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Stevens County, Kansas

Coordinates: 37°12′N 101°18′W / 37.200°N 101.300°W / 37.200; -101.300
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Stevens County
County
Stevens County Courthouse in Hugoton (2009)
Stevens County Courthouse in Hugoton (2009)
Map of Kansas highlighting Stevens County
Location within the U.S. state of Kansas
Map of the United States highlighting Kansas
Kansas's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 37°12′N 101°18′W / 37.200°N 101.300°W / 37.200; -101.300
Country United States
State Kansas
FoundedAugust 3, 1886
Named forThaddeus Stevens[1]
SeatHugoton
Largest cityHugoton
Area
 • Total
727 sq mi (1,880 km2)
 • Land727 sq mi (1,880 km2)
 • Water0.2 sq mi (0.5 km2)  0.02%
Population
 (2020)[2]
 • Total
5,250
 • Density7.2/sq mi (2.8/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
Area code620
Congressional district1st
WebsiteStevensCoKS.org

Stevens County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kansas. Its county seat is Hugoton.[3] As of the 2020 census, the county population was 5,250.[2] The county is named for Thaddeus Stevens, a Reconstruction era Pennsylvania politician.[1]

History

[edit]
See also: History of Kansas

In 1886, Stevens County was established.

The first settlers came from McPherson, Kansas in 1885, originally naming their town Hugo after Victor Hugo, before changing it to Hugoton. Other early towns included Lafayette, founded by Quakers in 1886, and Moscow, established in 1887.

In the late 1880s and early 1890s, a violent "county seat war" raged between Hugoton, which had been designated the temporary county seat, and Woodsdale. Incidents included arrests, kidnappings, and killings.[4] The conflict culminated in the July 25, 1888, murder of Sheriff Cross of Woodsdale and three of his men in the Hay Meadow Massacre by Sam Robinson of Hugoton and his supporters. Robinson fled and was never tried for the murders.[4][5] The issue was eventually resolved in 1887 when Hugoton became the permanent county seat, though tensions remained high for several years after.[4]

Natural gas was discovered in Stevens County in 1927, leading to the development of the Hugoton Natural Gas Area and transforming Hugoton into a major center of the natural gas industry.[4]


In the 1930s, the prosperity of the area was severely affected by its location within the Dust Bowl. This catastrophe intensified the economic impact of the Great Depression in the region.

Geography

[edit]

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 727 square miles (1,880 km2), of which 727 square miles (1,880 km2) is land and 0.2 square miles (0.52 km2) (0.02%) is water.[6]

Major highways

[edit]

Adjacent counties

[edit]

National protected area

[edit]

Demographics

[edit]
Population pyramid based on 2000 census age data
Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
188012—
18901,41811,716.7%
1900620−56.3%
19102,453295.6%
19203,94360.7%
19304,65518.1%
19403,193−31.4%
19504,51641.4%
19604,400−2.6%
19704,198−4.6%
19804,73612.8%
19905,0486.6%
20005,4638.2%
20105,7244.8%
20205,250−8.3%
2023 (est.)5,077[7]−3.3%
U.S. Decennial Census[8]
1790-1960[9] 1900-1990[10]
1990-2000[11] 2010-2020[2]

As of the census[12] of 2000, there were 5,463 people, 1,988 households, and 1,457 families residing in the county. The population density was 8 people per square mile (3.1 people/km2). There were 2,265 housing units at an average density of 3 per square mile (1.2/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 83.01% White, 0.93% Black or African American, 0.93% Native American, 0.24% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 13.25% from other races, and 1.61% from two or more races. 21.73% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 1,988 households, out of which 38.80% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.10% were married couples living together, 7.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.70% were non-families. 24.30% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.72 and the average family size was 3.27.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 31.20% under the age of 18, 8.30% from 18 to 24, 27.80% from 25 to 44, 19.40% from 45 to 64, and 13.30% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 95.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.50 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $41,830, and the median income for a family was $49,063. Males had a median income of $36,525 versus $22,803 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,814. About 8.30% of families and 10.30% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.10% of those under age 18 and 4.70% of those age 65 or over.

Government

[edit]

County

[edit]

Stevens County is governed by the Stevens County Commissioners. The current members are Joe D. Thompson, Tron Stegman, and Pat Hall.

