Kiowa County, Kansas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Kiowa County
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Renovated County Courthouse in Greensburg (2009) after a tornado damaged it in 2007. Construction of the building started in 1920.
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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 | Kiowa tribe |
| Seat | Greensburg |
| Largest city | Greensburg |
| Area | |
| • Total | 723 sq mi (1,870 km2) |
| • Land | 723 sq mi (1,870 km2) |
| • Water | 0.2 sq mi (0.5 km2) 0.03%% |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 2,460 |
| • Density | 3.4/sq mi (1.3/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Congressional district | 4th |
Kiowa County is a place in the state of Kansas, USA. It's called a "county," which is like a region or area. The biggest city and main town where the county government is located is Greensburg. In 2020, about 2,460 people lived here. The county got its name from the Kiowa tribe, a Native American group.
Contents
History of Kiowa County
How Kiowa County Was Formed
In 1854, the area became the Kansas Territory. Then, in 1861, Kansas officially became the 34th state in the USA.
Kiowa County was created in 1867. It was named after the Kiowa tribe. For a short time in 1875, its land was given to a nearby county. But in 1886, Kiowa County was set up again and officially organized.
Early Developments and Famous Landmarks
The Santa Fe Railroad was built through the county around the time it was organized. This helped people and goods move around.
A very famous landmark in Kiowa County is the Greensburg Well. It's one of the largest hand-dug wells in the world! It was built between 1887 and 1888. Since 1939, it has been a popular place for tourists to visit. The well is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The first oil well in Kiowa County was drilled in 1917. This was an important step for the local economy.
Kansas' First Female Sheriff
Mabel Chase made history in Kiowa County. Her husband was the county sheriff, but he couldn't run for the job again. So, Mabel decided to run! She became the first female sheriff in the state of Kansas.
Her husband gave her their family's special armored car, a 1926 Hudson Super Six. She was also the first sheriff in Kansas to have a Thompson submachine gun. Sheriff Chase worked hard to enforce laws and stop illegal activities in the area.
The 2007 Greensburg Tornado
On May 4, 2007, a very powerful tornado hit Greensburg. It was a terrible event that destroyed almost all of the town, about 95% of it. Sadly, 11 people lost their lives.
After the tornado, the Kiowa County Courthouse needed a lot of repairs. Its windows and roof were damaged. The building itself was quite old, with construction starting way back in 1920. It was renovated and fixed up after the storm.
Geography of Kiowa County
Kiowa County covers about 723 square miles (1,872 square kilometers). Most of this area is land.
An interesting fact about Kiowa County is its soil. It has many iron-rich meteorites. This is because of the Brenham meteor fall. This huge event happened over 10,000 years ago!
Neighboring Counties
Kiowa County shares its borders with several other counties:
- Edwards County (to the north)
- Pratt County (to the east)
- Barber County (to the southeast)
- Comanche County (to the south)
- Clark County (to the southwest)
- Ford County (to the west)
Main Roads
Only U.S. highways run through Kiowa County. There are no state highways. The main roads include:
- US 54
- US 183
- US 400
Population and People
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1890 | 2,873 | — | |
| 1900 | 2,365 | −17.7% | |
| 1910 | 6,174 | 161.1% | |
| 1920 | 6,164 | −0.2% | |
| 1930 | 6,035 | −2.1% | |
| 1940 | 5,112 | −15.3% | |
| 1950 | 4,743 | −7.2% | |
| 1960 | 4,626 | −2.5% | |
| 1970 | 4,088 | −11.6% | |
| 1980 | 4,046 | −1.0% | |
| 1990 | 3,660 | −9.5% | |
| 2000 | 3,278 | −10.4% | |
| 2010 | 2,553 | −22.1% | |
| 2020 | 2,460 | −3.6% | |
| 2023 (est.) | 2,374 | −7.0% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 1790-1960 1900-1990 1990-2000 2010-2020 |
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In 2000, there were 3,278 people living in Kiowa County. These people lived in 1,365 households. About 924 of these households were families.
The population was spread out in terms of age. About 24% of the people were under 18 years old. About 21% were 65 years or older. The average age in the county was 42 years old.
Education in Kiowa County
Colleges
- Barclay College, located in Haviland, is a college in the county.
School Districts
Students in Kiowa County attend schools in these unified school districts:
- Kiowa County USD 422
- Haviland USD 474
Communities in Kiowa County
Here is a list of the cities and communities you can find in Kiowa County:
Cities
- Greensburg (This is the county seat, meaning it's the main town for the county government.)
- Haviland
- Mullinville
Other Communities
These are smaller communities that are not officially incorporated as cities:
Townships
Kiowa County has only one main township, called Kiowa Rural. This township includes all the cities within the county.
See also
In Spanish: Condado de Kiowa (Kansas) para niños
