Geary County, Kansas

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Geary County, Kansas
Geary County Courthouse in Junction City
Location in the state of Kansas
Kansas's location in the U.S.
Founded	March 7, 1889
Named for	John W. Geary
Seat	Junction City
Area  - Total  - Land  - Water	404.39 sq mi (1,047 km²) 384.69 sq mi (996 km²) 19.70 sq mi (51 km²), 4.87%
Population  - (2010)  - Density	34,362 62.8/sq mi (24.3/km²)
Time zone	Central: UTC-6/-5
Website	www.Geary.KansasGov.com

Geary County (county code GE) is a county located in Northeast Kansas, in the Central United States. As of the 2010 census, the county population was 34,362. Its county seat and most populous city is Junction City. The county is named in honor of Governor John W. Geary. Geary County is part of the Manhattan, Kansas, Metropolitan Statistical Area.

History

Geary County was formed on August 30, 1855 as an original county from open, free territory. It was among the first 33 counties established by the territory government.

Geary County was originally named Davis County in 1855 after Jefferson Davis. In 1862 and 1864 after Davis became president of the confederacy, attempts were made to change the county's name, but both failed. Federal census records show it as Davis County from 1860 through 1880, in addition to the 1885 Kansas State census. In 1888 the county was renamed in honor of John W. Geary, an early Governor of the Kansas Territory.

Law and government

Geary County was a prohibition, or "dry", county until the Kansas Constitution was amended in 1986 and voters approved the sale of alcoholic liquor by the individual drink with a 30% food sales requirement. The food sales requirement was removed with voter approval in 1990.

Geography

According to the 2000 census, the county has a total area of 404.39 square miles (1,047.4 km²), of which 384.69 square miles (996.3 km²) (or 95.13%) is land and 19.70 square miles (51.0 km²) (or 4.87%) is water.

Adjacent counties

• Riley County (north)
• Wabaunsee County (east)
• Morris County (south)
• Dickinson County (west)
• Clay County (northwest)

Demographics

Historical populations
Census	Pop.		%±
1860	1,163		—
1870	5,526		375.2%
1880	6,994		26.6%
1890	10,428		49.1%
1900	10,744		3.0%
1910	12,681		18.0%
1920	13,452		6.1%
1930	14,366		6.8%
1940	15,222		6.0%
1950	21,671		42.4%
1960	28,779		32.8%
1970	28,111		−2.3%
1980	29,852		6.2%
1990	30,453		2.0%
2000	27,947		−8.2%
2010	34,362		23.0%
U.S. Decennial Census

Population pyramid

2005 KDOT Map of Geary County (map legend)

As of the U.S. Census in 2000, there were 27,947 people, 10,458 households, and 7,582 families residing in the county. The population density was 73 people per square mile (28/km²). There were 11,959 housing units at an average density of 31 per square mile (12/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 64.13% White, 22.03% Black or African American, 0.75% Native American, 3.16% Asian, 0.41% Pacific Islander, 4.10% from other races, and 5.41% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 8.45% of the population.

There were 10,458 households out of which 39.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.90% were married couples living together, 12.30% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.50% were non-families. 22.50% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.80% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.61 and the average family size was 3.07.

In the county the population was spread out with 29.60% under the age of 18, 13.60% from 18 to 24, 30.00% from 25 to 44, 17.40% from 45 to 64, and 9.40% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 29 years. For every 100 females there were 97.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.30 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $31,917, and the median income for a family was $36,372. Males had a median income of $25,942 versus $21,389 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,199. About 9.70% of families and 12.10% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.80% of those under age 18 and 9.90% of those age 65 or over.

Cities and towns

Incorporated cities

Name and population (2004 estimate):

• Junction City, 18,886 (county seat)
• Grandview Plaza, 1,071
• Milford, 453

Unincorporated places

• Wreford

Fort Riley

Located north of the junction of the Smoky Hill and Republican rivers, the Fort Riley Military Reservation covers 100,656 acres (407 km²) in Geary and Riley counties. The fort has a daytime population of nearly 25,000 and includes two census-designated places:

• Fort Riley North
• Fort Riley-Camp Whiteside

Townships

Geary County is divided into eight townships. The city of Junction City 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
Blakely	07275		113	1 (3)	93 (36)	0 (0)	0.01%	38°54′32″N 96°45′9″W
Jackson	34775		78	1 (2)	104 (40)	0 (0)	0%	39°1′25″N 96°33′42″W
Jefferson	35200	Grandview Plaza	1,651	13 (35)	124 (48)	2 (1)	1.55%	39°1′53″N 96°46′53″W
Liberty	40050		225	1 (3)	171 (66)	0 (0)	0.03%	38°54′53″N 96°36′8″W
Lyon	43500		298	3 (7)	113 (43)	1 (1)	1.20%	38°55′17″N 96°52′3″W
Milford	46550		1,583	16 (41)	101 (39)	28 (11)	21.49%	39°8′59″N 96°54′22″W
Smoky Hill	66000		4,974	33 (86)	149 (58)	20 (8)	11.84%	39°2′14″N 96°53′58″W
Wingfield	80025		139	1 (3)	123 (48)	0 (0)	0%	38°59′38″N 96°38′37″W
Sources: "Census 2000 U.S. Gazetteer Files". U.S. Census Bureau, Geography Division. http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/places2k.html.

Education

Unified school districts

• Geary County USD 475

See also

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Geary 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

• 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:

Geary County, Kansas

Official sites

• Geary County
• Junction City and Geary County Economic Development
• Geary County Convention & Visitors Bureau
• Geary County - Information, Skyways
• Fort Riley

Historical

• Geary County Kansas AHGP

Maps

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