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Cowley County, Kansas

Coordinates: 37°14′N 96°50′W / 37.233°N 96.833°W / 37.233; -96.833
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Cowley County
County
Cowley County National Bank Building (2013)
Cowley County National Bank Building (2013)
Map of Kansas highlighting Cowley County
Location within the U.S. state of Kansas
Map of the United States highlighting Kansas
Kansas's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 37°14′N 96°50′W / 37.233°N 96.833°W / 37.233; -96.833
Country United States
State Kansas
FoundedFebruary 26, 1867
Named forMatthew Cowley
SeatWinfield
Largest cityArkansas City
Area
 • Total
1,132 sq mi (2,930 km2)
 • Land1,126 sq mi (2,920 km2)
 • Water6.7 sq mi (17 km2)  0.6%
Population
 (2020)[1]
 • Total
34,549
 • Density30.7/sq mi (11.9/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
Area code620
Congressional district4th
Websitecowleycounty.org

Cowley County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kansas. Its county seat is Winfield,[2] and its most populous city is Arkansas City. As of the 2020 census, the county population was 34,549.[1] The county was named after Matthew Cowley, first lieutenant in Company I, 9th Kansas Cavalry, who died during the American Civil War.

History

[edit]
See also: History of Kansas

For millennia, the land now known as Kansas was inhabited by Native Americans. The first European visitor to Kansas was the Spanish explorer Francisco Vasquez de Coronado in 1541. In 1601, the Governor of New Mexico, Juan de Oñate, visited Etzanoa, a settlement of several thousand Wichita people near Arkansas City along the Walnut River. The ruins of Etzanoa have been found by archaeologists.

19th century

[edit]

In 1803, most of modern Kansas was secured by the United States as part of the Louisiana Purchase. In 1854, the Kansas Territory was organized, then in 1861 Kansas became the 34th U.S. state. Cowley County was officially organized as a county, but reserved for the Osage Indians, by the Kansas Legislature in March 1867, originally named Hunter County for Robert Mercer Taliaferro Hunter (1809–1887), a Virginia Representative and Senator to Congress and Speaker of the House in the twenty-sixth Congress. In 1870, the county was renamed for Matthew Cowley, First Lieutenant in Company I, 9th Kansas Cavalry, who died at Little Rock, Arkansas, on October 7, 1864. Officially opened for settlement July 15, 1870, there was a lengthy and bitter disagreement between the towns of Winfield and Cresswell (the town now named Arkansas City) over the possession of the county seat of government. Finally settled after two special elections and numerous petitions to the Governor and Legislature, Winfield was determined to be the county seat and a courthouse was constructed in 1873 at a cost of $11,500.[3]

21st century

[edit]

In 2010, the Keystone-Cushing Pipeline (Phase II) was constructed north to south through Cowley County. Controversy arose from the Kansas legislature's decision to grant the pipeline a ten-year exemption from property taxes; it was estimated that this would mean $15 million per year in lost revenue to the six counties through which the pipeline passed. The counties were unsuccessful in an attempt to eliminate the exemption.[4][5][6][7]

Geography

[edit]

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,132 square miles (2,930 km2), of which 1,126 square miles (2,920 km2) is land and 6.7 square miles (17 km2) (0.6%) is water.[8]

Waterfall located in the Cowley County Fishing Lake - Year 2016

West of Dexter, KS, Cowley County Fishing Lake is positioned just off of Highway 166. This fishing lake is the home of the Cowley County Waterfall, which can be visited following the road to the northwest side of the property.[9] However, in recent years (as of 2021) the severe drought has caused the waterfall to stop flowing. It will likely continue if the area receives enough precipitation and ends the drought.

Waterfall (Currently not flowing) located in the Cowley County Fishing Lake - Year 2023

Adjacent counties

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Demographics

[edit]
Population pyramid based on 2000 census age data
Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
1860158—
18701,175643.7%
188021,5381,733.0%
189034,47860.1%
190030,156−12.5%
191031,7905.4%
192035,15510.6%
193040,90316.4%
194038,139−6.8%
195036,905−3.2%
196037,8612.6%
197035,012−7.5%
198036,8245.2%
199036,9150.2%
200036,291−1.7%
201036,3110.1%
202034,549−4.9%
2023 (est.)34,157[10]−1.1%
U.S. Decennial Census[11]
1790-1960[12] 1900-1990[13]
1990-2000[14] 2010-2020[1]

Cowley County comprises the Arkansas City-Winfield, KS Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is included in the Wichita-Arkansas City-Winfield, KS Combined Statistical Area.

