Franklin County

History

Early history

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.

19th century

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.

The area was included in a treaty ceding land to the Osage Nation in 1808, and ceded back to the federal government in 1825. After 1825 and prior to 1867, treaties with various Indian nations set off parts of what was later to become Franklin County for the use of Indian tribes removed from their ancestral lands. These tribes included: Ottawa, Chippewa, Sac and Fox, Peoria, and Potawatomi.

In 1854, the Kansas Territory was organized under the provisions of the Kansas-Nebraska Act. In 1855, Franklin County was established as one of the 33 original Kansas Territory counties created by the first Territorial Legislature of 1855. The county was named after Benjamin Franklin. In 1861, Kansas became the 34th U.S. state.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 577 square miles (1,490 km2), of which 572 square miles (1,480 km2) is land and 5.4 square miles (14 km2) (0.9%) is water.

Adjacent counties

Douglas County (north)

Johnson County (northeast)

Miami County (east)

Linn County (southeast)

Anderson County (south)

Coffey County (southwest)

Osage County (west)

Demographics

Franklin County comprises the Ottawa, KS Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is included in the Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City, MO-KS Combined Statistical Area.

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 25,996. The median age was 40.2 years, with 23.3% of residents under the age of 18 and 18.1% aged 65 years or older.

For every 100 females there were 99.7 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 98.8 males age 18 and over. 47.9% of residents lived in urban areas, while 52.1% lived in rural areas.

The racial makeup of the county was 89.2% White, 1.2% Black or African American, 0.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% Asian, 0.0% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 1.5% from some other race, and 6.9% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 4.4% of the population.

There were 10,233 households in the county, of which 30.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 23.4% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 26.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

There were 11,149 housing units, of which 8.2% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 69.7% were owner-occupied and 30.3% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.0% and the rental vacancy rate was 6.4%.

2000 census

As of the U.S. Census in 2000, there were 24,784 people, 9,452 households, and 6,720 families residing in the county. The population density was 43 people per square mile (17 people/km2). There were 10,229 housing units at an average density of 18 per square mile (6.9/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 95.05% White, 1.21% Black or African American, 0.94% Native American, 0.31% Asian, 0.78% from other races, and 1.71% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.62% of the population.

There were 9,452 households, out of which 34.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.10% were married couples living together, 8.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.90% were non-families. 24.80% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.30% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 3.04.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 27.50% under the age of 18, 8.90% from 18 to 24, 28.30% from 25 to 44, 21.20% from 45 to 64, and 14.00% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 98.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.10 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $39,052, and the median income for a family was $45,197. Males had a median income of $31,223 versus $22,992 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,311. About 5.60% of families and 7.70% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.40% of those under age 18 and 7.30% of those age 65 or over.

Government and politics

Government

At the federal level, Franklin County is represented in the United States Senate by Jerry Moran and Roger Marshall, both Republicans. It is represented in the United States House of Representatives as part of Kansas's 2nd congressional district by Republican Derek Schmidt. At the state level, Franklin County is in the Kansas Senate's 12th district, represented by Republican Caryn Tyson. It is largely in the Kansas House of Representatives's 59th district, represented by Republican Rebecca Schmoe, with a small portion lying in the 5th district, represented by Republican Courtney Sappington. Judicially, Franklin County is within the 4th district court district. It also has a board of county commissioners and several elected county officials.

Politics

Historically a Free-Stater stronghold with unionist sympathies (Franklin County was the site of the infamous Pottawatomie massacre), Franklin County, like most of the state, voted strongly Republican throughout most of the 19th century. Suffering from severe drought and a national economic downturn in the late 19th century, the county began voting for populist candidates and was the home base of Peter Percival Elder, a Republican who later became a state house speaker under the Farmers' Alliance, which evolved into the Populist Party. Franklin County continued to deliver strong majorities to populist candidates until the 1920s, when it, like the rest of the state, shifted heavily towards the Republican Party. Since then, Franklin County has been a Republican stronghold, being one of few Kansas counties to never vote for Franklin D. Roosevelt in any of his four runs. Aside from 1964, when the county was won by Lyndon B. Johnson amidst a national landslide, the county has voted continuously for Republicans since 1920, and Republicans have improved their margins in every election since 2008.

Transportation

Airport

The county contains one airport, Ottawa Municipal Airport. The airport is civilian use.

Major highways

I-35

US-50

US-59

K-33

K-68

Education

Unified school districts

School districts include:

West Franklin USD 287

Central Heights USD 288

Wellsville USD 289

Ottawa USD 290

Baldwin City USD 348

Garnett USD 365

Marais des Cygnes Valley USD 456

Santa Fe Trail USD 434

Paola USD 368

Lebo-Waverly USD 243

Colleges and universities

Ottawa University, Ottawa

Neosho County Community College (branch campus), Ottawa

Communities

List of townships / incorporated cities / unincorporated communities / extinct former communities within Franklin County.

Unincorporated places

† means a community is designated a Census-Designated Place (CDP) by the United States Census Bureau.

Townships

Franklin County is divided into sixteen townships. The city of Ottawa 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.

Notable people

Foster Dwight Coburn, Secretary of Agriculture, Kansas

Steve Grogan, NFL quarterback, who grew up in Ottawa.

Chely Wright, Singer

James Still (playwright), writer, who grew up in Pomona

Gary Hart, Democratic US Senator