Cowley County, Kansas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Cowley County
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Cowley County National Bank Building (2013)
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Location within the U.S. state of Kansas
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 Kansas's location within the U.S. |
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  Kansas |
| Founded | February 26, 1867 |
| Named for | Matthew Cowley |
| Seat | Winfield |
| Largest city | Arkansas City |
| Area | |
| • Total | 1,132 sq mi (2,930 km2) |
| • Land | 1,126 sq mi (2,920 km2) |
| • Water | 6.7 sq mi (17 km2) 0.6%% |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 34,549 |
| • Density | 30.7/sq mi (11.9/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Area code | 620 |
| Congressional district | 4th |
Cowley County is a county in the state of Kansas. Its main town, called the county seat, is Winfield. The biggest city in the county is Arkansas City. In 2020, about 34,549 people lived here. The county was named after Matthew Cowley, a brave soldier who died during the American Civil War.
Contents
History of Cowley County
For thousands of years, the land that is now Kansas was home to Native American tribes. The first European to visit Kansas was a Spanish explorer named Francisco Vasquez de Coronado in 1541. Later, in 1601, the Governor of New Mexico, Juan de Oñate, visited a large settlement called Etzanoa. This settlement was home to many Wichita people near Arkansas City, along the Walnut River. Archaeologists have found the remains of Etzanoa.
How Cowley County Began
In 1803, most of what is now Kansas became part of the United States through the Louisiana Purchase. In 1854, the Kansas Territory was created. Then, in 1861, Kansas officially became the 34th U.S. state.
Cowley County was officially set up in March 1867 by the Kansas Legislature. At first, it was called Hunter County. But in 1870, it was renamed for Matthew Cowley. He was a First Lieutenant in the 9th Kansas Cavalry and died in 1864.
The county was officially opened for people to settle on July 15, 1870. There was a long and tough disagreement between the towns of Winfield and Cresswell (which is now Arkansas City) over which town would be the county seat. After two special elections and many requests to the Governor, Winfield was chosen. A courthouse was built there in 1873.
Geography of Cowley County
Cowley County covers about 1,132 square miles. Most of this area, about 1,126 square miles, is land. The rest, about 6.7 square miles, is water.
Near Dexter, you can find the Cowley County Fishing Lake. This lake is home to the Cowley County Waterfall. You can visit it by following the road to the northwest side of the property. However, in recent years, a serious drought has caused the waterfall to stop flowing. It will likely start flowing again if the area gets enough rain to end the drought.
Neighboring Counties
Cowley County shares borders with these other counties:
- Butler County (north)
- Elk County (northeast)
- Chautauqua County (east)
- Osage County, Oklahoma (south)
- Kay County, Oklahoma (southwest)
- Sumner County (west)
- Sedgwick County (northwest)
Population of Cowley County
Cowley County is part of the Arkansas City-Winfield, KS Micropolitan Statistical Area. This area is also included in the larger Wichita-Arkansas City-Winfield, KS Combined Statistical Area.
Here's how the population of Cowley County has changed over the years:
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 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 | −5.9% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 1790-1960 1900-1990 1990-2000 2010-2020 |
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Education in Cowley County
Colleges and Universities
- Cowley College
- Southwestern College
- St. John's College (This college closed in 1986)
School Districts
Students in Cowley County attend schools in these districts:
- Central USD 462
- Udall USD 463
- Winfield USD 465
- Arkansas City USD 470
- Dexter USD 471
Communities in Cowley County
Here are the cities and towns in Cowley County:
Cities
‡ means a community has parts in a nearby county.
- Atlanta
- Arkansas City
- Burden
- Cambridge
- Dexter
- Geuda Springs‡
- Parkerfield
- Udall
- Winfield (the county seat)
Unincorporated Communities
These are smaller communities that are not officially cities. † means a community is a Census-Designated Place (CDP).
Ghost Towns
Notable People from Cowley County
- See List of people from Cowley County, Kansas
- General Dean Coldwell Strother was a four-star general in the United States Air Force. He held important leadership roles from 1962 to 1966.
- Robert Docking was a successful banker and mayor of Arkansas City. He later became the 38th Governor of Kansas.
- Several famous college football coaches have connections to Winfield. Jerry Kill coached the Minnesota Golden Gophers. He played for the Southwestern Moundbuilders under Dennis Franchione. Jack Mitchell went on to coach several schools, including the Kansas Jayhawks. Former head coach for the Oklahoma Sooners and College Football Hall of Fame member Bennie Owen was born in Arkansas City.
- Perhaps the most famous fictional person from Cowley County is Mary Ann Summers. She is a character from the TV show Gilligan's Island. On the show, it's said she worked at the Winfield General Store.
See also
In Spanish: Condado de Cowley (Kansas) para niños
