Bourbon County, Kansas

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Bourbon County, Kansas
Bourbon County Courthouse in Fort Scott (2016)
Location in the state of Kansas
Kansas's location in the U.S.
Founded	August 25, 1855
Named for	Bourbon County, Kentucky
Seat	Fort Scott
Largest city	Fort Scott
Area  - Total  - Land  - Water	639 sq mi (1,655 km²) 635 sq mi (1,645 km²) 3.6 sq mi (9 km²), 0.6%
Population  - (2020)  - Density	14,360
Congressional district	2nd
Time zone	Central: UTC-6/-5

Bourbon County (county code BB) is a county located in Southeast Kansas. As of the 2020 census, the county population was 14,360. Its county seat and most populous city is Fort Scott.

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 1855, Bourbon County was established.

21st century

Bourbon virus, a new strain of thogotovirus, was first discovered in Bourbon County. In the spring of 2014 an otherwise healthy man was bitten by a tick, contracting the virus, dying 11 days later from organ failure.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 639 square miles (1,660 km²), of which 635 square miles (1,640 km²) is land and 3.6 square miles (9.3 km²) (0.6%) is water.

Adjacent counties

• Linn County (north)
• Vernon County, Missouri (east)
• Crawford County (south)
• Neosho County (southwest)
• Allen County (west)
• Anderson County (northwest)

National protected area

• Fort Scott National Historic Site

Major highways

Sources: National Atlas, U.S. Census Bureau

• U.S. Route 54
• U.S. Route 69
• Kansas Highway 3
• Kansas Highway 7
• Kansas Highway 31
• Kansas Highway 39
• Kansas Highway 65

Demographics

Historical populations
Census	Pop.		%±
1860	6,101		—
1870	15,076		147.1%
1880	19,591		29.9%
1890	28,575		45.9%
1900	24,712		−13.5%
1910	24,007		−2.9%
1920	23,198		−3.4%
1930	22,386		−3.5%
1940	20,944		−6.4%
1950	19,153		−8.6%
1960	16,090		−16.0%
1970	15,215		−5.4%
1980	15,969		5.0%
1990	14,966		−6.3%
2000	15,379		2.8%
2010	15,173		−1.3%
U.S. Decennial Census 1790-1960 1900-1990 1990-2000 2010-2020

Population pyramid

As of the 2000 census, there were 15,379 people, 6,161 households, and 4,127 families residing in the county. The population density was 24 people per square mile (9/km²). There were 7,135 housing units at an average density of 11 per square mile (4/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 94.06% White, 3.08% Black or African American, 0.84% Native American, 0.36% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 0.28% from other races, and 1.33% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.29% of the population.

There were 6,161 households, out of which 30.50% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.50% were married couples living together, 9.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.00% were non-families. 29.00% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.90% 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 3.01.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 25.80% under the age of 18, 9.50% from 18 to 24, 24.20% from 25 to 44, 22.30% from 45 to 64, and 18.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 93.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.50 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $31,199, and the median income for a family was $39,239. Males had a median income of $27,043 versus $20,983 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,393. About 9.50% of families and 13.50% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.00% of those under age 18 and 13.40% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Presidential elections

Bourbon County is a strongly Republican county. Only six presidential elections from 1888 to the present have resulted in Republicans failing to win the county, with the last of these being in 1964.

United States presidential election results for Bourbon County, Kansas

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2020	5,023	75.24%	1,541	23.08%	112	1.68%
2016	4,424	71.64%	1,336	21.64%	415	6.72%
2012	4,102	65.59%	1,996	31.92%	156	2.49%
2008	4,240	62.53%	2,394	35.30%	147	2.17%
2004	4,372	65.39%	2,216	33.14%	98	1.47%
2000	3,852	61.07%	2,211	35.05%	245	3.88%
1996	3,318	50.17%	2,491	37.66%	805	12.17%
1992	2,876	40.17%	2,509	35.05%	1,774	24.78%
1988	3,660	57.80%	2,623	41.42%	49	0.77%
1984	4,858	68.40%	2,175	30.63%	69	0.97%
1980	4,263	59.22%	2,605	36.19%	331	4.60%
1976	3,589	51.80%	3,237	46.72%	103	1.49%
1972	4,776	70.09%	1,912	28.06%	126	1.85%
1968	3,983	56.87%	2,241	32.00%	780	11.14%
1964	3,290	44.93%	3,980	54.35%	53	0.72%
1960	5,062	63.03%	2,928	36.46%	41	0.51%
1956	5,306	62.39%	3,151	37.05%	47	0.55%
1952	5,785	65.26%	3,023	34.10%	56	0.63%
1948	4,225	51.43%	3,879	47.22%	111	1.35%
1944	4,790	56.68%	3,622	42.86%	39	0.46%
1940	5,751	53.61%	4,898	45.66%	78	0.73%
1936	5,402	48.58%	5,714	51.38%	4	0.04%
1932	4,277	42.62%	5,577	55.58%	181	1.80%
1928	7,251	75.88%	2,223	23.26%	82	0.86%
1924	4,210	48.96%	2,850	33.15%	1,538	17.89%
1920	4,194	52.09%	3,632	45.11%	225	2.79%
1916	3,370	37.58%	5,209	58.09%	388	4.33%
1912	1,448	27.04%	2,209	41.25%	1,698	31.71%
1908	2,695	47.83%	2,686	47.67%	253	4.49%
1904	3,234	59.26%	1,808	33.13%	415	7.60%
1900	3,024	51.36%	2,799	47.54%	65	1.10%
1896	2,900	48.20%	3,067	50.97%	50	0.83%
1892	2,803	49.24%	0	0.00%	2,889	50.76%
1888	3,569	57.07%	1,831	29.28%	854	13.66%
1884	2,974	60.48%	1,671	33.98%	272	5.53%
1880	2,320	60.34%	1,161	30.20%	364	9.47%

