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Wyandotte County, Kansas facts for kids

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Wyandotte County
Consolidated city-county
Wyandotte County Courthouse in Kansas City (2009)
Wyandotte County Courthouse in Kansas City (2009)
Map of Kansas highlighting Wyandotte 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 January 29, 1859
Named for Wyandot people
Seat Kansas City
Largest city Kansas City
Area
 • Total 156 sq mi (400 km2)
 • Land 152 sq mi (390 km2)
 • Water 4.6 sq mi (12 km2)  2.9%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 169,245
 • Density 1,039.0/sq mi (401.2/km2)
Time zone UTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST) UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district 3rd

Wyandotte County ( county code WY) is a county in the U.S. state of Kansas. As of the 2020 census, the population was 169,245, making it Kansas's fourth-most populous county. Its county seat and most populous city is Kansas City, with which it shares a unified government. Wyandotte County is directly north of Johnson County, Kansas, and west of Kansas City, Missouri.

History

Wy1899
Wyandotte County, Kansas 1899 Map

The Wyandot

The county is named after the Wyandot (also known as Wyandott or Wyandotte) Indians. They were called the Huron by the French in Canada, but they called themselves Wendat. They were distantly related to the Iroquois, with whom they sometimes fought. They had hoped to hold off movement by white Americans into their territory and had hoped to make the Ohio River the border between the United States and Canada.

One branch of the Wyandot moved to the area that is now the state of Ohio. They generally took the course of assimilation into Anglo-American society. Many of them embraced Christianity under the influence of missionaries. They were transported to the current area of Wyandotte County in 1843, where they set up a community and worked in cooperation with Anglo settlers. The Christian Munsee also influenced early settlement of this area.

The Wyandot in Kansas set up a constitutional form of government that they had devised in Ohio. They set up the territorial government for Kansas and Nebraska. It was one of their own who was elected as territorial governor.

Other historical facts

The county was organized in 1859. Tenskwatawa (Tecumseh's brother), "the Prophet", fought at the Battle of Tippecanoe in 1811. He was buried at Shawnee Native American historical site Whitefeather Spring (located at 3818 Ruby Ave., Kansas City, which was added in 1975 to the National Register of Historic Places). The Kansas City Smelting and Refining Company employed over 250 men during the 1880s. The ore and base bullion is received from the mining districts of the mountains and is here crushed, separated and refined.

The Delaware Crossing (or "Military Crossing"; sometimes "the Secondine") was where the old Indian trail met the waters of the Kaw River. Circa 1831, Moses Grinter (one of the earliest permanent white settlers in the area) set up the Grinter Ferry on the Kansas River here. His house was known was the Grinter Place. The ferry was used by individuals (such as traders, freighters, and soldiers) traveling between Fort Leavenworth and Fort Scott on the military road. Others would cross this area on their way to Santa Fe.

The Diocese of Leavenworth moved its see from Leavenworth, Kansas to Kansas City, Kansas on 10 May 1947. It became an Archdiocese on 9 August 1952.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 156 square miles (400 km2), of which 152 square miles (390 km2) is land and 4.6 square miles (12 km2) (2.9%) is water. It is the smallest county by area in Kansas.

Topography

The natural topography of the county consists of gently rolling terrain. The Kansas River forms a portion of the southern boundary of the county. The elevation generally increases from north to south as the distance from the Kansas River and Missouri River increases.

Watersheds & Streams

Mission Creek watershed

The county is drained by the watersheds of the Kansas River which is part of the Missouri River watershed. Being located in northeastern Kansas, the county receives plentiful rainfall.

