Battle of Middle Boggy Depot

Grant County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kansas. Its county seat and only city is Ulysses.[2] As of the 2020 census, the county population was 7,352.[1] Both the county and its seat are named after Ulysses Grant, the 18th President of the United States.

History

In 1873, the part of Kansas west of Range 25 was divided into 25 new counties. The new counties were Decatur, Rawlins, Cheyenne, Sheridan, Thomas, Sherman, Lane, Buffalo, Foote, Meade, Scott, Sequoyah, Arapahoe, Seward, Wichita, Kearny, Greeley, Hamilton, Stanton, Kansas, Stevens, and Grant.[3]

Grant County, Kansas was named after Ulysses S. Grant, the 18th President of the United States (1869–1877), and incumbent president at the time of the county's formation.[4] The initial survey establishing county boundaries was in the summer of 1874.[4]

In 1883, Kearny, Sequoyah, Arapahoe, Kansas, Stevens, Meade, Clark and Grant counties disappeared. Hamilton, Ford, Seward, and Hodgeman counties enlarged and Finney County was created. Grant County was split with the western portion becoming a part of Hamilton County and the eastern portion becoming a part of the newly created Finney County.[3]

On June 9, 1888, Grant County was again established as a Kansas county, with original county boundaries, with the first officers of the new Grant County being sworn in on June 18, 1888.[3]

Grant County, Kansas Historical Map 1905–1915.
Legend: Green Lines = present highways, Purple circles = springs, at least in wet years, Blue = creeks, major ravines, & river basins, Gold dot triangles = Indian camps, burial sites, Red 1 = Military Redoubt, Red 2 = "Old" Ulysses. Red 3 = Surprise-Tilden, Red 4 = Cincinnati-Appomattox, Red 5 = Lawson, Red 6 = Waterford, Red 7 = Zionville, Red 8 = Golden, Red 9 = Spanish sword found, Red 10 = Shockeyville, Red 11 = "New" Ulysses

In October 1888, the county seat election for Grant County resulted in victory for Ulysses, Kansas, election results were:.[3]

Town Name Vote count
Ulysses 578
Appomattox 268
Shockeyville 41
Golswn 31
Spurgeon 2

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.

Early Day Settlements

  • "Old" Ulysses, subsequently moved to New Ulysses in 1909[4]
  • Surprise-Tilden[4]
  • Cincinnati-Appomattox[4]
  • Shockey (Shockeyville)[4]
  • Golden[4]
  • Zionville[4]
  • Lawson[4]
  • Waterford[4]
  • Gognac[4]
  • Spurgeon[4]

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 575 square miles (1,490 km2), of which 575 square miles (1,490 km2) is land and 0.3 square miles (0.78 km2) (0.06%) is water.[5]

Major highways

Adjacent counties

Demographics

Population pyramid based on 2000 census age data
Historical population
CensusPop.Note
18901,308
1900422−67.7%
19101,087157.6%
19201,0870.0%
19303,092184.5%
19401,946−37.1%
19504,638138.3%
19605,26913.6%
19705,96113.1%
19806,97717.0%
19907,1592.6%
20007,90910.5%
20107,829−1.0%
20207,352−6.1%
U.S. Decennial Census[6]
1790-1960[7] 1900-1990[8]
1990-2000[9] 2010-2020[1]

As of the 2000 census,[10] there were 7,909 people, 2,742 households, and 2,097 families residing in the county. The population density was 14 people per square mile (5.4 people/km2). There were 3,027 housing units at an average density of 5 per square mile (1.9/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 77.00% White, 0.86% Native American, 0.37% Asian, 0.21% Black or African American, 19.46% from other races, and 2.10% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 34.67% of the population.

There were 2,742 households, out of which 43.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 66.40% were married couples living together, 7.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.50% were non-families. 21.00% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.20% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.86 and the average family size was 3.34.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 32.80% under the age of 18, 8.70% from 18 to 24, 28.70% from 25 to 44, 20.20% from 45 to 64, and 9.60% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females there were 100.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.50 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $39,854, and the median income for a family was $44,914. Males had a median income of $34,464 versus $22,000 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,072. About 6.50% of families and 10.10% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.60% of those under age 18 and 7.50% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Presidential elections

Grant County is heavily Republican. Lyndon B. Johnson was the last Democrat to win the county, and Jimmy Carter narrowly lost the county in 1976. Michael Dukakis (as of 2020) is the last Democrat to win more than a quarter of the county's vote.

