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Geary County, Kansas
Geary county courthouse kansas
Geary County Courthouse in Junction City (1979)
Map of Kansas highlighting Geary County
Location in the state of Kansas
Map of the U.S
Kansas's location in the U.S.
Founded 1855 [1]
Named for John W. Geary
Seat Junction City
Largest city Junction City
Area
 - Total
 - Land
 - Water

404 sq mi (1,046 km²)
385 sq mi (997 km²)
20 sq mi (52 km²), 4.9%
Population
 - (2020)
 - Density

36,739
Congressional district 1st
Time zone Central: UTC-6/-5

Geary County (county code GE) is a county located in the U.S. state of Kansas. As of the 2020 census, the county population was 36,739.[2] Its county seat and most populous city is Junction City.[3] The county is named in honor of Governor John W. Geary.

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. Geary County was formed on August 30, 1855, as an original county from open, free territory. It was among the first 33 counties established by the territory government.[4]

Geary County was originally named Davis County in 1855 after Jefferson Davis (then the United States Secretary of War). During the American Civil War, when Davis became president of the Confederacy, attempts were made to change the county's name, but both failed. Federal and state census records show it as Davis County from 1860 through 1885. In 1888 the county was renamed in honor of John W. Geary, an early Governor of the Kansas Territory.[5][6]

Geography[]

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 404 square miles (1,050 km2), of which 385 square miles (1,000 km2) is land and 20 square miles (52 km2) (4.9%) is water.[7] It is the second-smallest county in Kansas by land area and third-smallest by total area.

Adjacent counties[]

Demographics[]

Historical populations
Census Pop.
1860 1,163
1870 5,526 375.2%
1880 6,994 26.6%
1890 10,428 49.1%
1900 10,744 3.0%
1910 12,681 18.0%
1920 13,452 6.1%
1930 14,366 6.8%
1940 15,222 6.0%
1950 21,671 42.4%
1960 28,779 32.8%
1970 28,111 −2.3%
1980 29,852 6.2%
1990 30,453 2.0%
2000 27,947 −8.2%
2010 34,362 23.0%
U.S. Decennial Census[8]
1790-1960[9] 1900-1990[10]
1990-2000[11] 2010-2020[2]
USA Geary County, Kansas age pyramid

Population pyramid

Geary County is part of the Manhattan, KS Metropolitan Statistical Area.[12]

As of the 2000 census,[13] there were 27,947 people, 10,458 households, and 7,582 families residing in the county. The population density was 73 people per square mile (28/km2). There were 11,959 housing units at an average density of 31 per square mile (12/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 64.13% White, 22.03% Black or African American, 0.75% Native American, 3.16% Asian, 0.41% Pacific Islander, 4.10% from other races, and 5.41% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 8.45% of the population.

There were 10,458 households, out of which 39.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.90% were married couples living together, 12.30% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.50% were non-families. 22.50% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.80% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.61 and the average family size was 3.07.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 29.60% under the age of 18, 13.60% from 18 to 24, 30.00% from 25 to 44, 17.40% from 45 to 64, and 9.40% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 29 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.30 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $31,917, and the median income for a family was $36,372. Males had a median income of $25,942 versus $21,389 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,199. About 9.70% of families and 12.10% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.80% of those under age 18 and 9.90% of those age 65 or over.

Government[]

Presidential elections[]

For most of its history, Geary County has been dominated by the Republican Party. The party's presidential candidates have failed to win the county only seven times from 1880 to the present day, the last of these occurring in 1964.

United States presidential election results for Geary County, Kansas[14]
Year Republican Democratic Third party
No.  % No.  % No.  %
2020 5,323 55.43% 3,983 41.48% 297 3.09%
2016 4,274 56.33% 2,722 35.87% 592 7.80%
2012 4,372 55.73% 3,332 42.47% 141 1.80%
2008 4,492 55.50% 3,491 43.13% 111 1.37%
2004 4,703 64.18% 2,531 34.54% 94 1.28%
2000 3,977 57.92% 2,660 38.74% 229 3.34%
1996 3,686 54.29% 2,444 35.99% 660 9.72%
1992 2,928 38.75% 2,559 33.87% 2,069 27.38%
1988 3,782 57.54% 2,721 41.40% 70 1.06%
1984 4,464 65.44% 2,296 33.66% 61 0.89%
1980 3,534 56.06% 2,357 37.39% 413 6.55%
1976 3,230 52.13% 2,843 45.88% 123 1.99%
1972 4,299 70.02% 1,708 27.82% 133 2.17%
1968 2,954 50.70% 2,228 38.24% 645 11.07%
1964 2,259 39.32% 3,419 59.51% 67 1.17%
1960 3,789 61.28% 2,365 38.25% 29 0.47%
1956 4,013 65.54% 2,078 33.94% 32 0.52%
1952 4,314 70.54% 1,750 28.61% 52 0.85%
1948 2,864 49.72% 2,810 48.78% 86 1.49%
1944 2,833 56.97% 2,107 42.37% 33 0.66%
1940 2,840 52.65% 2,504 46.42% 50 0.93%
1936 2,382 44.38% 2,973 55.39% 12 0.22%
1932 1,957 40.92% 2,705 56.55% 121 2.53%
1928 2,746 69.15% 1,203 30.29% 22 0.55%
1924 2,678 66.34% 723 17.91% 636 15.75%
1920 2,404 69.56% 962 27.84% 90 2.60%
1916 1,731 48.20% 1,740 48.45% 120 3.34%
1912 387 17.39% 800 35.94% 1,039 46.68%
1908 1,257 53.38% 1,033 43.86% 65 2.76%
1904 1,431 67.88% 591 28.04% 86 4.08%
1900 1,240 54.55% 1,009 44.39% 24 1.06%
1896 1,051 46.75% 1,171 52.09% 26 1.16%
1892 863 42.72% 0 0.00% 1,157 57.28%
1888 1,027 54.34% 756 40.00% 107 5.66%
1884 843 50.81% 602 36.29% 214 12.90%
1880 702 48.89% 399 27.79% 335 23.33%



