Decatur County, Kansas
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Decatur County is a county located in Northwest Kansas. Its county seat and most populous city is Oberlin.[1] As of the 2020 census, the county population was 2,764.[2] The county was named in honor of Stephen Decatur, Jr., a commodore in the United States Navy who served during both Barbary Wars in North Africa, the Quasi-War with France, and the War of 1812 with Britain.
History
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19th century
In 1854, the Kansas Territory was organized, then in 1861 Kansas became the 34th U.S. state.
Decatur County was established by an act of the state legislature on 1873-03-20,Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'Module:Footnotes/anchor_id_list' not found. which defined the original borders of the county as: Page Template:Blockquote/styles.css has no content.
Commencing where the east line of range 26 west, intersects the fortieth degree of north latitude; thence south, with the range line, to the first standard parallel; thence west with said parallel to the east line of range 31 west; thence north with said range line to the fortieth degree of north latitude; thence east with said parallel to the place of beginning.Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'Module:Footnotes/anchor_id_list' not found.
The county had been surveyed the previous year, and its first settlers had been arriving since then.Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'Module:Footnotes/anchor_id_list' not found.
Independent county government was established on 1879-12-11, by proclamation of Governor John A. Martin in response to a petition.Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'Module:Footnotes/anchor_id_list' not found. Martin originally proclaimed Oberlin as the county seat, as an initial temporary arrangement.Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'Module:Footnotes/anchor_id_list' not found. It was chosen as the permanent seat by an election on 1880-02-03.Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'Module:Footnotes/anchor_id_list' not found.
The county is named for the Navy war hero Commodore Stephen Decatur, Jr.,Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'Module:Footnotes/anchor_id_list' not found.[3] who served during the First Barbary War and the Second Barbary War and the War of 1812.
In 1878, the Sappa Creek valley in Decatur county was the scene of the last raid by Native Americans (Indians) in Kansas. In the Northern Cheyenne Exodus after the Battle of Punished Woman's Fork, a band of Cheyenne needing horses and provisions raged through the valley, killing more than 30 civilians and raping several woman. Several Cheyenne elderly, women, and children were also killed in the region by soldiers and civilians.[4] In Oberlin, the Decatur County Last Indian Raid Museum commemorates the Cheyenne raid.[5][6]
The county's first newspaper was the Oberlin Herald, established on 1879-06-12 by Humphrey & Counter.Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'Module:Footnotes/anchor_id_list' not found. Later Oberlin newspapers included the Oberlin Eye and the Oberlin Opinion.Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'Module:Footnotes/anchor_id_list' not found. The Norcatur Register was published in Norcatur,Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'Module:Footnotes/anchor_id_list' not found. and there were two more newspapers in Dresden and Jennings as of 1909.Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'Module:Footnotes/anchor_id_list' not found.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 894 square miles (2,320 km2), of which 894 square miles (2,320 km2) is land and 0.6 square miles (1.6 km2) (0.07%) is water.[7]
Geology and hydrology
The county is crossed by Beaver Creek and Long Branch Creek in the north, by Sappa Creek in the middle, and by Prairie Dog Creek and South Fork Solomon River in the south.Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'Module:Footnotes/anchor_id_list' not found.Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'Module:Footnotes/anchor_id_list' not found. Sappa has two forks, north and south, and Prairie Dog's principal branch is Tom Cat.Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'Module:Footnotes/anchor_id_list' not found.