Presidential election results
United States presidential election results for Grant County, Kansas[11]
Year Republican Democratic Third party
No.  % No.  % No.  %
2020 1,936 77.41% 518 20.71% 47 1.88%
2016 1,804 75.51% 441 18.46% 144 6.03%
2012 1,811 78.53% 456 19.77% 39 1.69%
2008 1,995 74.97% 635 23.86% 31 1.16%
2004 2,169 78.64% 561 20.34% 28 1.02%
2000 2,126 74.44% 683 23.91% 47 1.65%
1996 1,772 66.52% 633 23.76% 259 9.72%
1992 1,561 51.71% 619 20.50% 839 27.79%
1988 1,654 63.69% 907 34.92% 36 1.39%
1984 2,043 76.26% 615 22.96% 21 0.78%
1980 1,711 66.01% 683 26.35% 198 7.64%
1976 1,226 50.62% 1,151 47.52% 45 1.86%
1972 1,469 73.19% 476 23.72% 62 3.09%
1968 1,121 57.16% 618 31.51% 222 11.32%
1964 727 40.96% 1,023 57.63% 25 1.41%
1960 1,235 63.59% 702 36.15% 5 0.26%
1956 1,058 69.47% 459 30.14% 6 0.39%
1952 1,277 71.02% 502 27.92% 19 1.06%
1948 742 53.34% 625 44.93% 24 1.73%
1944 566 66.35% 282 33.06% 5 0.59%
1940 614 61.03% 382 37.97% 10 0.99%
1936 476 43.59% 616 56.41% 0 0.00%
1932 395 33.70% 737 62.88% 40 3.41%
1928 635 76.41% 185 22.26% 11 1.32%
1924 459 67.11% 148 21.64% 77 11.26%
1920 339 73.70% 108 23.48% 13 2.83%
1916 200 44.54% 208 46.33% 41 9.13%
1912 56 20.82% 80 29.74% 133 49.44%
1908 178 54.77% 133 40.92% 14 4.31%
1904 81 65.85% 35 28.46% 7 5.69%
1900 58 51.79% 53 47.32% 1 0.89%
1896 51 45.95% 60 54.05% 0 0.00%
1892 151 53.55% 0 0.00% 131 46.45%
1888 390 50.45% 245 31.69% 138 17.85%

Laws

Grant 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% food sales requirement.[12]

Education

Unified school districts

Communities

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

List of current townships / incorporated cities / unincorporated communities / extinct former communities within Grant County.[13]

City

Unincorporated communities

Townships

Area affected by 1930s Dust Bowl

Grant County is divided into three 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.

Township FIPS Population
center
Population Population
density
/km2 (/sq mi)
Land area
km2 (sq mi)
Water area
km2 (sq mi)
Water % Geographic coordinates
Lincoln 40725 Ulysses 7,058 19 (49) 372 (144) 0 (0) 0.10% 37°34′26″N 101°20′30″W / 37.57389°N 101.34167°W / 37.57389; -101.34167
Sherman 64975 498 1 (2) 559 (216) 0 (0) 0.01% 37°39′23″N 101°17′59″W / 37.65639°N 101.29972°W / 37.65639; -101.29972
Sullivan 68875 353 1 (2) 558 (215) 0 (0) 0.01% 37°28′12″N 101°18′11″W / 37.47000°N 101.30306°W / 37.47000; -101.30306
Sources: "Census 2000 U.S. Gazetteer Files". U.S. Census Bureau, Geography Division. Archived from the original on August 2, 2002.

See also

Community information for Kansas

References

  1. ^ a b c "QuickFacts; Grant County, Kansas; Population, Census, 2020 & 2010". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on August 16, 2021. Retrieved August 16, 2021.
  2. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  3. ^ a b c d Ulysses 1885-1909 From Boom to Bust; compiled by The Historic Adobe Museum Staff of Ulysses, Kansas; 2009.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Bessire, Fern (1982). Grant County, Kansas. Grant County History Commission.
  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 24, 2014.
  7. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved July 24, 2014.
  8. ^ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 24, 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 24, 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 2008. Archived from the original on October 8, 2007. Retrieved September 9, 2009.
  13. ^ a b "General Highway Map of Grant County, Kansas" (PDF). Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT). February 2011. Archived (PDF) from the original on June 6, 2023.

Further reading

External links

County
Maps

37°35′N 101°20′W / 37.583°N 101.333°W / 37.583; -101.333