Ford County, Kansas
Ford County | |
---|---|
UTC−5 (CDT) | |
Congressional district | 1st |
Website | fordcounty.net |
Ford County is a
History
One of the earliest military posts in Kansas, Fort Atkinson, was located in Ford County. Fort Dodge, established in 1864, was on the north bank of the Arkansas River, about five miles southeast of what would become Dodge City. During the California Gold Rush in 1849, thousands of gold seekers passed through the area along the Santa Fe Trail, but few settled there.
Ford County was established in 1867 and named for Colonel James H. Ford of the Second Colorado Cavalry, who was in charge of the construction of Fort Dodge after the Civil War.[4] The region had been frequently traveled by pioneers along the Santa Fe Trail since the early 19th century.[5]
The town of Dodge City was established in 1872 upon the completion of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad. Before the buffalo were wiped out, their hides were extensively shipped from Dodge City. Dodge City would later develop into a rough and tumble cowtown during the peak cattle drive years of 1875-1885.[5][6]
Geography
According to the
Adjacent counties
- Hodgeman County (north)
- Edwards County (northeast)
- Kiowa County (east)
- Clark County (south)
- Meade County (southwest)
- Gray County (west)
Transit
Major highways
- U.S. Route 50
- U.S. Route 54
- U.S. Route 56
- U.S. Route 283
- U.S. Route 400
- K-34
Demographics
Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
---|---|---|---|
1870 | 427 | — | |
1880 | 3,122 | 631.1% | |
1890 | 5,308 | 70.0% | |
1900 | 5,497 | 3.6% | |
1910 | 11,393 | 107.3% | |
1920 | 14,273 | 25.3% | |
1930 | 20,647 | 44.7% | |
1940 | 17,254 | −16.4% | |
1950 | 19,670 | 14.0% | |
1960 | 20,938 | 6.4% | |
1970 | 22,587 | 7.9% | |
1980 | 24,315 | 7.7% | |
1990 | 27,463 | 12.9% | |
2000 | 32,458 | 18.2% | |
2010 | 33,848 | 4.3% | |
2020 | 34,287 | 1.3% | |
2023 (est.) | 33,980 | [8] | −0.9% |
U.S. Decennial Census[9] 1790-1960[10] 1900-1990[11] 1990-2000[12] 2010-2020[1] |
The Dodge City
As of the
Of the 10,852 households, 40.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.90% were married couples living together, 9.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.60% were not families. About 22.70% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.92, and the average family size was 3.42.
In the county, the age distribution was 31.10% under 18, 11.20% from 18 to 24, 29.40% from 25 to 44, 17.30% from 45 to 64, and 11.00% who were 65 or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females, there were 107.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 105.30 males.
The
Government
Presidential elections
Ford County has been strongly Republican for most of its history, especially in recent elections. Only eight Democratic presidential candidates from 1880 to 2020 have carried the county, the most recent being Jimmy Carter in 1976.
Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
2020 | 5,803 | 65.09% | 2,947 | 33.06% | 165 | 1.85% |
2016 | 5,114 | 65.78% | 2,149 | 27.64% | 511 | 6.57% |
2012 | 5,602 | 66.99% | 2,600 | 31.09% | 160 | 1.91% |
2008 | 5,730 | 64.64% | 2,991 | 33.74% | 143 | 1.61% |
2004 | 6,632 | 73.56% | 2,286 | 25.35% | 98 | 1.09% |
2000 | 6,050 | 67.85% | 2,566 | 28.78% | 301 | 3.38% |
1996 | 5,681 | 61.30% | 2,628 | 28.36% | 958 | 10.34% |
1992 | 4,342 | 41.93% | 2,635 | 25.44% | 3,379 | 32.63% |
1988 | 5,685 | 58.63% | 3,817 | 39.36% | 195 | 2.01% |
1984 | 6,935 | 69.72% | 2,914 | 29.30% | 98 | 0.99% |
1980 | 5,686 | 58.86% | 3,194 | 33.06% | 781 | 8.08% |
1976 | 4,679 | 47.61% | 4,934 | 50.21% | 214 | 2.18% |
1972 | 6,232 | 67.12% | 2,804 | 30.20% | 249 | 2.68% |
1968 | 4,645 | 52.80% | 3,191 | 36.27% | 961 | 10.92% |
1964 | 3,481 | 39.73% | 5,221 | 59.59% | 59 | 0.67% |
1960 | 5,200 | 57.67% | 3,792 | 42.05% | 25 | 0.28% |
1956 | 5,561 | 66.84% | 2,710 | 32.57% | 49 | 0.59% |
1952 | 6,359 | 68.96% | 2,748 | 29.80% | 114 | 1.24% |
1948 | 4,089 | 47.21% | 4,396 | 50.75% | 177 | 2.04% |
1944 | 4,110 | 57.23% | 2,994 | 41.69% | 77 | 1.07% |
1940 | 4,356 | 51.97% | 3,954 | 47.17% | 72 | 0.86% |
1936 | 3,378 | 38.69% | 5,335 | 61.11% | 17 | 0.19% |
1932 | 3,335 | 41.61% | 4,442 | 55.42% | 238 | 2.97% |
1928 | 4,893 | 71.59% | 1,870 | 27.36% | 72 | 1.05% |
1924 | 3,449 | 57.99% | 1,551 | 26.08% | 948 | 15.94% |
1920 | 3,305 | 61.90% | 1,879 | 35.19% | 155 | 2.90% |
1916 | 2,337 | 40.29% | 3,044 | 52.47% | 420 | 7.24% |
1912 | 529 | 19.18% | 1,125 | 40.79% | 1,104 | 40.03% |
1908 | 1,333 | 53.28% | 1,089 | 43.53% | 80 | 3.20% |
1904 | 1,148 | 64.79% | 526 | 29.68% | 98 | 5.53% |
1900 | 653 | 50.46% | 610 | 47.14% | 31 | 2.40% |
1896 | 555 | 45.75% | 643 | 53.01% | 15 | 1.24% |
1892 | 648 | 53.42% | 0 | 0.00% | 565 | 46.58% |
1888 | 882 | 52.47% | 630 | 37.48% | 169 | 10.05% |
Laws
Ford County was a prohibition, or
Education
Colleges
Unified school districts
Communities
† means a community is designated a Census-Designated Place (CDP) by the United States Census Bureau.
