Barber County, Kansas
Encyclopedia
Barber County is a county located in South Central Kansas
, in the Central
United States
. As of the 2010 census, the county population was 4,861. Its county seat
and most populous city is Medicine Lodge
. It was named for Thomas Barber, an abolitionist who was killed in Douglas County
in 1855 during the Wakarusa War
.
, county.
As of the U.S. Census in 2000
, there were 5,307 people, 2,235 households, and 1,510 families residing in the county. The population density
was 5 people per square mile (2/km²). There were 2,740 housing units at an average density of 2 per square mile (1/km²). The racial makeup
of the county was 97.06% White
, 0.38% Black or African American
, 0.58% Native American
, 0.09% Asian
, 0.89% from other races, and 1.00% from two or more races
. Hispanic
or Latino
of any race were 2.02% of the population.
There were 2,235 household
s out of which 28.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.70% were married couples
living together, 6.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.40% were non-families. 29.90% of all households were made up of individuals and 17.00% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.35 and the average family size was 2.91.
In the county the population was spread out with 25.00% under the age of 18, 5.80% from 18 to 24, 23.20% from 25 to 44, 24.50% from 45 to 64, and 21.50% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females there were 92.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.40 males.
The median income for a household
in the county was $33,407, and the median income for a family was $40,234. Males had a median income of $29,806 versus $20,046 for females. The per capita income
for the county was $16,627. About 7.50% of families and 10.10% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.60% of those under age 18 and 4.90% of those age 65 or over.
. None of the cities within the county are considered governmentally 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.
Maps
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
, in the Central
Central United States
The Central United States is sometimes conceived as between the Eastern United States and Western United States as part of a three-region model, roughly coincident with the Midwestern United States plus the western and central portions of the Southern United States; the term is also sometimes used...
United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. As of the 2010 census, the county population was 4,861. Its county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
and most populous city is Medicine Lodge
Medicine Lodge, Kansas
Medicine Lodge is the most populous city in and the county seat of Barber County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 2,009.-19th century:...
. It was named for Thomas Barber, an abolitionist who was killed in Douglas County
Douglas County, Kansas
Douglas County is a county located in northeast Kansas, in the Central United States. As of the 2010 census, the county population was 110,826...
in 1855 during the Wakarusa War
Wakarusa War
The Wakarusa War was a skirmish that took place in Kansas Territory during November and December 1855 as part of the Bleeding Kansas violence. It centered around Lawrence, Kansas, and the Wakarusa River Valley.- Background :...
.
Law and government
Although the Kansas Constitution was amended in 1986 to allow the sale of alcoholic liquor by the individual drink with the approval of voters, Barber County has remained a prohibition, or "dry"Dry county
A dry county is a county in the United States whose government forbids the sale of alcoholic beverages. Some prohibit off-premises sale, some prohibit on-premises sale, and some prohibit both. Hundreds of dry counties exist across the United States, almost all of them in the South...
, county.
Geography
According to the 2000 census, the county has a total area of 1136.21 square miles (2,942.8 km²), of which 1134.11 square miles (2,937.3 km²) (or 99.82%) is land and 2.1 square miles (5.4 km²) (or 0.18%) is water.Adjacent counties
- Pratt CountyPratt County, KansasPratt County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kansas. As of the 2010 census, the county population was 9,656. The largest city and county seat is Pratt.-19th century:...
(north) - Kingman CountyKingman County, KansasKingman County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kansas. As of the 2010 census, the county population was 7,858. The largest city and county seat is Kingman.-History:...
(northeast) - Harper CountyHarper County, KansasHarper County is a county located in South Central Kansas, in the Central United States. As of the 2010 census, the county population was 6,034. Its county seat and most populous city is Anthony...
(east) - Alfalfa CountyAlfalfa County, OklahomaAlfalfa County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. As of 2000, the population is 6,105. Its county seat is Cherokee. Alfalfa County was formed in 1907 from Woods County. The county is named after William H...
, OklahomaOklahomaOklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
(southeast) - Woods CountyWoods County, OklahomaWoods County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. As of 2000, the population was 9,089. Its county seat is Alva. The county is named after Samuel Newitt Wood, a renowned Kansas populist. -Geography:According to the U.S...
, OklahomaOklahomaOklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
(southwest) - Comanche CountyComanche County, KansasComanche County is a county located in Southwest Kansas, in the Central United States. As of the 2010 census, the county population was 1,891...
(west) - Kiowa CountyKiowa County, KansasKiowa County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kansas. As of the 2010 census, the county population was 2,553...
(northwest)
Major highways
Sources: National Atlas, U.S. Census Bureau- U.S. Route 160U.S. Route 160U.S. Route 160 is a 1,465 mile long east–west United States highway in the Midwestern United States. The western terminus of the route is at U.S. Route 89 five miles west of Tuba City, Arizona. The eastern terminus is at U.S...
