Butler County, Kansas

Butler County, Kansas
County

Butler County Courthouse built in 1909
Map of Kansas highlighting Butler County
Location in the U.S. state of Kansas
Map of the United States highlighting Kansas
Kansas's location in the U.S.
Founded August 25, 1855
Named for Andrew Pickens Butler
Seat El Dorado
Largest city El Dorado
Area
 • Total 1,447 sq mi (3,748 km2)
 • Land 1,430 sq mi (3,704 km2)
 • Water 17 sq mi (44 km2), 1.2%
Population
 • (2010) 65,880
 • Density 46/sq mi (18/km²)
Congressional district 4th
Time zone Central: UTC-6/-5
Website bucoks.com

Coordinates: 37°47′N 96°50′W / 37.783°N 96.833°W / 37.783; -96.833

Butler County (county code BU) is a county located in the southern portion of the U.S. state of Kansas. As of the 2010 census, the county population was 65,880.[1] Its county seat and most populous city is El Dorado.[2]

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 1855, Butler County was founded. It was named in honor of a U.S. Senator from South Carolina, Andrew Butler (1796–1857), who was one of the authors of the Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854 and a strong advocate of Kansas becoming a slave state.[3]

In 1877, the Florence, El Dorado, and Walnut Valley Railroad Company built a branch line from Florence to El Dorado, in 1881 it was extended to Douglass, and later to Arkansas City.[4] The line was leased and operated by the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway. The line from Florence to El Dorado was abandoned in 1942.[5] The original branch line connected Florence, Burns, De Graff, El Dorado, Augusta, Douglass, Rock, Akron, Winfield, Arkansas City.

In 1887, the Chicago, Kansas and Nebraska Railway built a branch line north-south from Herington to Caldwell.[6] This branch line connected Herington, Lost Springs, Lincolnville, Antelope, Marion, Aulne, Peabody, Elbing, Whitewater, Furley, Kechi, Wichita, Peck, Corbin, Wellington, Caldwell. By 1893, this branch line was incrementally built to Fort Worth, Texas. This line is called the "OKT". The Chicago, Kansas and Nebraska Railway was foreclosed in 1891 and was taken over by Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railway, which shut down in 1980 and reorganized as Oklahoma, Kansas and Texas Railroad, merged in 1988 with Missouri Pacific Railroad, and finally merged in 1997 with Union Pacific Railroad. Most locals still refer to this railroad as the "Rock Island".

21st century

In 2010, the Keystone-Cushing Pipeline (Phase II) was constructed north to south through Butler County (near Potwin, Towanda, Augusta, Douglass), with much controversy over tax exemption and environmental concerns (if a leak ever occurs).[7][8] A pumping station named Burns was built 2 miles north of Potwin, and new power lines were built from a high-voltage line 0.3 mile east of De Graff.[9]

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,447 square miles (3,750 km2), of which 1,430 square miles (3,700 km2) is land and 17 square miles (44 km2) (1.2%) is water.[10] It is the largest county by area in Kansas.

Adjacent counties

Major highways

Sources: National Atlas,[11] U.S. Census Bureau[12]

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop. %±
1860437—
18703,035594.5%
188018,586512.4%
189024,05529.4%
190023,363−2.9%
191023,059−1.3%
192043,84290.1%
193035,904−18.1%
194032,013−10.8%
195031,001−3.2%
196038,39523.9%
197038,6580.7%
198044,78215.8%
199050,58012.9%
200059,48217.6%
201065,88010.8%
Est. 201566,741[13]1.3%
U.S. Decennial Census[14]
1790-1960[15] 1900-1990[16]
1990-2000[17] 2010-2013[1]
Population pyramid

Butler County is part of the Wichita, KS Metropolitan Statistical Area.

As of the U.S. Census in 2000,[18] there were 59,482 people, 21,527 households, and 16,059 families residing in the county. The population density was 42 people per square mile (16/km²). There were 23,176 housing units at an average density of 16 per square mile (6/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 94.94% White, 1.38% Black or African American, 0.91% Native American, 0.40% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.66% from other races, and 1.69% two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.25% of the population.

There were 21,527 households out of which 37.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.60% were married couples living together, 8.30% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.40% were non-families. 21.90% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.67 and the average family size was 3.13.

