dickinson County was founded.

The first railroad in Dickinson County was built through that territory in 1866.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

In 1887, Mr. Herington got the Chicago, Kansas and Nebraska Railway to build through Herington. He gave the land and right-of-way for Herington to become a division point with shops, two round houses, freight house, bridge yards, telegraph office and many other buildings. He furnished the limestone for the freight house, and for a two-story depot that was Template:Convert and later enlarged to Template:Convert.<ref>Herington History</ref>

In 1887, the Chicago, Kansas and Nebraska Railway built a main line from Topeka to Herington.<ref name="Rock Island Rail History">Template:Cite web</ref> This main line connected Topeka, Valencia, Willard, Maple Hill, Vera, Paxico, McFarland, Alma, Volland, Alta Vista, Dwight, White City, Latimer, Herington.

In 1887, the Chicago, Kansas and Nebraska Railway extended its main line from Herington to Pratt.<ref name="Rock Island Rail History" /> This main line connected Herington, Ramona, Tampa, Durham, Waldeck, Canton, Galva, McPherson, Groveland, Inman, Medora, Hutchinson, Whiteside, Partridge, Arlington, Langdon, Turon, Preston, Natrona, Pratt. In 1888, this main line was extended to Liberal. Later, this line was extended to Tucumcari, New Mexico and El Paso, Texas. This line is called the "Golden State Limited".

In 1887, the Chicago, Kansas and Nebraska Railway built a branch line north–south from Herington to Caldwell.<ref name="Rock Island Rail History" /> This branch line connected Herington, Lost Springs, Lincolnville, Antelope, Marion, Aulne, Peabody, Elbing, Whitewater, Furley, Kechi, Wichita, Peck, Corbin, Wellington, Caldwell. By 1893, this branch line was incrementally built to Fort Worth, Texas. This line is called the "OKT".

The Chicago, Kansas and Nebraska Railway was foreclosed in 1891 and was taken over by Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railway, which shut down in 1980 and reorganized as Oklahoma, Kansas and Texas Railroad, merged in 1988 with Missouri Pacific Railroad, merged in 1997 with Union Pacific Railroad. Most locals still refer to this railroad as the "Rock Island".

In 1887, Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway built a branch line from Neva (3 miles west of Strong City) to Superior, Nebraska. This branch line connected Strong City, Neva, Rockland, Diamond Springs, Burdick, Lost Springs, Jacobs, Hope, Navarre, Enterprise, Abilene, Talmage, Manchester, Longford, Oak Hill, Miltonvale, Aurora, Huscher, Concordia, Kackley, Courtland, Webber, Superior. At some point, the line from Neva to Lost Springs was pulled but the right of way has not been abandoned. This branch line was originally called "Strong City and Superior line" but later the name was shortened to the "Strong City line".

In 1996, the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway merged with Burlington Northern Railroad and renamed to the current BNSF Railway. Most locals still refer to this railroad as the "Santa Fe".

21st century

In 2010, the Keystone-Cushing Pipeline (Phase II) was constructed north to south through Dickinson County, with much controversy over tax exemption and environmental concerns.<ref>Keystone Pipeline - Marion County Commission calls out Legislative Leadership on Pipeline Deal; April 18, 2010. Template:Webarchive</ref><ref>Keystone Pipeline - TransCanada inspecting pipeline; December 10, 2010.</ref> A pumping station named Hope was built along the pipeline.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has an area of Template:Convert, of which Template:Convert is land and Template:Convert (0.6%) is water.<ref name="GR1">Template:Cite web</ref>

Adjacent counties

Demographics

Population pyramid based on 2000 census age data

Template:US Census population

2000 census

As of the 2000 census,<ref name="GR2">Template:Cite web</ref> there were 19,344 people, 7,903 households, and 5,421 families residing in the county. The population density was Template:Convert. There were 8,686 housing units at an average density of Template:Convert. The county's racial makeup was 96.44% White, 0.58% Black or African American, 0.49% Native American, 0.30% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.82% from other races, and 1.36% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.30% of the population.

There were 7,903 households, of which 31.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.90% were married couples living together, 7.70% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.40% were non-families. 28.10% of households were made up of individuals, and 14.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 2.94.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 25.70% under the age of 18, 6.30% from 18 to 24, 26.30% from 25 to 44, 23.10% from 45 to 64, and 18.60% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 95.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.60 males.

