Jewell County, Kansas

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Jewell County, Kansas
Location in the state of Kansas
Kansas's location in the U.S.
Founded	February 26, 1887
Named for	Lieutenant-Colonel Lewis R. Jewell
Seat	Mankato
Area  - Total  - Land  - Water	914.47 sq mi (2,368 km²) 909.18 sq mi (2,355 km²) 5.29 sq mi (14 km²), 0.58%
Population  - (2010)  - Density	3,077 3.7/sq mi (1.4/km²)
Time zone	Central: UTC-6/-5

Jewell County (county code JW) is a county located in North Central Kansas, in the Central United States. As of the 2010 census, the county population was 3,077. Its county seat and most populous city is Mankato.

History

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".

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, Jewell County has remained a prohibition, or "dry", county.

Geography

According to the 2000 census, the county has a total area of 914.47 square miles (2,368.5 km²), of which 909.18 square miles (2,354.8 km²) (or 99.42%) is land and 5.29 square miles (13.7 km²) (or 0.58%) is water.

Adjacent counties

• Nuckolls County, Nebraska (northeast)
• Republic County (east)
• Cloud County (southeast)
• Mitchell County (south)
• Osborne County (southwest)
• Smith County (west)
• Webster County, Nebraska (northwest)

Demographics

Historical populations
Census	Pop.		%±
1900	19,420		—
1910	18,148		−6.5%
1920	16,240		−10.5%
1930	14,462		−10.9%
1940	11,970		−17.2%
1950	9,698		−19.0%
1960	7,217		−25.6%
1970	6,099		−15.5%
1980	5,241		−14.1%
1990	4,251		−18.9%
2000	3,791		−10.8%
2010	3,077		−18.8%
U.S. Decennial Census

Population pyramid

June 24, 1947 flood of the Republican River on the border of Jewell County, Kansas and Republic County, Kansas near Hardy, Nebraska and Webber, Kansas, just south of Nebraska NE-8 on Kansas 1 Rd/CR-1 bridge over the Republican River. The normal flood stage for the river is at the tree line in the foreground.

Jewell County's population was estimated to be 3,324 in the year 2006, a decrease of 440, or -11.7%, over the previous six years.

As of the U.S. Census in 2000, there were 3,791 people, 1,695 households, and 1,098 families residing in the county. The population density was 4 people per square mile (2/km²). There were 2,103 housing units at an average density of 2 per square mile (1/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 98.79% White, 0.34% Native American, 0.05% Asian, 0.03% Black or African American, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.05% from other races, and 0.71% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.71% of the population.

There were 1,695 households out of which 23.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.10% were married couples living together, 4.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.20% were non-families. 32.40% of all households were made up of individuals and 18.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.21 and the average family size was 2.80.

In the county the population was spread out with 21.90% under the age of 18, 4.40% from 18 to 24, 21.50% from 25 to 44, 26.20% from 45 to 64, and 25.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 46 years. For every 100 females there were 97.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.00 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $30,538, and the median income for a family was $36,953. Males had a median income of $24,821 versus $18,170 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,644. About 8.40% of families and 11.60% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.80% of those under age 18 and 10.90% of those age 65 or over.

Cities and towns

Incorporated cities

Name and population (2004 estimate):

• Mankato, 864 (county seat)
• Jewell, 447
• Burr Oak, 233
• Esbon, 135
• Formoso, 118
• Randall, 76
• Webber, 34

Unincorporated areas

• Montrose
• North Branch

Townships

Jewell County is divided into twenty-five 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
Allen	01225		43	0 (1)	90 (35)	0 (0)	0.02%	39°36′46″N 97°59′49″W
Athens	02975		74	1 (2)	102 (39)	0 (0)	0%	39°36′13″N 98°20′7″W
Browns Creek	08725		64	1 (2)	93 (36)	0 (0)	0.02%	39°36′13″N 98°13′33″W
Buffalo	09125		574	5 (14)	105 (41)	0 (0)	0.07%	39°40′23″N 98°8′38″W
Burr Oak	09550		338	3 (9)	102 (39)	0 (0)	0%	39°52′9″N 98°18′36″W
Calvin	10075		65	1 (2)	81 (31)	0 (0)	0.04%	39°42′19″N 98°12′51″W
Center	11750		1,100	12 (31)	93 (36)	0 (0)	0.07%	39°47′15″N 98°12′38″W
Erving	21575		60	1 (2)	93 (36)	0 (0)	0.08%	39°36′13″N 98°26′21″W
Esbon	21625		222	2 (6)	93 (36)	0 (0)	0.08%	39°48′15″N 98°26′41″W
Grant	27725		220	2 (6)	93 (36)	0 (0)	0%	39°46′58″N 97°59′28″W
Harrison	30350		52	1 (1)	93 (36)	0 (0)	0%	39°57′58″N 98°13′19″W
Highland	31900		49	1 (1)	93 (36)	0 (0)	0.03%	39°57′49″N 98°26′42″W
Holmwood	32800		49	1 (1)	92 (36)	0 (0)	0.05%	39°51′43″N 98°12′24″W
Ionia	34375		100	1 (3)	102 (39)	0 (0)	0.11%	39°40′55″N 98°19′55″W
Jackson	34800		123	1 (3)	92 (35)	1 (0)	0.90%	39°56′52″N 97°59′53″W
Limestone	40450		49	0 (1)	102 (39)	0 (0)	0.02%	39°47′38″N 98°18′45″W
Montana	47800		93	1 (3)	94 (36)	0 (0)	0.14%	39°57′55″N 98°5′21″W
Odessa	52125		34	0 (1)	93 (36)	0 (0)	0.02%	39°41′52″N 98°27′29″W
Prairie	57400		172	2 (5)	96 (37)	0 (0)	0.02%	39°37′40″N 98°4′12″W
Richland	59375		36	0 (1)	83 (32)	9 (4)	10.13%	39°53′41″N 98°5′40″W
Sinclair	65675		67	1 (2)	89 (34)	3 (1)	2.81%	39°52′41″N 97°59′52″W
Vicksburg	73725		28	0 (1)	93 (36)	0 (0)	0%	39°42′4″N 97°58′45″W
Walnut	75000		80	1 (2)	102 (39)	0 (0)	0.07%	39°57′58″N 98°20′12″W
Washington	75650		50	1 (1)	93 (36)	0 (0)	0%	39°47′3″N 98°5′36″W
White Mound	77925		49	1 (1)	93 (36)	0 (0)	0.12%	39°51′53″N 98°26′21″W
Sources: "Census 2000 U.S. Gazetteer Files". U.S. Census Bureau, Geography Division. http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/places2k.html.

Education

2005 KDOT Map of Jewell County (map legend)

Unified school districts

• Rock Hills USD 107

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:

Jewell County, Kansas

County

• Jewell County - Official Website
• Jewell County - Directory of Public Officials
• Jewell County - Information, Skyways

Historical

• Jewell County Kansas History and Heritage Project, Genealogy

Maps

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