Dickinson County, Kansas facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Dickinson County
County
Dickinson County Courthouse in Abilene (2009)
Location within the U.S. state of Kansas
Kansas's location within the U.S.
Country	United States
State	Kansas
Founded	February 20, 1857
Named for	Daniel S. Dickinson
Seat	Abilene
Largest city	Abilene
Area
• Total	852 sq mi (2,210 km2)
• Land	847 sq mi (2,190 km2)
• Water	4.9 sq mi (13 km2)  0.6%%
Population  (2020)
• Total	18,402
• Estimate  (2023)	18,445
• Density	21.7/sq mi (8.4/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Area code	785
Congressional district	1st

Dickinson County is a county located in the middle of Kansas. Its main city and county seat is Abilene. In 2020, about 18,402 people lived here. The county was named after Daniel S. Dickinson, a U.S. Senator from New York. He supported Kansas becoming a state.

History

Early Kansas History

For thousands of years, the Great Plains of North America were home to nomadic Native American tribes.

From the 16th to 18th centuries, France claimed much of North America. In 1762, after a war, France secretly gave New France to Spain. In 1802, Spain gave most of this land back to France.

In 1803, the United States bought most of the land that is now Kansas from France. This was part of the huge Louisiana Purchase. In 1854, the Kansas Territory was created. Then, in 1861, Kansas officially became the 34th U.S. state.

19th Century in Dickinson County

This map from 1915-1918 shows the railroads in Dickinson County.

Dickinson County was founded in 1857.

The first railroad tracks were built through Dickinson County in 1866. Railroads were very important for moving people and goods.

In 1887, a man named Mr. Herington helped the Chicago, Kansas and Nebraska Railway build tracks through Herington. He gave land for the railroad to build shops, depots, and other buildings. This made Herington an important railroad center.

Many railroad lines were built during this time. For example, a main line connected Topeka to Herington. Another line went from Herington all the way to Pratt and later even to Tucumcari, New Mexico and El Paso, Texas. This route was known as the "Golden State Limited."

Another branch line went from Herington south to Caldwell. This line eventually reached Fort Worth, Texas and was called the "OKT."

Over the years, these railroad companies changed names and merged. The Chicago, Kansas and Nebraska Railway became part of the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railway. Today, most locals still call it the "Rock Island."

In 1887, the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway also built a line through the county. It connected places like Abilene and Enterprise to other towns. This line was often called the "Strong City line."

In 1996, the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway merged with another company to become the BNSF Railway. People in the area often still call it the "Santa Fe."

21st Century

In 2010, the Keystone-Cushing Pipeline was built through Dickinson County. This pipeline carries oil. There was some discussion about its taxes and environmental effects. A pumping station for the pipeline was built near the town of Hope.

Geography

Dickinson County covers about 852 square miles. Most of this area, about 847 square miles, is land. The rest, about 4.9 square miles, is water.

Neighboring Counties

• Clay County (north)
• Geary County (east)
• Morris County (southeast)
• Marion County (south)
• McPherson County (southwest)
• Saline County (west)
• Ottawa County (northwest)

Demographics

This chart shows the age groups of people living in Dickinson County in 2000.

Education

School Districts

Here are the school districts that serve students in Dickinson County:

• Solomon USD 393
• Abilene USD 435
• Chapman USD 473
• Herington USD 487

Some school district offices are in nearby counties but still serve parts of Dickinson County:

• Centre USD 397
• Rural Vista USD 481
• Southeast of Saline USD 306

Communities

A 2005 map showing the towns and areas of Dickinson County. (map legend)

Dickinson County has several cities, small communities, and townships.

Cities

‡ means a city also extends into a neighboring county.

Unincorporated Communities

† means this community is recognized as a Census-Designated Place (CDP).

Townships

Dickinson County is divided into 24 areas called townships. The cities of Abilene and Herington are separate and not included in the township populations. The table below shows information about each township.

Points of Interest

The Eisenhower Library is located in Abilene. This special place has exhibits about the life and presidency of Dwight D. Eisenhower, who was the 34th U.S. President. It is also where President Eisenhower, his wife Mamie, and their son are buried.

Notable People

Wild Bill Hickok became the marshal of Abilene in 1871.

Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower was born in Texas but grew up in Abilene, Kansas, and considered it his home. He served as the 34th President of the United States from 1953 to 1961. Before becoming president, he was a very important five-star general in the United States Army. During World War II, he was the Supreme Commander of the Allied Forces in Europe. He planned and led major invasions like Operation Torch in North Africa and the invasion of France and Germany. After the war, he became the first supreme commander of NATO in 1951. You can learn more about him at the Eisenhower Library in Abilene.

Joe Engle is a retired U.S. Air Force colonel and a former NASA astronaut. He helped test the X-15 rocket airplane, earning his astronaut wings and other awards. He was one of the first astronauts in the Space Shuttle program. He even helped test the Space Shuttle Enterprise in 1977 and commanded the second test flight of the Space Shuttle Columbia in 1981. Joe Engle was born and raised in Chapman, Kansas.

Pop Hollinger was a pioneer in collecting comic books. He also held several patents for his inventions. He grew up in Chapman.

See also

In Spanish: Condado de Dickinson (Kansas) para niños