Cloud County, Kansas

Cloud County
County
Cloud County Courthouse in Concordia (2013)
Cloud County Courthouse in Concordia (2013)
Map of Kansas highlighting Cloud County
Location within the U.S. state of Kansas
Map of the United States highlighting Kansas
Kansas's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 39°29′N 97°39′W / 39.483°N 97.650°W / 39.483; -97.650
Country United States
State Kansas
FoundedMarch 27, 1867
Named forWilliam F. Cloud
SeatConcordia
Largest cityConcordia
Area
 • Total718 sq mi (1,860 km2)
 • Land715 sq mi (1,850 km2)
 • Water2.6 sq mi (7 km2)  0.4%
Population
 (2020)[1]
 • Total9,032
 • Density12.6/sq mi (4.9/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
Area code785
Congressional district1st
Websitecloudcountyks.org

Cloud County (county code CD) is a county in the U.S. state of Kansas. In 2020, 9,032 people lived there.[1] Its county seat is Concordia. Concordia is also the biggest city in Cloud County.[2]

History

19th century

In 1867, Cloud County was created.

Cloud county was originally named "Shirley" county. However, civic leaders feared that sounded too much like the name of a prostitute.[3] They changed the name to "Cloud" county. They named it after Colonel William F. Cloud.[4]

Cloud County was created from the existing Washington County, Kansas. This was in a joint convention with Republic and Cloud counties. The county was legally organized on September 6, 1866. Elk Creek was chosen as the temporary county seat.[5]

In 1887, Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway built a railroad from Neva (3 miles west of Strong City) to Superior, Nebraska. This railroad 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.

Geography

The U.S. Census Bureau says that the county has a total area of 718 square miles (1,860 km2). Of that, 715 square miles (1,850 km2) is land and 2.6 square miles (6.7 km2) (0.4%) is water.[6]

Geographic features

The Republican River goes through the county. It enters from Republic County to the north. It exits to Clay County to the east. The Solomon River goes through the southwestern part of the county. It goes from Mitchell County to Ottawa County. Jamestown Lake is partially in the northwestern part of the county and partially in southwestern Republic county.

Major highways

U.S. Route 81 goes through Cloud County. It goes through Concordia and connects north to Belleville, Kansas or south to Salina, Kansas. The southern part of the county also has U.S. Route 24,. It connectd Clay Center, Kansas from the east and Beloit, Kansas to the west.

There are four other state highways in the county: K-9, K-28, K-189, and K-194.

People

Historical population
Census Pop. %±
18702,323—
188015,343560.5%
189019,29525.8%
190018,071−6.3%
191018,3881.8%
192017,714−3.7%
193018,0061.6%
194017,247−4.2%
195016,104−6.6%
196014,407−10.5%
197013,466−6.5%
198012,494−7.2%
199011,023−11.8%
200010,268−6.8%
20109,533−7.2%
20209,032−5.3%
U.S. Decennial Census[7]
1790-1960[8] 1900-1990[9]
1990-2000[10] 2010-2020[1]
Population pyramid

Government

Presidential elections

Presidential Elections Results
Presidential Elections Results[11]
Year Republican Democratic Third Parties
2020 76.0% 3,242 21.6% 920 2.4% 101
2016 73.8% 2,919 19.2% 761 7.0% 275
2012 72.8% 2,954 24.0% 974 3.2% 130
2008 70.1% 3,121 27.7% 1,233 2.2% 97
2004 71.5% 3,221 26.9% 1,210 1.6% 72
2000 64.8% 2,918 29.2% 1,314 6.0% 271
1996 54.7% 2,743 32.2% 1,615 13.2% 660
1992 39.1% 2,131 31.6% 1,720 29.3% 1,597
1988 59.3% 3,043 39.4% 2,022 1.2% 63
1984 66.4% 3,860 32.4% 1,880 1.2% 71
1980 61.6% 3,581 30.8% 1,793 7.6% 443
1976 48.7% 2,954 49.1% 2,976 2.2% 131
1972 66.4% 3,832 31.3% 1,806 2.3% 135
1968 56.2% 3,282 36.5% 2,132 7.3% 429
1964 44.4% 2,680 54.8% 3,314 0.8% 49
1960 60.6% 4,045 39.0% 2,607 0.4% 25
1956 68.6% 4,466 30.9% 2,008 0.5% 35
1952 75.2% 5,580 24.2% 1,793 0.6% 44
1948 56.2% 4,018 40.4% 2,891 3.4% 246
1944 63.7% 4,377 34.8% 2,391 1.6% 107
1940 60.4% 5,275 38.1% 3,327 1.4% 126
1936 47.9% 4,208 51.8% 4,546 0.4% 31
1932 39.9% 3,120 57.1% 4,457 3.0% 235
1928 68.3% 5,286 30.7% 2,376 1.1% 83
1924 62.6% 4,342 17.8% 1,238 19.6% 1,359
1920 69.8% 4,090 26.2% 1,534 4.0% 234
1916 39.9% 2,870 53.4% 3,837 6.7% 483
1912 21.8% 899 40.2% 1,658 38.0% 1,569
1908 52.2% 2,170 40.0% 1,663 7.7% 321
1904 67.6% 2,470 17.1% 626 15.3% 560
1900 51.9% 2,315 45.8% 2,045 2.3% 103
1896 44.1% 1,718 54.7% 2,129 1.2% 46
1892 45.0% 1,915 55.0% 2,342
1888 59.6% 2,542 24.6% 1,052 15.8% 675

Education

Unified school districts

Colleges and Universities

  • Cloud County Community College
Historic
  • Miltonvale Wesleyan College (closed 1972)
  • Concordia Normal School (closed 1876)
  • Concordia Business College (closed sometime after 1930)

Communities

2005 KDOT Map of Cloud County (map legend)

Cities

Popular culture

Cloud County has also been listed as one of the places for Smallville in the Superman story line.

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "QuickFacts: Cloud County, Kansas". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved September 27, 2023.
  2. ↑ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on 2011-05-31. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
  3. ↑ Brackman, Barbara (1997). Kansas Trivia. Thomas Nelson Inc. p. 21. ISBN 9781418553814.
  4. ↑ Kansas Skyways Archived 2009-02-23 at the Wayback Machine "Cloud County History"
  5. ↑ History of the State of Kansas by William G. Cutler, Kansas Collection of Books
  6. ↑ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
  7. ↑ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on April 26, 2015. Retrieved July 22, 2014.
  8. ↑ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Archived from the original on August 11, 2012. Retrieved July 22, 2014.
  9. ↑ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 22, 2014.
  10. ↑ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 22, 2014.
  11. ↑ "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections".

More reading

Other websites

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