- U.S. Route 281U.S. Route 281U.S. Route 281 is a north–south United States highway. At 1,872 miles long it is the longest continuous three-digit U.S. Route....
- Kansas Highway 2K-2 (Kansas highway)K-2 is a state highway in the south-central portion of the U.S. state of Kansas. Its southwestern terminus is at its intersection with U.S. Highway 281 east of Hardtner. Its northeastern terminus is at its intersection with K-42 west of the unincorporated town of Suppesville...
Demographics
United States Census, 2000
The Twenty-second United States Census, known as Census 2000 and conducted by the Census Bureau, determined the resident population of the United States on April 1, 2000, to be 281,421,906, an increase of 13.2% over the 248,709,873 persons enumerated during the 1990 Census...
, there were 5,307 people, 2,235 households, and 1,510 families residing in the county. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 5 people per square mile (2/km²). There were 2,740 housing units at an average density of 2 per square mile (1/km²). The racial makeup
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
of the county was 97.06% White
White American
White Americans are people of the United States who are considered or consider themselves White. The United States Census Bureau defines White people as those "having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, the Middle East, or North Africa...
, 0.38% Black or African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
, 0.58% Native American
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
, 0.09% Asian
Asian American
Asian Americans are Americans of Asian descent. The U.S. Census Bureau definition of Asians as "Asian” refers to a person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the Indian subcontinent, including, for example, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan,...
, 0.89% from other races, and 1.00% from two or more races
Multiracial
The terms multiracial and mixed-race describe people whose ancestries come from multiple races. Unlike the term biracial, which often is only used to refer to having parents or grandparents of two different races, the term multiracial may encompass biracial people but can also include people with...
. Hispanic
Hispanic
Hispanic is a term that originally denoted a relationship to Hispania, which is to say the Iberian Peninsula: Andorra, Gibraltar, Portugal and Spain. During the Modern Era, Hispanic sometimes takes on a more limited meaning, particularly in the United States, where the term means a person of ...
or Latino
Latino
The demonyms Latino and Latina , are defined in English language dictionaries as:* "a person of Latin-American descent."* "A Latin American."* "A person of Hispanic, especially Latin-American, descent, often one living in the United States."...
of any race were 2.02% of the population.
There were 2,235 household
Household
The household is "the basic residential unit in which economic production, consumption, inheritance, child rearing, and shelter are organized and carried out"; [the household] "may or may not be synonymous with family"....
s out of which 28.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.70% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 6.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.40% were non-families. 29.90% of all households were made up of individuals and 17.00% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.35 and the average family size was 2.91.
In the county the population was spread out with 25.00% under the age of 18, 5.80% from 18 to 24, 23.20% from 25 to 44, 24.50% from 45 to 64, and 21.50% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females there were 92.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.40 males.
The median income for a household
Median household income
The median household income is commonly used to generate data about geographic areas and divides households into two equal segments with the first half of households earning less than the median household income and the other half earning more...
in the county was $33,407, and the median income for a family was $40,234. Males had a median income of $29,806 versus $20,046 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the county was $16,627. About 7.50% of families and 10.10% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.60% of those under age 18 and 4.90% of those age 65 or over.
Incorporated cities
Name and population ( estimate):- Medicine LodgeMedicine Lodge, KansasMedicine Lodge is the most populous city in and the county seat of Barber County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 2,009.-19th century:...
, (county seat) - KiowaKiowa, KansasKiowa is a city in Barber County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 1,026.-19th century:Kiowas was the city where anti-saloon advocate Carrie Nation vandalized her first saloon.-Geography:...
, - SharonSharon, KansasSharon is a city in Barber County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 158.-Geography:Sharon is located at . According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land.-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 210 people,...
, - HardtnerHardtner, KansasHardtner is a city in Barber County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 172.-History:By 1908 the townspeople had realized that they would need a railroad line to the outside world in order to survive. The town's founder Jacob Achenbach, helped set up a company to...
, - HazeltonHazelton, KansasHazelton is a city in Barber County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 93.-Geography:Hazelton is located at . According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land.-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 144...
, - IsabelIsabel, KansasIsabel is a city in Barber County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 90.-Geography:Isabel is located at . According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land....
, - Sun CitySun City, KansasSun City is a city in Barber County, Kansas, United States, along the Medicine Lodge River. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 53.-Geography:Sun City is located at...
,
Unincorporated places
- AetnaAetna, KansasAetna is an unincorporated community in Barber County, Kansas. It lies at an elevation of 1631 feet ....
- Deerhead
- Eldred
- Elm Mills
- Lake City
- Stubbs
Townships
Barber County is divided into eighteen townshipsCivil township
A civil township is a widely used unit of local government in the United States, subordinate to, and geographic divisions of, a county. Specific responsibilities and the degree of autonomy vary based on each state. Civil townships are distinct from survey townships, but in states that have both,...
