Wallace County, Kansas

Wallace County (standard abbreviation: WA) is a county located in the U.S. state of Kansas. Its county seat is Sharon Springs.[1] As of the 2010 census, the county population was 1,485,[2] making it the second-least populous county in Kansas. As of 2018, it is tied with Greeley County as the least densely populated county in the state.[3] The county was created in 1868 and named in honor of Brigadier general W.H.L. Wallace who was a veteran of the Mexican–American War and a casualty of the Battle of Shiloh.

Wallace County
County
Wallace County courthouse in Sharon Springs
Location within the U.S. state of Kansas
Kansas's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 38°45′52″N 101°34′33″W
Country United States
State Kansas
Founded1868
Named forW. H. L. Wallace
SeatSharon Springs
Largest citySharon Springs
Area
 • Total914 sq mi (2,370 km2)
 • Land914 sq mi (2,370 km2)
 • Water0.05 sq mi (0.1 km2)  0.01%
Population
 (2010)
 • Total1,485
 • Estimate 
(2018)
1,503
 • Density1.6/sq mi (0.63/km2)
Time zoneUTC−7 (Mountain)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−6 (MDT)
Congressional district1st
WebsiteWallaceCounty.net
"Mount Sunflower," the highest point in Kansas, is located in Wallace County

Wallace County has the lowest population of any county in Kansas. It is one of four Kansas counties to practice Mountain Standard Time rather than Central Standard Time.

Wallace County is home to Mount Sunflower, the highest point in Kansas at 4,039 feet (1,231 meters). Mount Sunflower is located approximately 15 miles (24 km) north-northwest of Weskan, less than one mile (1.6 km) from the Colorado state line.

History

Early history
See also: History of Kansas

For many millennia, the Great Plains of North America was inhabited by nomadic Native Americans. From the 16th century to 18th century, the Kingdom of France claimed ownership of large parts of North America. In 1762, after the French and Indian War, France secretly ceded New France to Spain, per the Treaty of Fontainebleau.

19th century

In 1802, Spain returned most of the land to France, but keeping title to about 7,500 square miles. In 1803, most of the land for modern day Kansas was acquired by the United States from France as part of the 828,000 square mile Louisiana Purchase for 2.83 cents per acre.

In 1854, the Kansas Territory was organized, then in 1861 Kansas became the 34th U.S. state. In 1868, Wallace County was established.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 914 square miles (2,370 km2), of which 914 square miles (2,370 km2) is land and 0.05 square miles (0.13 km2) (0.01%) is water.[4]

Adjacent counties

Demographics
Historical population
CensusPop.%±
1870538—
188068627.5%
18902,468259.8%
19001,178−52.3%
19102,759134.2%
19202,424−12.1%
19302,88218.9%
19402,216−23.1%
19502,50813.2%
19602,069−17.5%
19702,2157.1%
19802,045−7.7%
19901,821−11.0%
20001,749−4.0%
20101,485−15.1%
Est. 20181,503[5]1.2%
U.S. Decennial Census[6]
1790-1960[7] 1900-1990[8]
1990-2000[9] 2010-2016[2]
Age pyramid

As of the census[10] of 2000, there were 1,749 people, 674 households, and 477 families residing in the county. The population density was 2 people per square mile (1/km²). There were 791 housing units at an average density of 1 per square mile (0/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 94.63% White, 0.63% Black or African American, 0.80% Native American, 0.17% Asian, 2.52% from other races, and 1.26% from two or more races. 4.80% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 674 households out of which 33.80% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.60% were married couples living together, 4.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.20% were non-families. 27.60% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.60% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 3.12.