Laws[]

Geary 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 1990.[15]

The county voted "No" on the 2022 Kansas Value Them Both Amendment, an anti-abortion ballot measure, by 61% to 39% despite backing Donald Trump with 55% of the vote to Joe Biden's 41% in the 2020 presidential election.[16]

Education[]

Unified school districts[]

  • Geary County USD 475

Communities[]

Map of Geary Co, Ks, USA

2005 KDOT Map of Geary County (map legend)

Cities[]

Unincorporated community[]

  • Wreford

Ghost towns[]

  • Alida, razed when Milford Lake was built

Fort Riley[]

Located north of the junction of the Smoky Hill and Republican rivers, the Fort Riley Military Reservation covers 100,656 acres (407 km2) in Geary and Riley counties. The fort has a daytime population of nearly 25,000 and includes one census-designated place:

  • Fort Riley (formerly Fort Riley North), primarily in Riley County

Townships[]

Geary County is divided into eight townships. The city of Junction City 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
Blakely 07275 113 1 (3) 93 (36) 0 (0) 0.01% 38°54′32″N 96°45′9″W / 38.90889, -96.7525
Jackson 34775 78 1 (2) 104 (40) 0 (0) 0% 39°1′25″N 96°33′42″W / 39.02361, -96.56167
Jefferson 35200 Grandview Plaza 1,651 13 (35) 124 (48) 2 (1) 1.55% 39°1′53″N 96°46′53″W / 39.03139, -96.78139
Liberty 40050 225 1 (3) 171 (66) 0 (0) 0.03% 38°54′53″N 96°36′8″W / 38.91472, -96.60222
Lyon 43500 298 3 (7) 113 (43) 1 (1) 1.20% 38°55′17″N 96°52′3″W / 38.92139, -96.8675
Milford 46550 1,583 16 (41) 101 (39) 28 (11) 21.49% 39°8′59″N 96°54′22″W / 39.14972, -96.90611
Smoky Hill 66000 4,974 33 (86) 149 (58) 20 (8) 11.84% 39°2′14″N 96°53′58″W / 39.03722, -96.89944
Wingfield 80025 139 1 (3) 123 (48) 0 (0) 0% 38°59′38″N 96°38′37″W / 38.99389, -96.64361
Sources: "Census 2000 U.S. Gazetteer Files". U.S. Census Bureau, Geography Division. https://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/places2k.html. 

See also[]

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

Information on this and other counties in Kansas

Other information for Kansas


References[]

  1. ^ "Geary County, Kansas Genealogy". https://familysearch.org/learn/wiki/en/Geary_County,_Kansas_Genealogy. 
  2. ^ a b "QuickFacts; Geary County, Kansas; Population, Census, 2020 & 2010". United States Census Bureau. https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/gearycountykansas/POP010220. 
  3. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx. 
  4. ^ "Kansas Historical Markers - Kansas Historical Society". https://www.kshs.org/p/kansas-historical-markers/14999. 
  5. ^ Cutler, William G. (1883). History of the State of Kansas. A.T. Andreas. 
  6. ^ Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Govt. Print. Off.. pp. 135. https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_9V1IAAAAMAAJ. 
  7. ^ "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. 
  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. ^ "Error: no |title= specified when using {{Cite web}}". https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Bulletin-20-01.pdf. 
  13. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. https://www.census.gov. 
  14. ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS. 
  15. ^ "Map of Wet and Dry Counties". Alcoholic Beverage Control, Kansas Department of Revenue. November 2006. http://www.ksrevenue.org/abcwetdrymap.htm. 
  16. ^ Panetta, Grace (August 3, 2022). "14 of the 19 Kansas counties that rejected an anti-abortion amendment voted for Trump in 2020". Business Insider. https://www.businessinsider.com/14-out-19-counties-that-rejected-kansas-anti-abortion-measure-backed-trump-2022-8. Retrieved August 3, 2022. 

Further reading[]

Template:Kansas books

External links[]

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Coordinates: 39°00′N 96°40′W / 39, -96.667


This page uses content from the English language Wikipedia. The original content was at Geary 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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