Adjacent counties

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop.
1860 2,609
1870 10,015 283.9%
1880 19,143 91.1%
1890 54,407 184.2%
1900 73,227 34.6%
1910 100,068 36.7%
1920 122,218 22.1%
1930 141,211 15.5%
1940 145,071 2.7%
1950 165,318 14.0%
1960 185,495 12.2%
1970 186,845 0.7%
1980 172,335 −7.8%
1990 161,993 −6.0%
2000 157,882 −2.5%
2010 157,505 −0.2%
2020 169,245 7.5%
U.S. Decennial Census
1790-1960 1900-1990
1990-2000 2010-2020

Wyandotte County is included in the Kansas City, MO-KS Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Wyandotte County's population was estimated at 163,369 in 2015, an increase of 5,864, or 3.0%, over the previous five years; it is Kansas's fourth-most populous county.

As of the 2000 census, there were 157,882 people, 59,700 households, and 39,163 families residing in the county. The population density was 1,043 people per square mile (403/km2). There were 65,892 housing units at an average density of 435 per square mile (168/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 58.18% White, 28.33% Black or African American, 1.63% Asian, 0.74% Native American, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 8.17% from other races, and 2.91% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 16.00% of the population.

By 2007, 48.1% of Wyandotte County's population was non-Hispanic whites. 26.3% of the population was African-American. Native Americans made up 0.6% of the population, Asians 1.8%, and Latinos 21.7%.

There were 59,700 households, of which 32.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.10% were married couples living together, 17.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.40% were non-families. 28.90% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.00% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.62 and the average family size was 3.24.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 28.50% under the age of 18, 10.40% from 18 to 24, 29.50% from 25 to 44, 19.90% from 45 to 64, and 11.70% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32. For every 100 females there were 95.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.3 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $33,784, and the median income for a family was $40,333. Males had a median income of $31,335 versus $24,640 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,005. About 12.5% of families and 16.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 23% of those under age 18 and 11.1% of those 65 or older.

Approximately 1.4% of the county's residents take public transportation to work. This is the highest percentage in the state.

Communities

Incorporated cities

Unincorporated communities

Townships

Wyandotte County has a single township. The cities of Bonner Springs, Kansas City, and Lake Quivira are considered governmentally independent and are excluded from the census figures for the township. 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.

Township FIPS Population
center
Population Population
density
/km² (/sq mi)
Land area
km² (sq mi)
Water area
km² (sq mi)
Water % Geographic coordinates
Delaware 17475 Edwardsville 4,200 141 (364) 30 (12) 1 (0) 3.97% 39°3′50″N 94°49′8″W / 39.06389°N 94.81889°W / 39.06389; -94.81889
Sources:

The 2010 census lists the city of Edwardsville as also governmentally independent, with the size of the remaining township dropping to a population of 31 persons living on only 2.43 sq mi of land (and 0.36 sq mi water) resulting in a population density of 12.76 / sq mi (4.93 / km²). The departure of Edwardsville is also confirmed by the Kansas State Historical Society.

Economy

Village West, at the intersection of Interstates 70 and 435, has significantly fueled growth in KCK and Wyandotte County. Anchored by the Kansas Speedway, its attractions and retailers include Hollywood Casino, Legends Outlets Kansas City, Schlitterbahn Vacation Village, Cabela's, Nebraska Furniture Mart, Great Wolf Lodge, Legends Field (Kansas City) (home to the Kansas City Monarchs (American Association) of the American Association) and Children's Mercy Park (home of Sporting Kansas City of Major League Soccer).

Also in the area are Azura Amphitheater (commonly known as the Sandstone Amphitheater), the National Agricultural Center and Hall of Fame, Wyandotte County Park, and Sunflower Hills Golf Course.

Education

Colleges and universities

Public

  • Kansas City Kansas Community College
  • University of Kansas Medical Center

Private

  • Donnelly College

School districts

  • Bonner Springs–Edwardsville USD 204
  • Kansas City USD 500

Private schools

Primary

  • Resurrection Grade School (formerly St. Peter's Cathedral Grade School)
  • St. Patrick's Grade School
  • Christ the King Grade School

Secondary

  • Bishop Ward High School

Other schools

  • Kansas State School for the Blind (KSSB)

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Condado de Wyandotte para niños

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