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Bourbon County, Kansas
Bourbon County Courthouse - Fort Scott Kansas 10-10-2016
Bourbon County Courthouse in Fort Scott (2016)
Map of Kansas highlighting Bourbon County
Location in the state of Kansas
Map of the U.S
Kansas's location in the U.S.
Founded August 25, 1855
Named for Bourbon County, Kentucky
Seat Fort Scott
Largest city Fort Scott
Area
 - Total
 - Land
 - Water

639 sq mi (1,655 km²)
635 sq mi (1,645 km²)
3.6 sq mi (9 km²), 0.6%
Population
 - (2020)
 - Density

14,360
Congressional district 2nd
Time zone Central: UTC-6/-5

Bourbon County (county code BB) is a county located in Southeast Kansas. As of the 2020 census, the county population was 14,360.[1] Its county seat and most populous city is Fort Scott.[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.

19th century[]

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 1854, the Kansas Territory was organized, then in 1861 Kansas became the 34th U.S. state. In 1855, Bourbon County was established.

21st century[]

Bourbon virus, a new strain of thogotovirus, was first discovered in Bourbon County. In the spring of 2014 an otherwise healthy man was bitten by a tick, contracting the virus, dying 11 days later from organ failure.[3][4]

Geography[]

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 639 square miles (1,660 km2), of which 635 square miles (1,640 km2) is land and 3.6 square miles (9.3 km2) (0.6%) is water.[5]

Adjacent counties[]

National protected area[]

  • Fort Scott National Historic Site

Major highways[]

Sources: National Atlas,[6] U.S. Census Bureau[7]

  • U.S. Route 54
  • U.S. Route 69
  • Kansas Highway 3
  • Kansas Highway 7
  • Kansas Highway 31
  • Kansas Highway 39
  • Kansas Highway 65

Demographics[]

Historical populations
Census Pop.
1860 6,101
1870 15,076 147.1%
1880 19,591 29.9%
1890 28,575 45.9%
1900 24,712 −13.5%
1910 24,007 −2.9%
1920 23,198 −3.4%
1930 22,386 −3.5%
1940 20,944 −6.4%
1950 19,153 −8.6%
1960 16,090 −16.0%
1970 15,215 −5.4%
1980 15,969 5.0%
1990 14,966 −6.3%
2000 15,379 2.8%
2010 15,173 −1.3%
U.S. Decennial Census[8]
1790-1960[9] 1900-1990[10]
1990-2000[11] 2010-2020[1]
USA Bourbon County, Kansas age pyramid

Population pyramid

As of the 2000 census,[12] there were 15,379 people, 6,161 households, and 4,127 families residing in the county. The population density was 24 people per square mile (9/km2). There were 7,135 housing units at an average density of 11 per square mile (4/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 94.06% White, 3.08% Black or African American, 0.84% Native American, 0.36% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 0.28% from other races, and 1.33% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.29% of the population.

There were 6,161 households, out of which 30.50% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.50% were married couples living together, 9.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.00% were non-families. 29.00% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 3.01.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 25.80% under the age of 18, 9.50% from 18 to 24, 24.20% from 25 to 44, 22.30% from 45 to 64, and 18.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 93.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.50 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $31,199, and the median income for a family was $39,239. Males had a median income of $27,043 versus $20,983 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,393. About 9.50% of families and 13.50% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.00% of those under age 18 and 13.40% of those age 65 or over.

Government[]

Presidential elections[]

Bourbon County is a strongly Republican county. Only six presidential elections from 1888 to the present have resulted in Republicans failing to win the county, with the last of these being in 1964.

United States presidential election results for Bourbon County, Kansas[13]
Year Republican Democratic Third party
No.  % No.  % No.  %
2020 5,023 75.24% 1,541 23.08% 112 1.68%
2016 4,424 71.64% 1,336 21.64% 415 6.72%
2012 4,102 65.59% 1,996 31.92% 156 2.49%
2008 4,240 62.53% 2,394 35.30% 147 2.17%
2004 4,372 65.39% 2,216 33.14% 98 1.47%
2000 3,852 61.07% 2,211 35.05% 245 3.88%
1996 3,318 50.17% 2,491 37.66% 805 12.17%
1992 2,876 40.17% 2,509 35.05% 1,774 24.78%
1988 3,660 57.80% 2,623 41.42% 49 0.77%
1984 4,858 68.40% 2,175 30.63% 69 0.97%
1980 4,263 59.22% 2,605 36.19% 331 4.60%
1976 3,589 51.80% 3,237 46.72% 103 1.49%
1972 4,776 70.09% 1,912 28.06% 126 1.85%
1968 3,983 56.87% 2,241 32.00% 780 11.14%
1964 3,290 44.93% 3,980 54.35% 53 0.72%
1960 5,062 63.03% 2,928 36.46% 41 0.51%
1956 5,306 62.39% 3,151 37.05% 47 0.55%
1952 5,785 65.26% 3,023 34.10% 56 0.63%
1948 4,225 51.43% 3,879 47.22% 111 1.35%
1944 4,790 56.68% 3,622 42.86% 39 0.46%
1940 5,751 53.61% 4,898 45.66% 78 0.73%
1936 5,402 48.58% 5,714 51.38% 4 0.04%
1932 4,277 42.62% 5,577 55.58% 181 1.80%
1928 7,251 75.88% 2,223 23.26% 82 0.86%
1924 4,210 48.96% 2,850 33.15% 1,538 17.89%
1920 4,194 52.09% 3,632 45.11% 225 2.79%
1916 3,370 37.58% 5,209 58.09% 388 4.33%
1912 1,448 27.04% 2,209 41.25% 1,698 31.71%
1908 2,695 47.83% 2,686 47.67% 253 4.49%
1904 3,234 59.26% 1,808 33.13% 415 7.60%
1900 3,024 51.36% 2,799 47.54% 65 1.10%
1896 2,900 48.20% 3,067 50.97% 50 0.83%
1892 2,803 49.24% 0 0.00% 2,889 50.76%
1888 3,569 57.07% 1,831 29.28% 854 13.66%
1884 2,974 60.48% 1,671 33.98% 272 5.53%
1880 2,320 60.34% 1,161 30.20% 364 9.47%