In the county the population was spread out with 28.60% under the age of 18, 8.30% from 18 to 24, 28.80% from 25 to 44, 21.70% from 45 to 64, and 12.60% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 100.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.80 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $45,474, and the median income for a family was $53,632. Males had a median income of $38,675 versus $26,109 for females. The per capita income for the county was $20,150. About 5.40% of families and 7.30% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.00% of those under age 18 and 6.40% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Butler 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.[19]

Presidential elections

Like of most of Kansas's counties, Butler county is solidly Republican. In 2008, John McCain carried the county by a nearly two-to-one margin over Barack Obama. Since at least 1992, no Democratic candidate has received more than 40% of the county's vote.[20] The last Democratic candidate to carry the county was Jimmy Carter in 1976.[21]

Education

Unified school districts

District Office In Neighboring County

Private schools

College

Communities

2005 KDOT Map of Butler County (map legend)

Cities

Unincorporated places

Ghost towns

  • Aikman
  • Alki
  • Amador
  • Browntown
  • Chelsea (now lies under El Dorado Lake)
  • Durachen
  • Frazier
  • Lorena
  • Magna City
  • Midian
  • Oil Hill
  • Oil Valley
  • Ophir
  • Providence
  • Ramsey
  • Salter
  • Vanora
  • Wingate

Townships

Butler County is divided into twenty-nine townships. The cities of Augusta and El Dorado are considered governmentally independent and are 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
Augusta 03325 1,405 17 (43) 84 (32) 1 (0) 0.68% 37°41′32″N 96°59′15″W / 37.69222°N 96.98750°W / 37.69222; -96.98750
Benton 06200 Benton 2,211 24 (61) 93 (36) 0 (0) 0% 37°47′0″N 97°6′11″W / 37.78333°N 97.10306°W / 37.78333; -97.10306
Bloomington 07500 544 6 (15) 93 (36) 0 (0) 0% 37°35′57″N 96°54′1″W / 37.59917°N 96.90028°W / 37.59917; -96.90028
Bruno 08825 Andover 9,744 107 (278) 91 (35) 0 (0) 0.10% 37°41′37″N 97°6′48″W / 37.69361°N 97.11333°W / 37.69361; -97.11333
Chelsea 12750 190 1 (2) 261 (101) 17 (7) 6.15% 37°55′27″N 96°44′34″W / 37.92417°N 96.74278°W / 37.92417; -96.74278
Clay 13575 83 1 (2) 94 (36) 0 (0) 0.22% 37°31′21″N 96°45′39″W / 37.52250°N 96.76083°W / 37.52250; -96.76083
Clifford 14175 259 2 (6) 108 (42) 0 (0) 0.18% 38°2′7″N 96°58′41″W / 38.03528°N 96.97806°W / 38.03528; -96.97806
Douglass 18425 Douglass 2,306 25 (64) 93 (36) 0 (0) 0.32% 37°31′1″N 97°0′33″W / 37.51694°N 97.00917°W / 37.51694; -97.00917
El Dorado 20100 1,700 12 (32) 140 (54) 2 (1) 1.46% 37°48′38″N 96°52′23″W / 37.81056°N 96.87306°W / 37.81056; -96.87306
Fairmount 22275 Elbing 511 5 (14) 94 (36) 0 (0) 0.14% 38°2′34″N 97°5′53″W / 38.04278°N 97.09806°W / 38.04278; -97.09806
Fairview 22450 491 5 (14) 92 (36) 0 (0) 0.14% 37°52′15″N 96°59′46″W / 37.87083°N 96.99611°W / 37.87083; -96.99611
Glencoe 26400 239 1 (4) 161 (62) 1 (0) 0.60% 37°41′29″N 96°36′57″W / 37.69139°N 96.61583°W / 37.69139; -96.61583
Hickory 31750 90 1 (1) 162 (62) 1 (0) 0.67% 37°37′5″N 96°37′45″W / 37.61806°N 96.62917°W / 37.61806; -96.62917
Lincoln 40500 317 1 (3) 257 (99) 2 (1) 0.64% 37°57′6″N 96°53′1″W / 37.95167°N 96.88361°W / 37.95167; -96.88361
Little Walnut 41625 Leon 1,002 11 (28) 94 (36) 0 (0) 0.44% 37°41′34″N 96°46′37″W / 37.69278°N 96.77694°W / 37.69278; -96.77694
Logan 41775 154 2 (4) 94 (36) 0 (0) 0.16% 37°37′15″N 96°45′13″W / 37.62083°N 96.75361°W / 37.62083; -96.75361
Milton 46875 Whitewater 1,136 12 (31) 94 (36) 0 (0) 0.15% 37°57′21″N 97°7′14″W / 37.95583°N 97.12056°W / 37.95583; -97.12056
Murdock 49225 378 4 (10) 93 (36) 0 (0) 0% 37°51′42″N 97°6′23″W / 37.86167°N 97.10639°W / 37.86167; -97.10639
Pleasant 56200 Rose Hill (part) 4,649 50 (129) 93 (36) 0 (0) 0.11% 37°35′49″N 97°6′54″W / 37.59694°N 97.11500°W / 37.59694; -97.11500
Plum Grove 56850 Potwin 661 7 (19) 92 (36) 1 (0) 0.58% 37°56′46″N 97°0′51″W / 37.94611°N 97.01417°W / 37.94611; -97.01417
Prospect 57775 2,033 10 (26) 203 (78) 16 (6) 7.20% 37°49′25″N 96°45′35″W / 37.82361°N 96.75972°W / 37.82361; -96.75972
Richland 59250 Rose Hill (part) 2,399 26 (66) 94 (36) 0 (0) 0.02% 37°31′37″N 97°6′29″W / 37.52694°N 97.10806°W / 37.52694; -97.10806
Rock Creek 60475 299 3 (8) 94 (36) 0 (0) 0% 37°31′19″N 96°53′3″W / 37.52194°N 96.88417°W / 37.52194; -96.88417
Rosalia 61125 589 4 (9) 162 (63) 1 (0) 0.58% 37°46′47″N 96°37′22″W / 37.77972°N 96.62278°W / 37.77972; -96.62278
Spring 67275 1,566 17 (43) 94 (36) 0 (0) 0.13% 37°41′36″N 96°52′52″W / 37.69333°N 96.88111°W / 37.69333; -96.88111
Sycamore 69700 Cassoday 333 1 (3) 295 (114) 2 (1) 0.76% 38°1′15″N 96°40′19″W / 38.02083°N 96.67194°W / 38.02083; -96.67194
Towanda 71150 Towanda 2,727 29 (76) 93 (36) 0 (0) 0.14% 37°47′32″N 96°59′43″W / 37.79222°N 96.99528°W / 37.79222; -96.99528
Union 72050 Latham 226 1 (4) 161 (62) 1 (0) 0.72% 37°32′2″N 96°38′41″W / 37.53389°N 96.64472°W / 37.53389; -96.64472
Walnut 74900 760 8 (21) 92 (36) 1 (0) 0.77% 37°36′4″N 96°59′31″W / 37.60111°N 96.99194°W / 37.60111; -96.99194
Sources: "Census 2000 U.S. Gazetteer Files". U.S. Census Bureau, Geography Division. 

