Brown County, Kansas

Brown County (county code BR) is a county located in the northeast portion of the U.S. state of Kansas. As of the 2010 census, the county population was 9,984.[1] Its county seat and most populous city is Hiawatha.[2] Brown County is the location of the Kickapoo Indian Reservation of Kansas, the majority of the Sac and Fox Reservation and the majority of the Iowa Reservation of Kansas and Nebraska.

Brown County
County
Brown County Courthouse in Hiawatha
Location within the U.S. state of Kansas
Kansas's location within the U.S.
Coordinates:
Country United States
State Kansas
FoundedAugust 25, 1855
Named forAlbert Gallatin Brown
SeatHiawatha
Largest cityHiawatha
Area
 • Total572 sq mi (1,480 km2)
 • Land571 sq mi (1,480 km2)
 • Water1.2 sq mi (3 km2)  0.2%%
Population
 • Estimate 
(2018)
9,598
 • Density17/sq mi (7/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
Area code785
Congressional district2nd
Websiteks-brown.manatron.com

History

Early history
See also: History of Kansas

For many millennia, the Great Plains of North America was inhabited by nomadic 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.

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 modern day Kansas was acquired by the United States from France as part of the 828,000 square mile Louisiana Purchase for 2.83 cents per acre.

In 1854, the Kansas Territory was organized, then in 1861 Kansas became the 34th U.S. state. Brown County was founded in 1855,[3] was named for Albert G. Brown.[4]

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 572 square miles (1,480 km2), of which 571 square miles (1,480 km2) is land and 1.2 square miles (3.1 km2) (0.2%) is water.[5] The Wolf River has its source in the county.[6] Brown State Fishing Lake, formerly known as "Brown County State Park" is in the county, 8 miles (13 km) east of Hiawatha.

Adjacent counties

Major highways

Sources: National Atlas,[7] U.S. Census Bureau[8]

Demographics
Historical population
CensusPop.%±
18602,607—
18706,823161.7%
188012,81787.8%
189020,31958.5%
190022,36910.1%
191021,314−4.7%
192020,949−1.7%
193020,553−1.9%
194017,395−15.4%
195014,651−15.8%
196013,229−9.7%
197011,685−11.7%
198011,9552.3%
199011,128−6.9%
200010,724−3.6%
20109,984−6.9%
2018 (est.)9,598[9]−3.9%
U.S. Decennial Census[10]
1790-1960[11] 1900-1990[12]
1990-2000[13] 2010-2016[1]
Population pyramid

As of the 2000 census,[14] there were 10,724 people, 4,318 households, and 2,949 families residing in the county. The population density was 19 people per square mile (7/km2). There were 4,815 housing units at an average density of 8 per square mile (3/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 86.87% White, 1.56% Black or African American, 8.82% Native American, 0.21% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.73% from other races, and 1.81% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.32% of the population.

There were 4,318 households, out of which 31.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.80% were married couples living together, 9.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.70% were non-families. 28.80% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.70% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 2.99.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 26.40% under the age of 18, 7.40% from 18 to 24, 24.00% from 25 to 44, 22.70% from 45 to 64, and 19.50% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 93.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.80 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $31,971, and the median income for a family was $39,525. Males had a median income of $29,163 versus $19,829 for females. The per capita income for the county was $15,163. About 10.60% of families and 12.90% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.40% of those under age 18 and 11.80% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Presidential elections
Presidential Elections Results
Presidential Elections Results[15]
Year Republican Democratic Third Parties
2016 72.0% 2,906 21.4% 863 6.6% 267
2012 70.9% 2,829 27.0% 1,076 2.2% 88
2008 68.2% 2,985 30.1% 1,317 1.7% 74
2004 70.0% 3,092 28.7% 1,268 1.3% 58
2000 63.6% 2,985 32.2% 1,512 4.1% 194
1996 56.6% 2,688 32.2% 1,529 11.2% 534
1992 41.6% 2,203 27.9% 1,476 30.5% 1,615
1988 63.6% 3,059 35.7% 1,719 0.7% 34
1984 74.0% 3,894 24.8% 1,303 1.3% 67
1980 67.6% 3,598 25.7% 1,370 6.7% 354
1976 65.0% 3,407 33.3% 1,745 1.8% 93
1972 78.9% 4,314 19.0% 1,038 2.1% 114
1968 69.2% 3,748 22.1% 1,199 8.7% 473
1964 57.0% 3,213 42.3% 2,386 0.7% 37
1960 72.3% 4,707 27.2% 1,773 0.5% 35
1956 77.0% 5,138 22.8% 1,519 0.3% 20
1952 80.5% 6,031 19.2% 1,440 0.3% 20
1948 68.0% 4,518 31.0% 2,060 1.0% 68
1944 73.0% 4,947 26.8% 1,817 0.2% 15
1940 69.2% 6,008 30.3% 2,633 0.5% 43
1936 62.4% 5,814 37.5% 3,495 0.1% 11
1932 57.7% 5,005 41.6% 3,604 0.7% 60
1928 76.8% 6,692 23.0% 2,005 0.2% 20
1924 68.9% 5,647 22.8% 1,866 8.3% 678
1920 72.3% 5,249 26.7% 1,937 1.1% 76
1916 52.9% 4,282 43.3% 3,503 3.9% 315
1912 31.2% 1,512 36.7% 1,774 32.1% 1,554
1908 56.3% 2,778 41.4% 2,044 2.3% 111
1904 68.6% 3,158 27.0% 1,244 4.3% 200
1900 57.1% 3,137 41.8% 2,298 1.1% 59
1896 51.7% 2,879 47.0% 2,618 1.4% 77
1892 52.0% 2,562 47.9% 2,362
1888 55.6% 2,696 37.2% 1,803 7.3% 352

