View source for Woodson County, Kansas

{{short description|County in Kansas, United States}}
{{Use American English|date=June 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox U.S. county
|county             = Woodson County
|state              = Kansas
|ex image           = Woodson County Courthouse, Yates Center, KS.jpg
|ex image cap       = [[Woodson County Courthouse]] in [[Yates Center, Kansas|Yates Center]]
|type               = [[County (United States)|County]]
|founded            = 1855
|named for          = [[Daniel Woodson]]
|seat wl            = Yates Center
|largest city wl    = Yates Center
|area_total_sq_mi   = 505
|area_land_sq_mi    = 498
|area_water_sq_mi   = 7.4
|area percentage    = 1.5
|population_footnotes = <ref name="QF" />
|population_as_of   = 2020
|population_total   = 3115
|pop_est_footnotes  =<ref>{{Cite web |title=Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023 |url=https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/popest/2020s-counties-total.html |access-date=March 24, 2024 |publisher=United States Census Bureau}}</ref>
|pop_est_as_of      =2023
|population_est     =3115
|population_density_sq_mi = 6.3
|district           = 2nd
|time zone          = Central
|website            = {{URL|http://woodsoncounty.net/|WoodsonCounty.net}}
}}

'''Woodson County''' is a [[County (United States)|county]] located in the [[U.S. state]] of [[Kansas]].  Its [[county seat]] is [[Yates Center, Kansas|Yates Center]].<ref name="GR6">{{cite web|url=http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx|access-date=June 7, 2011|title=Find a County|publisher=National Association of Counties}}</ref>  As of the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]], the county population was 3,115.<ref name="QF">{{cite web |title=QuickFacts; Woodson County, Kansas; Population, Census, 2020 & 2010 |url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/woodsoncountykansas/POP010220 |publisher=United States Census Bureau |access-date=August 21, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210822015758/https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/woodsoncountykansas/POP010220 |archive-date=August 22, 2021 |url-status=live}}</ref>  The county was named after [[Daniel Woodson]], a five-time acting governor of the Kansas Territory.

==History==

===Early history===
{{See also|History of Kansas}}
For many [[millennia]], the [[Great Plains]] of North America was inhabited by [[nomadic]] [[Native Americans in the United States|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 (1762)|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 [[History of Kansas|modern day Kansas]] was acquired by the United States from France as part of the 828,000 square mile [[Louisiana Purchase]] for 2.83 [[Penny (United States coin)|cents]] per [[acre]].

In 1854, the [[Kansas Territory]] was organized, then in 1861 [[Kansas]] became the 34th [[U.S. state]]. In 1855, '''Woodson County''' was established. [[Fort Belmont]] was used during the [[American Civil War|Civil War]] and had received refugees from the [[Trail of Blood on Ice]]. [[Opothleyahola]] is buried in an unmarked grave next to his daughter who died at the fort.

==Geography==
According to the [[U.S. Census Bureau]], the county has a total area of {{convert|505|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|498|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|7.4|sqmi}} (1.5%) is water.<ref name="GR1">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=April 23, 2011|date=February 12, 2011|title=US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990}}</ref>

===Adjacent counties===
* [[Coffey County, Kansas|Coffey County]] (north)
* [[Anderson County, Kansas|Anderson County]] (northeast)
* [[Allen County, Kansas|Allen County]] (east)
* [[Neosho County, Kansas|Neosho County]] (southeast)
* [[Wilson County, Kansas|Wilson County]] (south)
* [[Greenwood County, Kansas|Greenwood County]] (west)

==Demographics==
[[Image:USA Woodson County, Kansas age pyramid.svg|thumb|175px|left|[[Population pyramid]] based on 2000 census age data]]
{{US Census population
|1860= 1488
|1870= 3827
|1880= 6535
|1890= 9021
|1900= 10022
|1910= 9450
|1920= 8984
|1930= 8526
|1940= 8014
|1950= 6711
|1960= 5423
|1970= 4789
|1980= 4600
|1990= 4116
|2000= 3788
|2010= 3309
|2020= 3115
|estyear=2023
|estimate=3115
|estref=<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/data/tables.html|title=Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=April 3, 2024}}</ref>
|align-fn=center
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=U.S. Decennial Census|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=July 29, 2014}}</ref><br />1790-1960<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu|title=Historical Census Browser|publisher=University of Virginia Library|access-date=July 29, 2014}}</ref> 1900-1990<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/cencounts/ks190090.txt|title=Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=July 29, 2014}}</ref><br />1990-2000<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100327165705/http://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf |archive-date=March 27, 2010 |url-status=live|title=Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=July 29, 2014}}</ref> 2010-2020<ref name="QF" />
}}

As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=January 31, 2008|title=U.S. Census website}}</ref> of 2000, there were 3,788 people, 1,642 households, and 1,052 families residing in the county. The [[population density]] was {{convert|8|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|people&nbsp;|people|}}. There were 2,076 housing units at an average density of {{convert|4|/mi2|/km2|}}. The racial makeup of the county was 96.96% [[Race (United States Census)|White]], 0.82% [[Race (United States Census)|Black]] or [[Race (United States Census)|African American]], 0.87% [[Race (United States Census)|Native American]], 0.05% [[Race (United States Census)|Asian]], 0.24% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 1.06% from two or more races. 1.37% of the population were [[Race (United States Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Race (United States Census)|Latino]] of any race.

