McPherson County, Kansas | |
|---|---|
.jpg) McPherson County Courthouse inMcPherson (2023) | |
 Location within the U.S. state ofKansas | |
 Kansas's location within theU.S. | |
| Coordinates:38°24′N97°42′W / 38.4°N 97.7°W /38.4; -97.7 | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Kansas |
| Founded | February 26, 1867 |
| Named after | James B. McPherson |
| Seat | McPherson |
| Largest city | McPherson |
| Area | |
• Total | 901 sq mi (2,330 km2) |
| • Land | 898 sq mi (2,330 km2) |
| • Water | 2.3 sq mi (6.0 km2) 0.3% |
| Population | |
• Total | 30,223 |
• Estimate (2023)[2] | 30,091 |
| • Density | 33.7/sq mi (13.0/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Congressional district | 1st |
| Website | mcphersoncountyks.us |
McPherson County is acounty located in theU.S. state ofKansas. Itscounty seat and largest city isMcPherson.[3] As of the2020 census, the county population was 30,223.[1] The county was named forJames McPherson, a general in theCivil War.[4]
For manymillennia, theGreat Plains ofNorth America were 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 1848, after theMexican–American War, theTreaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo withSpain brought into the United States all or part of land for ten future states, including southwestern Kansas. In 1854, theKansas Territory was organized, then in 1861Kansas became the 34thU.S. state.
From the 1820s to 1870s, theSanta Fe Trail passed through, what is now McPherson County. The trail entered the county, east of Canton, then south of Galva, then north of Inman, and west towards Lyons. In 1855, Charles O. Fuller established a ranch adjacent to the Running Turkey Creek Crossing about two miles south and one mile east of Galva. Fuller's Ranch provided accommodations for travelers on the Santa Fe Trail and was probably the first white settlement in McPherson County.
From 1860 to 1865, McPherson County was part ofPeketon County. On February 17, 1865, Peketon County was abolished, and McPherson County was made a part ofMarion County, which extended from the west line ofChase County to the present western boundary of Kansas.
In 1868, Solomon Stephens and L. N. Holmberg were appointed Justices of the Peace—the first officers in what is now McPherson County. The next year (1869) occurred the first election for the township, now the county of McPherson. McPherson was regularly organized as a county in the spring of 1870, a mass meeting being held at Sweadal. Sweadal, the county seat thus selected, was located about one mile and a half southwest of the present site of Lindsborg. In September, however, the County Commissioners resolved to meet at the latter place,McPherson which had already been located some two years.
In April 1873, a petition was filed for the county seat re-location. It was signed by 483 voters, and a special election was accordingly ordered for June 10. Upon that day, McPherson received 605 votes, New Gottland 325, King City 3 andLindsborg 1; McPherson's majority over all, 276. In May the McPherson Town Company had offered, as an inducement for the location of the county seat at this point, the free use of rooms for ten years, and the donation of two squares of land on the town site. The offer was accepted the next month, the County Commissioners selecting blocks 56 and 65. Thus the county seat was established at McPherson and has remained since.
As early as 1875, city leaders ofMarion held a meeting to consider a branch railroad fromFlorence. In 1878,Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway and parties fromMarion County and McPherson County chartered theMarion and McPherson Railway Company.[5] In 1879, a branch line was built from Florence to McPherson; in 1880 it was extended toLyons and in 1881 was extended toEllinwood.[6] The line was leased and operated by theAtchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway. The line from Florence to Marion was abandoned in 1968.[7] In 1992, the line from Marion toMcPherson was sold toCentral Kansas Railway. In 1993, after heavy flood damage, the line from Marion to McPherson was abandoned. The original branch line connected Florence, Marion,Canada,Hillsboro,Lehigh,Canton,Galva, McPherson,Conway,Windom,Little River,Mitchell, Lyons andChase, then connected with the original AT&SF main line at Ellinwood.