Adjacent counties
- Red Willow County, Nebraska (north)
- Furnas County, Nebraska (northeast)
- Norton County (east)
- Sheridan County (south)
- Thomas County (southwest)
- Rawlins County (west)
Demographics
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| Census | Pop. | Template:Sronly | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1880 | 4,180 | — | |
| 1890 | 8,414 | 101.3% | |
| 1900 | 9,234 | 9.7% | |
| 1910 | 8,976 | −2.8% | |
| 1920 | 8,121 | −9.5% | |
| 1930 | 8,866 | 9.2% | |
| 1940 | 7,434 | −16.2% | |
| 1950 | 6,185 | −16.8% | |
| 1960 | 5,778 | −6.6% | |
| 1970 | 4,988 | −13.7% | |
| 1980 | 4,509 | −9.6% | |
| 1990 | 4,021 | −10.8% | |
| 2000 | 3,472 | −13.7% | |
| 2010 | 2,961 | −14.7% | |
| 2020 | 2,764 | −6.7% | |
| 2025 (est.) | 2,716 | [8]  | −1.7% |
| U.S. Decennial Census[9] 1790-1960[10] 1900-1990[11] 1990-2000[12] 2010-2020[2] | |||
2020 census
As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 2,764. The median age was 50.8 years. 20.4% of residents were under the age of 18 and 27.9% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 104.6 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 103.0 males age 18 and over. 0.0% of residents lived in urban areas, while 100.0% lived in rural areas.[13][14]
The racial makeup of the county was 94.2% White, 0.3% Black or African American, 0.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% Asian, 0.0% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 0.3% from some other race, and 4.3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 2.7% of the population.[15]
There were 1,295 households in the county, of which 21.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 23.5% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 38.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 20.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.[14]
There were 1,640 housing units, of which 21.0% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 77.1% were owner-occupied and 22.9% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 3.4% and the rental vacancy rate was 14.2%.[14]
In 1879 the population was just over 1,500.Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'Module:Footnotes/anchor_id_list' not found. By 1886 there were 6,300 people in the county, up from 4,067 in 1885.Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'Module:Footnotes/anchor_id_list' not found. By the 1910 Census this had risen to 8.976.Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'Module:Footnotes/anchor_id_list' not found.
2000 census
As of the 2000 census,[16] there were 3,472 people, 1,494 households, and 981 families residing in the county. The population density was 4 people per square mile (1.5 people/km2). There were 1,821 housing units at an average density of 2 per square mile (0.77/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 97.87% White, 0.52% Black or African American, 0.09% Native American, 0.14% Asian, 0.12% Pacific Islander, 0.37% from other races, and 0.89% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.98% of the population.
There were 1,494 households, out of which 25.80% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.00% were married couples living together, 5.60% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.30% were non-families. 32.80% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.24 and the average family size was 2.83.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 23.60% under the age of 18, 4.70% from 18 to 24, 22.90% from 25 to 44, 22.60% from 45 to 64, and 26.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females there were 97.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.40 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $30,257, and the median income for a family was $34,982. Males had a median income of $25,139 versus $17,368 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,348. About 8.00% of families and 11.60% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.20% of those under age 18 and 6.30% of those age 65 or over.
Government
Decatur County is heavily Republican. The last time a Democratic candidate carried the county was Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1936.
Presidential elections
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Following amendment to the Kansas Constitution in 1986, the county remained a prohibition, or "dry", county until 2002, when voters approved the sale of alcoholic liquor by the individual drink with a 30% food sales requirement.[17]
Education
There were 101 school districts in the county in 1909.Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'Module:Footnotes/anchor_id_list' not found.
Unified school districts
Communities
List of townships / incorporated cities / unincorporated communities / extinct former communities within Decatur County.[18]
Cities
‡ means a community has portions in an adjacent county.
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Unincorporated communities
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Ghost towns
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Post offices
The first post office in the county was Sappa, established in April 1874 by postmaster J. A. Rodehaver.Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'Module:Footnotes/anchor_id_list' not found. It was located where Oberlin now is.Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'Module:Footnotes/anchor_id_list' not found. In 1886 there were seventeen post offices in the county: Allison, Altory, Bassettville, Cedar Bluffs, Decatur, Hawkeye, Hooker, Jackson, Jenings, Lyle, Oberlin, Norcatur, Sheffield, Shibboleth, Stephen, Traer, and Vallonia.Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'Module:Footnotes/anchor_id_list' not found.