There were 1,642 households, out of which 25.80% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.80% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 7.40% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.90% were non-families. 33.30% of all households were made up of individuals, and 19.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.24 and the average family size was 2.83.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 21.70% under the age of 18, 7.40% from 18 to 24, 22.10% from 25 to 44, 23.90% from 45 to 64, and 24.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females there were 96.80 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.80 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $25,335, and the median income for a family was $31,369. Males had a median income of $23,950 versus $16,135 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the county was $14,283. About 10.20% of families and 13.20% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 17.20% of those under age 18 and 13.20% of those age 65 or over.

==Government==

===Presidential elections===
{{Hidden
|headercss  = background: #ccccff; font-size: 100%; width: 100%;
|contentcss = text-align: left; font-size: 100%; width: 100%;
|header     = Presidential election results
|content    =
{{PresHead|place=Woodson County, Kansas|source=<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS|title = Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections}}</ref>}}
<!-- PresRow should be {{PresRow|Year|Winning party|GOP vote #|Dem vote #|3rd party vote #|State}} -->
{{PresRow|1888|Republican|1,149|595|467|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1892|Republican|1,071|0|1,064|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1896|Republican|1,288|1,189|21|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1900|Republican|1,418|1,115|20|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1904|Republican|1,490|657|197|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1908|Republican|1,252|1,047|53|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1912|Democratic|694|900|788|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1916|Republican|1,861|1,794|205|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1920|Republican|2,253|944|82|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1924|Republican|2,412|1,026|380|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1928|Republican|2,885|855|27|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1932|Democratic|1,842|2,119|117|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1936|Republican|2,374|1,884|20|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1940|Republican|2,637|1,398|30|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1944|Republican|2,308|999|11|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1948|Republican|1,997|1,145|49|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1952|Republican|2,594|786|20|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1956|Republican|2,171|870|22|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1960|Republican|1,853|888|10|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1964|Republican|1,279|1,128|24|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1968|Republican|1,450|639|226|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1972|Republican|1,592|550|51|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1976|Republican|1,104|904|33|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1980|Republican|1,435|646|108|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1984|Republican|1,408|596|26|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1988|Republican|1,062|761|24|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1992|Republican|662|590|614|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|1996|Republican|953|598|281|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|2000|Republican|974|521|100|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|2004|Republican|1,204|530|29|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|2008|Republican|1,055|512|32|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|2012|Republican|1,035|380|32|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|2016|Republican|1,082|273|88|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|2020|Republican|1,228|294|24|Kansas}}
{{PresRow|2024|Republican|1,205|282|19|Kansas}}
{{PresFoot}}
}}<!-- End of Hidden template -->

In presidential elections, as is the case with other rural areas of Kansas, Woodson County votes predominantly Republican. The only Democrat to win a majority in the county was [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]] in 1932, although [[Woodrow Wilson]] won a plurality in 1912. In contrast, [[Charles Evans Hughes]] in 1916 and [[George H. W. Bush]] in 1992 are the only Republican winners of the county who only managed to win a plurality of its votes.

==Education==

===Unified school districts===
School districts with territory in the county include:<ref>{{cite map|author=Geography Division|url=https://www2.census.gov:443/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st20_ks/schooldistrict_maps/c20207_woodson/DC20SD_C20207.pdf|title=2020 Census - School District Reference Map: Woodson County, KS|publisher=[[U.S. Census Bureau]]|place=[[Suitland, Maryland]]|date=January 15, 2021|access-date=2025-11-04}} - [https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st20_ks/schooldistrict_maps/c20207_woodson/DC20SD_C20207_SD2MS.txt Text list]</ref>
* [[Woodson USD 366]] - Offices in the county
* [[Altoona–Midway USD 387]]
* [[Eureka USD 389]]
* [[Fredonia USD 484]]
* [[Humboldt USD 258]]
* [[Leroy-Gridley USD 245]]
* [[Madison-Virgil USD 386]]

==Communities==
[[Image:Map of Woodson Co, Ks, USA.png|thumb|350px|2005 map of Woodson County<ref name="County-Map-Current"/> ([[:Image:Kansas official transportation map legend.png|map legend]])]]
List of townships / incorporated cities / unincorporated communities / extinct former communities within Woodson County.<ref name="County-Map-Current">{{cite web |title=General Highway Map of Woodson County, Kansas |url=https://www.ksdot.gov/Assets/wwwksdotorg/bureaus/burTransPlan/maps/county-pdf/woodson.PDF |publisher=[[Kansas Department of Transportation]] (KDOT) |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240521081653/https://www.ksdot.gov/Assets/wwwksdotorg/bureaus/burTransPlan/maps/county-pdf/woodson.PDF |archive-date=May 21, 2024 |date=December 2011 |url-status=live}}</ref>

