Lane County, Kansas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Lane County
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Lane County Courthouse in Dighton (2015)
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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 | March 20, 1873 |
| Named for | James H. Lane |
| Seat | Dighton |
| Largest city | Dighton |
| Area | |
| • Total | 718 sq mi (1,860 km2) |
| • Land | 717 sq mi (1,860 km2) |
| • Water | 0.2 sq mi (0.5 km2) 0.03%% |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 1,574 |
| • Estimate
(2021)
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1,565  |
| • Density | 2.2/sq mi (0.8/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Congressional district | 1st |
Lane County is a county located in the state of Kansas, United States. Its main town, called the county seat, is Dighton. Dighton is the only official city in the county. In 2020, about 1,574 people lived here. This makes it one of the counties with the fewest people in Kansas. The county was named after James Lane. He was an important leader who fought against slavery. He also served as one of the first U.S. senators from Kansas.
Contents
History of Lane County
Early Times
For thousands of years, the Great Plains of North America were home to nomadic Native American tribes. These groups moved around to hunt and find food. From the 1500s to the 1700s, the Kingdom of France claimed large parts of North America. This included the area that is now Kansas. In 1762, after a war, France secretly gave this land to Spain. This was part of a deal called the Treaty of Fontainebleau.
The 1800s
In 1802, Spain gave most of the land back to France. However, Spain kept about 7,500 square miles. In 1803, the United States bought most of the land that is now Kansas from France. This was part of the huge Louisiana Purchase. The U.S. paid about 2.83 cents per acre for this vast area.
In 1854, the Kansas Territory was set up. This was a step toward becoming a state. Then, in 1861, Kansas officially became the 34th U.S. state. Lane County was created later, in 1873.
Geography of Lane County
Lane County covers a total area of about 718 square miles. Most of this area, about 717 square miles, is land. Only a tiny part, about 0.2 square miles, is water. This means water makes up only 0.03% of the county's total area.
Neighboring Counties
Lane County shares its borders with four other counties:
- Gove County to the north
- Ness County to the east
- Finney County to the south
- Scott County to the west
Population and People
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1880 | 604 | — | |
| 1890 | 2,060 | 241.1% | |
| 1900 | 1,563 | −24.1% | |
| 1910 | 2,603 | 66.5% | |
| 1920 | 2,848 | 9.4% | |
| 1930 | 3,372 | 18.4% | |
| 1940 | 2,821 | −16.3% | |
| 1950 | 2,808 | −0.5% | |
| 1960 | 3,060 | 9.0% | |
| 1970 | 2,707 | −11.5% | |
| 1980 | 2,472 | −8.7% | |
| 1990 | 2,375 | −3.9% | |
| 2000 | 2,155 | −9.3% | |
| 2010 | 1,750 | −18.8% | |
| 2020 | 1,574 | −10.1% | |
| 2023 (est.) | 1,529 | −12.6% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 1790-1960 1900-1990 1990-2000 2010-2020 |
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In 2000, there were 2,155 people living in Lane County. The county had about 3 people per square mile. There were 910 households, which are groups of people living together. Out of these, 613 were families.
The population was spread out in terms of age. About 25.4% of the people were under 18 years old. About 20.5% were 65 years old or older. The average age in the county was 42 years.
Education in Lane County
Students in Lane County attend schools that are part of unified school districts. These districts manage schools across different communities.
School Districts
- Healy USD 468: This school district is planning to join another district in 2025.
- Dighton USD 482
Communities in Lane County
Lane County has one official city and several smaller communities. Some communities are called "unincorporated," meaning they don't have their own city government.
City
- Dighton (This is the county seat, the main town of the county.)
Unincorporated Communities
These are smaller towns or areas that are not officially cities:
Townships
Lane County is also divided into five areas called townships. These are smaller divisions of the county. The population numbers for these townships include the people living in any cities or communities within them.
See also
In Spanish: Condado de Lane (Kansas) para niños