As of the U.S. Census in 2000,[15] there were 36,291 people, 14,039 households, and 9,616 families residing in the county. The population density was 32 inhabitants per square mile (12/km2). There were 15,673 housing units at an average density of 14 per square mile (5.4/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 90.13% White, 2.70% Black or African American, 1.96% Native American, 1.53% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 1.36% from other races, and 2.30% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.59% of the population.

There were 14,039 households, out of which 32.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.20% were married couples living together, 9.60% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.50% were non-families. 27.90% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.20% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 3.00.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 26.00% under the age of 18, 9.90% from 18 to 24, 26.00% from 25 to 44, 22.20% from 45 to 64, and 15.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.20 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $34,406, and the median income for a family was $43,636. Males had a median income of $31,703 versus $21,341 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,509. About 9.20% of families and 12.90% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.00% of those under age 18 and 11.20% of those age 65 or over.

Government

[edit]

Presidential elections

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Presidential election results
United States presidential election results for Cowley County, Kansas[16]
Year Republican Democratic Third party(ies)
No.  % No.  % No.  %
2024 9,171 69.24% 3,853 29.09% 221 1.67%
2020 9,656 67.85% 4,273 30.03% 302 2.12%
2016 8,270 65.53% 3,551 28.14% 800 6.34%
2012 8,081 63.58% 4,319 33.98% 310 2.44%
2008 8,492 61.59% 5,012 36.35% 283 2.05%
2004 9,407 65.11% 4,818 33.35% 222 1.54%
2000 8,080 56.86% 5,535 38.95% 595 4.19%
1996 7,872 50.79% 5,588 36.05% 2,039 13.16%
1992 5,422 34.35% 5,405 34.24% 4,957 31.41%
1988 7,778 54.44% 6,186 43.30% 322 2.25%
1984 10,008 64.99% 5,193 33.72% 198 1.29%
1980 8,749 57.14% 5,474 35.75% 1,089 7.11%
1976 7,513 50.32% 7,095 47.52% 323 2.16%
1972 10,332 70.51% 3,592 24.51% 729 4.98%
1968 8,070 54.30% 5,014 33.74% 1,777 11.96%
1964 7,092 47.93% 7,591 51.30% 114 0.77%
1960 10,276 61.98% 6,205 37.42% 99 0.60%
1956 6,734 63.93% 3,753 35.63% 46 0.44%
1952 11,454 68.13% 5,242 31.18% 116 0.69%
1948 8,102 52.13% 7,042 45.31% 397 2.55%
1944 8,453 55.91% 6,577 43.50% 90 0.60%
1940 9,684 53.99% 8,115 45.25% 136 0.76%
1936 8,378 43.51% 10,805 56.12% 72 0.37%
1932 7,657 44.71% 8,681 50.69% 788 4.60%
1928 12,701 80.79% 2,818 17.93% 202 1.28%
1924 8,529 58.51% 3,161 21.68% 2,887 19.81%
1920 7,352 59.22% 4,733 38.13% 329 2.65%
1916 5,297 43.87% 5,962 49.37% 816 6.76%
1912 1,113 15.75% 2,539 35.93% 3,414 48.32%
1908 2,578 42.42% 2,995 49.28% 505 8.31%
1904 3,961 61.33% 1,456 22.54% 1,042 16.13%
1900 3,679 50.47% 3,436 47.14% 174 2.39%
1896 2,871 45.14% 3,410 53.62% 79 1.24%
1892 3,886 49.13% 0 0.00% 4,023 50.87%
1888 4,112 53.41% 1,933 25.11% 1,654 21.48%

Laws

[edit]

Following amendment to the Kansas Constitution in 1986, the county remained a prohibition, or "dry", county until 1996, when voters approved the sale of alcoholic liquor by the individual drink without a food sales requirement.[17]

The county voted "No" on the 2022 Kansas abortion referendum, an anti-abortion ballot measure, by 52% to 48% despite backing Donald Trump with 68% of the vote to Joe Biden's 30% in the 2020 presidential election.[18]

Education

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Colleges

[edit]

Unified school districts

[edit]

Communities

[edit]
2005 map of Cowley County[19] (map legend)

List of townships / incorporated cities / unincorporated communities / extinct former communities within Cowley County.[19]

Cities

[edit]

‡ means a community has portions in an adjacent county.