Cities
- Bucklin
- Dodge City (county seat)
- Ford
- Spearville
Unincorporated communities
Townships
Ford County is divided into 14 townships. The city of Dodge City 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.
Township | FIPS |
Population center |
Population | Population density /km2 (/sq mi) |
Land area km2 (sq mi) |
Water area km2 (sq mi) |
Water % | Geographic coordinates |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Bloom | 07375 | 113 | 1 (2) | 144 (55) | 0 (0) | 0% | 37°30′23″N 99°55′4″W / 37.50639°N 99.91778°W | |
Bucklin | 09025 | 900 | 3 (8) | 285 (110) | 0 (0) | 0.02% | 37°34′44″N 99°37′9″W / 37.57889°N 99.61917°W | |
Concord | 15150 | 117 | 1 (2) | 187 (72) | 0 (0) | 0.11% | 37°36′36″N 100°5′52″W / 37.61000°N 100.09778°W | |
Dodge | 18225 | 899 | 13 (33) | 70 (27) | 0 (0) | 0.21% | 37°47′0″N 100°0′52″W / 37.78333°N 100.01444°W | |
Enterprise | 21450 | 1,113 | 6 (17) | 175 (67) | 0 (0) | 0.19% | 37°40′47″N 99°57′8″W / 37.67972°N 99.95222°W | |
Fairview | 22500 | 346 | 2 (5) | 188 (73) | 0 (0) | 0.06% | 37°45′11″N 100°8′57″W / 37.75306°N 100.14917°W | |
Ford | 23750 | 456 | 2 (5) | 249 (96) | 0 (0) | 0.01% | 37°36′58″N 99°46′27″W / 37.61611°N 99.77417°W | |
Grandview | 27350 | 784 | 3 (9) | 226 (87) | 0 (0) | 0.20% | 37°47′10″N 99°55′54″W / 37.78611°N 99.93167°W | |
Richland | 59300 | 931 | 9 (24) | 99 (38) | 0 (0) | 0.17% | 37°42′10″N 100°2′19″W / 37.70278°N 100.03861°W | |
Royal | 61575 | 105 | 1 (1) | 185 (72) | 0 (0) | 0.06% | 37°51′51″N 100°6′44″W / 37.86417°N 100.11222°W | |
Sodville | 66150 | 110 | 1 (2) | 145 (56) | 0 (0) | 0.01% | 37°31′16″N 99°45′6″W / 37.52111°N 99.75167°W | |
Spearville | 67150 | 1,150 | 2 (6) | 479 (185) | 0 (0) | 0.03% | 37°47′58″N 99°45′4″W / 37.79944°N 99.75111°W | |
Wheatland | 77675 | 170 | 1 (2) | 193 (74) | 0 (0) | 0% | 37°48′58″N 99°37′22″W / 37.81611°N 99.62278°W | |
Wilburn | 79100 | 88 | 0 (1) | 187 (72) | 0 (0) | 0% | 37°31′22″N 100°7′10″W / 37.52278°N 100.11944°W | |
Sources: "Census 2000 U.S. Gazetteer Files". U.S. Census Bureau, Geography Division. Archived from the original on August 2, 2002. |
Notable people
Numerous figures of the
See also
- Golden Triangle of Meat-packing
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Ford County, Kansas
- 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; Ford County, Kansas; Population, Census, 2020 & 2010". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on August 16, 2021. Retrieved August 16, 2021.
- ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 9, 2015. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
- ^ Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Govt. Print. Off. pp. 128.
- ISBN 9780722248751.
- ^ a b "Ford County, Kansas – Legends of Kansas". Retrieved April 4, 2024.
- ^ Gribben, Brian. "Research Guides: Kansas Heritage: Ford County". fhsuguides.fhsu.edu. Retrieved April 4, 2024.
- ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
- ^ "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 24, 2014.
- ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved July 24, 2014.
- ^ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 24, 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 24, 2014.
- ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 19, 2018.
- ^ "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 October 8, 2007. Retrieved December 28, 2007.
- ^ "More Dodge City History". Dodge City Convention and Visitors Bureau. Retrieved September 23, 2011.
Further reading
- Handbook of Ford County, Kansas; C.S. Burch Publishing Co; 32 pages; 1887.
- Atlas and Plat Book of Ford County, Kansas; Kenyon Co; 54 pages; 1916.
- Standard Atlas of Ford County, Kansas; Geo. A. Ogle & Co; 63 pages; 1906.
External links
- County
- Historical
- Ford County History from FCHS, Dodge City, KS
- Ford County GenWeb
- Ford County from American History and Genealogy Project (AHGP)
- Maps