Ness County, Kansas

Ness County (standard abbreviation: NS) is a county located in the U.S. state of Kansas. As of the 2010 census, the county population was 3,107.[1] The largest city and county seat is Ness City.[2] The county was named for Corporal Noah V. Ness of the 7th Kansas Cavalry.[3]

Ness County
County
Ness County courthouse in Ness City
Location within the U.S. state of Kansas
Kansas's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 38°27′29″N 99°41′15″W
Country United States
State Kansas
FoundedFebruary 26, 1867
Named forNoah V. Ness
SeatNess City
Largest cityNess City
Area
 • Total1,075 sq mi (2,780 km2)
 • Land1,075 sq mi (2,780 km2)
 • Water0.3 sq mi (0.8 km2)  0.02%%
Population
 • Estimate 
(2018)
2,840
 • Density2.9/sq mi (1.1/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district1st
Websitenesscountyks.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. In 1867, Ness County was established.

Geography

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.[4]

Adjacent counties

Demographics
Historical population
CensusPop.%±
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%
2018 (est.)2,840[5]−8.6%
U.S. Decennial Census[6]
1790-1960[7] 1900-1990[8]
1990-2000[9] 2010-2016[1]
Age pyramid

As of the census[10] 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/km2). There were 1,835 housing units at an average density of 2 per square mile (1/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

Presidential elections
Presidential Elections Results
Presidential Elections Results[11]
Year Republican Democratic Third Parties
2016 84.5% 1,228 11.1% 162 4.4% 64
2012 83.7% 1,209 15.1% 218 1.2% 17
2008 79.2% 1,207 19.0% 289 1.9% 29
2004 77.4% 1,407 21.0% 382 1.6% 29
2000 75.7% 1,420 20.4% 383 3.9% 73
1996 68.2% 1,336 21.8% 428 10.0% 196
1992 43.6% 967 25.5% 565 30.9% 686
1988 56.6% 1,230 40.8% 887 2.6% 57
1984 75.3% 1,779 22.9% 540 1.8% 43
1980 67.5% 1,657 25.1% 616 7.4% 182
1976 46.5% 1,016 50.6% 1,106 2.8% 62
1972 68.4% 1,539 29.0% 652 2.7% 60
1968 58.2% 1,352 33.0% 767 8.7% 203
1964 39.5% 1,034 59.7% 1,562 0.7% 19
1960 63.4% 1,683 36.2% 960 0.5% 12
1956 70.8% 1,876 28.6% 758 0.6% 16
1952 76.3% 2,288 22.1% 664 1.6% 48
1948 58.1% 1,689 38.9% 1,130 3.0% 88
1944 65.5% 1,745 32.9% 876 1.7% 45
1940 58.7% 1,826 39.5% 1,230 1.8% 56
1936 39.2% 1,302 60.3% 2,002 0.5% 18
1932 42.7% 1,409 53.6% 1,772 3.7% 123
1928 71.5% 2,058 27.2% 784 1.3% 36
1924 64.6% 1,629 21.5% 541 13.9% 350
1920 69.3% 1,402 24.3% 492 6.4% 129
1916 37.6% 927 49.2% 1,213 13.2% 324
1912 18.1% 232 35.8% 458 46.1% 590[lower-alpha 1]
1908 48.0% 635 34.8% 461 17.2% 228
1904 58.8% 687 16.1% 188 25.1% 293
1900 44.9% 511 51.2% 583 3.9% 44
1896 39.0% 354 58.0% 526 3.0% 27
1892 44.4% 495 55.6% 619
1888 57.3% 891 30.2% 470 12.5% 195

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

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.[12]

Education

Unified school districts

Communities
2005 KDOT Map of Ness County (map legend)

Cities

Unincorporated communities

Ghost town

Townships

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.
TownshipFIPSPopulation
center		 PopulationPopulation
density
/km2 (/sq mi)		 Land area
km2 (sq mi)		Water area
km2 (sq mi)		Water % Geographic coordinates
Bazine04800Bazine4411 (4)312 (120)0 (0)0%38°27′30″N 99°41′15″W
Center11925Ness City1,56713 (33)124 (48)0 (0)0.01%38°27′40″N 99°53′45″W
Eden19775140 (1)266 (103)0 (0)0%38°28′57″N 100°8′49″W
Forrester238751091 (1)206 (80)0 (0)0%38°30′45″N 99°59′28″W
Franklin244751320 (1)372 (144)0 (0)0.02%38°21′22″N 99°54′25″W
Highpoint32100930 (1)312 (121)0 (0)0.08%38°20′13″N 99°42′26″W
Johnson35550760 (1)308 (119)0 (0)0.05%38°18′37″N 100°5′25″W
Nevada50125Ransom4792 (4)278 (107)0 (0)0.04%38°37′55″N 99°55′22″W
Ohio52400Utica3451 (3)298 (115)0 (0)0%38°38′28″N 100°7′45″W
Waring75400Brownell1420 (1)308 (119)0 (0)0.03%38°37′50″N 99°42′56″W

See also

References
  1. "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on August 6, 2011. Retrieved July 27, 2014.
  2. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
  3. Kansas Place-Names,John Rydjord, University of Oklahoma Press, 1972, ISBN 0-8061-0994-7
  4. "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
  5. "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". Retrieved December 23, 2019.
  6. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 27, 2014.
  7. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved July 27, 2014.
  8. "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 27, 2014.
  9. "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 27, 2014.
  10. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  11. http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS
  12. "Map of Wet and Dry Counties". Alcoholic Beverage Control, Kansas Department of Revenue. November 2006. Retrieved 2007-12-26.
  13. Not a lot left of Nonchalanta but memories; March 13, 2016.
Notes
  1. This total comprises 464 votes (36.35 percent) for Progressive Theodore Roosevelt (who carried the county) and 126 votes (9.84 percent) for Socialist Eugene V. Debs.

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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