Unincorporated communities

[edit]

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

Ghost towns

[edit]

Townships

[edit]

Cowley County is divided into twenty-five townships. The cities of Arkansas City and Winfield 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
Beaver 05025 244 3 (7) 92 (36) 2 (1) 1.91% 37°10′42″N 97°5′26″W / 37.17833°N 97.09056°W / 37.17833; -97.09056
Bolton 07875 1,754 13 (33) 136 (53) 2 (1) 1.59% 37°3′1″N 97°4′0″W / 37.05028°N 97.06667°W / 37.05028; -97.06667
Cedar 11250 44 0 (1) 119 (46) 1 (0) 0.45% 37°5′9″N 96°36′27″W / 37.08583°N 96.60750°W / 37.08583; -96.60750
Creswell 16375 2,098 22 (56) 97 (38) 2 (1) 2.07% 37°4′42″N 97°1′3″W / 37.07833°N 97.01750°W / 37.07833; -97.01750
Dexter 17950 506 3 (7) 185 (71) 0 (0) 0.19% 37°11′56″N 96°42′27″W / 37.19889°N 96.70750°W / 37.19889; -96.70750
Fairview 22475 203 2 (6) 93 (36) 0 (0) 0.29% 37°21′22″N 96°58′50″W / 37.35611°N 96.98056°W / 37.35611; -96.98056
Grant 27550 76 1 (2) 116 (45) 0 (0) 0.09% 37°3′49″N 96°41′3″W / 37.06361°N 96.68417°W / 37.06361; -96.68417
Harvey 30525 117 1 (2) 162 (63) 0 (0) 0.24% 37°26′47″N 96°37′58″W / 37.44639°N 96.63278°W / 37.44639; -96.63278
Liberty 39950 218 2 (5) 124 (48) 0 (0) 0.02% 37°9′3″N 96°50′31″W / 37.15083°N 96.84194°W / 37.15083; -96.84194
Maple 44450 702 8 (20) 91 (35) 0 (0) 0% 37°25′59″N 97°6′7″W / 37.43306°N 97.10194°W / 37.43306; -97.10194
Ninnescah 50625 1,114 12 (31) 93 (36) 0 (0) 0.09% 37°21′59″N 97°6′21″W / 37.36639°N 97.10583°W / 37.36639; -97.10583
Omnia 52850 357 4 (10) 93 (36) 0 (0) 0.22% 37°26′13″N 96°46′25″W / 37.43694°N 96.77361°W / 37.43694; -96.77361
Otter 53625 54 0 (1) 135 (52) 1 (0) 0.68% 37°11′25″N 96°33′0″W / 37.19028°N 96.55000°W / 37.19028; -96.55000
Pleasant Valley 56500 838 7 (18) 117 (45) 0 (0) 0.05% 37°9′45″N 97°0′0″W / 37.16250°N 97.00000°W / 37.16250; -97.00000
Richland 59275 178 2 (4) 108 (42) 0 (0) 0% 37°25′33″N 96°52′50″W / 37.42583°N 96.88056°W / 37.42583; -96.88056
Rock Creek 60525 243 3 (7) 92 (35) 1 (0) 0.55% 37°26′5″N 96°59′25″W / 37.43472°N 96.99028°W / 37.43472; -96.99028
Salem 62625 364 5 (14) 66 (26) 0 (0) 0.27% 37°20′9″N 96°53′20″W / 37.33583°N 96.88889°W / 37.33583; -96.88889
Sheridan 64650 159 2 (4) 93 (36) 0 (0) 0.01% 37°15′44″N 96°45′51″W / 37.26222°N 96.76417°W / 37.26222; -96.76417
Silver Creek 65500 770 8 (21) 93 (36) 0 (0) 0.27% 37°20′8″N 96°45′41″W / 37.33556°N 96.76139°W / 37.33556; -96.76139
Silverdale 65575 Silverdale 327 2 (6) 136 (53) 0 (0) 0.31% 37°3′55″N 96°52′56″W / 37.06528°N 96.88222°W / 37.06528; -96.88222
Spring Creek 67400 77 1 (2) 115 (45) 0 (0) 0.26% 37°4′31″N 96°47′10″W / 37.07528°N 96.78611°W / 37.07528; -96.78611
Tisdale 70725 340 4 (11) 78 (30) 0 (0) 0.13% 37°16′6″N 96°52′25″W / 37.26833°N 96.87361°W / 37.26833; -96.87361
Vernon 73575 502 5 (13) 102 (39) 1 (0) 0.67% 37°15′25″N 97°5′18″W / 37.25694°N 97.08833°W / 37.25694; -97.08833
Walnut 74925 626 7 (18) 89 (34) 0 (0) 0.18% 37°15′17″N 96°57′27″W / 37.25472°N 96.95750°W / 37.25472; -96.95750
Windsor 79875 211 1 (2) 243 (94) 0 (0) 0.18% 37°19′13″N 96°38′22″W / 37.32028°N 96.63944°W / 37.32028; -96.63944
Sources: "Census 2000 U.S. Gazetteer Files". U.S. Census Bureau, Geography Division. Archived from the original on August 2, 2002.

