Jewell County, Kansas | |
|---|---|
 Jewell County Courthouse inMankato (2014) | |
 Location within the U.S. state ofKansas | |
 Kansas's location within theU.S. | |
| Coordinates:39°48′N98°14′W / 39.800°N 98.233°W /39.800; -98.233 | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Kansas |
| Founded | February 26, 1887 |
| Named after | Lewis R. Jewell |
| Seat | Mankato |
| Largest city | Mankato |
| Area | |
• Total | 914 sq mi (2,370 km2) |
| • Land | 910 sq mi (2,400 km2) |
| • Water | 4.6 sq mi (12 km2) 0.5% |
| Population | |
• Total | 2,932 |
• Estimate (2023)[2] | 2,847 |
| • Density | 3.2/sq mi (1.2/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Area code | 785 |
| Congressional district | 1st |
| Website | jewellcountykansas.net |
Jewell County is acounty located in theU.S. state ofKansas. Itscounty seat and most populous city isMankato.[3] As of the2020 census, the county population was 2,932.[1] The county was named for Lewis Jewell, a lieutenant colonel of the 6th Regiment Kansas Volunteer Cavalry.
For manymillennia, theGreat Plains ofNorth America was inhabited bynomadicNative Americans. From the 16th century to 18th century, theKingdom of France claimed ownership of large parts ofNorth America. In 1762, after theFrench and Indian War, France secretly cededNew France toSpain, per theTreaty 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 formodern day Kansas was acquired by the United States from France as part of the 828,000 square mileLouisiana Purchase for 2.83cents peracre.
In 1854, theKansas Territory was organized, then in 1861Kansas became the 34thU.S. state. In 1887,Jewell County was established and named for Lieutenant Colonel Lewis R. Jewell of the6th Regiment Kansas Volunteer Cavalry[4] who died from wounds received in theBattle of Cane Hill.[5] The county lies on the historic Pawnee road, which was crossed by thePike Exedition in 1806. The first attempt at settlement was made by William Harshberger and his wife onWhite Rock Creek in 1862, but they were soon driven out by hostile Indian tribes. Subsequent settlement efforts along White Rock Creek in 1866 and 1867 were again subjected toCheyenne raids in which many settlers were killed, after which the survivors evacuated the county. The Excelsior colony from New York attempted to settle in 1869 but was driven out by June. Despite these dangers, more settlers arrived later that year and into 1870. The first marriage was recorded in the county in 1871.[5]
In response to the persistent threat of Indian raids, settlers formed the "Buffalo Militia" in May 1870 to protect against an anticipated Cheyenne attack. They constructed a fort at what is now Jewell City, which they held until relieved by the Third U.S. Mounted Artillery the following month. After this, there were no further attacks from hostile tribes. The county's formal organization began with the appointment of county commissioners in July 1870, followed by an election in September to establish county officials and choose Jewell City as the county seat.[5]
In 1887,Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway built a branch line fromNeva (3 miles west ofStrong City) toSuperior, Nebraska. This branch line connectedStrong City,Neva,Rockland,Diamond Springs,Burdick,Lost Springs,Jacobs,Hope,Navarre,Enterprise,Abilene,Talmage,Manchester,Longford,Oak Hill,Miltonvale,Aurora,Huscher,Concordia,Kackley,Courtland,Webber,Superior. At some point, the line fromNeva toLost Springs was pulled but the right of way has not been abandoned. This branch line was originally called "Strong City and Superior line" but later the name was shortened to the "Strong City line". In 1996, theAtchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway merged withBurlington Northern Railroad and renamed to the currentBNSF Railway. Most locals still refer to this railroad as the "Santa Fe".
According to theU.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 914 square miles (2,370 km2), of which 910 square miles (2,400 km2) is land and 4.6 square miles (12 km2) (0.5%) is water.[6]
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1870 | 207 | — | |
| 1880 | 17,475 | 8,342.0% | |
| 1890 | 19,349 | 10.7% | |
| 1900 | 19,420 | 0.4% | |
| 1910 | 18,148 | −6.5% | |
| 1920 | 16,240 | −10.5% | |
| 1930 | 14,462 | −10.9% | |
| 1940 | 11,970 | −17.2% | |
| 1950 | 9,698 | −19.0% | |
| 1960 | 7,217 | −25.6% | |
| 1970 | 6,099 | −15.5% | |
| 1980 | 5,241 | −14.1% | |
| 1990 | 4,251 | −18.9% | |
| 2000 | 3,791 | −10.8% | |
| 2010 | 3,077 | −18.8% | |
| 2020 | 2,932 | −4.7% | |
| 2023 (est.) | 2,847 | [7] | −2.9% |
| U.S. Decennial Census[8] 1790-1960[9] 1900-1990[10] 1990-2000[11] 2010-2020[1] | |||
As of the2000 census,[12] there were 3,791 people, 1,695 households, and 1,098 families residing in the county. Thepopulation density was 4 people per square mile (1.5 people/km2). There were 2,103 housing units at an average density of 2 per square mile (0.77/km2). Theracial makeup of the county was 98.79%White, 0.34%Native American, 0.05%Asian, 0.03%Black orAfrican American, 0.03%Pacific Islander, 0.05% from other races, and 0.71% fromtwo or more races.Hispanic orLatino of any race were 0.71% of the population.
