Garfield Township, Finney County, Kansas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Garfield Township
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Location in Finney County
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| Country | United States |
| State | Kansas |
| County | Finney |
| Area | |
| • Total | 431.14 sq mi (1,116.65 km2) |
| • Land | 430.75 sq mi (1,115.64 km2) |
| • Water | 0.39 sq mi (1.01 km2) 0.09% |
| Elevation | 2,625 ft (800 m) |
| Population
(2000)
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| • Total | 331 |
| • Density | 0.8/sq mi (0.3/km2) |
| GNIS feature ID | 0485251 |
Garfield Township is a type of local government area called a township in Finney County, Kansas, USA. In the year 2000, about 331 people lived there.
This area was once known as Garfield County in 1887. However, in 1893, the Kansas Supreme Court decided that the county was not properly set up. It did not have enough land, which was a rule for forming a county. Because of this, Garfield County became part of Finney County, creating the township we know today.
Contents
History of Garfield Township
Garfield County was officially created by the Kansas state government on March 23, 1887. It covered the eastern part of what is now Finney County, just north of Gray County, Kansas. The county was named after James A. Garfield, who was a U.S. President. He had been assassinated six years before the county was formed.
The County Seat Rivalry
The short history of Garfield County was full of arguments, and sometimes even fights, between two towns: Ravanna and Eminence. Both towns wanted to be the "county seat." The county seat is the main town where the government offices are located.
In 1887, there was a vote to decide which town would be the county seat. Famous lawman Bat Masterson and 20 deputies from Dodge City were sent to keep the peace during the election. Ravanna won the vote by only 35 votes.
Eminence quickly said the election results were unfair. They claimed that a construction crew working on Ravanna's new $10,000 courthouse had voted illegally. This courthouse was so big and expensive for the time that people called it the "Great White Elephant." Eminence said that 60 votes were cast using the names of dead people who didn't even live in Ravanna.
The End of Garfield County
The Kansas Supreme Court agreed with Eminence. In 1889, the county seat was moved to Eminence. But Ravanna didn't give up. They hired people to measure the county's land. These measurements showed that Garfield County was smaller than the minimum size required by the Kansas State Constitution to be a county. A county needed to be at least 432 square miles (1,119 square kilometers).
In 1892, the Kansas Supreme Court ruled again. They decided that Garfield County had been created illegally in the first place because it was too small. So, on March 18, 1893, Garfield County was added to its neighbor, Finney County. This is how it became the Garfield Township we know today.
Today, both Ravanna and Eminence are "ghost towns." This means they are abandoned places with very few or no people living there.
Geography of Garfield Township
Garfield Township covers a large area of about 431 square miles (1,117 square kilometers). There are no big towns or cities within the township.
According to the USGS, there are two cemeteries in the township: Eminence Cemetery and Garfield Cemetery. The township is also home to several ghost towns, which are places that used to be towns but are now abandoned.
See also
In Spanish: Municipio de Garfield (condado de Finney) para niños
