Clark County, Kansas | |
|---|---|
_from_SE_2.JPG) Stockgrowers State Bank inAshland (2016) | |
 Location within the U.S. state ofKansas | |
| Coordinates:37°14′N99°50′W / 37.233°N 99.833°W /37.233; -99.833 | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Kansas |
| Founded | February 26, 1867 |
| Named after | Charles F. Clarke |
| Seat | Ashland |
| Largest city | Ashland |
| Area | |
• Total | 977 sq mi (2,530 km2) |
| • Land | 975 sq mi (2,530 km2) |
| • Water | 2.6 sq mi (6.7 km2) 0.3% |
| Population | |
• Total | 1,991 |
• Estimate (2021)[2] | 1,977 |
| • Density | 2/sq mi (0.77/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Area code | 620 |
| Congressional district | 1st |
| Website | ClarkCountyKS.com |
Clark County is acounty located in theU.S. state ofKansas. Itscounty seat and most populous city isAshland.[3] As of the2020 census, the county population was 1,991.[1] The county was named after Charles Clarke.
Clark County, Kansas, was established on February 26, 1867, from the territory of the formerPeketon County, and named for Charles F. Clarke, a captain in the 6th Regiment Kansas Volunteer Cavalry during theAmerican Civil War, though the final 'e' was later dropped. As an unorganized county, it was initially attached to Ford County for judicial purposes until 1883, when it was incorporated into Ford County on account of its sparse population and prosperous cattle ranches. This inclusion displeased the settlers of Clark County, and Clark County was again detached from Ford County in March 1885, this time attached to Comanche County for judicial purposes. Clark County was finally organized in May 1885, with the county seat at Ashland.[4]
The opening of the Mount Jesus Trail, passing near a hill in the center of the county named Mount Jesus by the Custer expedition in 1868 on its way fromFort Dodge toFort Supply, along with the onset of Texas cattle drives through the county, marked the beginning of American settlement in Clark County. Settlement intensified with the establishment of a road ranch by John Glenn in 1874 near present-day Ashland, the beginning of weeklystagecoach service along the Mount Jesus Trail in 1875, and the opening of additional cattle ranches in 1876. Efforts to create aBenedictine colony in the late 1870s near Mount Casino were abandoned after resistance from cattlemen and an Indian raid.[4]
Clark City hosted the first school and newspaper in the county, but both activities shifted to Ashland as the latter town grew, including by direct payments to Clark City residents to relocate. Ultimately Ashland became the county's dominant town and was officially designated the county seat in 1885 while Clark City was abandoned.[4] Ashland remains the county seat and principal city of Clark County to this day.
According to theUnited States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 977 square miles (2,530 km2), of which 975 square miles (2,530 km2) is land and 2.6 square miles (6.7 km2) (%) is water.[5]
Sources: National Atlas,[6] U.S. Census Bureau[7]
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1880 | 163 | — | |
| 1890 | 2,357 | 1,346.0% | |
| 1900 | 1,701 | −27.8% | |
| 1910 | 4,093 | 140.6% | |
| 1920 | 4,989 | 21.9% | |
| 1930 | 4,796 | −3.9% | |
| 1940 | 4,081 | −14.9% | |
| 1950 | 3,946 | −3.3% | |
| 1960 | 3,396 | −13.9% | |
| 1970 | 2,896 | −14.7% | |
| 1980 | 2,599 | −10.3% | |
| 1990 | 2,418 | −7.0% | |
| 2000 | 2,390 | −1.2% | |
| 2010 | 2,215 | −7.3% | |
| 2020 | 1,991 | −10.1% | |
| 2023 (est.) | 1,847 | [8] | −7.2% |
| U.S. Decennial Census[9] 1790-1960[10] 1900-1990[11] 1990-2000[12] 2010-2020[1] | |||
As of the2020 census, the county had a population of 1,991. The median age was 41.8 years, 23.8% of residents were under the age of 18, and 23.0% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 92.6 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 86.8 males age 18 and over; 0.0% of residents lived in urban areas while 100.0% lived in rural areas.[13][14][15]
The racial makeup of the county was 86.6% White, 0.3%Black or African American, 1.1%American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2%Asian, 0.1%Native Hawaiian andPacific Islander, 4.5% from some other race, and 6.3% fromtwo or more races.Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 10.2% of the population.[15]
There were 836 households in the county, of which 30.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 27.9% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 32.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.[14]
There were 1,042 housing units, of which 19.8% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 72.4% were owner-occupied and 27.6% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.0% and the rental vacancy rate was 17.2%.[14]
As of thecensus of 2000, there were 2,390 people, 979 households, and 676 families residing in the county. Thepopulation density was 2 people per square mile (0.77 people/km2). There were 1,111 housing units at an average density of 1 per square mile (0.39/km2). Theracial makeup of the county was 95.77%White, 0.25%Black orAfrican American, 1.13%Native American, 0.08%Asian, 1.88% from other races, and 0.88% fromtwo or more races.Hispanic orLatino of any race were 4.02% of the population.
There were 979households, out of which 30.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.30% weremarried couples living together, 6.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.90% were non-families. 29.60% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.00% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 2.95.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 26.60% under the age of 18, 4.90% from 18 to 24, 23.10% from 25 to 44, 23.60% from 45 to 64, and 21.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 95.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.50 males.
Themedian income for a household in the county was $33,857, and the median income for a family was $40,521. Males had a median income of $27,321 versus $20,833 for females. Theper capita income for the county was $17,795. About 11.30% of families and 12.70% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 18.00% of those under age 18 and 10.20% of those age 65 or over.
