world.wikisort.org - USA

Pottawatomie County (standard abbreviation: PT) is a county located in the U.S. state of Kansas. As of the 2020 census, the county population was 25,348.[1] The county seat is Westmoreland.[3] The county takes its name from the Potawatomi tribe of Native Americans.

Pottawatomie County
County
Pottawatomie County Courthouse in Westmoreland (2009)
Location within the U.S. state of Kansas
Kansas's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 39°20′00″N 96°18′00″W
Country	United States
State	Kansas
Founded	February 20, 1857
Named for	Potawatomi people
Seat	Westmoreland
Largest city	Manhattan
Area
• Total	862 sq mi (2,230 km2)
• Land	841 sq mi (2,180 km2)
• Water	21 sq mi (50 km2)  2.4%%
Population  (2020)[1]
• Total	25,348
• Estimate  (2021)[2]	25,790
• Density	30.1/sq mi (11.6/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district	1st
Website	pottcounty.org

History

Early history

For millennia, the Great Plains of North America were inhabited by nomadic Native Americans. From the 16th to 18th centuries, 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, by the Treaty of Fontainebleau.

19th century

In 1802, Spain returned most of the land to France, 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.

In 1854, the Kansas Territory was organized under the provisions of the Kansas–Nebraska Act, then in 1861 Kansas became the 34th U.S. state.

In 1857, Pottawatomie County was established by the Kansas Territorial legislature, out of land formerly included in Riley County. The present county seat of Westmoreland was selected by a vote held in 1882.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 862 square miles (2,230 km²), of which 841 square miles (2,180 km²) is land and 21 square miles (54 km²) (2.4%) is water.[4]

Adjacent counties

• Marshall County (north)
• Nemaha County (northeast)
• Jackson County (east)
• Shawnee County (southeast)
• Wabaunsee County (south)
• Riley County (west)

Demographics

Historical population
Census	Pop.		%±
1860	1,529		—
1870	7,848		413.3%
1880	16,350		108.3%
1890	17,722		8.4%
1900	18,470		4.2%
1910	17,522		−5.1%
1920	16,154		−7.8%
1930	15,862		−1.8%
1940	14,015		−11.6%
1950	12,344		−11.9%
1960	11,957		−3.1%
1970	11,755		−1.7%
1980	14,782		25.8%
1990	16,128		9.1%
2000	18,209		12.9%
2010	21,604		18.6%
2020	25,348		17.3%
2021 (est.)	25,790	[2]	1.7%
U.S. Decennial Census[5] 1790-1960[6] 1900-1990[7] 1990-2000[8] 2010-2020[1]

Pottawatomie County is part of the Manhattan Metropolitan Statistical Area.

As of the census[9] of 2000, there were 18,209 people, 6,771 households, and 4,929 families residing in the county. The population density was 22 people per square mile (8/km²). There were 7,311 housing units at an average density of 9 per square mile (3/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 96.32% White, 0.66% Black or African American, 0.59% Native American, 0.32% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.60% from other races, and 1.50% from two or more races. 2.26% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 6,771 households, out of which 36.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.40% were married couples living together, 7.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.20% were non-families. 23.20% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.70% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.65 and the average family size was 3.15.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 29.50% under the age of 18, 7.70% from 18 to 24, 27.70% from 25 to 44, 21.60% from 45 to 64, and 13.50% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.70 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $40,176, and the median income for a family was $47,261. Males had a median income of $31,368 versus $23,238 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,785. About 6.40% of families and 9.70% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.10% of those under age 18 and 10.30% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Presidential elections

United States presidential election results for Pottawatomie County, Kansas[10]

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2020	9,452	72.25%	3,313	25.32%	318	2.43%
2016	7,612	71.19%	2,225	20.81%	856	8.01%
2012	6,804	71.78%	2,335	24.63%	340	3.59%
2008	6,929	70.15%	2,599	26.31%	349	3.53%
2004	6,326	71.70%	2,176	24.66%	321	3.64%
2000	4,985	64.48%	2,037	26.35%	709	9.17%
1996	4,504	58.16%	1,997	25.79%	1,243	16.05%
1992	3,106	38.87%	2,099	26.27%	2,785	34.86%
1988	3,897	59.51%	2,544	38.85%	108	1.65%
1984	4,598	71.09%	1,798	27.80%	72	1.11%
1980	3,895	63.40%	1,724	28.06%	525	8.54%
1976	3,483	59.06%	2,316	39.27%	98	1.66%
1972	3,947	73.51%	1,298	24.18%	124	2.31%
1968	3,267	63.68%	1,368	26.67%	495	9.65%
1964	2,606	51.40%	2,432	47.97%	32	0.63%
1960	3,666	63.16%	2,125	36.61%	13	0.22%
1956	4,335	74.97%	1,422	24.59%	25	0.43%
1952	4,944	77.94%	1,387	21.87%	12	0.19%
1948	3,709	62.64%	2,167	36.60%	45	0.76%
1944	4,074	70.01%	1,727	29.68%	18	0.31%
1940	5,045	69.12%	2,226	30.50%	28	0.38%
1936	3,977	53.76%	3,284	44.39%	137	1.85%
1932	3,339	45.45%	3,910	53.23%	97	1.32%
1928	4,451	65.30%	2,341	34.35%	24	0.35%
1924	4,340	68.28%	1,471	23.14%	545	8.57%
1920	4,481	76.95%	1,293	22.21%	49	0.84%
1916	3,688	55.66%	2,834	42.77%	104	1.57%
1912	1,058	25.09%	1,599	37.93%	1,559	36.98%
1908	2,650	60.78%	1,680	38.53%	30	0.69%
1904	2,632	69.85%	1,045	27.73%	91	2.42%
1900	2,556	56.41%	1,929	42.57%	46	1.02%
1896	2,308	49.95%	2,276	49.25%	37	0.80%
1892	2,107	49.80%	0	0.00%	2,124	50.20%
1888	2,419	58.94%	1,471	35.84%	214	5.21%

