Bourbon County | |
---|---|
Coordinates: 37°51′N94°51′W / 37.850°N 94.850°W | |
Country | United States |
State | Kansas |
Founded | August 25, 1855 |
Named for | Bourbon County, Kentucky |
Seat | Fort Scott |
Largest city | Fort Scott |
Area | |
• Total | 639 sq mi (1,660 km2) |
• Land | 635 sq mi (1,640 km2) |
• Water | 3.6 sq mi (9 km2) 0.6% |
Population | |
• Total | 14,360 |
• Density | 22.6/sq mi (8.7/km2) |
Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
Area code | 620 |
Congressional district | 2nd |
Website | BourbonCountyKS.org |
Bourbon County is a county located in Southeast Kansas. Its county seat and most populous city is Fort Scott. [2] As of the 2020 census, the county population was 14,360. [1] The county was named after Bourbon County, Kentucky, the former home of many early settlers.
For many millennia, the Great Plains of North America was inhabited by nomadic Native Americans. From the 16th century to 18th century, the Kingdom of France claimed ownership of large parts of North America. In 1762, after the French and Indian War, France secretly ceded New France to Spain, per the Treaty 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 for modern day Kansas was acquired by the United States from France as part of the 828,000 square mile Louisiana Purchase for 2.83 cents per acre.
In 1854, the Kansas Territory was organized, then in 1861 Kansas became the 34th U.S. state. In 1855, Bourbon County was established.
Bourbon virus, a new strain of thogotovirus, was first discovered in Bourbon County. In the spring of 2014 an otherwise healthy man was bitten by a tick, contracting the virus, dying 11 days later from organ failure. [3] [4]
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 639 square miles (1,660 km2), of which 635 square miles (1,640 km2) is land and 3.6 square miles (9.3 km2) (0.6%) is water. [5]
Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
---|---|---|---|
1860 | 6,101 | — | |
1870 | 15,076 | 147.1% | |
1880 | 19,591 | 29.9% | |
1890 | 28,575 | 45.9% | |
1900 | 24,712 | −13.5% | |
1910 | 24,007 | −2.9% | |
1920 | 23,198 | −3.4% | |
1930 | 22,386 | −3.5% | |
1940 | 20,944 | −6.4% | |
1950 | 19,153 | −8.6% | |
1960 | 16,090 | −16.0% | |
1970 | 15,215 | −5.4% | |
1980 | 15,969 | 5.0% | |
1990 | 14,966 | −6.3% | |
2000 | 15,379 | 2.8% | |
2010 | 15,173 | −1.3% | |
2020 | 14,360 | −5.4% | |
2023 (est.) | 14,408 | [8] | 0.3% |
U.S. Decennial Census [9] 1790-1960 [10] 1900-1990 [11] 1990-2000 [12] 2010-2020 [1] |
As of the 2000 census, [13] there were 15,379 people, 6,161 households, and 4,127 families residing in the county. The population density was 24 people per square mile (9.3 people/km2). There were 7,135 housing units at an average density of 11 per square mile (4.2/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 94.06% White, 3.08% Black or African American, 0.84% Native American, 0.36% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 0.28% from other races, and 1.33% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.29% of the population.
There were 6,161 households, out of which 30.50% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.50% were married couples living together, 9.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.00% were non-families. 29.00% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 3.01.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 25.80% under the age of 18, 9.50% from 18 to 24, 24.20% from 25 to 44, 22.30% from 45 to 64, and 18.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 93.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.50 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $31,199, and the median income for a family was $39,239. Males had a median income of $27,043 versus $20,983 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,393. About 9.50% of families and 13.50% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.00% of those under age 18 and 13.40% of those age 65 or over.
Bourbon County is a strongly Republican county. Only six presidential elections from 1888 to the present have resulted in Republicans failing to win the county, with the last of these being in 1964.
Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
2020 | 5,023 | 75.24% | 1,541 | 23.08% | 112 | 1.68% |
2016 | 4,424 | 71.64% | 1,336 | 21.64% | 415 | 6.72% |
2012 | 4,102 | 65.59% | 1,996 | 31.92% | 156 | 2.49% |
2008 | 4,240 | 62.53% | 2,394 | 35.30% | 147 | 2.17% |
2004 | 4,372 | 65.39% | 2,216 | 33.14% | 98 | 1.47% |
2000 | 3,852 | 61.07% | 2,211 | 35.05% | 245 | 3.88% |
1996 | 3,318 | 50.17% | 2,491 | 37.66% | 805 | 12.17% |
1992 | 2,876 | 40.17% | 2,509 | 35.05% | 1,774 | 24.78% |
1988 | 3,660 | 57.80% | 2,623 | 41.42% | 49 | 0.77% |
1984 | 4,858 | 68.40% | 2,175 | 30.63% | 69 | 0.97% |
1980 | 4,263 | 59.22% | 2,605 | 36.19% | 331 | 4.60% |
1976 | 3,589 | 51.80% | 3,237 | 46.72% | 103 | 1.49% |
1972 | 4,776 | 70.09% | 1,912 | 28.06% | 126 | 1.85% |
1968 | 3,983 | 56.87% | 2,241 | 32.00% | 780 | 11.14% |
1964 | 3,290 | 44.93% | 3,980 | 54.35% | 53 | 0.72% |
1960 | 5,062 | 63.03% | 2,928 | 36.46% | 41 | 0.51% |
1956 | 5,306 | 62.39% | 3,151 | 37.05% | 47 | 0.55% |
1952 | 5,785 | 65.26% | 3,023 | 34.10% | 56 | 0.63% |
1948 | 4,225 | 51.43% | 3,879 | 47.22% | 111 | 1.35% |
1944 | 4,790 | 56.68% | 3,622 | 42.86% | 39 | 0.46% |
1940 | 5,751 | 53.61% | 4,898 | 45.66% | 78 | 0.73% |
1936 | 5,402 | 48.58% | 5,714 | 51.38% | 4 | 0.04% |
1932 | 4,277 | 42.62% | 5,577 | 55.58% | 181 | 1.80% |
1928 | 7,251 | 75.88% | 2,223 | 23.26% | 82 | 0.86% |
1924 | 4,210 | 48.96% | 2,850 | 33.15% | 1,538 | 17.89% |
1920 | 4,194 | 52.09% | 3,632 | 45.11% | 225 | 2.79% |
1916 | 3,370 | 37.58% | 5,209 | 58.09% | 388 | 4.33% |
1912 | 1,448 | 27.04% | 2,209 | 41.25% | 1,698 | 31.71% |
1908 | 2,695 | 47.83% | 2,686 | 47.67% | 253 | 4.49% |
1904 | 3,234 | 59.26% | 1,808 | 33.13% | 415 | 7.60% |
1900 | 3,024 | 51.36% | 2,799 | 47.54% | 65 | 1.10% |
1896 | 2,900 | 48.20% | 3,067 | 50.97% | 50 | 0.83% |
1892 | 2,803 | 49.24% | 0 | 0.00% | 2,889 | 50.76% |
1888 | 3,569 | 57.07% | 1,831 | 29.28% | 854 | 13.66% |
Following amendment to the Kansas Constitution in 1986, the county remained a prohibition, or "dry", county until 1992, when voters approved the sale of alcoholic liquor by the individual drink with a 30% food sales requirement. [15]
† means a community is designated a Census-Designated Place (CDP) by the United States Census Bureau.
Bourbon County is divided into eleven townships. The city of Fort Scott is considered governmentally 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.
Clay County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kansas. Its county seat and most populous city is Clay Center. As of the 2020 census, the county population was 8,117. The county was named for Henry Clay, an influential U.S. Senator from Kentucky.
Woodson County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kansas. Its county seat is Yates Center. As of the 2020 census, the county population was 3,115. The county was named after Daniel Woodson, a five-time acting governor of the Kansas Territory.
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Wichita County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kansas. Its county seat is Leoti. As of the 2020 census, the county population was 2,152. The county was named after the Wichita tribe.
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Thomas County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kansas. Its county seat is Colby. As of the 2020 census, the county population was 7,930. The county was named after George Thomas, a general during the American Civil War.
Stanton County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kansas. Its county seat is Johnson City. As of the 2020 census, the county population was 2,084. It was named for Edwin Stanton, the U.S. Secretary of War during most of the American Civil War.
Scott County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kansas. Its county seat is Scott City, the only incorporated city in the county. As of the 2020 census, the county population was 5,151. The county was named after Winfield Scott, a general in the United States Army from 1814 to 1861.
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Lane County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kansas. Its county seat is Dighton, the only incorporated city in the county. As of the 2020 census, the county population was 1,574, making it the third-least populous county in Kansas. The county was named after James Lane, a leader of the Jayhawker abolitionist movement and served as one of the first U.S. senators from Kansas.
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Grant County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kansas. Its county seat and only city is Ulysses. As of the 2020 census, the county population was 7,352. Both the county and its seat are named after Ulysses Grant, the 18th President of the United States.
Gove County is a county in the U.S. state of Kansas. Its county seat is Gove City, and its most populous city is Quinter. As of the 2020 census, the county population was 2,718. The county was named for Granville Gove, a captain of Company G of the 11th Kansas Cavalry Regiment Volunteer Cavalry, who died from battle wounds during the American Civil War.
Comanche County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kansas. Its county seat and most populous city is Coldwater. As of the 2020 census, the county population was 1,689. The county was named after the Comanche tribe.
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