Lyon County, Kansas | |
|---|---|
 Lyon County Courthouse inEmporia (2009) | |
 Location within the U.S. state ofKansas | |
 Kansas's location within theU.S. | |
| Coordinates:38°27′N96°09′W / 38.450°N 96.150°W /38.450; -96.150 | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Kansas |
| Founded | February 5, 1862 |
| Named after | Nathaniel Lyon |
| Seat | Emporia |
| Largest city | Emporia |
| Area | |
• Total | 855 sq mi (2,210 km2) |
| • Land | 847 sq mi (2,190 km2) |
| • Water | 7.9 sq mi (20 km2) 0.9% |
| Population | |
• Total | 32,179 |
• Estimate (2023)[2] | 32,172 |
| • Density | 38/sq mi (15/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Congressional district | 2nd |
| Website | LyonCounty.org |
Lyon County is acounty located in theU.S. state ofKansas. Itscounty seat and largest city isEmporia.[3] As of the2020 census, the county population was 32,179.[1] The county was named forNathaniel Lyon, a general who was killed at theBattle of Wilson's Creek during theCivil War.[4]
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 1806,Zebulon Pike led thePike Expedition westward fromSt Louis, Missouri, of which part of their journey followed theCottonwood River through Lyon County.[5]
In 1854, theKansas Territory was organized, then in 1861Kansas became the 34thU.S. state. In 1862,Lyon County was established from the county formerly known as Breckinridge County.[6]
In 1871, theAtchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway extended a main line from Emporia toNewton.[7]
According to theU.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 855 square miles (2,210 km2), of which 847 square miles (2,190 km2) is land and 7.9 square miles (20 km2) (0.9%) is water.[8]
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1870 | 8,014 | — | |
| 1880 | 17,326 | 116.2% | |
| 1890 | 23,196 | 33.9% | |
| 1900 | 25,074 | 8.1% | |
| 1910 | 24,927 | −0.6% | |
| 1920 | 26,154 | 4.9% | |
| 1930 | 29,240 | 11.8% | |
| 1940 | 26,424 | −9.6% | |
| 1950 | 26,576 | 0.6% | |
| 1960 | 26,928 | 1.3% | |
| 1970 | 32,071 | 19.1% | |
| 1980 | 35,108 | 9.5% | |
| 1990 | 34,732 | −1.1% | |
| 2000 | 35,935 | 3.5% | |
| 2010 | 33,690 | −6.2% | |
| 2020 | 32,179 | −4.5% | |
| 2023 (est.) | 32,172 | [9] | 0.0% |
| U.S. Decennial Census[10] 1790-1960[11] 1900-1990[12] 1990-2000[13] 2010-2020[1] | |||
Lyon County comprises the Emporia, KSMicropolitan Statistical Area.
As of thecensus[14] of 2000, there were 35,935 people, 13,691 households, and 8,639 families residing in the county. The population density was 42 inhabitants per square mile (16/km2). There were 14,757 housing units at an average density of 17 per square mile (6.6/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 83.27%White, 2.27%Black orAfrican American, 0.47%Native American, 2.04%Asian, 0.01%Pacific Islander, 9.79% fromother races, and 2.16% from two or more races. 16.72% of the population wereHispanic orLatino of any race.
There were 13,691 households, out of which 32.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.80% weremarried couples living together, 8.40% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.90% were non-families. 28.50% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.80% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.51 and the average family size was 3.12.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 25.70% under the age of 18, 16.20% from 18 to 24, 27.20% from 25 to 44, 19.10% from 45 to 64, and 11.60% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.20 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $32,819, and the median income for a family was $43,112. Males had a median income of $28,865 versus $21,338 for females. Theper capita income for the county was $15,724. About 9.60% of families and 14.50% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 15.60% of those under age 18 and 9.20% of those age 65 or over.
Lyon County has been strongly Republican for most of its history. In only seven presidential elections from 1880 to the present has the county failed to back the Republican candidate, the most recent beingLyndon B. Johnson in his national landslide of 1964. The Republican party did come close to losing the county in 1992 and 2008, however.
