Chase County, Kansas

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Not to be confused with Chase, Kansas.

Chase County, Kansas
Chase County Courthouse in Cottonwood Falls
Location in the state of Kansas
Kansas's location in the U.S.
Founded	February 11, 1859
Named for	Salmon P. Chase
Seat	Cottonwood Falls
Largest city	Cottonwood Falls
Area  - Total  - Land  - Water	778 sq mi (2,015 km²) 773 sq mi (2,002 km²) 4.7 sq mi (12 km²), 0.6%
Population  - (2010)  - Density	2,790 3.6/sq mi (1/km²)
Congressional district	1st
Time zone	Central: UTC-6/-5
Website	chasecountychamber.org

Chase County (county code CS) is a county located in the U.S. state of Kansas. As of the 2010 census, the county population was 2,790. Its county seat and most populous city is Cottonwood Falls.

The county has been the subject of a book by William Least Heat-Moon. Notre Dame coach Knute Rockne died in a 1931 plane crash in the county. The Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve was established in the county in 1996. The center of population of Kansas is located in Chase County, about four miles north of Strong City.

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. 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 1848, after the Mexican-American War, the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo with Spain brought into the United States all or part of land for ten future states, including southwest Kansas. In 1854, the Kansas Territory was organized, then in 1861 Kansas became the 34th U.S. state.

19th century

1893 Railroad Map.

In 1806, Zebulon Pike led the Pike expedition westward from St Louis, Missouri, of which part of their journey followed the Cottonwood River through modern Chase County.

In 1859, Chase County was established within the Kansas Territory.

In 1871, the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway extended a main line from Emporia to Newton. In 1887, Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway built a branch line from Neva (3 miles west of Strong City) to Superior, Nebraska. This branch line connected Strong City, Neva, Rockland, Diamond Springs, Burdick, Lost Springs, Jacobs, Hope, Navarre, Enterprise, Abilene, Talmage, Manchester, Longford, Oak Hill, Miltonvale, Aurora, Huscher, Concordia, Kackley, Courtland, Webber, Superior. At some point, the line from Neva to Lost Springs was pulled but the right of way has not been abandoned. This branch line was originally called "Strong City and Superior line" but later the name was shortened to the "Strong City line". In 1996, the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway merged with Burlington Northern Railroad and renamed to the current BNSF Railway.

The south-western border one mile "notch" into Marion County was established under unusual circumstances. A murder had occurred and Marion County didn't want to have the trial, so a section one mile wide and eighteen miles long was ceded to Chase County to ensure the murder had occurred there. The one mile strip of land remains in Chase County to this day.

Historical markers

• A Landmark of Distinction - The Chase County Courthouse
• Chase County & The Bluestem Pasture Region of Kansas
• The Bluestem Pasture Region of Kansas
• W. B. Strong Memorial Railroad Park

Historical maps

1891 Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway route map from Grain Dealers and Shippers Gazetteer.

1893 Railroad Map.

1900-1905 Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway route map of regular stops

1914 railroad map.

2000 Kansas population map.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 778 square miles (2,020 km²), of which 773 square miles (2,000 km²) is land and 4.7 square miles (12 km²) (0.6%) is water.

Chase County is centrally located in the eastern half of the state in the Flint Hills geologic region. It's located in the Neosho River drainage basin.

Adjacent counties

• Morris County (north)
• Lyon County (east)
• Greenwood County (southeast)
• Butler County (southwest)
• Marion County (west)

National protected area

• Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve

Major highways

Sources: National Atlas, U.S. Census Bureau

• Interstate 35 All of I-35 in Chase County is part of the Kansas Turnpike and inaccessible to the general public from within the county. The closest access points are via U.S. Route 50 in Emporia or Kansas Highway 177 in Cassoday. There is a private interchange located southeast of Bazaar for loading cattle. The overpass names the interchange the "Bazaar Cattle Crossing."
• U.S. Route 50
• K-150
• K-177

Demographics

Historical populations
Census	Pop.		%±
1860	1,046		—
1870	1,975		88.8%
1880	6,081		207.9%
1890	8,233		35.4%
1900	8,246		0.2%
1910	7,527		−8.7%
1920	7,144		−5.1%
1930	6,952		−2.7%
1940	6,345		−8.7%
1950	4,831		−23.9%
1960	3,921		−18.8%
1970	3,408		−13.1%
1980	3,309		−2.9%
1990	3,021		−8.7%
2000	3,030		0.3%
2010	2,790		−7.9%
Est. 2013	2,700		−10.9%
U.S. Decennial Census 1790-1960 1900-1990 1990-2000 2010-2013

Population pyramid

As of the U.S. Census in 2000, there were 3,030 people, 1,246 households, and 817 families residing in the county. The population density was 4 people per square mile (2/km²). There were 1,529 housing units at an average density of 2 per square mile (1/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 96.90% White, 1.02% Black or African American, 0.56% Native American, 0.13% Asian, 0.56% from other races, and 0.83% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.75% of the population.