Presidential elections

[edit]
Presidential election results
United States presidential election results for Stevens County, Kansas[13]
Year Republican Democratic Third party(ies)
No.  % No.  % No.  %
2024 1,559 86.80% 207 11.53% 30 1.67%
2020 1,760 86.66% 237 11.67% 34 1.67%
2016 1,599 84.56% 220 11.63% 72 3.81%
2012 1,749 85.99% 252 12.39% 33 1.62%
2008 1,815 85.33% 283 13.31% 29 1.36%
2004 1,936 85.47% 310 13.69% 19 0.84%
2000 1,714 81.19% 345 16.34% 52 2.46%
1996 1,548 70.88% 405 18.54% 231 10.58%
1992 1,408 56.84% 390 15.74% 679 27.41%
1988 1,642 71.17% 612 26.53% 53 2.30%
1984 1,863 82.03% 386 17.00% 22 0.97%
1980 1,502 72.04% 478 22.93% 105 5.04%
1976 1,262 57.23% 901 40.86% 42 1.90%
1972 1,392 74.48% 408 21.83% 69 3.69%
1968 1,157 58.38% 528 26.64% 297 14.98%
1964 992 49.11% 1,006 49.80% 22 1.09%
1960 1,405 68.74% 630 30.82% 9 0.44%
1956 1,273 69.00% 565 30.62% 7 0.38%
1952 1,480 77.16% 423 22.05% 15 0.78%
1948 822 54.04% 666 43.79% 33 2.17%
1944 760 64.63% 414 35.20% 2 0.17%
1940 851 55.05% 674 43.60% 21 1.36%
1936 701 40.52% 1,023 59.13% 6 0.35%
1932 578 31.08% 1,225 65.86% 57 3.06%
1928 1,133 78.52% 300 20.79% 10 0.69%
1924 913 66.55% 302 22.01% 157 11.44%
1920 876 69.47% 346 27.44% 39 3.09%
1916 391 33.48% 646 55.31% 131 11.22%
1912 117 19.34% 237 39.17% 251 41.49%
1908 258 48.22% 215 40.19% 62 11.59%
1904 122 64.21% 40 21.05% 28 14.74%
1900 66 42.31% 89 57.05% 1 0.64%
1896 48 32.21% 101 67.79% 0 0.00%
1892 85 31.48% 0 0.00% 185 68.52%
1888 307 40.99% 268 35.78% 174 23.23%

Stevens County is overwhelmingly Republican. It has not been won by a Democrat at Presidential level since Lyndon Johnson won by fourteen votes in 1964. In fact, the last Democrat to crack thirty percent of the county's vote was Jimmy Carter in 1976, and since Carter only Michael Dukakis during the drought and farm crisis-influenced 1988 election has received so much as twenty percent.

Laws

[edit]

The Kansas Constitution was amended in 1986 to allow the sale of alcoholic liquor by the individual drink with the approval of voters, either with or without a minimum of 30% of sales coming from food. Stevens County is one of 35 counties in the state that allows for the sale of liquor by the drink without the minimum food sales stipulation.[14]

Education

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Unified school districts

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Communities

[edit]
2005 map of Stevens County[15] (map legend)

List of current townships / incorporated cities / unincorporated communities / extinct former communities within Stevens County.[15]

Cities

[edit]

Ghost towns

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Townships

[edit]
Area affected by 1930s Dust Bowl

Stevens County is divided into six 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.

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
Banner 04125 164 1 (2) 277 (107) 0 (0) 0% 37°3′41″N 101°11′37″W / 37.06139°N 101.19361°W / 37.06139; -101.19361
Center 12200 4,131 15 (38) 280 (108) 0 (0) 0.02% 37°10′38″N 101°19′7″W / 37.17722°N 101.31861°W / 37.17722; -101.31861
Harmony 30150 143 1 (1) 280 (108) 0 (0) 0% 37°19′22″N 101°26′55″W / 37.32278°N 101.44861°W / 37.32278; -101.44861
Moscow 48625 711 2 (4) 442 (171) 0 (0) 0.09% 37°18′28″N 101°12′12″W / 37.30778°N 101.20333°W / 37.30778; -101.20333
Voorhees 74200 145 0 (1) 349 (135) 0 (0) 0% 37°3′26″N 101°23′16″W / 37.05722°N 101.38778°W / 37.05722; -101.38778
West Center 76800 169 1 (2) 257 (99) 0 (0) 0% 37°11′30″N 101°26′19″W / 37.19167°N 101.43861°W / 37.19167; -101.43861

See also

[edit]
Community information for Kansas

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b Knapp, Tom (April 3, 2009). "Stevens to honor Stevens, Town was named for famous legislator, who got it a post office". Intelligencer Journal. Archived from the original on December 8, 2012. Retrieved May 9, 2009.
  2. ^ a b c "QuickFacts; Stevens County, Kansas; Population, Census, 2020 & 2010". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on August 20, 2021. Retrieved August 20, 2021.
  3. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  4. ^ a b c d "Stevens County, Kansas - Kansapedia - Kansas Historical Society". www.kshs.org. Retrieved April 19, 2024.
  5. ^ Gribben, Brian. "Research Guides: Kansas Heritage: Stevens County". fhsuguides.fhsu.edu. Retrieved April 19, 2024.
  6. ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
  7. ^ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved April 3, 2024.
  8. ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 29, 2014.
  9. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved July 29, 2014.
  10. ^ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 29, 2014.
  11. ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 27, 2010. Retrieved July 29, 2014.
  12. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  13. ^ "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections".
  14. ^ "Map of Wet and Dry Counties" (PDF). Kansas Department of Revenue Alcoholic Beverage Control. December 30, 2019. Archived (PDF) from the original on November 4, 2020. Retrieved November 4, 2020.
  15. ^ a b "General Highway Map of Stevens County, Kansas" (PDF). Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT). April 2009. Archived (PDF) from the original on February 7, 2023.
Notes

Further reading

[edit]
See also: List of books about Kansas, including historical information about its counties and cities
[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Stevens County, Kansas.
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