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Ness County, Kansas

Coordinates: 38°28′N 99°55′W / 38.467°N 99.917°W / 38.467; -99.917
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Ness County
County
Ness County Courthouse in Ness City (2016)
Ness County Courthouse in Ness City (2016)
Map of Kansas highlighting Ness County
Location within the U.S. state of Kansas
Map of the United States highlighting Kansas
Kansas's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 38°27′29″N 99°41′15″W / 38.4581°N 99.6875°W / 38.4581; -99.6875
Country United States
State Kansas
FoundedFebruary 26, 1867
Named forNoah V. Ness
SeatNess City
Largest cityNess City
Area
 • Total
1,075 sq mi (2,780 km2)
 • Land1,075 sq mi (2,780 km2)
 • Water0.3 sq mi (0.8 km2)  0.02%
Population
 (2020)[1]
 • Total
2,687
 • Density2.5/sq mi (1.0/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district1st
Websitenesscountyks.com

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]

History

[edit]
See also: History of Kansas

Ness 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

[edit]

According 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

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Demographics

[edit]
Population pyramid based on 2000 census age data
Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
18803,722—
18904,94432.8%
19004,535−8.3%
19105,88329.7%
19207,49027.3%
19308,35811.6%
19406,864−17.9%
19506,322−7.9%
19605,470−13.5%
19704,791−12.4%
19804,498−6.1%
19904,033−10.3%
20003,454−14.4%
20103,107−10.0%
20202,687−13.5%
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

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Presidential elections

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Presidential election results
United States presidential election results for Ness County, Kansas[13]
Year Republican Democratic Third party(ies)
No.  % No.  % No.  %
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

[edit]

Following 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

[edit]

Unified school districts

[edit]
School district office in neighboring county

Communities

[edit]
2005 map of Ness County[15] (map legend)

List of townships / incorporated cities / unincorporated communities / extinct former communities within Ness County.[15]

Cities

[edit]

Unincorporated communities

[edit]

Ghost towns

[edit]

Townships

[edit]

Ness 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.

Sources: 2000 U.S. Gazetteer from the U.S. Census Bureau.
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 / 38.45833; -99.68750
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 / 38.46111; -99.89583
Eden 19775 14 0 (1) 266 (103) 0 (0) 0% 38°28′57″N 100°8′49″W / 38.48250°N 100.14694°W / 38.48250; -100.14694
Forrester 23875 109 1 (1) 206 (80) 0 (0) 0% 38°30′45″N 99°59′28″W / 38.51250°N 99.99111°W / 38.51250; -99.99111
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 / 38.35611; -99.90694
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 / 38.33694; -99.70722
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 / 38.31028; -100.09028
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 / 38.63194; -99.92278
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 / 38.64111; -100.12917
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 / 38.63056; -99.71556

See also

[edit]
Community information for Kansas

References

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  1. ^ 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.
  2. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  3. ^ Kansas Place-Names,John Rydjord, University of Oklahoma Press, 1972, ISBN 0-8061-0994-7
  4. ^ a b c "Ness County, Kansas - Kansapedia - Kansas Historical Society". www.kshs.org. Retrieved April 24, 2024.
  5. ^ a b c Gribben, Brian. "Research Guides: Kansas Heritage: Ness County". fhsuguides.fhsu.edu. Retrieved April 24, 2024.
  6. ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
  7. ^ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved April 3, 2024.
  8. ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 27, 2014.
  9. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved July 27, 2014.
  10. ^ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 27, 2014.
  11. ^ "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.
  12. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  13. ^ "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections".
  14. ^ "Map of Wet and Dry Counties". Alcoholic Beverage Control, Kansas Department of Revenue. November 2006. Retrieved December 26, 2007.
  15. ^ 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.
  16. ^ Not a lot left of Nonchalanta but memories; March 13, 2016.
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 Ness County, Kansas.
County
Maps

38°28′N 99°55′W / 38.467°N 99.917°W / 38.467; -99.917

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