Ness County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kansas. Its county seat and largest city is Ness City.[2] As of the 2020 census, the county population was 2,687.[1] The county was named for Noah Ness, a corporal of the 7th Kansas Cavalry.[3]
Ness County | |
|---|---|
 Ness County Courthouse in Ness City (2016) | |
 Location within the U.S. state of Kansas | |
 Kansas's location within the U.S. | |
| Coordinates: 38°27′29″N 99°41′15″W / 38.4581°N 99.6875°W | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Kansas |
| Founded | February 26, 1867 |
| Named for | Noah V. Ness |
| Seat | Ness City |
| Largest city | Ness City |
| Area | |
• Total | 1,075 sq mi (2,780 km2) |
| • Land | 1,075 sq mi (2,780 km2) |
| • Water | 0.3 sq mi (0.8 km2) 0.02% |
| Population | |
• Total | 2,687 |
| • Density | 2.5/sq mi (1.0/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Congressional district | 1st |
| Website | nesscountyks.com |
History
editNess County was established on February 26, 1867.[4] It was the site of an 1867 confrontation between the Cheyenne and Sioux tribes and General Winfield Scott Hancock at the Indian Village on Pawnee Fork, where the fighting helped inform George A. Custer's tactics throughout his career.[4]
The county was first organized in 1873 but disorganized a year later. It was reorganized on April 14, 1880.[4] The founding of Ness City, the county seat, followed closely after the county's organization in 1867.[5] Ross Calhoun, the "Father of Ness City," arrived in 1877 or 1878, opened the first general store, and formally laid out the town in October 1878, inviting settlers to join him.[5] A bitter county seat fight ensued between Ness City, Sidney, and Clarinda, lasting from 1880 to 1883, with accusations of bribery and fraud, before Ness City was confirmed as the county seat.[5]
Geography
editAccording to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,075 square miles (2,780 km2), of which 1,075 square miles (2,780 km2) is land and 0.3 square miles (0.78 km2) (0.02%) is water.[6]
Adjacent counties
edit- Trego County (north)
- Ellis County (northeast)
- Rush County (east)
- Pawnee County (southeast)
- Hodgeman County (south)
- Finney County (southwest)
- Lane County (west)
- Gove County (northwest)
Demographics
edit
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1880 | 3,722 | — | |
| 1890 | 4,944 | 32.8% | |
| 1900 | 4,535 | −8.3% | |
| 1910 | 5,883 | 29.7% | |
| 1920 | 7,490 | 27.3% | |
| 1930 | 8,358 | 11.6% | |
| 1940 | 6,864 | −17.9% | |
| 1950 | 6,322 | −7.9% | |
| 1960 | 5,470 | −13.5% | |
| 1970 | 4,791 | −12.4% | |
| 1980 | 4,498 | −6.1% | |
| 1990 | 4,033 | −10.3% | |
| 2000 | 3,454 | −14.4% | |
| 2010 | 3,107 | −10.0% | |
| 2020 | 2,687 | −13.5% | |
| 2023 (est.) | 2,618 | [7] | −2.6% |
| 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 3,454 people, 1,516 households, and 977 families residing in the county. The population density was 3 people per square mile (1.2 people/km2). There were 1,835 housing units at an average density of 2 per square mile (0.77/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 98.23% White, 0.06% Black or African American, 0.23% Native American, 0.09% Asian, 0.49% from other races, and 0.90% from two or more races. 1.51% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 1,516 households, out of which 26.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.10% were married couples living together, 4.70% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.50% were non-families. 33.50% of all households were made up of individuals, and 18.30% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.23 and the average family size was 2.83.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 22.90% under the age of 18, 4.60% from 18 to 24, 24.00% from 25 to 44, 24.20% from 45 to 64, and 24.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females there were 98.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.10 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $32,340, and the median income for a family was $39,775. Males had a median income of $27,892 versus $20,037 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,787. About 6.50% of families and 8.70% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.50% of those under age 18 and 10.20% of those age 65 or over.