Townships
Decatur County is divided into twenty-five townships. The city of Oberlin 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.
| Township | FIPS | Population center |
Population | Population density /km2 (/sq mi) |
Land area km2 (sq mi) |
Water area km2 (sq mi) |
Water % | Geographic coordinates |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Allison | 01300 | 39 | 0 (1) | 93 (36) | 0 (0) | 0.01% | Lua error: callParserFunction: function "#coordinates" was not found. | |
| Altory | 01650 | 16 | 0 (0) | 93 (36) | 0 (0) | 0% | Lua error: callParserFunction: function "#coordinates" was not found. | |
| Bassettville | 04475 | 26 | 0 (1) | 93 (36) | 0 (0) | 0% | Lua error: callParserFunction: function "#coordinates" was not found. | |
| Beaver | 05050 | 86 | 1 (2) | 92 (36) | 0 (0) | 0.11% | Lua error: callParserFunction: function "#coordinates" was not found. | |
| Center | 11650 | 60 | 1 (2) | 93 (36) | 0 (0) | 0.03% | Lua error: callParserFunction: function "#coordinates" was not found. | |
| Cook | 15375 | 44 | 0 (1) | 93 (36) | 0 (0) | 0.08% | Lua error: callParserFunction: function "#coordinates" was not found. | |
| Custer | 16850 | 27 | 0 (1) | 93 (36) | 0 (0) | 0.04% | Lua error: callParserFunction: function "#coordinates" was not found. | |
| Dresden | 18625 | 141 | 2 (4) | 92 (36) | 0 (0) | 0.01% | Lua error: callParserFunction: function "#coordinates" was not found. | |
| Finley | 23425 | 39 | 0 (1) | 93 (36) | 0 (0) | 0% | Lua error: callParserFunction: function "#coordinates" was not found. | |
| Garfield | 25525 | 41 | 0 (1) | 92 (36) | 0 (0) | 0% | Lua error: callParserFunction: function "#coordinates" was not found. | |
| Grant | 27600 | 31 | 0 (1) | 92 (36) | 0 (0) | 0.07% | Lua error: callParserFunction: function "#coordinates" was not found. | |
| Harlan | 30050 | 51 | 1 (1) | 92 (36) | 0 (0) | 0.05% | Lua error: callParserFunction: function "#coordinates" was not found. | |
| Jennings | 35400 | 173 | 2 (5) | 93 (36) | 0 (0) | 0.34% | Lua error: callParserFunction: function "#coordinates" was not found. | |
| Liberty | 39975 | 48 | 1 (1) | 91 (35) | 0 (0) | 0.03% | Lua error: callParserFunction: function "#coordinates" was not found. | |
| Lincoln | 40600 | 203 | 2 (6) | 92 (36) | 0 (0) | 0.02% | Lua error: callParserFunction: function "#coordinates" was not found. | |
| Logan | 41825 | 52 | 1 (1) | 93 (36) | 0 (0) | 0% | Lua error: callParserFunction: function "#coordinates" was not found. | |
| Lyon | 43450 | 24 | 0 (1) | 93 (36) | 0 (0) | 0% | Lua error: callParserFunction: function "#coordinates" was not found. | |
| Oberlin | 52025 | 91 | 1 (3) | 89 (34) | 0 (0) | 0.08% | Lua error: callParserFunction: function "#coordinates" was not found. | |
| Olive | 52675 | 68 | 1 (2) | 92 (35) | 1 (0) | 0.65% | Lua error: callParserFunction: function "#coordinates" was not found. | |
| Pleasant Valley | 56525 | 46 | 0 (1) | 93 (36) | 0 (0) | 0.05% | Lua error: callParserFunction: function "#coordinates" was not found. | |
| Prairie Dog | 57475 | 50 | 1 (1) | 93 (36) | 0 (0) | 0.01% | Lua error: callParserFunction: function "#coordinates" was not found. | |
| Roosevelt | 61025 | 32 | 0 (1) | 93 (36) | 0 (0) | 0.07% | Lua error: callParserFunction: function "#coordinates" was not found. | |
| Sappa | 63050 | 43 | 0 (1) | 93 (36) | 0 (0) | 0.04% | Lua error: callParserFunction: function "#coordinates" was not found. | |
| Sherman | 64900 | 25 | 0 (1) | 92 (36) | 0 (0) | 0.01% | Lua error: callParserFunction: function "#coordinates" was not found. | |
| Summit | 69075 | 22 | 0 (1) | 93 (36) | 0 (0) | 0.09% | Lua error: callParserFunction: function "#coordinates" was not found. | |
| Sources: Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Census 2000 U.S. Gazetteer Files". U.S. Census Bureau, Geography Division. Archived from the original on August 2, 2002. | ||||||||
