- Clay County, Kansas
-
Clay County, Kansas 
Location in the state of Kansas
Kansas's location in the U.S.Founded February 20, 1857 Named for Henry Clay Seat Clay Center Area
- Total
- Land
- Water
655.44 sq mi (1,698 km²)
643.84 sq mi (1,668 km²)
11.60 sq mi (30 km²), 1.77%Population
- (2010)
- Density
8,535
13.4/sq mi (5.2/km²)Time zone Central: UTC-6/-5 Website ClayCountyKansas.org Clay County (county code CY) is a county located in North Central Kansas, in the Central United States. As of the 2010 census, the county population was 8,535.[1] Its county seat and most populous city is Clay Center.[2]
Contents
History
19th century
When the first counties were created by the Kansas legislature in 1855, the territory within the present limits of the county was attached to Riley County for all revenue and judicial purposes. Subsequently Clay was attached to Geary County. In 1857, Clay was created and named in honor of the famous American statesman Henry Clay, a member of the United States Senate from Kentucky and United States Secretary of State in the 19th century.[citation needed]
In 1887, Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway built a branch line from Neva (3 miles west of Strong City) to Superior, Nebraska. This branch line connected Strong City, Neva, Rockland, Diamond Springs, Burdick, Lost Springs, Jacobs, Hope, Navarre, Enterprise, Abilene, Talmage, Manchester, Longford, Oak Hill, Miltonvale, Aurora, Huscher, Concordia, Kackley, Courtland, Webber, Superior. At some point, the line from Neva to Lost Springs was pulled but the right of way has not been abandoned. This branch line was originally called "Strong City and Superior line" but later the name was shortened to the "Strong City line". In 1996, the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway merged with Burlington Northern Railroad and renamed to the current BNSF Railway. Most locals still refer to this railroad as the "Santa Fe".
21st century
In 2010, the Keystone-Cushing Pipeline (Phase II) was constructed north to south through Clay County, with much controversy over tax exemption and environmental concerns (if a leak ever occurs).[3][4] A pumping station named Riley was built along the pipeline.
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, Clay County has remained a prohibition, or "dry", county.[5]
Geography
According to the 2000 census, the county has a total area of 655.44 square miles (1,697.6 km2), of which 643.84 square miles (1,667.5 km2) (or 98.23%) is land and 11.60 square miles (30.0 km2) (or 1.77%) is water.[6]
Adjacent counties
- Washington County (north)
- Riley County (east)
- Geary County (southeast)
- Dickinson County (south)
- Ottawa County (southwest)
- Cloud County (west)
Major highways
Sources: National Atlas,[7] U.S. Census Bureau[8]
- U.S. Route 24
- Kansas Highway 15
- Kansas Highway 82
Demographics
Historical populations Census Pop. %± 1860 163 — 1870 2,942 1,704.9% 1880 12,320 318.8% 1890 16,146 31.1% 1900 15,833 −1.9% 1910 15,251 −3.7% 1920 14,365 −5.8% 1930 14,556 1.3% 1940 13,281 −8.8% 1950 11,697 −11.9% 1960 10,675 −8.7% 1970 9,890 −7.4% 1980 9,802 −0.9% 1990 9,158 −6.6% 2000 8,822 −3.7% 2010 8,535 −3.3% U.S. Decennial Census 
2005 KDOT Map of Clay County (map legend)
As of the U.S. Census in 2000,[9] there were 8,822 people, 3,617 households, and 2,517 families residing in the county. The population density was 14 people per square mile (5/km²). There were 4,084 housing units at an average density of 6 per square mile (2/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 97.72% White, 0.57% Black or African American, 0.41% Native American, 0.15% Asian, 0.26% from other races, and 0.90% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.83% of the population.
There were 3,617 households out of which 30.50% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.90% were married couples living together, 6.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.40% were non-families. 27.70% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 2.91.
In the county the population was spread out with 24.90% under the age of 18, 6.70% from 18 to 24, 23.90% from 25 to 44, 23.70% from 45 to 64, and 20.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 99.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.60 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $33,965, and the median income for a family was $41,103. Males had a median income of $28,817 versus $17,760 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,939. About 6.80% of families and 10.10% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.60% of those under age 18 and 8.60% of those age 65 or over.
Cities and towns
Incorporated cities
Name and population (2004 estimate):
- Clay Center, 4,381 (county seat)
- Wakefield, 868
- Clifton, 516, of which a portion lies in Washington County
- Morganville, 195
- Green, 141
- Longford, 89
- Vining, 56, of which a portion lies in Washington County
- Oak Hill, 34
Unincorporated places
- Athelstane
- Bateham
- Broughton
- Browndale
- Exeter
- Fact
- Fancy Creek
- Garfield Center
- Gatesville
- Idana
- Industry
- Ladysmith
- Northern (no longer exists)
- Republican City
Townships
Clay County is divided into eighteen townships. The city of Clay Center 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.
Education
Unified school districts
- Clay County USD 379, located in Clay Center
See also
- Dry counties
Information on this and other counties in Kansas
- List of counties in Kansas
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Kansas
- Kansas locations by per capita income
Other information for Kansas
- List of cities in Kansas
- List of unified school districts in Kansas
- List of colleges and universities in Kansas
References
- ^ "2010 County Population and Housing Occupancy Status". U.S. Census Bureau. http://factfinder2.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?pid=DEC_10_PL_GCTPL2.ST05&prodType=table. Retrieved March 31, 2011.
- ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
- ^ Keystone Pipeline - Marion County Commission calls out Legislative Leadership on Pipeline Deal; April 18, 2010.
- ^ Keystone Pipeline - TransCanada inspecting pipeline; December 10, 2010.
- ^ "Map of Wet and Dry Counties". Alcoholic Beverage Control, Kansas Department of Revenue. November 2004. http://www.ksrevenue.org/abcwetdrymap.htm. Retrieved 2007-01-21.
- ^ "Census 2000 U.S. Gazetteer Files: Counties". United States Census. http://www.census.gov/tiger/tms/gazetteer/county2k.txt. Retrieved 2011-02-13.
- ^ National Atlas
- ^ U.S. Census Bureau TIGER shape files
- ^ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
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
- Official sites
- Additional information
- Maps
- Clay County Map, KDOT
- Kansas Highway Map, KDOT
- Kansas Railroad Map, KDOT
- Kansas School District Boundary Map, KSDE
Washington County Cloud County 
Riley County 
Clay County, Kansas 
Ottawa County Dickinson County Geary County Municipalities and communities of Clay County, Kansas Cities Clay Center | Clifton‡ | Green | Longford | Morganville | Oak Hill | Vining‡ | Wakefield
Townships Athelstane | Blaine | Bloom | Chapman | Clay Center | Exeter | Five Creeks | Garfield | Gill | Goshen | Grant | Hayes | Highland | Mulberry | Oakland | Republican | Sherman | Union
Unincorporated
communitiesIdana | Industry‡ | Ladysmith
Footnotes ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties
Categories:- Kansas counties
- Clay County, Kansas
- 1857 establishments in the United States
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