Saline County, Kansas facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Saline County
County
Smoky Hills Museum in Salina (2013)
Location within the U.S. state of Kansas
Kansas's location within the U.S.
Country	United States
State	Kansas
Founded	February 15, 1860
Named for	Saline River
Seat	Salina
Largest city	Salina
Area
• Total	721 sq mi (1,870 km2)
• Land	720 sq mi (1,900 km2)
• Water	1.1 sq mi (3 km2)  0.2%
Population  (2020)
• Total	54,303
• Estimate  (2021)	53,888
• Density	75.4/sq mi (29.1/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district	1st

Saline County is located in the U.S. state of Kansas. Its county seat and largest city is Salina. As of the 2020 census, the county population was 54,303. The county was named after the Saline River.

History

Early history

For many millennia, the Great Plains of North America was inhabited by nomadic Native Americans. From the 16th century to 18th century, the Kingdom of France claimed ownership of large parts of North America. In 1762, after the French and Indian War, France secretly ceded New France to Spain, per the Treaty of Fontainebleau. In 1802, Spain returned most of the land to France, but keeping title to about 7,500 square miles.

In 1803, most of the land for modern day Kansas was acquired by the United States from France as part of the 828,000 square mile Louisiana Purchase for 2.83 cents per acre. In 1848, after the Mexican–American War, the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo with Spain brought into the United States all or part of land for ten future states, including southwest Kansas. In 1854, the Kansas Territory was organized, then in 1861 Kansas became the 34th U.S. state.

19th century

In 1860, Saline County was founded.

20th century

Saline County was a prohibition, or "dry", county until the Kansas Constitution was amended in 1986 and voters approved the sale of alcoholic liquor by the individual drink with a 30% food sales requirement. The food sales requirement was removed with voter approval in 1994.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 721 square miles (1,870 km²), of which 720 square miles (1,900 km²) is land and 1.1 square miles (2.8 km²) (0.2%) is water.

Adjacent counties

• Ottawa County (north)
• Dickinson County (east)
• Marion County (southeast)
• McPherson County (south)
• Ellsworth County (west)
• Lincoln County (northwest)

Demographics

Population pyramid based on 2000 census age data

Saline County is part of the Salina Micropolitan Statistical Area.

Education

Colleges and universities

• Kansas State University Polytechnic Campus in Salina
• Kansas Wesleyan University in Salina
• Salina Area Technical College in Salina

Unified school districts

• Salina USD 305
• Southeast of Saline USD 306
• Ell-Saline USD 307

School district office in neighboring county

• Twin Valley USD 240
• Solomon USD 393
• Smoky Valley USD 400

Private schools

• St. John's Military School
• Sacred Heart High School

Communities

2005 map of Saline County (map legend)

List of townships / incorporated cities / unincorporated communities / extinct former communities within Saline County.

Cities

‡ means a community has portions in an adjacent county.

Unincorporated communities

† means a community is designated a Census-Designated Place (CDP) by the United States Census Bureau.

Townships

1915 Railroad Map of Saline County

Saline County is divided into eighteen townships. The city of Salina is considered governmentally independent and is excluded from the census figures for the townships. In the following table, the population center is the largest city (or cities) included in that township's population total, if it is of a significant size.

See also

In Spanish: Condado de Saline (Kansas) para niños