See also

Further reading

Butler County
Kansas

References

  1. 1 2 "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 21, 2014.
  2. ↑ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on 2011-05-31. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
  3. ↑ Blackmar, Frank Wilson (1912). Kansas: A Cyclopedia of State History, Embracing Events, Institutions, Industries, Counties, Cities, Towns, Prominent Persons, Etc. Standard Publishing Company. p. 261.
  4. ↑ Marion County Kansas : Past and Present; Sondra Van Meter; MB Publishing House; LCCN 72-92041; 344 pages; 1972.
  5. ↑ Railway Abandonment 1942
  6. ↑ Rock Island Rail History
  7. ↑ Keystone Pipeline - Marion County Commission calls out Legislative Leadership on Pipeline Deal; April 18, 2010. Archived October 22, 2011, at the Wayback Machine.
  8. ↑ Keystone Pipeline - TransCanada inspecting pipeline; December 10, 2010.
  9. ↑ Keystone Pipeline - Burns Pumping Station - New Powerline Map; Trow Engineering Consultants and TransCanda; 2010.
  10. ↑ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
  11. ↑ National Atlas Archived December 5, 2008, at the Wayback Machine.
  12. ↑ U.S. Census Bureau TIGER shape files
  13. ↑ "County Totals Dataset: Population, Population Change and Estimated Components of Population Change: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2015". Retrieved July 2, 2016.
  14. ↑ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on May 11, 2015. Retrieved July 21, 2014.
  15. ↑ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved July 21, 2014.
  16. ↑ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 21, 2014.
  17. ↑ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 21, 2014.
  18. ↑ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on 2013-09-11. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  19. ↑ "Map of Wet and Dry Counties". Alcoholic Beverage Control, Kansas Department of Revenue. November 2006. Archived from the original on 2007-10-08. Retrieved 2007-12-26.
  20. ↑ The New York Times Electoral Map (Zoom in on Kansas)
  21. ↑ David Leip's Presidential Election Atlas - 1976 statistics
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