Leavenworth County, Kansas

Infobox U.S. County
county=Leavenworth County
state=Kansas
founded=August 25, 1855
seat wl=Leavenworth
area_total_km2=1213|area_total_sq_mi=468
area_land_km2=1200|area_land_sq_mi=463
area_water_km2=13|area_water_sq_mi=5
area percentage=1.08%
census estimate yr=2006
pop=73628
density_km2=61.4|density_sq_mi=159.0
time zone=Central
UTC offset=-6
DST offset=-5
web=www.leavenworthcounty.org|

Leavenworth County (county code LV) is a county located in Northeast Kansas, in the Central United States. The county's population—one of the fastest growing in the state of Kansas—was estimated to be 73,628 in the year 2006, making it the sixth largest in the state. Its county seat and most populous city is Leavenworth.GR|6 The county is a part of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area.

Law and government

Leavenworth County was a prohibition, or "dry", county until the Kansas Constitution was amended in 1986 and voters approved the sale of alcoholic liquor by the individual drink with a 30% food sales requirement. [Cite web| url=http://www.ksrevenue.org/abcwetdrymap.htm| title=Map of Wet and Dry Counties| publisher=Alcoholic Beverage Control, Kansas Department of Revenue| month=November | year=2006| accessdate=2007-12-28]

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 468 square miles (1,213 km²), of which 463 square miles (1,200 km²) is land and 5 square miles (13 km²), or 1.08%, is water.GR|2

This county's watershed connects with both the Kansas River basin on the south via Stranger Creek and has a Missouri River port city to the east. ["Big Stranger Creek" Rogers, H.D., and Johnson, A. Keith. Kansas and Indian territory in The Atlas of the U.S. of North America, Canada, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, Mexico, Central America, Cuba and Jamaica . London: E. Stanford, 1857 (no scale).
A historical reference showing the Kansas Territory including parts of Colorado. Shows the westward trails.] [" [http://cfpub.epa.gov/surf/huc.cfm?huc_code=10270104 Lower Kansas] (Surf Your Watershed)"]

Adjacent counties

*Platte County, Missouri (north)
*Wyandotte County (east)
*Johnson County (southeast)
*Douglas County (southwest)
*Jefferson County (west)
*Atchison County (northwest)

History

Leavenworth County was formed on August 30, 1866 from free territory and is among the first 33 counties, which were formed by the first territorial government. It was named, as was its county seat, after Henry Leavenworth, an officer in the War of 1812.

Demographics

Leavenworth County's population was estimated to be 73,628 in the year 2006, an increase of 4658, or +6.8%, over the previous six years;Cite web| url=http://www.census.gov/popest/estimates.php| title=Population Estimates| publisher=U.S. Census Bureau, Population Division| Annual estimates of the population to 2006-07-01. Released 2007-03-22. Six year change is from 2000-07-01 to 2006-07-01.] it has the fourth fastest growing and sixth largest population in the state.

As of the U.S. Census in 2000,GR|2 there were 68,691 people, 23,071 households, and 17,210 families residing in the county. The population density was 148 people per square mile (57/km²). There were 24,401 housing units at an average density of 53 per square mile (20/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 84.18% White, 10.42% Black or African American, 0.74% Native American, 1.06% Asian, 0.13% Pacific Islander, 1.24% from other races, and 2.22% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.81% of the population.

There were 23,071 households out of which 38.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.40% were married couples living together, 9.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.40% were non-families. 21.70% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.69 and the average family size was 3.15.

In the county the population was spread out with 26.70% under the age of 18, 8.20% from 18 to 24, 33.00% from 25 to 44, 22.20% from 45 to 64, and 9.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 113.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 116.90 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $48,114, and the median income for a family was $55,805. Males had a median income of $40,047 versus $26,029 for females. The per capita income for the county was $20,292. About 4.80% of families and 6.70% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.80% of those under age 18 and 7.50% of those age 65 or over.

Cities and towns

Incorporated cities

Name and population (2005 estimate):Cite web| url=http://www.census.gov/popest/estimates.php| title=Population Estimates| publisher=U.S. Census Bureau, Population Division| Annual estimates of the population to 2005-07-01. Released 2006-06-21.]
*Leavenworth, 35,213 (county seat)
*Lansing, 10,214
*Tonganoxie, 3,774
*Basehor, 3,287
*Linwood, 382
*Easton, 357
*Bonner Springs

Unincorporated places

*Coldspur
*Fairmount
*Fall Leaf
*Jarbalo
*Kickapoo
*Lowemont
*Millwood
*Reno
*Springdale

Townships

Leavenworth County is divided into ten townships. The cities of Lansing and Leavenworth are considered "governmentally independent" and are 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

*Fort Leavenworth USD 207 ( [http://www.ftlvn.com/ Web site] )
*Easton USD 449 ( [http://www.easton449.org/ Web site] )
*Leavenworth USD 453 ( [http://www.lvksch.org/ Web site] )
*Basehor-Linwood USD 458 ( [http://www.usd458.org/ Web site] )
*Tonganoxie USD 464 ( [http://www.tong464.k12.ks.us/ Web site] )
*Lansing USD 469 ( [http://www.usd469.net/ Web site] )

ee also

*Lenape & Christian Munsee
*Ernest Fox Nichols - Educator & MIT physicist
*Fort Leavenworth (Frontier Army Museum)
*Freeedom's Frontier, NE Kansas National Heritage Area
*Kansas Sampler, shares insights on community character

References

* [http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/DTTable?_bm=y&-context=dt&-ds_name=DEC_2000_SF1_U&-CONTEXT=dt&-mt_name=DEC_2000_SF1_U_P001&-tree_id=4001&-transpose=N&-redoLog=false&-all_geo_types=Y&-geo_id=07000US201031962519600&-geo_id=07000US201032232504400&-geo_id=07000US201033865038650&-geo_id=07000US201033900039000&-geo_id=07000US201036500041475&-geo_id=07000US201036850070800&-geo_id=07000US201037082570800&-search_results=07000US201036850070800&-_showChild=Y&-format=&-_lang=en&-show_geoid=Y Places in Leavenworth County, Kansas] United States Census Bureau

External links

Official sites
* [http://www.leavenworthcounty.org/ Leavenworth County]
* [http://www.lvarea.com/ Leavenworth County Development Corporation]

Additional information
* [http://skyways.lib.ks.us/counties/LV/ Blue Skyways]
* [http://www.ku.edu/pri/ksdata/county.shtml Kansas Statistical Abstract]