Laws

Following amendment to the Kansas Constitution in 1986, the county remained a prohibition, or "dry", county until 1992, when voters approved the sale of alcoholic liquor by the individual drink with a 30% food sales requirement.

Education

Colleges

• Fort Scott Community College

Unified school districts

• Fort Scott USD 234
• Uniontown USD 235

Communities

2005 KDOT Map of Bourbon County (map legend)

Cities

• Bronson
• Fort Scott
• Fulton
• Mapleton
• Redfield
• Uniontown

Unincorporated communities

• Barnesville
• Berlin (no longer exists)
• Devon
• Garland
• Godfrey
• Hammond
• Harding
• Hiattville
• Hidden Valley
• Hollister (no longer exists)
• Marmaton
• Pawnee Station
• Ronald (Walkertown)
• Xenia
• Xerox

Townships

Bourbon County is divided into eleven townships. The city of Fort Scott is considered governmentally independent and is 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
Drywood	18750		394	3 (8)	120 (47)	0 (0)	0.19%	37°43′19″N 94°40′36″W
Franklin	24300		312	2 (4)	185 (71)	0 (0)	0.13%	37°59′41″N 94°59′14″W
Freedom	24600	Fulton	505	4 (12)	113 (44)	0 (0)	0.17%	38°0′4″N 94°44′45″W
Marion	44650	Bronson, Uniontown	1,165	4 (12)	259 (100)	0 (0)	0.19%	37°51′14″N 95°1′12″W
Marmaton	44900		815	6 (15)	145 (56)	0 (0)	0.13%	37°48′57″N 94°50′16″W
Mill Creek	46675		472	3 (9)	136 (52)	1 (0)	0.42%	37°54′45″N 94°50′14″W
Osage	53100		394	3 (8)	125 (48)	0 (0)	0.16%	37°58′40″N 94°39′33″W
Pawnee	54775		308	2 (6)	126 (49)	0 (0)	0.31%	37°43′31″N 94°50′30″W
Scott	63500		2,326	13 (34)	179 (69)	2 (1)	0.94%	37°48′35″N 94°41′30″W
Timberhill	70600	Mapleton	256	3 (7)	93 (36)	0 (0)	0.05%	38°0′31″N 94°52′57″W
Walnut	74850		135	1 (2)	154 (59)	0 (0)	0.13%	37°43′10″N 94°59′0″W
Sources: "Census 2000 U.S. Gazetteer Files". U.S. Census Bureau, Geography Division. https://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/places2k.html.

Notable people

• Jonathan M. Davis, 22nd Governor of Kansas; born in Bourbon County.

See also

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Bourbon County, Kansas

Information on this and other counties in Kansas

• List of counties in Kansas
• List of Kansas county name etymologies
• National Register of Historic Places listings in Kansas
• Kansas locations by per capita income

Other information for Kansas

• List of cities in Kansas
• List of unified school districts in Kansas
• List of colleges and universities in Kansas

Further reading

Template:Kansas books

• Standard Atlas of Bourbon County, Kansas; Geo. A. Ogle & Co; 67 pages; 1920.
• History of Bourbon County, Kansas: To the Close of 1865; Thomas F. Robley; 269 pages; 1894.
• An Illustrated Historical Atlas of Bourbon County, Kansas; Edwards Brothers of Missouri; 55 pages; 1878.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Bourbon County, Kansas

County

• Bourbon County - Official
• Bourbon County - Directory of Public Officials

Maps

• Bourbon County Maps: Current, Historic, KDOT
• Kansas Highway Maps: Current, Historic, KDOT
• Kansas Railroad Maps: Current, 1996, 1915, KDOT and Kansas Historical Society