===Cities===
* [[Yates Center, Kansas|Yates Center]] (county seat)
* [[Toronto, Kansas|Toronto]]
* [[Neosho Falls, Kansas|Neosho Falls]]

===Unincorporated communities===
† means a community is designated a [[Census-designated place|Census-Designated Place]] (CDP) by the [[United States Census Bureau]].
* [[Cookville, Kansas|Cookville]]
* [[Durand, Kansas|Durand]]
* [[Piqua, Kansas|Piqua]]†
* [[Vernon, Kansas|Vernon]]

===Ghost towns===
* Defiance - located six miles east of Yates Center, its population moved to Yates Center after it was selected as the permanent county seat in 1876<ref name=gt>{{cite web|title=WOODSON COUNTY, KANSAS COUNTY HISTORY|url=http://genealogytrails.com/kan/woodson/history1.html|website=genealogytrails.com|access-date=September 18, 2017}}</ref>
* Kalida - located two miles south of Yates Center, its population moved to Yates Center after it was selected as the permanent county seat in 1876<ref name=gt/>

===Townships===
Woodson County is divided into six [[Civil township|townships]]. The city of [[Yates Center, Kansas|Yates Center]] 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.

{| class="toccolours" border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=4 style="text-align:center; border-collapse:collapse; font-size:90%;"
|+align="bottom"|Sources: [https://web.archive.org/web/20020802223743/http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/places2k.html 2000 U.S. Gazetteer] from the [[U.S. Census Bureau]].
|- style="background:#ccccff"
! Township !! [[FIPS place code|FIPS]] !! Population<br />center
! Population !! Population<br />density<br /><small>/km<sup>2</sup> (/sq&nbsp;mi)</small>
! Land area<br /><small>km<sup>2</sup> (sq&nbsp;mi)</small> !! Water area<br /><small>km<sup>2</sup> (sq&nbsp;mi)</small> !! Water %
! Geographic coordinates
|-
| Center || 12250 || || 594 || 1 (4) || 410 (158) || 1 (0) || 0.23% || {{coord|37|50|35|N|95|43|29|W|}}
|-
| Liberty || 40375 || || 200 || 1 (2) || 223 (86) || 1 (0) || 0.26% || {{coord|37|59|18|N|95|43|47|W|}}
|-
| Neosho Falls || 49850 || || 537 || 3 (7) || 196 (76) || 1 (0) || 0.38% || {{coord|37|57|30|N|95|33|54|W|}}
|-
| North || 51025 || || 71 || 0 (1) || 167 (64) || 0 (0) || 0.11% || {{coord|37|59|50|N|95|53|19|W|}}
|-
| Perry || 55475 || || 103 || 1 (2) || 127 (49) || 0 (0) || 0.08% || {{coord|37|46|18|N|95|35|24|W|}}
|-
| Toronto || 71075 || || 684 || 4 (11) || 167 (64) || 10 (4) || 5.40% || {{coord|37|47|52|N|95|55|37|W|}}
|}

==See also==
{{Portal|Kansas}}
{{See also Kansas counties}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
{{Kansas books}}
* [http://www.kansasmemory.org/item/209413/ ''Standard Atlas of Woodson County, Kansas'']; Geo. A. Ogle & Co; 38 pages; 1904.

==External links==
{{Commons category|Woodson County, Kansas}}
;County
* {{Official website|http://woodsoncounty.net/|Woodson County - Official Website}}
* [https://www.lkm.org/members/?id=41260506 Woodson County - Directory of Public Officials]
;Maps
* Woodson County maps: [https://www.ksdot.org/Assets/wwwksdotorg/bureaus/burTransPlan/maps/county-pdf/woodson.PDF Current], [https://www.ksdot.org/bureaus/burtransplan/maps/PastPublishedCounty.asp Historic], KDOT
* Kansas Highway maps: [https://www.ksdot.org/burtransplan/maps/MapsState.asp Current], [https://www.ksdot.org/burtransplan/maps/HistoricStateMaps.asp Historic], KDOT
* Kansas Railroad maps: [https://www.ksdot.org/BurTransPlan/maps/RRStateMap.asp Current], [https://www.kansasmemory.org/item/227379 1996], [https://www.kansasmemory.org/item/227380 1915], KDOT and Kansas Historical Society

{{Geographic location
|Center    = Woodson County, Kansas
|North     = [[Coffey County, Kansas|Coffey County]]
|Northeast = [[Anderson County, Kansas|Anderson County]]
|East      = [[Allen County, Kansas|Allen County]]
|Southeast = [[Neosho County, Kansas|Neosho County]]
|South     = [[Wilson County, Kansas|Wilson County]]
|Southwest = 
|West      = [[Greenwood County, Kansas|Greenwood County]]
|Northwest = 
}}

{{Woodson County, Kansas}}
{{Kansas}}
{{Authority control}}
{{coord|37|53|N|95|44|W|type:adm2nd_region:US-KS|display=title}}

[[Category:Woodson County, Kansas| ]]
[[Category:Kansas counties]]
[[Category:1855 establishments in Kansas Territory]]