Marion County

History

Early history

For millennia, the Great Plains of North America were inhabited by Native Americans. From the 16th to 18th centuries, 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, by 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. In 1848, after the Mexican–American War, the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo with Spain brought into the United States all or part of land for ten future states, including southwest Kansas.

In 1806, Zebulon Pike led the Pike Expedition westward from St Louis, Missouri, of which part of their journey followed the Cottonwood River through modern Marion County near the current cities of Florence, Marion, Durham.

In 1854, the Kansas Territory was organized, then in 1861 Kansas became the 34th U.S. state. In 1855, Marion County was established. The first settlers in Marion County located on Doyle Creek, near the present site of Florence. They were Moses Shane, who came in 1858, and whose death the next year was the first in the county; Patrick Doyle, in 1859, for whom Doyle Creek and Township were named, and a family by the name of Welsh, in which occurred the first birth in the county in August 1859. The city of Marion Centre was founded in 1860, became the county seat in 1865, and later the city name was shortened to Marion.

From 1821 to 1866, the Santa Fe Trail was active across Marion County. In the spring of 1859, a trading post was established at the "Lost Spring" on the Santa Fe Trail, and in the autumn of the same year, the Moore brothers established a ranch near the present site of Durham, and the first post office was established at this place. Later in the same year, a post office was established at "Lost Spring" near the current city of Lost Springs. Previously the nearest post office was Emporia.

From 1867 to 1871, the Chisholm Trail was routed along the western edge of Marion County. The trail started in Texas and ended in Abilene, Kansas, where cattle were shipped eastward by rail. As the railroads were built westward and southward, the trail was truncated from going further north.

Originally, Marion County covered more than a third of the area of Kansas, including all the territory in the state south and west of the present northern and eastern lines of the county. The original location of the county was fixed by legislative act in 1860. It comprised less than the present area. The original boundaries were altered by an increase of territory on the west and a decrease on the south. In 1863, the legislature by special act fixed the boundaries to include all of southwestern Kansas. In June of that year, on petition of the citizens of the county, the governor restored the previous boundaries and ordered a separate organization of the county. The south-eastern border one mile "notch" with Chase County was established under unusual circumstances. A murder had occurred and Marion County didn't want to have the trial, so a section one mile wide and eighteen miles long was ceded to Chase County to ensure the murder had occurred there. The one mile strip of land remains in Chase County to this day. The present county boundary lines were decided upon in 1872 and contain twenty-four townships.

20th century

The National Old Trails Road, also known as the Ocean-to-Ocean Highway, was established in 1912, and was routed through Lehigh, Hillsboro, Marion, and Lost Springs.

Peabody, and nearby Watchorn, experienced an oil boom from 1918 to 1920. The influence of the petroleum industry remained strong in Peabody, and resulted in the greatest change upon the community in the shortest time. More than 100 residences were constructed in October and November 1919. From 1918 to 1919, the population increased by 75% or more, but later decreased as oil booms in other Kansas areas needed the workers.

From 1935 to 1937, the Marion County Lake was constructed southeast of Marion. From 1964 to 1968, the Marion Reservoir was constructed northwest of Marion.

21st century

In 2010, the Keystone-Cushing Pipeline (Phase II) was constructed north to south through Marion County with much controversy over road damage, tax exemption, and environmental concerns (if a leak ever occurs).

In 2022, construction of the 201 megawatt Sunflower Wind farm was started in Marion County. Warning light and spin testing started in June 2023. This wind farm is located between Peabody, Aulne, and Florence, and operated by Ørsted headquartered in Fredericia, Denmark.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 954 square miles (2,470 km2), of which 944 square miles (2,440 km2) is land and 9.4 square miles (24 km2) (1.0%) is water.

Marion County is located in the Great Plains, and the eastern part of the county is part of the Flint Hills.

Adjacent counties

Dickinson County (north)

Morris County (northeast)

Chase County (east)

Butler County (southeast)

Harvey County (southwest)

McPherson County (west)

Saline County (northwest)

Demographics

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 11,823. The median age was 44.6 years. 21.9% of residents were under the age of 18 and 23.5% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 100.0 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 98.0 males age 18 and over. 0.0% of residents lived in urban areas, while 100.0% lived in rural areas.

The racial makeup of the county was 92.3% White, 1.0% Black or African American, 0.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% Asian, 0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 1.5% from some other race, and 4.3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 3.7% of the population.

There were 4,786 households in the county, of which 26.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 21.6% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 29.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

There were 5,671 housing units, of which 15.6% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 78.6% were owner-occupied and 21.4% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.5% and the rental vacancy rate was 13.5%.

2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 13,361 people, 5,114 households, and 3,687 families residing in the county. The population density was 14 people per square mile (5.4 people/km2). There were 5,882 housing units at an average density of 6 per square mile (2.3/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 97.06% White, 0.47% Black or African American, 0.59% Native American, 0.19% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.55% from other races, and 1.14% from two or more races. 1.92% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 5,114 households, out of which 30.50% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.80% were married couples living together, 5.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.90% were non-families. 25.20% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.20% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 2.94.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 24.80% under the age of 18, 7.90% from 18 to 24, 23.50% from 25 to 44, 22.70% from 45 to 64, and 21.10% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 95.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.20 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $34,500, and the median income for a family was $41,386. Males had a median income of $30,236 versus $21,119 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,100. About 4.80% of families and 8.30% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.50% of those under age 18 and 9.70% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Laws

Following amendment to the Kansas Constitution in 1986, the county remained a prohibition, or "dry", county until 2004, when voters approved the sale of alcoholic liquor by the individual drink with a 30 percent food sales requirement.

Education

Colleges

Tabor College, in Hillsboro

Butler Community College Archived September 23, 2015, at the Wayback Machine (remote campus), in Marion

Unified school districts

The following public unified school districts are headquartered in Marion County.

Centre USD 397, in a rural area between Lost Springs and Lincolnville

Peabody–Burns USD 398, in Peabody

Marion–Florence USD 408, in Marion

Hillsboro USD 410, in Hillsboro

Goessel USD 411, in Goessel

Communities

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

Unincorporated communities

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

Ghost towns

Marion County contained early communities that have long since been abandoned.

Rail Towns / Stations / Cattle Pens

Hampson, station, approximately five miles south of Florence.

Horners (Honner), station and cattle pens, approximately three miles northeast of Peabody.

Jacobs, TBD, northwest of Lost Springs.

Oursler, station and tiny community.

Quarry, station and limestone rock quarry, approximately 5.5 miles north of Marion.

Wagner, TBD, southwest of Florence.

Waldeck, station, cattle pens, and tiny community.

Oil Towns

Watchorn, five miles east of Peabody.

Other

Creswell (or Cresswell), east of Goessel

Elk‡, northeast of Marion (straddled Chase County border)

Fred, between Peabody and Hillsboro

Kuhnbrook

Morning Star

Strassburg

Youngtown, northeast of Marion

Mennonite Villages

Alexanderfeld

Townships

Marion County is divided into twenty-four townships. The cities of Florence (in Doyle and Fairplay townships), Hillsboro (in Liberty and Risley townships), and Marion (in Centre township) 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.

Media

Print

Hillsboro Free Press, local newspaper for Hillsboro.

Marion County Record, local newspaper for Marion.

Peabody Gazette-Bulletin, local newspaper for Peabody.

Hillsboro Star-Journal, local newspaper for the greater Marion County area.

The Newton Kansan, regional newspaper from Newton.

The Wichita Eagle, major regional newspaper from Wichita.