. None of the cities within the county are considered governmentally 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.
| Township | FIPS | Population center |
Population | Population density /km² (/sq mi) |
Land area km² (sq mi) | Water area km² (sq mi) | Water % | Geographic coordinates |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aetna | 00400 | 3 | 0 (0) | 318 (123) | 0 (0) | 0.13% | 37°5′37"N 98°56′43"W | |
| Deerhead | 17300 | 11 | 0 (0) | 165 (64) | 0 (0) | 0.07% | 37°13′59"N 98°58′3"W | |
| Eagle | 19150 | 42 | 0 (0) | 290 (112) | 0 (0) | 0.04% | 37°10′13"N 98°46′22"W | |
| Elm Mills | 20800 | 106 | 1 (2) | 155 (60) | 1 (0) | 0.35% | 37°25′37"N 98°38′45"W | |
| Elwood | 20925 | Hardtner Hardtner, Kansas Hardtner is a city in Barber County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 172.-History:By 1908 the townspeople had realized that they would need a railroad line to the outside world in order to survive. The town's founder Jacob Achenbach, helped set up a company to... |
275 | 1 (3) | 260 (100) | 0 (0) | 0.18% | 37°2′30"N 98°40′35"W |
| Hazelton | 31175 | Hazelton Hazelton, Kansas Hazelton is a city in Barber County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 93.-Geography:Hazelton is located at . According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land.-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 144... |
213 | 1 (3) | 189 (73) | 1 (0) | 0.33% | 37°6′7"N 98°24′1"W |
| Kiowa | 37150 | Kiowa Kiowa, Kansas Kiowa is a city in Barber County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 1,026.-19th century:Kiowas was the city where anti-saloon advocate Carrie Nation vandalized her first saloon.-Geography:... |
1,164 | 9 (24) | 124 (48) | 0 (0) | 0.31% | 37°1′3"N 98°29′19"W |
| Lake City | 37900 | 83 | 1 (2) | 109 (42) | 0 (0) | 0.20% | 37°21′11"N 98°49′2"W | |
| McAdoo | 43550 | 29 | 0 (1) | 93 (36) | 0 (0) | 0.36% | 37°26′16"N 98°49′31"W | |
| Medicine Lodge | 45525 | Medicine Lodge Medicine Lodge, Kansas Medicine Lodge is the most populous city in and the county seat of Barber County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 2,009.-19th century:... |
2,573 | 8 (22) | 309 (119) | 1 (0) | 0.33% | 37°17′17"N 98°34′5"W |
| Mingona | 47050 | 57 | 0 (1) | 139 (54) | 0 (0) | 0.10% | 37°17′39"N 98°40′37"W | |
| Moore | 48075 | 32 | 0 (1) | 119 (46) | 0 (0) | 0.24% | 37°4′9"N 98°32′59"W | |
| Nippawalla | 50775 | 26 | 0 (0) | 140 (54) | 0 (0) | 0.26% | 37°9′56"N 98°32′5"W | |
| Ridge | 59775 | 4 | 0 (0) | 93 (36) | 0 (0) | 0.12% | 37°22′37"N 98°25′7"W | |
| Sharon | 64350 | Sharon Sharon, Kansas Sharon is a city in Barber County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 158.-Geography:Sharon is located at . According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land.-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 210 people,... |
369 | 4 (10) | 95 (37) | 0 (0) | 0.04% | 37°14′56"N 98°24′32"W |
| Sun City | 69300 | Sun City Sun City, Kansas Sun City is a city in Barber County, Kansas, United States, along the Medicine Lodge River. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 53.-Geography:Sun City is located at... |
100 | 1 (2) | 124 (48) | 0 (0) | 0.09% | 37°22′39"N 98°55′13"W |
| Turkey Creek | 71675 | 37 | 0 (1) | 123 (47) | 0 (0) | 0.12% | 37°26′6"N 98°55′0"W | |
| Valley | 72750 | Isabel Isabel, Kansas Isabel is a city in Barber County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 90.-Geography:Isabel is located at . According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land.... |
183 | 2 (5) | 94 (36) | 0 (0) | 0.01% | 37°26′6"N 98°31′44"W |
| Sources: | ||||||||
Unified school districts
See also
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Barber County, Kansas
Further reading
- History of the State of Kansas; William G. Cutler; A.T. Andreas Publisher; 1883. (Online HTML eBook)
- Kansas : A Cyclopedia of State History, Embracing Events, Institutions, Industries, Counties, Cities, Towns, Prominent Persons, Etc; 3 Volumes; Frank W. Blackmar; Standard Publishing Co; 944 / 955 / 824 pages; 1912. (Volume1 - Download 54MB PDF eBook),(Volume2 - Download 53MB PDF eBook), (Volume3 - Download 33MB PDF eBook)
External links
County- Barber County - Official Website
- Barber County - Directory of Public Officials
- Barber County - Information, Skyways
Maps
- Barber County Map, KDOT
- Kansas Highway Map, KDOT
- Kansas Railroad Map, KDOT
- Kansas School District Boundary Map, KSDE