In 1887, theChicago, Kansas and Nebraska Railway extended its main line fromHerington toPratt.[8] This main line connected Herington,Ramona,Tampa,Durham,Waldeck, Canton,Galva, McPherson,Groveland,Inman,Medora,Hutchinson,Whiteside,Partridge,Arlington,Langdon,Turon,Preston,Natrona and Pratt. In 1888, this main line was extended toLiberal. Later, this line was extended toTucumcari, New Mexico and Santa Rosa, New Mexico, where it made a connection with the Southern Pacific fromEl Paso, Texas. The Chicago, Kansas and Nebraska Railway was absorbed by the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railway. This line is also called the "Golden State Route".
TheNational Old Trails Road, also known as the Ocean-to-Ocean Highway, was established in 1912, and was routed throughWindom,Conway andMcPherson.
According to theU.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 901 square miles (2,330 km2), of which 898 square miles (2,330 km2) is land and 2.3 square miles (6.0 km2) (0.3%) is water.[9]
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1870 | 738 | — | |
| 1880 | 17,143 | 2,222.9% | |
| 1890 | 21,614 | 26.1% | |
| 1900 | 21,421 | −0.9% | |
| 1910 | 21,521 | 0.5% | |
| 1920 | 21,845 | 1.5% | |
| 1930 | 23,588 | 8.0% | |
| 1940 | 24,152 | 2.4% | |
| 1950 | 23,670 | −2.0% | |
| 1960 | 24,285 | 2.6% | |
| 1970 | 24,778 | 2.0% | |
| 1980 | 26,855 | 8.4% | |
| 1990 | 27,268 | 1.5% | |
| 2000 | 29,554 | 8.4% | |
| 2010 | 29,180 | −1.3% | |
| 2020 | 30,223 | 3.6% | |
| 2023 (est.) | 30,091 | [10] | −0.4% |
| U.S. Decennial Census[11] 1790-1960[12] 1900-1990[13] 1990-2000[14] 2010-2020[1] | |||
The McPhersonMicropolitan Statistical Area includes all of McPherson County.
As of thecensus[15] of 2000, there were 29,554 people, 11,205 households, and 7,966 families residing in the county. Thepopulation density was 33 people per square mile (13 people/km2). There were 11,830 housing units at an average density of 13 per square mile (5.0/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 96.53%White, 0.81%Black orAfrican American, 0.34%Native American, 0.32%Asian, 0.06%Pacific Islander, 0.79% fromother races, and 1.16% from two or more races. 1.94% of the population wereHispanic orLatino of any race. 37.1% were ofGerman, 12.9%Swedish, 12.1%American, 6.7%English and 6.3%Irish ancestry according toCensus 2000.
There were 11,205 households, out of which 33.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.50% weremarried couples living together, 6.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.90% were non-families. 25.50% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.80% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 2.99.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 25.40% under the age of 18, 10.30% from 18 to 24, 25.20% from 25 to 44, 21.80% from 45 to 64, and 17.30% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 95.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.90 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $41,138, and the median income for a family was $48,243. Males had a median income of $33,530 versus $21,175 for females. Theper capita income for the county was $18,921. About 4.20% of families and 6.60% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 5.20% of those under age 18 and 8.10% of those age 65 or over.
McPherson County has been predominantly carried by Republican candidates, particularly from1940. The last time a Democratic candidate carried this county was in1964 (Lyndon B. Johnson).