Government
editPresidential elections
edit| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 2024 | 1,173 | 88.20% | 128 | 9.62% | 29 | 2.18% |
| 2020 | 1,339 | 88.50% | 149 | 9.85% | 25 | 1.65% |
| 2016 | 1,228 | 84.46% | 162 | 11.14% | 64 | 4.40% |
| 2012 | 1,209 | 83.73% | 218 | 15.10% | 17 | 1.18% |
| 2008 | 1,207 | 79.15% | 289 | 18.95% | 29 | 1.90% |
| 2004 | 1,407 | 77.39% | 382 | 21.01% | 29 | 1.60% |
| 2000 | 1,420 | 75.69% | 383 | 20.42% | 73 | 3.89% |
| 1996 | 1,336 | 68.16% | 428 | 21.84% | 196 | 10.00% |
| 1992 | 967 | 43.60% | 565 | 25.47% | 686 | 30.93% |
| 1988 | 1,230 | 56.58% | 887 | 40.80% | 57 | 2.62% |
| 1984 | 1,779 | 75.32% | 540 | 22.86% | 43 | 1.82% |
| 1980 | 1,657 | 67.49% | 616 | 25.09% | 182 | 7.41% |
| 1976 | 1,016 | 46.52% | 1,106 | 50.64% | 62 | 2.84% |
| 1972 | 1,539 | 68.37% | 652 | 28.96% | 60 | 2.67% |
| 1968 | 1,352 | 58.23% | 767 | 33.03% | 203 | 8.74% |
| 1964 | 1,034 | 39.54% | 1,562 | 59.73% | 19 | 0.73% |
| 1960 | 1,683 | 63.39% | 960 | 36.16% | 12 | 0.45% |
| 1956 | 1,876 | 70.79% | 758 | 28.60% | 16 | 0.60% |
| 1952 | 2,288 | 76.27% | 664 | 22.13% | 48 | 1.60% |
| 1948 | 1,689 | 58.10% | 1,130 | 38.87% | 88 | 3.03% |
| 1944 | 1,745 | 65.45% | 876 | 32.86% | 45 | 1.69% |
| 1940 | 1,826 | 58.68% | 1,230 | 39.52% | 56 | 1.80% |
| 1936 | 1,302 | 39.19% | 2,002 | 60.26% | 18 | 0.54% |
| 1932 | 1,409 | 42.65% | 1,772 | 53.63% | 123 | 3.72% |
| 1928 | 2,058 | 71.51% | 784 | 27.24% | 36 | 1.25% |
| 1924 | 1,629 | 64.64% | 541 | 21.47% | 350 | 13.89% |
| 1920 | 1,402 | 69.30% | 492 | 24.32% | 129 | 6.38% |
| 1916 | 927 | 37.62% | 1,213 | 49.23% | 324 | 13.15% |
| 1912 | 232 | 18.13% | 458 | 35.78% | 590 | 46.09% |
| 1908 | 635 | 47.96% | 461 | 34.82% | 228 | 17.22% |
| 1904 | 687 | 58.82% | 188 | 16.10% | 293 | 25.09% |
| 1900 | 511 | 44.90% | 583 | 51.23% | 44 | 3.87% |
| 1896 | 354 | 39.03% | 526 | 57.99% | 27 | 2.98% |
| 1892 | 495 | 44.43% | 0 | 0.00% | 619 | 55.57% |
| 1888 | 891 | 57.26% | 470 | 30.21% | 195 | 12.53% |
Ness County is presently overwhelmingly Republican, although it was won by Jimmy Carter for the Democratic Party as recently as 1976. However, apart from Carter and Lyndon Johnson in 1964, no Democrat since 1940 has reached forty percent of the county's ballots. Since Carter's win, however, Michael Dukakis in 1988 which was during a major drought in the Great Plains, had reached so much as 26 percent of the county's vote. In 2016, Hillary Clinton received less than half even this modest figure.