There were 1,246 households out of which 28.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.60% were married couples living together, 7.60% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.40% were non-families. 31.10% 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 2.34 and the average family size was 2.92.

In the county the population was spread out with 24.10% under the age of 18, 6.50% from 18 to 24, 26.60% from 25 to 44, 24.10% from 45 to 64, and 18.70% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 103.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.40 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $32,656, and the median income for a family was $39,848. Males had a median income of $27,402 versus $21,528 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,422. About 4.10% of families and 8.60% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.00% of those under age 18 and 6.30% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Following amendment to the Kansas Constitution in 1986, the county remained a prohibition, or "dry", county until 1988, when voters approved the sale of alcoholic liquor by the individual drink with a 30% food sales requirement.

Education

Unified school districts

• USD 284, Chase County
  • Cottonwood Falls, Strong City, Matfield Green, Cedar Point, Elmdale, Clements, Saffordville, Bazaar, Rural Areas
  • Chase County Junior/Senior High School

District Office In Neighboring County

• USD 398, Peabody-Burns
  • Wonsevu, Rural Areas
  • Peabody-Burns Junior/Senior High School

Communities

2005 KDOT Map of Chase County (map legend)

Cities

• Cedar Point
• Cottonwood Falls
• Elmdale
• Matfield Green
• Strong City

Unincorporated places

• Bazaar
• Birley
• Clements
• Gladstone
• Homestead
• Hymer
• Rockland
• Rural
• Saffordville
• Toledo
• Wonsevu

Ghost towns

• Clover Cliff
• Elk
• Ellinor
• Morgan
• Neva
• Thurman

Townships

Chase County is divided into nine 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
Bazaar	04700		81	0 (1)	293 (113)	0 (0)	0.17%	38°15′55″N 96°32′3″W
Cedar	11225		116	1 (2)	142 (55)	0 (0)	0.22%	38°8′54″N 96°46′30″W
Cottonwood	15875		184	1 (2)	209 (81)	0 (0)	0.23%	38°17′23″N 96°45′44″W
Diamond Creek	17975		237	1 (2)	373 (144)	1 (0)	0.24%	38°25′31″N 96°40′35″W
Falls	22850	Cottonwood Falls	1,163	9 (23)	131 (51)	1 (0)	0.42%	38°21′55″N 96°32′27″W
Homestead	32950		52	0 (1)	141 (54)	0 (0)	0.27%	38°10′56″N 96°42′14″W
Matfield	45125		155	0 (1)	316 (122)	1 (0)	0.29%	38°8′59″N 96°30′56″W
Strong	68600	Strong City	740	4 (11)	172 (67)	0 (0)	0.24%	38°24′20″N 96°32′18″W
Toledo	70775		302	1 (3)	233 (90)	1 (0)	0.44%	38°24′49″N 96°23′50″W
Sources: "Census 2000 U.S. Gazetteer Files". U.S. Census Bureau, Geography Division. http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/places2k.html.

In popular culture

Made famous by William Least Heat-Moon's epic book PrairyErth: A Deep Map (1991).

NRHP sites

The following sites in Chase County are listed on the National Register of Historic Places:

Cartter Building, Cottonwood Falls Cedar Point Mill, Cedar Point Chase County Courthouse, Cottonwood Falls Chase County National Bank, Cottonwood Falls Clements Stone Arch Bridge, Clements

Clover Cliff Ranch House, Elmdale Cottonwood River Bridge, Cottonwood Falls Cottonwood River Pratt Truss Bridge, Cedar Point Crocker Ranch, Matfield Green Fox Creek Stone Arch Bridge, Strong City

See also

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Chase County, Kansas
• Cottonwood River and Great Flood of 1951

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

Chase County

• Plat Book of Chase County, Kansas; North West Publishing Co; 39 pages; 1901.

Kansas

• History of the State of Kansas; William G. Cutler; A.T. Andreas Publisher; 1883. (Online HTML eBook)
• Kansas : A Cyclopedia of State History, Embracing Events, Institutions, Industries, Counties, Cities, Towns, Prominent Persons, Etc; 3 Volumes; Frank W. Blackmar; Standard Publishing Co; 944 / 955 / 824 pages; 1912. (Volume1 - Download 54MB PDF eBook), (Volume2 - Download 53MB PDF eBook), (Volume3 - Download 33MB PDF eBook)

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Chase County, Kansas

County

• Chase County - Chamber of Commerce
• Chase County - Directory of Public Officials
• Chase County - Chamber of Commerce
• Chase County - Information, Skyways

Historical

• Chase County GenWeb
• Poster from Chase County Agricultural Fair from October 7-9, 1891

Maps

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