Ford County, Kansas

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

Ford County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kansas. Its county seat and most populous city is Dodge City.<ref name="GR6">Template:Cite web</ref> As of the 2020 census, its population was 34,287.<ref name="QF">Template:Cite web</ref> The county was named in honor of James Ford, a brevet brigadier general during the Civil War.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

History

Template:See alsoOne of the earliest military posts in Kansas, Fort Atkinson, was located in Ford County. Fort Dodge, established in 1864, was on the north bank of the Arkansas River, about five miles southeast of what would become Dodge City. During the California Gold Rush in 1849, thousands of gold seekers passed through the area along the Santa Fe Trail, but few settled there.

Ford County was established in 1867 and named for Colonel James H. Ford of the Second Colorado Cavalry, who was in charge of the construction of Fort Dodge after the Civil War.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> The region had been frequently traveled by pioneers along the Santa Fe Trail since the early 19th century.<ref name=":0">Template:Cite web</ref>

The town of Dodge City was established in 1872 upon the completion of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad. Before the buffalo were wiped out, their hides were extensively shipped from Dodge City. Dodge City would later develop into a rough and tumble cowtown during the peak cattle drive years of 1875–1885.<ref name=":0" /><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of Template:Convert, of which Template:Convert are land and Template:Convert (0.07%) is covered by water.<ref name="GR1">Template:Cite web</ref>

Adjacent counties

Transit

Major highways

Demographics

Population pyramid based on 2000 census age data

Template:US Census population The Dodge City Micropolitan Statistical Area includes all of Ford County.

As of the 2000 census,<ref name="GR2">Template:Cite web</ref> 33,848 people, 10,852 households, and 7,856 families were residing in the county. The population density was Template:Convert. The 11,650 housing units averaged Template:Convert. The racial makeup of the county was 75.3% White, 2.1% African American, 1.0% Native American, 1.4% Asian, 0.2% Pacific Islander, 17.8% from other races, and 2.7% from two or more races. Hispanic and Latino Americans of any race were 51.2% of the population.

Of the 10,852 households, 40.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.90% were married couples living together, 9.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.60% were not families. About 22.70% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.92, and the average family size was 3.42.

In the county, the age distribution was 31.10% under 18, 11.20% from 18 to 24, 29.40% from 25 to 44, 17.30% from 45 to 64, and 11.00% who were 65 or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females, there were 107.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 105.30 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $37,860, and for a family was $42,734. Males had a median income of $27,189 versus $22,165 for females. The per capita income for the county was $15,721. About 9.90% of families and 12.40% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.40% of those under age 18 and 8.40% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Presidential elections

Ford County has been strongly Republican for most of its history, especially in recent elections. Only eight Democratic presidential candidates from 1880 to 2024 have carried the county, the most recent being Jimmy Carter in 1976. Template:Hidden

Laws

Ford 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

Colleges

Unified school districts

Communities

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

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

Cities

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Unincorporated communities

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

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Townships

Ford County is divided into 14 townships. The city of Dodge City 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
center 		Population Population
density
/km2 (/sq mi) 		Land area
km2 (sq mi)		 Water area
km2 (sq mi)		 Water % Geographic coordinates
Bloom 07375 113 1 (2) 144 (55) 0 (0) 0% Template:Coord
Bucklin 09025 900 3 (8) 285 (110) 0 (0) 0.02% Template:Coord
Concord 15150 117 1 (2) 187 (72) 0 (0) 0.11% Template:Coord
Dodge 18225 899 13 (33) 70 (27) 0 (0) 0.21% Template:Coord
Enterprise 21450 1,113 6 (17) 175 (67) 0 (0) 0.19% Template:Coord
Fairview 22500 346 2 (5) 188 (73) 0 (0) 0.06% Template:Coord
Ford 23750 456 2 (5) 249 (96) 0 (0) 0.01% Template:Coord
Grandview 27350 784 3 (9) 226 (87) 0 (0) 0.20% Template:Coord
Richland 59300 931 9 (24) 99 (38) 0 (0) 0.17% Template:Coord
Royal 61575 105 1 (1) 185 (72) 0 (0) 0.06% Template:Coord
Sodville 66150 110 1 (2) 145 (56) 0 (0) 0.01% Template:Coord
Spearville 67150 1,150 2 (6) 479 (185) 0 (0) 0.03% Template:Coord
Wheatland 77675 170 1 (2) 193 (74) 0 (0) 0% Template:Coord
Wilburn 79100 88 0 (1) 187 (72) 0 (0) 0% Template:Coord
Sources: Template:Cite web

Notable people

Numerous figures of the American Old West lived in Dodge City during its period as a frontier cowtown. These included, most notably, lawmen Wyatt Earp and Bat Masterson, and gunfighter Doc Holliday.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

See also

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Railroad crew works on the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe tracks near Bellefont, 1974. Photo by Charles O'Rear.

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References

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Further reading

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County
Historical
Maps

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

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