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 1888 | 2,279 | 51.70% | 829 | 18.81% | 1,300 | 29.49% |
| 1892 | 2,294 | 48.42% | 0 | 0.00% | 2,444 | 51.58% |
| 1896 | 2,269 | 48.93% | 2,324 | 50.12% | 44 | 0.95% |
| 1900 | 2,640 | 54.61% | 2,121 | 43.88% | 73 | 1.51% |
| 1904 | 2,991 | 72.72% | 773 | 18.79% | 349 | 8.49% |
| 1908 | 2,708 | 57.39% | 1,905 | 40.37% | 106 | 2.25% |
| 1912 | 455 | 9.79% | 1,639 | 35.27% | 2,553 | 54.94% |
| 1916 | 3,806 | 47.61% | 3,737 | 46.75% | 451 | 5.64% |
| 1920 | 4,870 | 69.50% | 1,926 | 27.49% | 211 | 3.01% |
| 1924 | 5,128 | 65.99% | 1,530 | 19.69% | 1,113 | 14.32% |
| 1928 | 6,230 | 79.98% | 1,457 | 18.71% | 102 | 1.31% |
| 1932 | 4,098 | 43.70% | 5,003 | 53.35% | 276 | 2.94% |
| 1936 | 4,744 | 42.95% | 6,256 | 56.64% | 46 | 0.42% |
| 1940 | 6,732 | 60.24% | 4,240 | 37.94% | 204 | 1.83% |
| 1944 | 5,840 | 62.31% | 3,321 | 35.44% | 211 | 2.25% |
| 1948 | 5,952 | 57.54% | 3,879 | 37.50% | 513 | 4.96% |
| 1952 | 8,053 | 74.58% | 2,371 | 21.96% | 374 | 3.46% |
| 1956 | 7,521 | 73.75% | 2,603 | 25.52% | 74 | 0.73% |
| 1960 | 7,920 | 73.61% | 2,774 | 25.78% | 65 | 0.60% |
| 1964 | 4,483 | 45.62% | 5,173 | 52.65% | 170 | 1.73% |
| 1968 | 6,420 | 64.98% | 2,893 | 29.28% | 567 | 5.74% |
| 1972 | 7,457 | 70.56% | 2,858 | 27.04% | 254 | 2.40% |
| 1976 | 3,519 | 57.31% | 2,483 | 40.44% | 138 | 2.25% |
| 1980 | 6,843 | 58.83% | 3,340 | 28.72% | 1,448 | 12.45% |
| 1984 | 8,630 | 71.89% | 3,185 | 26.53% | 189 | 1.57% |
| 1988 | 6,563 | 58.79% | 4,354 | 39.00% | 247 | 2.21% |
| 1992 | 5,745 | 44.22% | 3,645 | 28.06% | 3,601 | 27.72% |
| 1996 | 8,142 | 63.20% | 3,536 | 27.45% | 1,205 | 9.35% |
| 2000 | 8,501 | 68.22% | 3,272 | 26.26% | 688 | 5.52% |
| 2004 | 9,595 | 71.78% | 3,589 | 26.85% | 183 | 1.37% |
| 2008 | 8,937 | 66.76% | 4,218 | 31.51% | 231 | 1.73% |
| 2012 | 8,545 | 69.49% | 3,449 | 28.05% | 303 | 2.46% |
| 2016 | 8,549 | 67.09% | 3,226 | 25.32% | 967 | 7.59% |
| 2020 | 9,964 | 69.01% | 4,134 | 28.63% | 340 | 2.35% |
| 2024 | 9,816 | 69.29% | 4,021 | 28.38% | 330 | 2.33% |
Following amendment to theKansas Constitution in 1986, the county remained a prohibition, or"dry", county until 1996, when voters approved the sale of alcoholic liquor by the individual drink with a 30 percent food sales requirement.[17]
List of townships / incorporated cities / unincorporated communities / extinct former communities within McPherson County.[18]
† means a community is designated aCensus-Designated Place (CDP) by theUnited States Census Bureau.
McPherson County is divided into twenty-fivetownships. The cities ofLindsborg andMcPherson are consideredgovernmentally independent and are 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.
Places adjacent to McPherson County, Kansas | ||||||||||||||||
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Municipalities and communities ofMcPherson County, Kansas,United States | ||
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| Cities |  | |
| CDPs | ||
| Unincorporated communities | ||
| Townships | ||
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