Clay County, Kansas

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Clay County, Kansas
Location in the state of Kansas
Kansas's location in the U.S.
Founded	February 20, 1857
Named for	Henry Clay
Seat	Clay Center
Area  - Total  - Land  - Water	655.44 sq mi (1,698 km²) 643.84 sq mi (1,668 km²) 11.60 sq mi (30 km²), 1.77%
Population  - (2010)  - Density	8,535 13.4/sq mi (5.2/km²)
Time zone	Central: UTC-6/-5
Website	ClayCountyKansas.org

Clay County (county code CY) is a county located in North Central Kansas, in the Central United States. As of the 2010 census, the county population was 8,535. Its county seat and most populous city is Clay Center.

History

19th century

When the first counties were created by the Kansas legislature in 1855, the territory within the present limits of the county was attached to Riley County for all revenue and judicial purposes. Subsequently Clay was attached to Geary County. In 1857, Clay was created and named in honor of the famous American statesman Henry Clay, a member of the United States Senate from Kentucky and United States Secretary of State in the 19th century.

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. Most locals still refer to this railroad as the "Santa Fe".

21st century

In 2010, the Keystone-Cushing Pipeline (Phase II) was constructed north to south through Clay County, with much controversy over tax exemption and environmental concerns (if a leak ever occurs). A pumping station named Riley was built along the pipeline.

Law and government

Although the Kansas Constitution was amended in 1986 to allow the sale of alcoholic liquor by the individual drink with the approval of voters, Clay County has remained a prohibition, or "dry", county.

Geography

2005 KDOT Map of Clay County (map legend)

According to the 2000 census, the county has a total area of 655.44 square miles (1,697.6 km²), of which 643.84 square miles (1,667.5 km²) (or 98.23%) is land and 11.60 square miles (30.0 km²) (or 1.77%) is water.

Adjacent counties

• Washington County (north)
• Riley County (east)
• Geary County (southeast)
• Dickinson County (south)
• Ottawa County (southwest)
• Cloud County (west)

Major highways

Sources: National Atlas, U.S. Census Bureau

• U.S. Route 24
• Kansas Highway 15
• Kansas Highway 82

Demographics

Historical populations
Census	Pop.		%±
1860	163		—
1870	2,942		1,704.9%
1880	12,320		318.8%
1890	16,146		31.1%
1900	15,833		−1.9%
1910	15,251		−3.7%
1920	14,365		−5.8%
1930	14,556		1.3%
1940	13,281		−8.8%
1950	11,697		−11.9%
1960	10,675		−8.7%
1970	9,890		−7.4%
1980	9,802		−0.9%
1990	9,158		−6.6%
2000	8,822		−3.7%
2010	8,535		−3.3%
U.S. Decennial Census

Population pyramid

As of the U.S. Census in 2000, there were 8,822 people, 3,617 households, and 2,517 families residing in the county. The population density was 14 people per square mile (5/km²). There were 4,084 housing units at an average density of 6 per square mile (2/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 97.72% White, 0.57% Black or African American, 0.41% Native American, 0.15% Asian, 0.26% from other races, and 0.90% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.83% of the population.

There were 3,617 households out of which 30.50% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.90% were married couples living together, 6.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.40% were non-families. 27.70% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 2.91.

In the county the population was spread out with 24.90% under the age of 18, 6.70% from 18 to 24, 23.90% from 25 to 44, 23.70% from 45 to 64, and 20.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 99.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.60 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $33,965, and the median income for a family was $41,103. Males had a median income of $28,817 versus $17,760 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,939. About 6.80% of families and 10.10% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.60% of those under age 18 and 8.60% of those age 65 or over.

Cities and towns

Incorporated cities

Name and population (2004 estimate):

• Clay Center, 4,381 (county seat)
• Wakefield, 868
• Clifton, 516, of which a portion lies in Washington County
• Morganville, 195
• Green, 141
• Longford, 89
• Vining, 56, of which a portion lies in Washington County
• Oak Hill, 34

Unincorporated places

• Athelstane
• Bateham
• Broughton
• Browndale
• Exeter
• Fact
• Fancy Creek
• Garfield Center
• Gatesville
• Idana
• Industry
• Ladysmith
• Northern (no longer exists)
• Republican City

Townships

Clay County is divided into eighteen townships. The city of Clay Center 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
Athelstane	02950		144	2 (4)	93 (36)	0 (0)	0.03%	39°10′17″N 97°12′35″W
Blaine	07050		259	2 (6)	109 (42)	1 (0)	0.94%	39°20′38″N 97°11′11″W
Bloom	07325		125	1 (3)	122 (47)	1 (0)	0.53%	39°26′29″N 97°16′51″W
Chapman	12525	Longford	202	2 (6)	93 (36)	0 (0)	0.09%	39°10′21″N 97°19′35″W
Clay Center	13650		368	4 (10)	98 (38)	1 (1)	1.46%	39°21′30″N 97°6′17″W
Exeter	22100		81	1 (2)	94 (36)	0 (0)	0.08%	39°15′24″N 97°11′36″W
Five Creeks	23475		159	2 (4)	93 (36)	0 (0)	0.04%	39°21′22″N 97°18′14″W
Garfield	25500		107	1 (3)	91 (35)	0 (0)	0.05%	39°31′55″N 97°7′5″W
Gill	26250		140	2 (5)	78 (30)	0 (0)	0.04%	39°10′10″N 97°6′3″W
Goshen	27025		92	1 (3)	91 (35)	0 (0)	0%	39°31′4″N 97°0′14″W
Grant	27500		132	2 (5)	74 (29)	13 (5)	14.83%	39°16′12″N 96°59′27″W
Hayes	30875		206	2 (6)	92 (36)	0 (0)	0%	39°26′9″N 97°5′58″W
Highland	31825	Green	310	3 (9)	92 (35)	0 (0)	0.07%	39°25′28″N 97°0′1″W
Mulberry	49000	Clifton (part)	331	3 (9)	97 (38)	2 (1)	1.99%	39°32′19″N 97°16′23″W
Oakland	51725		110	1 (3)	93 (36)	0 (0)	0%	39°15′30″N 97°20′21″W
Republican	59025	Wakefield	1,024	14 (36)	73 (28)	10 (4)	12.46%	39°12′7″N 97°0′50″W
Sherman	64850	Morganville	328	4 (10)	85 (33)	1 (0)	1.00%	39°30′15″N 97°12′42″W
Union	72075		140	2 (4)	92 (35)	0 (0)	0.38%	39°16′16″N 97°4′53″W
Sources: "Census 2000 U.S. Gazetteer Files". U.S. Census Bureau, Geography Division. http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/places2k.html.

People

See List of people from Clay County, Kansas

Two former Kansas Governors resided in Clay County. George Docking was the 35th Governor, serving from January 14, 1957 until January 9, 1961. William H. Avery was the 37th Governor, from January 11, 1965 until January 9, 1967.

Education

Unified school districts

• Clay County USD 379, located in Clay Center

See also

• Dry counties

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

• 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:

Clay County, Kansas

Official sites

• Clay County
• Clay Center Area Chamber of Commerce

Additional information

• Clay County Kansas AHGP
• Blue Skyways
• Kansas Statistical Abstract

Maps

• Clay County Map, KDOT
• Kansas Highway Map, KDOT
• Kansas Railroad Map, KDOT
• Kansas School District Boundary Map, KSDE