Osborne County, Kansas

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Osborne County, Kansas
Location in the state of Kansas
Kansas's location in the U.S.
Founded	February 26, 1867
Seat	Osborne
Area  - Total  - Land  - Water	894.28 sq mi (2,316 km²) 892.39 sq mi (2,311 km²) 1.89 sq mi (5 km²), 0.21%
Population  - (2010)  - Density	3,858 4.5/sq mi (1.8/km²)
Time zone	Central: UTC-6/-5
Website	OsborneCounty.org

Osborne County (standard abbreviation: OB) is a county located in the U.S. state of Kansas. As of the 2010 census, the county population was 3,858. The largest city and county seat is Osborne.

History

19th century

Osborne County was named after Sergeant Vincent B. Osborne, Second Kansas Cavalry, who was wounded at the Battle of Wilson's Creek during the Civil War.

Frontiersman Charles "Buffalo" Jones lived in a sod house for a time in Osborne County prior to his co-founding Garden City, Kansas, in 1879.

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

Geography

According to the 2000 census, the county has a total area of 894.28 square miles (2,316.2 km²), of which 892.39 square miles (2,311.3 km²) (or 99.79%) is land and 1.89 square miles (4.9 km²) (or 0.21%) is water.

The geodetic center of North America is located within the county.[1] The geographic center of the 48 contiguous states is located in neighboring Smith County.

Adjacent counties

• Smith County (north)
• Jewell County (northeast)
• Mitchell County (east)
• Lincoln County (southeast)
• Russell County (south)
• Ellis County (southwest)
• Rooks County (west)

Demographics

Historical populations
Census	Pop.		%±
1900	11,844		—
1910	12,827		8.3%
1920	12,441		−3.0%
1930	11,568		−7.0%
1940	9,835		−15.0%
1950	8,558		−13.0%
1960	7,506		−12.3%
1970	6,416		−14.5%
1980	5,959		−7.1%
1990	4,867		−18.3%
2000	4,452		−8.5%
2010	3,858		−13.3%
U.S. Decennial Census

Age pyramid

2005 KDOT Map of Osborne County (map legend)

As of the census of 2000, there were 4,452 people, 1,940 households, and 1,208 families residing in the county. The population density was 5 people per square mile (2/km²). There were 2,419 housing units at an average density of 3 per square mile (1/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 98.61% White, 0.07% Black or African American, 0.22% Native American, 0.20% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.07% from other races, and 0.81% from two or more races. 0.38% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 1,940 households out of which 25.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.50% were married couples living together, 5.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.70% were non-families. 35.20% of all households were made up of individuals and 18.30% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.23 and the average family size was 2.90.

In the county the population was spread out with 23.80% under the age of 18, 5.50% from 18 to 24, 22.30% from 25 to 44, 22.60% from 45 to 64, and 25.70% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females there were 96.80 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.60 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $29,145, and the median income for a family was $35,438. Males had a median income of $24,736 versus $16,516 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,236. About 7.20% of families and 10.40% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.20% of those under age 18 and 8.50% of those age 65 or over.

Cities and towns

Incorporated cities

Name and population (2004 estimate):

• Osborne, 1,461 (county seat)
• Downs, 953
• Natoma, 332
• Portis, 116
• Alton, 110

Unincorporated places

• Academy
• Bloomington
• Bristow
• Cheyenne
• Corinth
• Covert
• Delhi
• Grand Center
• Kill Creek
• Twin Creek
• Vincent

Townships

Osborne County is divided into twenty-three townships. The city of Osborne 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.

Sources: 2000 U.S. Gazetteer from the U.S. Census Bureau.

Township	FIPS	Population center	Population	Population density /km² (/sq mi)	Land area km² (sq mi)	Water area km² (sq mi)	Water %	Geographic coordinates
Bethany	06425	Portis	199	2 (6)	93 (36)	0 (0)	0%	39°31′58″N 98°39′54″W
Bloom	07400		81	1 (1)	140 (54)	0 (0)	0.02%	39°20′9″N 98°33′7″W
Corinth	15625		51	1 (1)	92 (35)	0 (0)	0.24%	39°25′38″N 98°32′32″W
Covert	16100		19	0 (1)	93 (36)	0 (0)	0.18%	39°15′25″N 98°46′49″W
Delhi	17500		37	0 (1)	139 (54)	0 (0)	0.31%	39°11′46″N 98°32′11″W
Grant	27875		28	0 (1)	91 (35)	1 (0)	0.55%	39°31′0″N 98°59′6″W
Hancock	29825		21	0 (1)	93 (36)	0 (0)	0.24%	39°21′36″N 98°38′36″W
Hawkeye	30850		36	0 (1)	92 (36)	0 (0)	0.46%	39°32′24″N 98°51′34″W
Independence	33925		32	0 (1)	92 (35)	0 (0)	0.24%	39°21′31″N 98°45′36″W
Jackson	34875		42	0 (1)	93 (36)	0 (0)	0.09%	39°11′2″N 98°38′54″W
Kill Creek	36750		35	0 (1)	93 (36)	0 (0)	0.20%	39°21′9″N 98°52′52″W
Lawrence	38925		37	0 (1)	90 (35)	0 (0)	0.37%	39°31′56″N 98°45′56″W
Liberty	40300		31	0 (1)	93 (36)	0 (0)	0.27%	39°11′33″N 98°54′29″W
Mount Ayr	48875		41	0 (1)	92 (36)	0 (0)	0.03%	39°21′0″N 98°59′11″W
Natoma	49450	Natoma	402	4 (11)	93 (36)	0 (0)	0.34%	39°11′8″N 99°0′49″W
Penn	55350		129	1 (3)	119 (46)	0 (0)	0.05%	39°26′29″N 98°39′59″W
Ross	61375	Downs	1,166	13 (33)	92 (35)	1 (0)	0.81%	39°30′30″N 98°32′46″W
Round Mound	61475		59	1 (2)	92 (36)	0 (0)	0.11%	39°16′23″N 99°0′7″W
Sumner	69150	Alton	206	1 (4)	139 (54)	0 (0)	0.01%	39°27′19″N 98°58′14″W
Tilden	70575		116	1 (3)	107 (41)	0 (0)	0.21%	39°26′15″N 98°48′58″W
Valley	73000		37	0 (1)	93 (36)	0 (0)	0.07%	39°9′52″N 98°45′44″W
Victor	73750		24	0 (1)	93 (36)	0 (0)	0.08%	39°16′16″N 98°53′13″W
Winfield	79975		16	0 (0)	93 (36)	0 (0)	0.20%	39°15′35″N 98°40′7″W

Education

Unified school districts

• Waconda USD 272
• Osborne USD 392
• Natoma-Paradise-Waldo USD 399

See also

• Dry counties
• National Register of Historic Places listings in Osborne County, Kansas
• Meades Ranch, Kansas, the geodetic base point for the North American Datum of 1927 (NAD 27), which was used as a reference point until 1983.

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:

Osborne County, Kansas

Official

• Osborne County

General county information

• Blue Skyways

County Level Data

• Kansas Statistical Abstract

Maps

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