Barton County, Kansas

Barton County
County
Barton County Courthouse in Great Bend (1979)
Barton County Courthouse in Great Bend (1979)
Map of Kansas highlighting Barton County
Location within the U.S. state of Kansas
Map of the United States highlighting Kansas
Kansas's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 38°28′N 98°46′W / 38.467°N 98.767°W / 38.467; -98.767
Country United States
State Kansas
FoundedFebruary 26, 1867
Named forClara Barton
SeatGreat Bend
Largest cityGreat Bend
Area
 • Total901 sq mi (2,330 km2)
 • Land895 sq mi (2,320 km2)
 • Water5.2 sq mi (13 km2)  0.6%
Population
 (2020)[1]
 • Total25,493
 • Density28.5/sq mi (11.0/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
Area code620
Congressional district1st
WebsiteBartonCounty.org

Barton County (standard abbreviation: BT) is a county in the U.S. state of Kansas. In 2020, 25,493 people lived there.[1] Its county seat is Great Bend. Great Bend is also the biggest city in Barton County.[2] The county is named after Clara Barton. She was responsible for creating the American Red Cross.[3]

History

In 1867, Barton County was created. It was named after Clara Barton. It is the only Kansas county named after a woman.[4]

Geography

Barton County was drawn in the shape of a 30-by-30-mile (48 by 48 km) square.[5] The U.S. Census Bureau says that the county has a total area of 901 square miles (2,330 km2). Of that, 895 square miles (2,320 km2) is land and 5.2 square miles (13 km2) (0.6%) is water.[6] The geographic center of Kansas is in Barton County.

Major highways

Sources: National Atlas,[7] U.S. Census Bureau[8]

People

Historical population
Census Pop. %±
188010,318—
189013,17227.7%
190013,7844.6%
191017,87629.7%
192018,4223.1%
193019,7767.3%
194025,01026.5%
195029,90919.6%
196032,3688.2%
197030,663−5.3%
198031,3432.2%
199029,382−6.3%
200028,205−4.0%
201027,674−1.9%
202025,493−7.9%
U.S. Decennial Census[9]
1790-1960[10] 1900-1990[11]
1990-2000[12] 2010-2020[1]
Population pyramid

The Great Bend Micropolitan Statistical Area includes all of Barton County.

Government

Presidential elections

Prior to 1940, Barton County was a Democratic-leaning swing county in presidential elections, being a national bellwether from 1912 to 1936. From 1940 on, it has become a Republican Party stronghold, with the solitary Democratic Party presidential candidate to carry it since then being Lyndon B. Johnson in his national landslide of 1964.

Presidential election results
Presidential election results[13]
Year Republican Democratic Third Parties
2020 77.2% 8,608 21.0% 2,340 1.8% 202
2016 76.3% 7,888 17.8% 1,839 5.9% 612
2012 76.1% 7,874 22.2% 2,297 1.6% 170
2008 70.6% 7,802 27.4% 3,027 2.1% 228
2004 74.0% 8,666 24.6% 2,874 1.4% 166
2000 66.7% 7,302 29.6% 3,238 3.8% 415
1996 64.9% 7,855 25.8% 3,121 9.3% 1,123
1992 37.7% 5,113 28.3% 3,846 34.0% 4,623
1988 59.2% 7,741 38.4% 5,024 2.4% 310
1984 75.6% 10,232 23.0% 3,111 1.4% 195
1980 66.0% 9,147 26.4% 3,663 7.5% 1,042
1976 55.6% 7,311 41.8% 5,497 2.5% 334
1972 68.9% 8,479 28.3% 3,481 2.9% 352
1968 54.9% 6,700 36.6% 4,464 8.6% 1,044
1964 39.5% 4,826 60.1% 7,340 0.5% 55
1960 55.6% 7,599 44.2% 6,036 0.2% 30
1956 66.2% 8,644 33.5% 4,378 0.3% 41
1952 70.4% 9,380 28.9% 3,847 0.7% 92
1948 53.4% 6,191 45.8% 5,307 0.9% 102
1944 59.4% 5,547 40.3% 3,761 0.4% 37
1940 54.4% 6,011 45.1% 4,982 0.5% 50
1936 37.1% 3,534 62.8% 5,978 0.1% 5
1932 40.9% 3,365 58.0% 4,776 1.2% 97
1928 63.9% 4,966 35.8% 2,777 0.3% 24
1924 56.5% 4,109 22.1% 1,605 21.5% 1,560
1920 68.8% 3,993 29.1% 1,688 2.2% 125
1916 44.5% 2,891 50.6% 3,292 4.9% 319
1912 17.0% 692 50.9% 2,069 32.1% 1,308
1908 44.8% 1,729 52.0% 2,004 3.2% 124
1904 58.2% 1,939 37.1% 1,235 4.7% 158
1900 46.5% 1,564 52.6% 1,772 0.9% 30
1896 42.6% 1,215 56.6% 1,616 0.8% 24
1892 43.1% 1,381 56.9% 1,823
1888 49.2% 1,353 44.6% 1,228 6.2% 171

Education

Unified school districts

The five school districts are part of the special education area of Barton County called Barton County Special Services.

Community colleges

Communities

2005 KDOT Map of Barton County (map legend)

Cities

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "QuickFacts: Barton County, Kansas". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved September 27, 2023.
  2. ↑ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on March 2, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  3. ↑ Blackmar, Frank Wilson (1912). Kansas: A Cyclopedia of State History, Embracing Events, Institutions, Industries, Counties, Cities, Towns, Prominent Persons, Etc. Standard Publishing Company. p. 153. ISBN 9780722249055.
  4. ↑ Brackman, Barbara (1997). Kansas Trivia. Thomas Nelson Inc. p. 26. ISBN 9781418553814.
  5. ↑ History of the State of Kansas: Containing a Full Account of Its Growth from an Uninhabited Territory to a Wealthy and Important State. A. T. Andreas. 1883. p. 762.
  6. ↑ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
  7. ↑ National Atlas Archived December 5, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
  8. ↑ "U.S. Census Bureau TIGER shape files". Archived from the original on May 23, 2017. Retrieved December 6, 2017.
  9. ↑ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on March 2, 2013. Retrieved July 21, 2014.
  10. ↑ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Archived from the original on August 11, 2012. Retrieved July 21, 2014.
  11. ↑ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 21, 2014.
  12. ↑ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 21, 2014.
  13. ↑ "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections".

More reading

County
Trails

Other websites

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