Laws[]

Following amendment to the Kansas Constitution in 1986, the county remained a prohibition, or "dry", county until 1992, when voters approved the sale of alcoholic liquor by the individual drink with a 30% food sales requirement.[14]

Education[]

Colleges[]

  • Fort Scott Community College

Unified school districts[]

  • Fort Scott USD 234
  • Uniontown USD 235

Communities[]

Map of Bourbon Co, Ks, USA

2005 KDOT Map of Bourbon County (map legend)

Cities[]

  • Bronson
  • Fort Scott
  • Fulton
  • Mapleton
  • Redfield
  • Uniontown

Unincorporated communities[]

  • Barnesville
  • Berlin (no longer exists)
  • Devon
  • Garland
  • Godfrey
  • Hammond
  • Harding
  • Hiattville
  • Hidden Valley
  • Hollister (no longer exists)
  • Marmaton
  • Pawnee Station
  • Ronald (Walkertown)
  • Xenia
  • Xerox

Townships[]

Bourbon County is divided into eleven townships. The city of Fort Scott 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
Drywood 18750 394 3 (8) 120 (47) 0 (0) 0.19% 37°43′19″N 94°40′36″W / 37.72194, -94.67667
Franklin 24300 312 2 (4) 185 (71) 0 (0) 0.13% 37°59′41″N 94°59′14″W / 37.99472, -94.98722
Freedom 24600 Fulton 505 4 (12) 113 (44) 0 (0) 0.17% 38°0′4″N 94°44′45″W / 38.00111, -94.74583
Marion 44650 Bronson,
Uniontown
1,165 4 (12) 259 (100) 0 (0) 0.19% 37°51′14″N 95°1′12″W / 37.85389, -95.02
Marmaton 44900 815 6 (15) 145 (56) 0 (0) 0.13% 37°48′57″N 94°50′16″W / 37.81583, -94.83778
Mill Creek 46675 472 3 (9) 136 (52) 1 (0) 0.42% 37°54′45″N 94°50′14″W / 37.9125, -94.83722
Osage 53100 394 3 (8) 125 (48) 0 (0) 0.16% 37°58′40″N 94°39′33″W / 37.97778, -94.65917
Pawnee 54775 308 2 (6) 126 (49) 0 (0) 0.31% 37°43′31″N 94°50′30″W / 37.72528, -94.84167
Scott 63500 2,326 13 (34) 179 (69) 2 (1) 0.94% 37°48′35″N 94°41′30″W / 37.80972, -94.69167
Timberhill 70600 Mapleton 256 3 (7) 93 (36) 0 (0) 0.05% 38°0′31″N 94°52′57″W / 38.00861, -94.8825
Walnut 74850 135 1 (2) 154 (59) 0 (0) 0.13% 37°43′10″N 94°59′0″W / 37.71944, -94.983333
Sources: "Census 2000 U.S. Gazetteer Files". U.S. Census Bureau, Geography Division. https://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/places2k.html. 

Notable people[]

  • Jonathan M. Davis, 22nd Governor of Kansas; born in Bourbon County.[15]

See also[]

  • National Register of Historic Places listings in Bourbon County, Kansas

Information on this and other counties in Kansas

Other information for Kansas


References[]

  1. ^ a b "QuickFacts; Bourbon County, Kansas; Population, Census, 2020 & 2010". United States Census Bureau. https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/bourboncountykansas/POP010220. 
  2. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx. 
  3. ^ "New details on mystery virus that killed Kansas man". CBS News. http://www.cbsnews.com/news/new-details-on-mystery-virus-that-killed-kansas-man/. 
  4. ^ "New so-called Bourbon virus linked to Kansas man's death after tick bite". UPI. http://www.upi.com/Health_News/2015/02/20/New-so-called-Bourbon-virus-linked-to-Kansas-mans-death-after-tick-bite/9211424460126/. 
  5. ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html. 
  6. ^ National Atlas Archived December 5, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
  7. ^ "U.S. Census Bureau TIGER shape files". https://www.census.gov/geo/www/tiger. 
  8. ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html. 
  9. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu. 
  10. ^ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. https://www.census.gov/population/cencounts/ks190090.txt. 
  11. ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000". United States Census Bureau. https://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf. 
  12. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. https://www.census.gov. 
  13. ^ "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS. 
  14. ^ "Map of Wet and Dry Counties". Alcoholic Beverage Control, Kansas Department of Revenue. November 2006. http://www.ksrevenue.org/abcwetdrymap.htm. 
  15. ^ "Jonathan M. Davis". The Political Graveyard. http://politicalgraveyard.com/bio/davis5.html. 

Further reading[]

Template:Kansas books

External links[]

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This page uses content from the English language Wikipedia. The original content was at Bourbon County, Kansas. The list of authors can be seen in the page history. As with this Familypedia wiki, the content of Wikipedia is available under the Creative Commons License.
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