This list has remained the same since 1910.Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'Module:Footnotes/anchor_id_list' not found. In 1886 there had been just eleven: Bassettville, Beaver, Center, Custer. Garfield, Grant, Jennings, Logan, Oberlin, Olive, and Prairie Dog.Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'Module:Footnotes/anchor_id_list' not found. Originally in 1879, the county commissioners established just six townships: Grant, Beaver, Bassettville, Oberlin, Prairie Dog, and Jennings.Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'Module:Footnotes/anchor_id_list' not found.
See also
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- Community information for Kansas
- Kansas locations by per capita income
- List of counties in Kansas
- List of townships in Kansas
- List of cities in Kansas
- List of unincorporated communities in Kansas
- List of ghost towns in Kansas
References
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- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
- ^ a b Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."QuickFacts; Decatur County, Kansas; Population, Census, 2020 & 2010". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on August 16, 2021. Retrieved August 15, 2021.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Govt. Print. Off. p. 102.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Leiker, James N.; Powers, Ramon (2011). The Northern Cheyenne Exodus in History and Memory. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press. pp. 59–67. ISBN 9780806142210.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Decatur County Last Indian Raid Museum". Decatur County. Retrieved July 10, 2022.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Weiser, Kathy (March 2012). "Cheyenne Raid in Kansas". Legendsofkansas.com. Retrieved November 10, 2016.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."County Population Totals and Components of Change: 2020-2025". Retrieved April 13, 2026.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 24, 2014.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved July 24, 2014.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 24, 2014.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 27, 2010. Retrieved July 24, 2014.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)". United States Census Bureau. 2023. Retrieved December 15, 2025.
- ^ a b c Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved December 15, 2025.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved December 15, 2025.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Map of Wet and Dry Counties". Alcoholic Beverage Control, Kansas Department of Revenue. November 2006. Archived from the original on October 8, 2007. Retrieved December 26, 2007.
- ^ a b Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."General Highway Map of Decatur County, Kansas" (PDF). Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT). November 2009. Archived (PDF) from the original on April 15, 2023.
Sources
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- Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Blackmar, Frank Wilson (1912). "Decator County". Kansas: A Cyclopedia of State History. Vol. 1. Chicago: Standard publishing Company. pp. 498–501. LCCN 12015729. OL 13489994M. (Kansas: A Cyclopedia of State History at the Internet Archive)
- Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Sims, Wm.; Wheeler, Joshua (1887). "Decatur County". Fifth Biennial Report of the Kansas State Board of Agriculture, for the years 1885–1886. Topeka, Kansas: T. S. Thacher. pp. 173–178.
Further reading
- Standard Atlas of Decatur County, Kansas; Geo. A. Ogle & Co; 80 pages; 1921.
- Standard Atlas of Decatur County, Kansas; Geo. A. Ogle & Co; 69 pages; 1905.
- Handbook of Decatur County, Kansas; C.S. Burch Publishing Co; 25 pages; 1885.
External links
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- County
- Maps
- Decatur County Township Map - Kansas Department of Transportation
- Decatur County Road Maps - Kansas Department of Transportation
- Kansas State Highway Maps - Kansas Department of Transportation
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