There were 1,695households, out of which 23.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.10% weremarried couples living together, 4.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.20% were non-families. 32.40% of all households were made up of individuals, and 18.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.21 and the average family size was 2.80.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 21.90% under the age of 18, 4.40% from 18 to 24, 21.50% from 25 to 44, 26.20% from 45 to 64, and 25.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 46 years. For every 100 females there were 97.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.00 males.
Themedian income for a household in the county was $30,538, and the median income for a family was $36,953. Males had a median income of $24,821 versus $18,170 for females. Theper capita income for the county was $16,644. About 8.40% of families and 11.60% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 12.80% of those under age 18 and 10.90% of those age 65 or over.
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 1888 | 2,285 | 54.81% | 999 | 23.96% | 885 | 21.23% |
| 1892 | 1,963 | 45.59% | 0 | 0.00% | 2,343 | 54.41% |
| 1896 | 1,902 | 44.41% | 2,342 | 54.68% | 39 | 0.91% |
| 1900 | 2,448 | 51.96% | 2,192 | 46.53% | 71 | 1.51% |
| 1904 | 2,720 | 68.09% | 927 | 23.20% | 348 | 8.71% |
| 1908 | 2,410 | 53.48% | 1,932 | 42.88% | 164 | 3.64% |
| 1912 | 906 | 20.51% | 1,871 | 42.36% | 1,640 | 37.13% |
| 1916 | 3,022 | 39.84% | 4,180 | 55.11% | 383 | 5.05% |
| 1920 | 3,925 | 65.97% | 1,899 | 31.92% | 126 | 2.12% |
| 1924 | 4,342 | 64.83% | 1,861 | 27.78% | 495 | 7.39% |
| 1928 | 4,583 | 76.90% | 1,289 | 21.63% | 88 | 1.48% |
| 1932 | 3,324 | 48.20% | 3,367 | 48.83% | 205 | 2.97% |
| 1936 | 3,849 | 57.76% | 2,780 | 41.72% | 35 | 0.53% |
| 1940 | 4,591 | 71.57% | 1,719 | 26.80% | 105 | 1.64% |
| 1944 | 3,754 | 74.20% | 1,216 | 24.04% | 89 | 1.76% |
| 1948 | 3,143 | 63.18% | 1,574 | 31.64% | 258 | 5.19% |
| 1952 | 4,162 | 80.86% | 885 | 17.19% | 100 | 1.94% |
| 1956 | 3,395 | 75.51% | 1,034 | 23.00% | 67 | 1.49% |
| 1960 | 2,914 | 72.25% | 1,095 | 27.15% | 24 | 0.60% |
| 1964 | 1,895 | 53.61% | 1,601 | 45.29% | 39 | 1.10% |
| 1968 | 2,172 | 66.18% | 842 | 25.66% | 268 | 8.17% |
| 1972 | 2,242 | 74.04% | 716 | 23.65% | 70 | 2.31% |
| 1976 | 1,592 | 57.47% | 1,111 | 40.11% | 67 | 2.42% |
| 1980 | 2,074 | 72.80% | 578 | 20.29% | 197 | 6.91% |
| 1984 | 1,992 | 76.50% | 583 | 22.39% | 29 | 1.11% |
| 1988 | 1,546 | 67.99% | 684 | 30.08% | 44 | 1.93% |
| 1992 | 1,050 | 45.65% | 546 | 23.74% | 704 | 30.61% |
| 1996 | 1,374 | 69.01% | 417 | 20.94% | 200 | 10.05% |
| 2000 | 1,400 | 74.59% | 380 | 20.25% | 97 | 5.17% |
| 2004 | 1,495 | 78.07% | 385 | 20.10% | 35 | 1.83% |
| 2008 | 1,231 | 77.71% | 313 | 19.76% | 40 | 2.53% |
| 2012 | 1,235 | 82.50% | 229 | 15.30% | 33 | 2.20% |
| 2016 | 1,223 | 81.86% | 180 | 12.05% | 91 | 6.09% |
| 2020 | 1,387 | 85.20% | 212 | 13.02% | 29 | 1.78% |
| 2024 | 1,370 | 86.87% | 176 | 11.16% | 31 | 1.97% |
Like all of Kansas outside the eastern cities, Jewell County is overwhelmingly Republican. The only Democratic presidential candidates to win a majority in the county have beenWoodrow Wilson in 1916 andWilliam Jennings Bryan in 1896, and the last Democrat to win a plurality wasFranklin D. Roosevelt in 1932. Since 1940 onlyLyndon Johnson in 1964 andJimmy Carter in 1976 have exceeded 31 percent of the county's vote, a devotion to the GOP comparable to famousAppalachiaUnionist strongholds likeAvery County, North Carolina, orGrant County, West Virginia.
Although theKansas Constitution was amended in 1986 to allow the sale of alcoholic liquor by the individual drink with the approval of voters, Jewell County restaurants serve only 3.2 beer and no hard alcohol.[14][15]
List of townships / incorporated cities / unincorporated communities / extinct former communities within Jewell County.[16]
† means a community is designated aCensus-Designated Place (CDP) by theUnited States Census Bureau.
Jewell County is divided into twenty-fivetownships. 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.
Places adjacent to Jewell County, Kansas | |
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Municipalities and communities ofJewell County, Kansas,United States | ||
|---|---|---|
| Cities |  | |
| CDPs | ||
| Unincorporated communities | ||
| Ghost towns | ||
| Townships | ||
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Other | |