Typical of rural Kansas, Pottawatomie County is mostly Republican. The only Democratic presidential candidate to gain a majority in Pottawatomie County has been Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1932, while since 1940 only Lyndon Johnson in 1964 has received so much as forty percent of the county's vote.

Laws

Pottawatomie 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.[11]

Education

Unified school districts

The Unified School Districts that serve Pottawatomie County include:

• Wamego USD 320
• Kaw Valley USD 321
• Onaga USD 322
• Rock Creek USD 323

School district office in neighboring county

• Riley County USD 378
• Manhattan–Ogden USD 383
• Blue Valley USD 384

Private schools

• St. Marys Academy & College (St. Marys)
• Flint Hills Christian School (Manhattan)

Communities

Cities

Prior to the creation of Tuttle Creek Lake, the town of Garrison existed in west central Pottawatomie County.

Townships

Pottawatomie County is divided into twenty-three townships. The city of Manhattan 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.

Sources: 2000 U.S. Gazetteer from the U.S. Census Bureau.

Township	FIPS	Population center	Population	Population density /km2 (/sq mi)	Land area km2 (sq mi)	Water area km2 (sq mi)	Water %	Geographic coordinates
Belvue	05950		404	4 (11)	96 (37)	1 (0)	1.05%	39°14′7″N 96°11′21″W
Blue	07550		1,802	16 (41)	114 (44)	14 (5)	10.66%	39°13′44″N 96°31′49″W
Blue Valley	07725		339	3 (8)	115 (44)	13 (5)	9.95%	39°26′22″N 96°38′6″W
Center	12000		104	1 (3)	78 (30)	0 (0)	0.04%	39°21′4″N 96°14′10″W
Clear Creek	13800		113	1 (3)	93 (36)	0 (0)	0.03%	39°31′6″N 96°23′36″W
Emmett	21125		478	6 (16)	77 (30)	0 (0)	0.61%	39°18′11″N 96°3′46″W
Grant	27950		293	4 (10)	77 (30)	0 (0)	0%	39°31′27″N 96°5′4″W
Green	28450		188	2 (4)	125 (48)	14 (5)	9.91%	39°21′14″N 96°36′6″W
Lincoln	41000		124	2 (4)	77 (30)	0 (0)	0.18%	39°25′37″N 96°3′26″W
Lone Tree	42550		239	3 (7)	93 (36)	0 (0)	0%	39°30′54″N 96°18′18″W
Louisville	42950		735	8 (20)	95 (37)	0 (0)	0.04%	39°15′40″N 96°19′10″W
Mill Creek	46700		1,000	9 (24)	108 (42)	0 (0)	0%	39°30′11″N 96°10′50″W
Pottawatomie	57250		499	3 (8)	155 (60)	0 (0)	0.02%	39°20′5″N 96°26′26″W
Rock Creek	60625		653	7 (18)	93 (36)	0 (0)	0.19%	39°25′41″N 96°24′10″W
St. Clere	62150		83	1 (3)	77 (30)	0 (0)	0.21%	39°21′36″N 96°5′30″W
St. George	62225		2,629	30 (79)	87 (33)	1 (1)	1.69%	39°11′46″N 96°24′56″W
St. Marys	62425		2,789	28 (73)	99 (38)	1 (0)	0.60%	39°11′58″N 96°4′19″W
Shannon	64300		235	2 (6)	104 (40)	0 (0)	0.08%	39°26′19″N 96°30′50″W
Sherman	65050		126	1 (3)	94 (36)	0 (0)	0.02%	39°25′54″N 96°17′29″W
Spring Creek	67475		61	1 (2)	103 (40)	0 (0)	0.08%	39°31′50″N 96°31′19″W
Union	72250		164	2 (5)	94 (36)	0 (0)	0.03%	39°20′20″N 96°19′34″W
Vienna	73875		92	1 (3)	78 (30)	0 (0)	0.03%	39°25′40″N 96°10′28″W
Wamego	75350		5,056	100 (260)	50 (19)	2 (1)	3.20%	39°12′19″N 96°18′20″W

See also

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

References

Notes

Further reading

• Handbook of Pottawatomie and Riley Counties, Kansas; Modern Ago; 20 pages; 1880s.
• Standard Atlas of Pottawatomie County, Kansas; Geo. A. Ogle & Co; 57 pages; 1905.
• Onaga Courier's Township Map of Pottawatomie County, Kansas; Onaga Courier; 59 pages; 1899.

External links

County

• Pottawatomie County - Official Website
• Pottawatomie County - Directory of Public Officials
• Pottawatomie County Economic Development Corporation - PCEDC

Maps

• Pottawatomie County Maps: Current, Historic, KDOT
• Kansas Highway Maps: Current, Historic, KDOT
• Kansas Railroad Maps: Current, 1996, 1915, KDOT and Kansas Historical Society

---