Battle of Old Fort Wayne

Sherman County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kansas. Its county seat is Goodland.[3] As of the 2020 census, the county population was 5,927.[2] Sherman County was created by the Legislature of 1873, and named after general William Sherman, a general during the American Civil War.[4]

History

Early history

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 1886, Sherman County was established.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,056 square miles (2,740 km2), of which 1,056 square miles (2,740 km2) is land and 0.2 square miles (0.52 km2) (0.02%) is water.[5]

Sherman County is one of only four Kansas counties to observe Mountain Time. Since Sherman County is part of the Wichita media market and the local broadcast stations are repeat signals of Wichita affiliates, prime-time programming in the county is aired from 6 to 9 p.m. local time, rather than 7 to 10 p.m. as is normal in the Central and Mountain time zones. However, cable providers carry the ABC and NBC affiliates from both Wichita and Denver, affording viewers the opportunity to view programs on those networks at the normal prime-time hours.

Adjacent counties

Major highways

Demographics

Population pyramid based on 2000 census age data
Historical population
CensusPop.Note
188013
18905,26140,369.2%
19003,341−36.5%
19104,54936.2%
19205,59222.9%
19307,40032.3%
19406,421−13.2%
19507,37314.8%
19606,682−9.4%
19707,79216.6%
19807,759−0.4%
19906,926−10.7%
20006,760−2.4%
20106,010−11.1%
20205,927−1.4%
U.S. Decennial Census[6]
1790-1960[7] 1900-1990[8]
1990-2000[9] 2010-2020[2]

As of the census[10] of 2000, there were 6,760 people, 2,758 households, and 1,781 families residing in the county. The population density was 6 people per square mile (2.3 people/km2). There were 3,184 housing units at an average density of 3 per square mile (1.2/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 93.83% White, 0.36% Black or African American, 0.33% Native American, 0.19% Asian, 0.16% Pacific Islander, 4.14% from other races, and 0.99% from two or more races. 8.45% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 2,758 households, out of which 29.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.80% were married couples living together, 6.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.40% were non-families. 29.20% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 3.00.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 24.60% under the age of 18, 11.80% from 18 to 24, 23.90% from 25 to 44, 22.80% from 45 to 64, and 17.10% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 104.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 101.40 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $32,684, and the median income for a family was $38,824. Males had a median income of $28,012 versus $20,927 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,761. About 9.70% of families and 12.90% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.90% of those under age 18 and 7.30% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Sherman County is predominantly carried by Republican candidates at the presidential level, as with the majority of rural counties. However, Lyndon B. Johnson narrowly carried the county in 1964, the only Democrat to do so since 1936.

Presidential elections

Presidential election results
United States presidential election results for Sherman County, Kansas[11]
Year Republican Democratic Third party
No.  % No.  % No.  %
2020 2,269 83.20% 396 14.52% 62 2.27%
2016 2,089 79.58% 347 13.22% 189 7.20%
2012 1,976 75.33% 577 22.00% 70 2.67%
2008 1,959 72.45% 688 25.44% 57 2.11%
2004 2,088 75.60% 632 22.88% 42 1.52%
2000 1,894 70.62% 681 25.39% 107 3.99%
1996 2,110 68.42% 736 23.87% 238 7.72%
1992 1,630 49.73% 810 24.71% 838 25.56%
1988 1,929 62.94% 1,082 35.30% 54 1.76%
1984 2,702 78.02% 714 20.62% 47 1.36%
1980 2,315 68.86% 779 23.17% 268 7.97%
1976 1,671 50.15% 1,573 47.21% 88 2.64%
1972 2,225 69.92% 785 24.67% 172 5.41%
1968 1,803 57.53% 954 30.44% 377 12.03%
1964 1,463 48.60% 1,522 50.56% 25 0.83%
1960 2,030 65.08% 1,074 34.43% 15 0.48%
1956 1,825 64.97% 962 34.25% 22 0.78%
1952 2,403 70.41% 941 27.57% 69 2.02%
1948 1,380 50.00% 1,289 46.70% 91 3.30%
1944 1,608 60.07% 1,021 38.14% 48 1.79%
1940 1,569 52.16% 1,399 46.51% 40 1.33%
1936 1,159 38.26% 1,814 59.89% 56 1.85%
1932 1,112 32.19% 2,110 61.09% 232 6.72%
1928 2,028 74.61% 630 23.18% 60 2.21%
1924 1,122 45.89% 528 21.60% 795 32.52%
1920 1,066 54.33% 789 40.21% 107 5.45%
1916 582 30.83% 1,196 63.35% 110 5.83%
1912 129 13.11% 465 47.26% 390 39.63%
1908 439 43.64% 508 50.50% 59 5.86%
1904 465 60.55% 231 30.08% 72 9.38%
1900 380 46.51% 418 51.16% 19 2.33%
1896 291 39.81% 437 59.78% 3 0.41%
1892 571 43.16% 0 0.00% 752 56.84%
1888 803 55.69% 481 33.36% 158 10.96%