Notable people

[edit]
See List of people from Cowley County, Kansas

General Dean Coldwell Strother was a United States Air Force four-star general who served as U.S. Military Representative, NATO Military Committee (USMILREP), from 1962 to 1965; and as Commander in Chief, North American Air Defense Command/Commander in Chief, Continental Air Defense Command (CINCNORAD/CINCONAD), from 1965 to 1966.

Robert Docking was a successful banker and mayor of Arkansas City before he became the 38th Governor of Kansas.

Several college football head coaches have passed through Winfield that have gone on to become widely recognized. Jerry Kill is the current head coach for the Minnesota Golden Gophers—he played for the Southwestern Moundbuilders under Dennis Franchione when he was head coach. Jack Mitchell went on to coach several schools including the Kansas Jayhawks. Former head coach and for the Oklahoma Sooners and College Football Hall of Fame member Bennie Owen was born in Arkansas City.

Perhaps the most famous resident of Cowley County is the fictional character Mary Ann Summers from the television show Gilligan's Island. It is said on the show that she is "employed at the Winfield General Store."

See also

[edit]
Community information for Kansas

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c "QuickFacts; Cowley County, Kansas; Population, Census, 2020 & 2010". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on August 16, 2021. Retrieved August 15, 2021.
  2. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  3. ^ "William G. Cutler's, History of the State of Kansas". A. T. Andreas Press, 1883.[permanent dead link‍]
  4. ^ Davis, Dakotah. "Commissioners green light pipeline, sort of". Archived June 3, 2016, at the Wayback Machine NewsCow.net. Archived May 3, 2016, at the Wayback Machine May 19, 2010. Retrieved May 1, 2016.
  5. ^ "Counties to seek denial of pipeline tax exemption". Clay Center Dispatch. November 5, 2009. Archived December 16, 2009.
  6. ^ "Court upholds pipeline tax exemption". Topeka Capital-Journal. May 18, 2012. Retrieved May 1, 2016.
  7. ^ Milburn, John. "Kansas appeals court upholds Keystone pipeline tax ruling". Kansas City Star. April 26, 2013. Retrieved May 1, 2016.
  8. ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
  9. ^ "Cowley County, Kansas - Cowley County Waterfall". www.cowleycountyks.gov. Retrieved September 3, 2023.
  10. ^ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved April 3, 2024.
  11. ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 22, 2014.
  12. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Archived from the original on August 11, 2012. Retrieved July 22, 2014.
  13. ^ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 22, 2014.
  14. ^ "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 22, 2014.
  15. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  16. ^ "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections".
  17. ^ "Map of Wet and Dry Counties". Alcoholic Beverage Control, Kansas Department of Revenue. November 2006. Archived from the original on February 19, 2008. Retrieved December 28, 2007.
  18. ^ Panetta, Grace (August 3, 2022). "14 of the 19 Kansas counties that rejected an anti-abortion amendment voted for Trump in 2020". Business Insider. Retrieved August 3, 2022.
  19. ^ a b "General Highway Map of Cowley County, Kansas" (PDF). Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT). March 2011. Archived (PDF) from the original on August 7, 2023.
Notes

Further reading

[edit]
See also: List of books about Kansas, including historical information about its counties and cities
[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Cowley County, Kansas.
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