Cowley County, Kansas

Cowley County History, Geography, Demographics, Cities and Towns, and Education

Named: Named in honor of Matthew Cowley, First Lieutenant of Company I, Ninth Kansas Cavalry, who died in the service October 7, 1864, at Little Rock, Ark. The county was originally named Hunter after R. M. T. Hunter of Virginia.

State & County QuickFacts: Census Bureau Quick Facts

History

Cowley County, located in the southern tier, the fifth county west of Missouri, was created in 1867 with the following boundaries: "Commencing at the southeast corner of Butler county, thence south to the 37th degree of north latitude, thence west to the east line of range 2 east, thence north to the southwest corner of Butler county, thence east to the place of beginning." It was named in honor of Lieut. Mathew Cowley of Company I, Ninth Kansas, who was killed at Little Rock, Ark., in 1864. The county is bounded on the north by Butler county; on the east by Elk and Chautauqua; on the south by the State of Oklahoma, and on the west by Sumner county.
 

Cowley County is located in south central Kansas, less than one hour from Wichita and two hours from Tulsa and Oklahoma City. The area offers rural living adjacent to urban amenities. Two vibrant and thriving retail trade areas, located ten minutes apart in Arkansas City and Winfield, are easier to get to and closer together than most metropolitan shopping malls. Udall, Burden, Dexter, Atlanta, and Cambridge are spunky communities whose downtowns are enjoying rebirth.

Arkansas City and Winfield offer public and private golf courses. Quail Ridge in Winfield is ranked as one of the state's top municipal courses. Swimming, skiing, boating and fishing are available at the Winfield City Lake or nearby Kaw Reservoir. Fishing is also available at the State Lake and along the Walnut and Arkansas rivers. Hunters find a variety of game birds and deer in season. Naturalists can appreciate local flora and fauna at Chaplin Nature Center in Arkansas City or the newly created nature center east of Winfield's Island Park.

Geography

The general surface of the county is gently rolling prairie. There are some bluffs in the east, and the western part is quite level. The valley of the Arkansas averages about 5 miles in width; the valley of the Walnut averages about 2 miles and the smaller streams from a quarter of a mile to a mile. Timber belts are found along the streams that vary from a quarter of a mile to a mile in width and contain Cottonwood, elm, hackberry, mulberry, walnut, oak, redbud, pecan, hickory, ash and cedar. The county is well watered by the Arkansas river which crosses the southwestern portion, and the Walnut river, which flows south in the western part of the county, and their tributaries, the most important of which are the Muddy, Dutch, Timber, Silver and Grouse creeks. Cowley county is one of the first counties in the state in the production of corn. Oats, winter wheat and other grains are also extensively raised. Live stock raising is one of the leading industries, and dairying is a paying business. There are about 300,000 bearing fruit trees in the county that bring in a large income. Magnesium limestone of an excellent quality is found and extensively quarried, both for local use and shipment out of the county. Gypsum is found in large quantities in the west. A large salt marsh exists in the southwestern portion.

Neighboring Counties:

• North: Butler County
• Northeast: Elk County
• East: Chautauqua County
• Southeast: Osage County, Okla.
• Southwest: Kay County, Okla.
• West: Sumner County
• Northwest: Sedgwick County

Cities:

County Resources:

Cowley County - KS-Cyclopedia - 1912