In the county, the population was spread out with 29.10% under the age of 18, 6.50% from 18 to 24, 23.60% from 25 to 44, 22.80% from 45 to 64, and 18.10% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 99.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.40 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $33,000, and the median income for a family was $42,022. Males had a median income of $25,610 versus $18,333 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,016. About 10.70% of families and 16.10% of the population were below the poverty line, including 24.50% of those under age 18 and 12.70% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Presidential elections
Presidential Elections Results
Presidential Elections Results[11]
Year Republican Democratic Third Parties
2016 90.4% 721 5.8% 46 3.9% 31
2012 90.1% 719 8.5% 68 1.4% 11
2008 85.8% 690 11.9% 96 2.2% 18
2004 84.7% 742 12.8% 112 2.5% 22
2000 85.6% 737 12.0% 103 2.4% 21
1996 76.2% 738 16.5% 160 7.2% 70
1992 63.7% 679 15.4% 164 20.9% 223
1988 69.6% 655 27.3% 257 3.1% 29
1984 83.0% 838 15.1% 152 2.0% 20
1980 78.3% 811 16.1% 167 5.6% 58
1976 52.8% 600 42.7% 486 4.5% 51
1972 73.2% 782 20.0% 214 6.7% 72
1968 61.5% 608 23.8% 235 14.7% 145
1964 50.7% 516 48.7% 496 0.6% 6
1960 68.2% 727 31.8% 339 0.0% 0
1956 72.7% 684 26.7% 251 0.6% 6
1952 78.8% 945 20.8% 249 0.4% 5
1948 58.2% 637 40.1% 439 1.7% 18
1944 70.8% 720 28.7% 292 0.5% 5
1940 67.1% 756 32.0% 361 0.9% 10
1936 56.7% 658 42.4% 492 1.0% 11
1932 40.3% 561 54.6% 761 5.1% 71
1928 66.2% 738 31.9% 356 1.9% 21
1924 53.7% 603 15.2% 171 31.1% 349
1920 70.4% 632 22.6% 203 7.0% 63
1916 39.5% 381 51.5% 497 9.0% 87
1912 15.2% 81 28.5% 152 56.4% 301
1908 59.3% 350 34.9% 206 5.8% 34
1904 84.0% 278 11.8% 39 4.2% 14
1900 66.3% 212 31.9% 102 1.9% 6
1896 59.3% 181 40.7% 124 0.0% 0
1892 55.9% 377 44.1% 297
1888 65.7% 412 31.6% 198 2.7% 17

Wallace has long been one of the most overwhelmingly Republican of all the state's counties. Only two Democratic Presidential nominees have ever won Wallace County – Woodrow Wilson in 1916 and Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1932. Since 1944 only three Democratic Presidential candidates have won 31 percent of Wallace County's vote – Harry S. Truman in 1948, Lyndon Johnson in 1964 and Jimmy Carter in 1976 – whilst since 1980 only Michael Dukakis during the drought-affected 1988 election has obtained so much as seventeen percent for the Democratic Party. Indeed, in the 2016 election Hillary Clinton recorded less than six percent of the county's vote, whilst the last five Republican nominees have all exceeded 84 percent.

Laws

Although the Kansas Constitution was amended in 1986 to allow the sale of alcoholic liquor by the individual drink with the approval of voters, Wallace County has remained a prohibition, or "dry", county.[12]

Education

Unified school districts

Communities
Map of Wallace County from KDOT (map legend)

Cities

Census-designated places

Townships

Wallace County is divided into four 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.
TownshipFIPSPopulation
center		 PopulationPopulation
density
/km² (/sq mi)		 Land area
km² (sq mi)		Water area
km² (sq mi)		Water % Geographic coordinates
Harrison30450850 (1)210 (81)0 (0)0%38°45′53″N 101°34′34″W
Sharon Springs64400Sharon Springs1,0961 (3)885 (342)0 (0)0%38°54′12″N 101°45′3″W
Wallace74775Wallace1750 (1)488 (188)0 (0)0.01%38°58′15″N 101°33′35″W
Weskan76700Weskan3931 (1)784 (303)0 (0)0.01%38°53′8″N 101°56′10″W

See also

References
  1. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
  2. "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 29, 2014.
  3. http://www.ipsr.ku.edu/ksdata/ksah/population/popden2.pdf
  4. "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
  5. "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". Retrieved November 29, 2019.
  6. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 29, 2014.
  7. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved July 29, 2014.
  8. "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 29, 2014.
  9. "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 29, 2014.
  10. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  11. http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS
  12. "Map of Wet and Dry Counties". Alcoholic Beverage Control, Kansas Department of Revenue. November 2004. Archived from the original on 2007-10-08. Retrieved 2007-01-21.

Further reading
See also: List of books about State of Kansas (which includes historical information about its counties and cities too)
County
Maps

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