Laws
editFollowing amendment to the Kansas Constitution in 1986, the county remained a prohibition, or "dry", county until 2004, when voters approved the sale of alcoholic liquor by the individual drink with a 30 percent food sales requirement.[14]
Education
editUnified school districts
edit- School district office in neighboring county
Communities
edit
List of townships / incorporated cities / unincorporated communities / extinct former communities within Ness County.[15]
Cities
editUnincorporated communities
editGhost towns
editTownships
editNess County is divided into ten 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.
| Township | FIPS | Population center |
Population | Population density /km2 (/sq mi) |
Land area km2 (sq mi) |
Water area km2 (sq mi) |
Water % | Geographic coordinates |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bazine | 04800 | Bazine | 441 | 1 (4) | 312 (120) | 0 (0) | 0% | 38°27′30″N 99°41′15″W / 38.45833°N 99.68750°W |
| Center | 11925 | Ness City | 1,567 | 13 (33) | 124 (48) | 0 (0) | 0.01% | 38°27′40″N 99°53′45″W / 38.46111°N 99.89583°W |
| Eden | 19775 | 14 | 0 (1) | 266 (103) | 0 (0) | 0% | 38°28′57″N 100°8′49″W / 38.48250°N 100.14694°W | |
| Forrester | 23875 | 109 | 1 (1) | 206 (80) | 0 (0) | 0% | 38°30′45″N 99°59′28″W / 38.51250°N 99.99111°W | |
| Franklin | 24475 | 132 | 0 (1) | 372 (144) | 0 (0) | 0.02% | 38°21′22″N 99°54′25″W / 38.35611°N 99.90694°W | |
| Highpoint | 32100 | 93 | 0 (1) | 312 (121) | 0 (0) | 0.08% | 38°20′13″N 99°42′26″W / 38.33694°N 99.70722°W | |
| Johnson | 35550 | 76 | 0 (1) | 308 (119) | 0 (0) | 0.05% | 38°18′37″N 100°5′25″W / 38.31028°N 100.09028°W | |
| Nevada | 50125 | Ransom | 479 | 2 (4) | 278 (107) | 0 (0) | 0.04% | 38°37′55″N 99°55′22″W / 38.63194°N 99.92278°W |
| Ohio | 52400 | Utica | 345 | 1 (3) | 298 (115) | 0 (0) | 0% | 38°38′28″N 100°7′45″W / 38.64111°N 100.12917°W |
| Waring | 75400 | Brownell | 142 | 0 (1) | 308 (119) | 0 (0) | 0.03% | 38°37′50″N 99°42′56″W / 38.63056°N 99.71556°W |
See also
edit
- Community information for Kansas
References
edit- ^ a b c "QuickFacts; Ness County, Kansas; Population, Census, 2020 & 2010". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on August 18, 2021. Retrieved August 18, 2021.
- ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
- ^ Kansas Place-Names,John Rydjord, University of Oklahoma Press, 1972, ISBN 0-8061-0994-7
- ^ a b c "Ness County, Kansas - Kansapedia - Kansas Historical Society". www.kshs.org. Retrieved April 24, 2024.
- ^ a b c Gribben, Brian. "Research Guides: Kansas Heritage: Ness County". fhsuguides.fhsu.edu. Retrieved April 24, 2024.
- ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
- ^ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved April 3, 2024.
- ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 27, 2014.
- ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved July 27, 2014.
- ^ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 27, 2014.
- ^ "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 27, 2014.
- ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
- ^ "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections".
- ^ "Map of Wet and Dry Counties". Alcoholic Beverage Control, Kansas Department of Revenue. November 2006. Retrieved December 26, 2007.
- ^ a b "General Highway Map of Ness County, Kansas" (PDF). Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT). December 2009. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 4, 2023.
- ^ Not a lot left of Nonchalanta but memories; March 13, 2016.
- Notes
Further reading
edit- Handbook of Ness County, Kansas; C.S. Burch Publishing Co; 42 pages; 1887.
- Standard Atlas of Ness County, Kansas; Geo. A. Ogle & Co; 64 pages; 1906.
External links
edit
- County
- Maps