Like all of Kansas outside the eastern cities, Brown County is overwhelmingly Republican, although its history of Yankee settlement means it has been thus for longer than certain other parts of the state. Brown was Alf Landon’s strongest county in his home state during his disastrous 1936 presidential campaign. FDR was never to win so much as 42 percent of the vote in any of his four Presidential elections; indeed no Democratic presidential nominee has ever won a majority in Brown County, with the highest percentage being 47 percent by William Jennings Bryan in 1896. A mortally divided Republican Party allowed Woodrow Wilson to win a plurality in 1912 with under 37 percent of the county’s vote – nonetheless since 1968 no Democrat has reached even that percentage.

Laws

Following amendment to the Kansas Constitution in 1986, the county remained a prohibition, or "dry", county until 2000, when voters approved the sale of alcoholic liquor by the individual drink without a food sales requirement.[16]

Education

Unified school districts
  • Hiawatha USD 415
  • Brown County USD 430

Communities
2005 KDOT Map of Brown County (map legend)

Cities

Census-designated places

Unincorporated communities

Townships

Brown County is divided into ten townships. The cities of Hiawatha, Horton, and Sabetha 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.

TownshipFIPSPopulation
center		 PopulationPopulation
density
/km2 (/sq mi)		 Land area
km2 (sq mi)		Water area
km2 (sq mi)		Water % Geographic coordinates
Hamlin297253443 (8)106 (41)0 (0)0.18%39°57′1″N 95°36′40″W
Hiawatha317007394 (12)164 (63)0 (0)0.18%39°50′25″N 95°31′59″W
Irving345003112 (6)137 (53)0 (0)0.04%39°57′24″N 95°23′36″W
Mission472006453 (8)219 (84)2 (1)0.73%39°43′14″N 95°32′12″W
Morrill48325Morrill5035 (12)105 (41)0 (0)0.24%39°56′23″N 95°43′20″W
Padonia540252592 (6)107 (41)0 (0)0.14%39°57′2″N 95°31′4″W
Powhattan573758744 (10)232 (90)0 (0)0.06%39°43′49″N 95°41′59″W
Robinson60350Robinson4524 (10)116 (45)0 (0)0.25%39°48′29″N 95°23′49″W
Walnut74875Fairview6654 (11)161 (62)1 (0)0.46%39°50′53″N 95°42′27″W
Washington75525Everest5415 (12)116 (45)0 (0)0.17%39°41′43″N 95°24′41″W
Sources: "Census 2000 U.S. Gazetteer Files". U.S. Census Bureau, Geography Division. Archived from the original on 2002-08-02.

See also

References
  1. "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on July 7, 2011. Retrieved July 21, 2014.
  2. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on 2011-05-31. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
  3. Blackmar, Frank Wilson (1912). Kansas: A Cyclopedia of State History, Embracing Events, Institutions, Industries, Counties, Cities, Towns, Prominent Persons, Etc. Standard Publishing Company. pp. 237.
  4. History of the State of Kansas: Containing a Full Account of Its Growth from an Uninhabited Territory to a Wealthy and Important State. A. T. Andreas. 1883. p. 710.
  5. "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
  6. DeLorme (2003). Kansas Atlas & Gazetteer. p. 26. Yarmouth, Maine: DeLorme. ISBN 0-89933-342-7.
  7. National Atlas Archived December 5, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
  8. "U.S. Census Bureau TIGER shape files". Archived from the original on 2017-05-23. Retrieved 2017-12-05.
  9. "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". Retrieved December 23, 2019.
  10. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 21, 2014.
  11. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved July 21, 2014.
  12. "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 21, 2014.
  13. "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 21, 2014.
  14. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  15. http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS
  16. "Map of Wet and Dry Counties". Alcoholic Beverage Control, Kansas Department of Revenue. November 2006. Archived from the original on 2007-10-08. Retrieved 2007-12-28.

Further reading
See also: List of books about State of Kansas (which includes historical information about its counties and cities too)
County
Maps
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