Laws

Sherman County was a prohibition, or "dry", county until the Kansas Constitution was amended in 1986 and voters approved the sale of alcoholic liquor by the individual drink with a 30 percent food sales requirement.[12]

Education

Colleges

Unified school districts

Communities

2005 map of Sherman County[13] (map legend)

List of townships / incorporated cities / unincorporated communities / extinct former communities within Sherman County.[13]
† means a community is designated a Census-Designated Place (CDP) by the United States Census Bureau.

Cities

Unincorporated communities

Townships

Sherman County is divided into thirteen townships. The city of Goodland is considered governmentally independent and is excluded from the census figures for the townships. Geographically, Goodland is located at the juncture of Voltaire, Itasca, and Logan 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
Grant 28150 115 0 (1) 355 (137) 0 (0) 0.02% 39°28′26″N 101°54′41″W / 39.47389°N 101.91139°W / 39.47389; -101.91139
Iowa 34450 44 0 (0) 279 (108) 0 (0) 0% 39°15′27″N 101°29′38″W / 39.25750°N 101.49389°W / 39.25750; -101.49389
Itasca 34600 321 4 (10) 87 (34) 0 (0) 0% 39°19′33″N 101°40′29″W / 39.32583°N 101.67472°W / 39.32583; -101.67472
Lincoln 41175 95 1 (1) 186 (72) 0 (0) 0.03% 39°19′5″N 101°53′3″W / 39.31806°N 101.88417°W / 39.31806; -101.88417
Llanos 41650 43 0 (1) 185 (71) 0 (0) 0% 39°28′31″N 101°28′29″W / 39.47528°N 101.47472°W / 39.47528; -101.47472
Logan 42250 246 2 (5) 138 (53) 0 (0) 0% 39°19′15″N 101°46′55″W / 39.32083°N 101.78194°W / 39.32083; -101.78194
McPherson 44025 52 0 (1) 174 (67) 0 (0) 0% 39°10′18″N 101°56′12″W / 39.17167°N 101.93667°W / 39.17167; -101.93667
Shermanville 65175 51 0 (1) 185 (71) 0 (0) 0% 39°29′54″N 101°34′25″W / 39.49833°N 101.57361°W / 39.49833; -101.57361
Smoky 65950 87 0 (1) 280 (108) 0 (0) 0.12% 39°11′48″N 101°46′11″W / 39.19667°N 101.76972°W / 39.19667; -101.76972
Stateline 68150 Kanorado 344 2 (5) 165 (64) 0 (0) 0.03% 39°19′6″N 102°0′17″W / 39.31833°N 102.00472°W / 39.31833; -102.00472
Union 72425 56 0 (1) 140 (54) 0 (0) 0% 39°20′25″N 101°27′24″W / 39.34028°N 101.45667°W / 39.34028; -101.45667
Voltaire 74175 252 1 (2) 411 (159) 0 (0) 0% 39°27′12″N 101°43′4″W / 39.45333°N 101.71778°W / 39.45333; -101.71778
Washington 75750 106 1 (2) 139 (54) 0 (0) 0% 39°20′0″N 101°32′59″W / 39.33333°N 101.54972°W / 39.33333; -101.54972

See also

Community information for Kansas

References

  1. ^ "Welcome To the Official Sherman County Website". Sherman County, Kansas. Archived from the original on February 18, 2009. Retrieved November 4, 2012.
  2. ^ a b c "QuickFacts; Sherman 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. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  4. ^ William G. Cutler's History of the State of Kansas, published 1883 by A. T. Andreas, Chicago, Il., http://www.kancoll.org/books/cutler/unorganized/unorganized-co-p1.html
  5. ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
  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. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 27, 2010. Retrieved July 29, 2014.
  10. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  11. ^ "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections".
  12. ^ "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.
  13. ^ a b "General Highway Map of Sherman County, Kansas" (PDF). Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT). November 2011. Archived (PDF) from the original on September 11, 2023.

Further reading

External links

County
Maps

39°21′N 101°43′W / 39.350°N 101.717°W / 39.350; -101.717