Cowley County, Kansas
Cowley County | |
---|---|
UTC−5 (CDT) | |
Area code | 620 |
Congressional district | 4th |
Website | cowleycounty.org |
Cowley County is a
History
For millennia, the land now known as Kansas was inhabited by
19th century
In 1803, most of
21st century
In 2010, the Keystone-Cushing Pipeline (Phase II) was constructed north to south through Cowley County. Controversy arose from the Kansas legislature's decision to grant the pipeline a ten-year exemption from property taxes; it was estimated that this would mean $15 million per year in lost revenue to the six counties through which the pipeline passed. The counties were unsuccessful in an attempt to eliminate the exemption.[4][5][6][7]
Geography
According to the
West of Dexter, KS, Cowley County Fishing Lake is positioned just off of Highway 166. This fishing lake is the home of the Cowley County Waterfall, which can be visited following the road to the northwest side of the property.[9] However, in recent years (as of 2021) the severe drought has caused the waterfall to stop flowing. It will likely continue if the area receives enough precipitation and ends the drought.
Adjacent counties
- Butler County (north)
- Elk County (northeast)
- Chautauqua County (east)
- Osage County, Oklahoma (south)
- Kay County, Oklahoma (southwest)
- Sumner County (west)
- Sedgwick County (northwest)
Demographics
Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
---|---|---|---|
1860 | 158 | — | |
1870 | 1,175 | 643.7% | |
1880 | 21,538 | 1,733.0% | |
1890 | 34,478 | 60.1% | |
1900 | 30,156 | −12.5% | |
1910 | 31,790 | 5.4% | |
1920 | 35,155 | 10.6% | |
1930 | 40,903 | 16.4% | |
1940 | 38,139 | −6.8% | |
1950 | 36,905 | −3.2% | |
1960 | 37,861 | 2.6% | |
1970 | 35,012 | −7.5% | |
1980 | 36,824 | 5.2% | |
1990 | 36,915 | 0.2% | |
2000 | 36,291 | −1.7% | |
2010 | 36,311 | 0.1% | |
2020 | 34,549 | −4.9% | |
2023 (est.) | 34,157 | [10] | −1.1% |
U.S. Decennial Census[11] 1790-1960[12] 1900-1990[13] 1990-2000[14] 2010-2020[1] |
Cowley County comprises the Arkansas City-Winfield, KS
As of the
of any race were 3.59% of the population.There were 14,039 households, out of which 32.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.20% were married couples living together, 9.60% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.50% were non-families. 27.90% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.20% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 3.00.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 26.00% under the age of 18, 9.90% from 18 to 24, 26.00% from 25 to 44, 22.20% from 45 to 64, and 15.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.20 males.
The
Government
Presidential elections
Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
2020 | 9,656 | 67.85% | 4,273 | 30.03% | 302 | 2.12% |
2016 | 8,270 | 65.53% | 3,551 | 28.14% | 800 | 6.34% |
2012 | 8,081 | 63.58% | 4,319 | 33.98% | 310 | 2.44% |
2008 | 8,492 | 61.59% | 5,012 | 36.35% | 283 | 2.05% |
2004 | 9,407 | 65.11% | 4,818 | 33.35% | 222 | 1.54% |
2000 | 8,080 | 56.86% | 5,535 | 38.95% | 595 | 4.19% |
1996 | 7,872 | 50.79% | 5,588 | 36.05% | 2,039 | 13.16% |
1992 | 5,422 | 34.35% | 5,405 | 34.24% | 4,957 | 31.41% |
1988 | 7,778 | 54.44% | 6,186 | 43.30% | 322 | 2.25% |
1984 | 10,008 | 64.99% | 5,193 | 33.72% | 198 | 1.29% |
1980 | 8,749 | 57.14% | 5,474 | 35.75% | 1,089 | 7.11% |
1976 | 7,513 | 50.32% | 7,095 | 47.52% | 323 | 2.16% |
1972 | 10,332 | 70.51% | 3,592 | 24.51% | 729 | 4.98% |
1968 | 8,070 | 54.30% | 5,014 | 33.74% | 1,777 | 11.96% |
1964 | 7,092 | 47.93% | 7,591 | 51.30% | 114 | 0.77% |
1960 | 10,276 | 61.98% | 6,205 | 37.42% | 99 | 0.60% |
1956 | 6,734 | 63.93% | 3,753 | 35.63% | 46 | 0.44% |
1952 | 11,454 | 68.13% | 5,242 | 31.18% | 116 | 0.69% |
1948 | 8,102 | 52.13% | 7,042 | 45.31% | 397 | 2.55% |
1944 | 8,453 | 55.91% | 6,577 | 43.50% | 90 | 0.60% |
1940 | 9,684 | 53.99% | 8,115 | 45.25% | 136 | 0.76% |
1936 | 8,378 | 43.51% | 10,805 | 56.12% | 72 | 0.37% |
1932 | 7,657 | 44.71% | 8,681 | 50.69% | 788 | 4.60% |
1928 | 12,701 | 80.79% | 2,818 | 17.93% | 202 | 1.28% |
1924 | 8,529 | 58.51% | 3,161 | 21.68% | 2,887 | 19.81% |
1920 | 7,352 | 59.22% | 4,733 | 38.13% | 329 | 2.65% |
1916 | 5,297 | 43.87% | 5,962 | 49.37% | 816 | 6.76% |
1912 | 1,113 | 15.75% | 2,539 | 35.93% | 3,414 | 48.32% |
1908 | 2,578 | 42.42% | 2,995 | 49.28% | 505 | 8.31% |
1904 | 3,961 | 61.33% | 1,456 | 22.54% | 1,042 | 16.13% |
1900 | 3,679 | 50.47% | 3,436 | 47.14% | 174 | 2.39% |
1896 | 2,871 | 45.14% | 3,410 | 53.62% | 79 | 1.24% |
1892 | 3,886 | 49.13% | 0 | 0.00% | 4,023 | 50.87% |
1888 | 4,112 | 53.41% | 1,933 | 25.11% | 1,654 | 21.48% |
Laws
Following amendment to the
The county voted "No" on the
Education
Colleges
- Cowley College
- Southwestern College
- St. John's College (closed in 1986)
Unified school districts
Communities
‡ means a community has portions in an adjacent county. † means a community is designated a Census-Designated Place (CDP) by the United States Census Bureau.
