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Haskell County, Kansas facts for kids

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Haskell County
Haskell County Courthouse in Sublette (2010)
Haskell County Courthouse in Sublette (2010)
Map of Kansas highlighting Haskell County
Location within the U.S. state of Kansas
Map of the United States highlighting Kansas
Kansas's location within the U.S.
Country  United States
State  Kansas
Founded March 23, 1887
Named for Dudley Haskell
Seat Sublette
Largest city Sublette
Area
 • Total 578 sq mi (1,500 km2)
 • Land 578 sq mi (1,500 km2)
 • Water 0.4 sq mi (1 km2)  0.06%%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 3,780
 • Density 6.5/sq mi (2.5/km2)
Time zone UTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST) UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district 1st

Haskell County is a county in the state of Kansas. Its main city and county seat is Sublette. In 2020, about 3,780 people lived there. The county is named after Dudley C. Haskell, who was a member of Congress many years ago.

History of Haskell County

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

In 1854, the Kansas Territory was created. Then, in 1861, Kansas became the 34th U.S. state. Haskell County itself was officially started in 1887.

The 1918 Flu Outbreak

Some historians believe that Haskell County was where the very first cases of the 1918 flu pandemic began. This was a serious illness that spread around the world. A local doctor named Loring Miner noticed how unusual and strong this flu was. He warned health officials about it.

Dr. Miner described how people got very sick with headaches, body aches, and high fevers. The illness moved quickly through the body. Some historians say that his warning was the only one of its kind in the world at that time.

It was not until after the year 2000 that researchers looked back and found this possible link. They suggest the illness might have spread when soldiers from Haskell County traveled to Camp Funston (now Fort Riley). From there, they went to Europe for World War I.

However, not everyone agrees on Haskell County's role. Many experts think that the county's connection to the flu's start was just a coincidence.

Surviving the Dust Bowl

Haskell County faced tough times during the "Dust Bowl" period from 1930 to 1937. This was a time of severe drought and dust storms in the Midwest.

But the county found ways to improve its economy. The arrival of the railroad helped. Also, finding oil and gas fields, and digging deep wells for irrigation, made a big difference. These changes helped the area recover from the difficult Dust Bowl years.

The first rodeo and fair in Sublette happened in 1916. This fair is still held in the same spot today. The first school district in the county was started in Santa Fe in 1887. A woman named Amanda I. Watkins, who owned a lot of land, was even called "World Wheat Queen" in 1926.

Geography of Haskell County

Crops Kansas AST 20010624
Satellite image of circular crop fields in Haskell County in late June 2001.

Haskell County covers about 578 square miles. Most of this area is land, with only a tiny bit (0.06%) being water.

It is known for being the flattest county in all of Kansas.

Neighboring Counties

Haskell County shares its borders with these other counties:

People and Population

USA Haskell County, Kansas age pyramid
This chart shows the age groups of people living in Haskell County in 2000.
Historical population
Census Pop.
1890 1,077
1900 457 −57.6%
1910 993 117.3%
1920 1,455 46.5%
1930 2,805 92.8%
1940 2,088 −25.6%
1950 2,606 24.8%
1960 2,990 14.7%
1970 3,672 22.8%
1980 3,814 3.9%
1990 3,886 1.9%
2000 4,307 10.8%
2010 4,256 −1.2%
2020 3,780 −11.2%
2023 (est.) 3,630 −14.7%
U.S. Decennial Census
1790–1960 1900–1990
1990–2000 2010–2020

In 2000, there were 4,307 people living in Haskell County. The population density was about 8 people per square mile. Most people (about 85%) were White. About 23.57% of the population were Hispanic or Latino.

Many households (about 43.6%) had children under 18 living with them. Most households (about 69.4%) were married couples. The average household had almost three people.

The median age in the county was 31 years old. This means half the people were younger than 31, and half were older. About 32.9% of the population was under 18.

The median income for a household in the county was about $38,634 per year. For families, it was about $43,354. About 11.6% of all people in the county lived below the poverty line.

Education

Haskell County has two main school districts:

  • Sublette USD 374
  • Satanta USD 507

Communities

Map of Haskell Co, Ks, USA
A 2005 map of Haskell County.

Haskell County has several communities, including cities, small towns, and even a former town that no longer exists.

Cities

  • Satanta
  • Sublette (This is the county seat, where the main government offices are.)

Unincorporated community

  • Tice (This is a small community not officially organized as a city.)

Ghost town

  • Santa Fe (This was a town in the past, but it is no longer inhabited.)

Townships

Map of states and counties affected by the Dust Bowl, sourced from US federal government dept. (NRCS SSRA-RAD)
This map shows the areas affected by the Dust Bowl in the 1930s.

Haskell County is divided into three areas called townships. The population numbers for these townships include the people living in any cities within them.

Township FIPS Population
center
Population Population
density
/km2 (/sq mi)
Land area
km2 (sq mi)
Water area
km2 (sq mi)
Water % Geographic coordinates
Dudley 18825 1,814 4 (9) 499 (193) 0 (0) 0.03% 37°30′40″N 101°0′28″W / 37.51111°N 101.00778°W / 37.51111; -101.00778
Haskell 30625 1,971 4 (10) 498 (192) 0 (0) 0.07% 37°32′25″N 100°51′43″W / 37.54028°N 100.86194°W / 37.54028; -100.86194
Lockport 41675 522 1 (3) 498 (192) 0 (0) 0.09% 37°34′19″N 100°43′11″W / 37.57194°N 100.71972°W / 37.57194; -100.71972
Sources:

Images for kids

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Condado de Haskell (Kansas) para niños

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