Graham County, Kansas

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Graham County, Kansas
Location in the state of Kansas
Kansas's location in the U.S.
Founded	February 26, 1887
Seat	Hill City
Area  - Total  - Land  - Water	898.67 sq mi (2,328 km²) 898.29 sq mi (2,327 km²) 0.38 sq mi (1 km²), 0.04%
Population  - (2010)  - Density	2,597 3.0/sq mi (1.2/km²)
Time zone	Central: UTC-6/-5
Website	GrahamCountyKS.com

Graham County (county code GH) is a county located in northwest Kansas, in the Central United States. As of the 2010 census, the county population was 2,597. Its county seat and most populous city is Hill City. The county is home to Nicodemus, founded 1877, which is the only remaining western town established by African Americans during the Reconstruction Period following the American Civil War.

History

Graham County was organized in 1880 & named after Captain John L. Graham, a Union soldier killed in action at the Battle of Chickamauga in Tennessee on September 19, 1863.

Law and government

Following amendment to the Kansas Constitution in 1986, Graham County remained a prohibition, or "dry", county until 1992, when voters approved the sale of alcoholic liquor by the individual drink without a food sales requirement.

Geography

According to the 2000 census, the county has a total area of 898.67 square miles (2,327.5 km²), of which 898.29 square miles (2,326.6 km²) (or 99.96%) is land and 0.38 square miles (0.98 km²) (or 0.04%) is water. Graham County roughly contains 3600 quarter sections, and is the fourth county east of Colorado line and the second county south of the Nebraska line. The 100th meridian west passes nearly through its center. The average elevation in the county is 2700 feet above sea level.

Adjacent counties

• Norton County (north)
• Phillips County (northeast)
• Rooks County (east)
• Ellis County (southeast)
• Trego County (south)
• Gove County (southwest)
• Sheridan County (west)
• Decatur County (northwest)

National protected area

• Nicodemus National Historic Site

Demographics

Historical populations
Census	Pop.		%±
1880	4,258		—
1890	5,029		18.1%
1900	5,173		2.9%
1910	8,700		68.2%
1920	7,624		−12.4%
1930	7,772		1.9%
1940	6,071		−21.9%
1950	5,020		−17.3%
1960	5,586		11.3%
1970	4,751		−14.9%
1980	3,995		−15.9%
1990	3,543		−11.3%
2000	2,946		−16.9%
2010	2,597		−11.8%
U.S. Decennial Census

Population pyramid

2005 KDOT Map of Graham County (map legend)

As of the U.S. Census in 2000, there were 2,946 people, 1,263 households, and 847 families residing in the county. The population density was 3 people per square mile (1/km²). There were 1,553 housing units at an average density of 2 per square mile (1/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 94.91% White, 3.22% Black or African American, 0.34% Native American, 0.27% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.41% from other races, and 0.81% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.78% of the population.

There were 1,263 households out of which 27.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.50% were married couples living together, 5.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.90% were non-families. 30.10% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.70% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.28 and the average family size was 2.84.

In the county the population was spread out with 22.50% under the age of 18, 5.30% from 18 to 24, 23.10% from 25 to 44, 25.40% from 45 to 64, and 23.70% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females there were 95.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.20 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $31,286, and the median income for a family was $38,036. Males had a median income of $26,642 versus $18,222 for females. The per capita income for the county was $18,050. About 8.60% of families and 11.50% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.60% of those under age 18 and 10.40% of those age 65 or over.

Cities and towns

Incorporated cities

Name and population (2004 estimate):

• Hill City, 1,469 (county seat)
• Bogue, 170
• Morland, 155

Unincorporated places

• Millbrook
• Nicodemus
• Penokee
• St. Peter
• Studley

Towns that no longer exist

• Fagan, Gettysburg, Roscoe, Smithfield, Springfield and Togo

Townships

Graham County is divided into thirteen 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
Allodium	01325		46	0 (1)	175 (67)	0 (0)	0.06%	39°29′23″N 100°4′42″W
Bryant	08850		115	0 (1)	233 (90)	0 (0)	0.04%	39°11′22″N 100°5′7″W
Gettysburg	26175		83	0 (1)	227 (88)	0 (0)	0.04%	39°23′11″N 100°1′50″W
Graham	27175		53	0 (1)	186 (72)	0 (0)	0.02%	39°31′3″N 99°47′51″W
Happy	29950		72	0 (1)	233 (90)	0 (0)	0.05%	39°12′17″N 99°53′7″W
Hill City	32200	Hill City	1,747	16 (41)	112 (43)	0 (0)	0.15%	39°22′17″N 99°50′29″W
Indiana	34000		42	0 (1)	174 (67)	0 (0)	0.01%	39°29′28″N 99°57′59″W
Millbrook	46625		150	1 (2)	159 (62)	0 (0)	0.04%	39°19′1″N 99°55′2″W
Morland	48250		68	0 (1)	286 (111)	0 (0)	0.05%	39°13′46″N 99°41′15″W
Nicodemus	50575		52	1 (2)	84 (32)	0 (0)	0.03%	39°24′40″N 99°38′55″W
Pioneer	55900		57	0 (1)	161 (62)	0 (0)	0.02%	39°31′1″N 99°40′2″W
Solomon	66300	Morland	209	1 (3)	159 (61)	0 (0)	0.01%	39°18′57″N 100°4′44″W
Wildhorse	79225	Bogue	252	2 (5)	137 (53)	0 (0)	0.06%	39°20′45″N 99°40′13″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

• Hill City USD 281, effective July 1, 2002, Morland USD 280 was consolidated into USD 281.

See also

• USS Graham County (LST-1176)

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:

Graham County, Kansas

Official sites

• Graham County
• Graham County Historical Society

Additional information

• Blue Skyways
• Kansas Statistical Abstract

Maps

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