Cities
- Atlanta
- Arkansas City
- Burden
- Cambridge
- Dexter
- Geuda Springs‡
- Parkerfield
- Udall
- Winfield (county seat)
Unincorporated communities
Ghost towns
Townships
Cowley County is divided into twenty-five townships. The cities of Arkansas City and Winfield are considered governmentally independent and are 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.
Notable people
General Dean Coldwell Strother was a United States Air Force four-star general who served as U.S. Military Representative, NATO Military Committee (USMILREP), from 1962 to 1965; and as Commander in Chief, North American Air Defense Command/Commander in Chief, Continental Air Defense Command (CINCNORAD/CINCONAD), from 1965 to 1966.
Several college football head coaches have passed through Winfield that have gone on to become widely recognized. Jerry Kill is the current head coach for the Minnesota Golden Gophers—he played for the Southwestern Moundbuilders under Dennis Franchione when he was head coach. Jack Mitchell went on to coach several schools including the Kansas Jayhawks. Former head coach and for the Oklahoma Sooners and College Football Hall of Fame member Bennie Owen was born in Arkansas City.
Perhaps the most famous resident of Cowley County is the fictional character Mary Ann Summers from the television show Gilligan's Island. It is said on the show that she is "employed at the Winfield General Store."
See also
- Community information for Kansas
- Kansas locations by per capita income
- List of counties in Kansas
- List of townships in Kansas
- List of cities in Kansas
- List of unincorporated communities in Kansas
- List of ghost towns in Kansas
References
- ^ a b c "QuickFacts; Cowley County, Kansas; Population, Census, 2020 & 2010". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on August 16, 2021. Retrieved August 15, 2021.
- ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
- ^ "William G. Cutler's, History of the State of Kansas". A. T. Andreas Press, 1883.[permanent dead link]
- ^ Davis, Dakotah. "Commissioners green light pipeline, sort of". Archived June 3, 2016, at the Wayback Machine NewsCow.net. Archived May 3, 2016, at the Wayback Machine May 19, 2010. Retrieved May 1, 2016.
- ^ "Counties to seek denial of pipeline tax exemption". Clay Center Dispatch. November 5, 2009. Archived December 16, 2009.
- ^ "Court upholds pipeline tax exemption". Topeka Capital-Journal. May 18, 2012. Retrieved May 1, 2016.
- ^ Milburn, John. "Kansas appeals court upholds Keystone pipeline tax ruling". Kansas City Star. April 26, 2013. Retrieved May 1, 2016.
- ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
- ^ "Cowley County, Kansas - Cowley County Waterfall". www.cowleycountyks.gov. Retrieved September 3, 2023.
- ^ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved April 3, 2024.
- ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 22, 2014.
- ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Archived from the original on August 11, 2012. Retrieved July 22, 2014.
- ^ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 22, 2014.
- ^ "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 22, 2014.
- ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
- ^ "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections".
- ^ "Map of Wet and Dry Counties". Alcoholic Beverage Control, Kansas Department of Revenue. November 2006. Archived from the original on February 19, 2008. Retrieved December 28, 2007.
- ^ Panetta, Grace (August 3, 2022). "14 of the 19 Kansas counties that rejected an anti-abortion amendment voted for Trump in 2020". Business Insider. Retrieved August 3, 2022.
- Notes
Further reading
- History of Cowley County Kansas; D.A. Millington / E.P. Greer; Winfield Courier; 162 pages; 1901.
- Hand-book of Arkansas City and surroundings; C. S. Burch Publishing Co; 38 pages; 1887.
- Standard Atlas of Cowley County, Kansas; Geo. A. Ogle & Co; 54 pages; 1905.
- Historical Atlas of Cowley County, Kansas; John P. Edwards; 52 pages; 1882.
External links
- County
- Historical
- Maps