The county's median household income was $35,975, and the median family income was $43,952. Males had a median income of $30,889 versus $18,526 for females. The per capita income in the county was $17,780. About 5.30% of families and 7.50% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.70% of those under age 18 and 11.30% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Presidential elections

Template:Hidden

Laws

Dickinson 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

School districts covering the county include:<ref name=CensusSDMap2020>Template:Cite web - Text list</ref>

School district office in neighboring county<ref name=CensusSDMap2020/>

Communities

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

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

Cities

‡ means a community has portions in an adjacent county. Template:Div col

Template:Div col end

Unincorporated communities

† means a community is designated a Census-Designated Place (CDP) by the United States Census Bureau. Template:Div col

Template:Div col end

Townships

Dickinson County is divided into twenty-four townships. The cities of Abilene and Herington are considered governmentally independent and are 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
center 		Population Population
density
/km2 (/sq mi) 		Land area
km2 (sq mi)		 Water area
km2 (sq mi)		 Water % Geographic coordinates
Banner 03975 148 2 (4) 92 (35) 1 (0) 0.62% Template:Coord
Buckeye 08925 437 5 (12) 94 (36) 0 (0) 0.15% Template:Coord
Center 11675 1,210 13 (34) 92 (35) 2 (1) 2.16% Template:Coord
Cheever 12700 149 2 (4) 93 (36) 0 (0) 0.04% Template:Coord
Flora 23550 217 2 (6) 93 (36) 0 (0) 0.08% Template:Coord
Fragrant Hill 24250 251 3 (8) 77 (30) 0 (0) 0.21% Template:Coord
Garfield 25550 189 2 (5) 94 (36) 0 (0) 0.06% Template:Coord
Grant 27625 918 11 (29) 82 (32) 1 (1) 1.58% Template:Coord
Hayes 30900 233 3 (8) 78 (30) 0 (0) 0.04% Template:Coord
Holland 32625 107 1 (3) 93 (36) 0 (0) 0.17% Template:Coord
Hope 33100 519 6 (15) 92 (35) 0 (0) 0.45% Template:Coord
Jefferson 35175 166 2 (5) 94 (36) 0 (0) 0.46% Template:Coord
Liberty 40000 405 4 (9) 114 (44) 0 (0) 0.11% Template:Coord
Lincoln 40625 1,669 18 (46) 93 (36) 2 (1) 1.99% Template:Coord
Logan 41850 202 2 (6) 94 (36) 0 (0) 0.23% Template:Coord
Lyon 43475 252 3 (8) 86 (33) 1 (0) 0.98% Template:Coord
Newbern 50225 349 4 (10) 94 (36) 0 (0) 0.14% Template:Coord
Noble 50800 1,730 21 (55) 81 (31) 1 (0) 1.29% Template:Coord
Ridge 59800 160 2 (4) 94 (36) 0 (0) 0.43% Template:Coord
Rinehart 59900 194 2 (5) 93 (36) 0 (0) 0.40% Template:Coord
Sherman 64925 147 2 (5) 78 (30) 0 (0) 0% Template:Coord
Union 72100 176 2 (5) 94 (36) 0 (0) 0.20% Template:Coord
Wheatland 77625 152 2 (4) 93 (36) 0 (0) 0.18% Template:Coord
Willowdale 79450 258 3 (7) 93 (36) 0 (0) 0.05% Template:Coord
Sources: Template:Cite web

Points of interest

The Eisenhower Library is in Abilene. In addition to exhibits relating to the life and presidency of the 34th US president, the site is also the location of the tombs of President Eisenhower, First Lady Mamie Eisenhower, and their son who died in infancy.

Notable people

On April 15, 1871, Wild Bill Hickok became marshal of Abilene after its previous marshal was shot and killed.

Template:See also

Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower was born in Texas but moved to Abilene at an early age and considered Abilene home. He was the 34th President of the United States from 1953 until 1961. Prior to that he was a five-star general in the United States Army. During World War II, as Supreme Commander of the Allied Forces in Europe; he planned and supervised the invasion of North Africa in Operation Torch in 1942–43 and the invasion of France and Germany in 1944–45, from the Western Front. In 1951, he became the first supreme commander of NATO.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The Eisenhower Library (see above) is in Abilene.

Joe Engle is a retired U.S. Air Force colonel and a former NASA astronaut. Engle helped to flight test the joint NASA-Air Force X-15 rocket airplane. During testing, Engle earned his USAF astronaut wings, a Distinguished Flying Cross and other awards. He was one of the first astronauts in the Space Shuttle program and flight tested the Space Shuttle Enterprise in 1977. He was commander of the second orbital test flight of the Space Shuttle Columbia in 1981. Engle was born and raised in Chapman.

Several figures from the American Old West spent time in the county. Folk hero James Butler "Wild Bill" Hickok, gunfighter John Wesley Hardin, and dance hall girl/prostitute Libby Thompson all made their mark in Abilene when it was in its wild cattle-town days.

US Army Chaplains John H. Eastwood and Emil Kapaun were stationed at Herington Army Airfield for part of their tour of duty during World War II.

Pop Hollinger pioneered the industry of comic book collecting and also managed to secure several patents. He grew up in Chapman.

See also

Template:Portal

Template:See also Kansas counties

References

Template:Reflist

Notes

Template:Notelist

Further reading

Template:Kansas books Template:See also

County
Trails

Template:Commons category

County
Historical
Maps

Template:Geographic Location

Template:Dickinson County, Kansas Template:Kansas Template:Authority control

Retrieved from "https://wiki.sarg.dev/index.php?title=Dickinson_County,_Kansas&oldid=63890"