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 1888 | 3,014 | 60.10% | 1,377 | 27.46% | 624 | 12.44% |
| 1892 | 2,591 | 48.48% | 0 | 0.00% | 2,753 | 51.52% |
| 1896 | 2,860 | 45.91% | 3,276 | 52.59% | 93 | 1.49% |
| 1900 | 3,083 | 50.72% | 2,865 | 47.13% | 131 | 2.15% |
| 1904 | 3,450 | 62.12% | 1,461 | 26.31% | 643 | 11.58% |
| 1908 | 2,973 | 50.87% | 2,562 | 43.84% | 309 | 5.29% |
| 1912 | 962 | 17.41% | 2,363 | 42.77% | 2,200 | 39.82% |
| 1916 | 4,215 | 40.28% | 5,584 | 53.36% | 665 | 6.36% |
| 1920 | 5,492 | 61.09% | 3,303 | 36.74% | 195 | 2.17% |
| 1924 | 6,290 | 57.32% | 2,750 | 25.06% | 1,934 | 17.62% |
| 1928 | 8,753 | 75.49% | 2,761 | 23.81% | 81 | 0.70% |
| 1932 | 6,044 | 47.38% | 6,365 | 49.90% | 347 | 2.72% |
| 1936 | 6,005 | 44.73% | 7,340 | 54.67% | 80 | 0.60% |
| 1940 | 6,918 | 52.33% | 6,170 | 46.68% | 131 | 0.99% |
| 1944 | 5,710 | 52.88% | 4,984 | 46.15% | 105 | 0.97% |
| 1948 | 5,941 | 50.03% | 5,708 | 48.06% | 227 | 1.91% |
| 1952 | 8,544 | 67.98% | 3,944 | 31.38% | 80 | 0.64% |
| 1956 | 8,021 | 67.34% | 3,831 | 32.16% | 59 | 0.50% |
| 1960 | 7,470 | 60.90% | 4,755 | 38.77% | 41 | 0.33% |
| 1964 | 5,184 | 45.23% | 6,197 | 54.07% | 81 | 0.71% |
| 1968 | 6,558 | 57.30% | 4,020 | 35.12% | 868 | 7.58% |
| 1972 | 9,157 | 69.67% | 3,720 | 28.30% | 266 | 2.02% |
| 1976 | 7,062 | 52.59% | 5,634 | 41.96% | 732 | 5.45% |
| 1980 | 8,431 | 57.94% | 4,680 | 32.16% | 1,440 | 9.90% |
| 1984 | 9,796 | 69.37% | 4,188 | 29.66% | 137 | 0.97% |
| 1988 | 6,820 | 55.29% | 5,314 | 43.08% | 200 | 1.62% |
| 1992 | 5,090 | 34.73% | 4,811 | 32.83% | 4,755 | 32.44% |
| 1996 | 6,612 | 50.01% | 4,884 | 36.94% | 1,725 | 13.05% |
| 2000 | 6,652 | 53.41% | 5,190 | 41.67% | 613 | 4.92% |
| 2004 | 7,951 | 59.16% | 5,234 | 38.94% | 255 | 1.90% |
| 2008 | 6,698 | 51.88% | 5,924 | 45.88% | 289 | 2.24% |
| 2012 | 6,470 | 54.48% | 5,111 | 43.04% | 294 | 2.48% |
| 2016 | 6,552 | 52.53% | 4,649 | 37.28% | 1,271 | 10.19% |
| 2020 | 7,550 | 53.74% | 6,055 | 43.10% | 444 | 3.16% |
| 2024 | 7,462 | 56.05% | 5,515 | 41.42% | 337 | 2.53% |
Lyon County was a prohibition, or"dry", county until theKansas Constitution was amended in 1986 and voters approved the sale of alcoholic liquor by the individual drink with a 30 percent food sales requirement. The food sales requirement was removed with voter approval in 1992.[16]
The county voted "No" on the2022 Kansas abortion referendum, an anti-abortion ballot measure, by 63% to 37% despite backingDonald Trump with 54% of the vote toJoe Biden's 43% in the2020 presidential election.[17]
School districts include:[18]
List of townships / incorporated cities / unincorporated communities / extinct former communities within Lyon County.[19]
Lyon County is divided into eleventownships. The city of Emporia is consideredgovernmentally 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.
R. Lee Ermey was born in Emporia on March 24, 1944, and died on April 15, 2018. He was a retiredUnited States Marine CorpsGunnery Sergeant,Drill Instructor and actor. Ermey was often best known for his roles of authority figures, such as his breakout performance as Gunnery Sergeant Hartman inFull Metal Jacket, Mayor Tilman in theAlan Parker filmMississippi Burning,Bill Bowerman inPrefontaine,Sheriff Hoyt inThe Texas Chainsaw Massacre remake, andplastic army men leaderSarge in theToy Story films.
Homer Woodson Hargiss was an innovativecollege football coach who regularly used theforward pass and records show that it was used as early as 1910, three years beforeKnute Rockne began to call the play. He was head coach at both theCollege of Emporia andEmporia State.[20][21] He is also credited with inventing thehuddle.[22]
Jerry Kill was the head football coach for theMinnesota Golden Gophers. He has over 100 wins in his career as a head coach, having worked as a head coach through several institutions at the college level.[23]
Dean Smith is a retired Americanhead coach of men'scollege basketball. Originally fromEmporia,Kansas, Smith has been called a “coaching legend” by theBasketball Hall of Fame. Smith is best known for his successful 36-year coaching tenure at theUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Smith coached from 1961 to 1997 and retired as theNCAADivision I men's basketball record-holder for victories (879), a record which was surpassed byBob Knight in 2007,Mike Krzyzewski in 2011, andJim Boeheim in 2012.[24] During his tenure as head coach of North Carolina, the team won two national titles and appeared in 11Final Fours.[25]
William Allen White was a renowned Americannewspaper editor, politician, author, and leader of theProgressive movement. Between 1896 and his death White became the iconic spokesman formiddle America. He won a1923 Pulitzer Prize for his editorial "To an Anxious Friend," published July 27, 1922, after being arrested in a dispute over free speech following objections to the way the state of Kansas handled the men who participated in theGreat Railroad Strike of 1922.
Maud Wagner was the first known female tattoo artist in the United States. She was a circus performer and traveled with her husband as both tattoo artists and as "tattooed attractions."
Places adjacent to Lyon County, Kansas | |
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Municipalities and communities ofLyon County, Kansas,United States | ||
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| Cities |  | |
| Unincorporated communities | ||
| Townships | ||
| International | |
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| National | |
| Other | |