Prior to 1944, Clark County was a swing county, backing the national winner in every presidential election from 1900 to 1940. From 1944 on, it has become a Republican stronghold in presidential elections aside from 1964 whenLyndon B. Johnson won the county as part of his nationwide landslide victory.
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 1888 | 473 | 51.30% | 349 | 37.85% | 100 | 10.85% |
| 1892 | 226 | 42.40% | 0 | 0.00% | 307 | 57.60% |
| 1896 | 182 | 48.66% | 191 | 51.07% | 1 | 0.27% |
| 1900 | 201 | 49.14% | 199 | 48.66% | 9 | 2.20% |
| 1904 | 246 | 60.74% | 131 | 32.35% | 28 | 6.91% |
| 1908 | 386 | 49.87% | 350 | 45.22% | 38 | 4.91% |
| 1912 | 162 | 14.54% | 485 | 43.54% | 467 | 41.92% |
| 1916 | 653 | 34.39% | 1,102 | 58.03% | 144 | 7.58% |
| 1920 | 923 | 57.98% | 610 | 38.32% | 59 | 3.71% |
| 1924 | 969 | 59.16% | 410 | 25.03% | 259 | 15.81% |
| 1928 | 1,383 | 76.41% | 419 | 23.15% | 8 | 0.44% |
| 1932 | 938 | 44.54% | 1,152 | 54.70% | 16 | 0.76% |
| 1936 | 899 | 38.13% | 1,457 | 61.79% | 2 | 0.08% |
| 1940 | 1,072 | 49.47% | 1,079 | 49.79% | 16 | 0.74% |
| 1944 | 950 | 55.69% | 741 | 43.43% | 15 | 0.88% |
| 1948 | 999 | 55.29% | 777 | 43.00% | 31 | 1.72% |
| 1952 | 1,410 | 73.28% | 479 | 24.90% | 35 | 1.82% |
| 1956 | 1,243 | 69.83% | 529 | 29.72% | 8 | 0.45% |
| 1960 | 1,286 | 70.27% | 538 | 29.40% | 6 | 0.33% |
| 1964 | 777 | 46.67% | 881 | 52.91% | 7 | 0.42% |
| 1968 | 920 | 58.26% | 446 | 28.25% | 213 | 13.49% |
| 1972 | 1,142 | 76.03% | 311 | 20.71% | 49 | 3.26% |
| 1976 | 761 | 51.80% | 680 | 46.29% | 28 | 1.91% |
| 1980 | 901 | 63.59% | 430 | 30.35% | 86 | 6.07% |
| 1984 | 1,075 | 75.39% | 324 | 22.72% | 27 | 1.89% |
| 1988 | 876 | 66.62% | 409 | 31.10% | 30 | 2.28% |
| 1992 | 676 | 51.49% | 293 | 22.32% | 344 | 26.20% |
| 1996 | 855 | 65.02% | 334 | 25.40% | 126 | 9.58% |
| 2000 | 926 | 73.43% | 292 | 23.16% | 43 | 3.41% |
| 2004 | 1,014 | 78.54% | 257 | 19.91% | 20 | 1.55% |
| 2008 | 897 | 77.39% | 245 | 21.14% | 17 | 1.47% |
| 2012 | 805 | 79.15% | 174 | 17.11% | 38 | 3.74% |
| 2016 | 825 | 81.52% | 120 | 11.86% | 67 | 6.62% |
| 2020 | 904 | 84.72% | 143 | 13.40% | 20 | 1.87% |
| 2024 | 867 | 85.50% | 129 | 12.72% | 18 | 1.78% |
TheKansas Constitution was amended in 1986 to allow the sale of alcoholic liquor by the individual drink with the approval of voters, either with or without a minimum of 30% of sales coming from food. Clark County is one of 35 counties in the state that allows for the sale of liquor by the drink without the minimum food sales stipulation.[17]
List of townships / incorporated cities / unincorporated communities / extinct former communities within Clark County.[18]
Clark County is divided into sixtownships. None of the cities within the county are consideredgovernmentally independent, and all figures for the townships include those of the cities. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Appleton | 02100 | Minneola | 921 | 1 (4) | 630 (243) | 2 (1) | 0.29% | 37°23′28″N99°55′57″W / 37.39111°N 99.93250°W /37.39111; -99.93250 |
| Center | 11600 | Ashland | 1,097 | 2 (5) | 528 (204) | 2 (1) | 0.31% | 37°10′15″N99°47′52″W / 37.17083°N 99.79778°W /37.17083; -99.79778 |
| Englewood | 21375 | Englewood | 171 | 0 (1) | 536 (207) | 0 (0) | 0.07% | 37°6′5″N99°59′7″W / 37.10139°N 99.98528°W /37.10139; -99.98528 |
| Lexington | 39775 | 83 | 0 (1) | 232 (90) | 0 (0) | 0.21% | 37°19′20″N99°38′41″W / 37.32222°N 99.64472°W /37.32222; -99.64472 | |
| Liberty | 39900 | 32 | 0 (1) | 155 (60) | 0 (0) | 0.05% | 37°25′6″N99°39′18″W / 37.41833°N 99.65500°W /37.41833; -99.65500 | |
| Sitka | 65725 | 86 | 0 (1) | 444 (171) | 2 (1) | 0.48% | 37°8′13″N99°38′28″W / 37.13694°N 99.64111°W /37.13694; -99.64111 | |
| Sources:"Census 2000 U.S. Gazetteer Files". U.S. Census Bureau, Geography Division. Archived fromthe original on August 2, 2002. | ||||||||
Places adjacent to Clark County, Kansas | |
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Municipalities and communities ofClark County, Kansas,United States | ||
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| Cities |  | |
| Unincorporated communities | ||
| Ghost towns | ||
| Townships | ||
| International | |
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| National | |
| Other | |
