Greenwood County, Kansas

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

Etymology - Origin of County Name

This county received its name as a compliment to Alfred B. Greenwood, who, about the time of the organization of the territory, was commissioner of Indian Affairs. He negotiated treaties on behalf of the United States with the Sac and Fox and other tribes in southern Kansas.

Demographics:

County QuickFacts: Census Bureau Quick Facts

County History

Greenwood County, one of the original 33 counties erected by the first territorial legislature, is located in the southeastern part of the state, the fourth county west from the Missouri line, and in the third tier north from Oklahoma. It is bounded on the north by Chase and Lyon counties, on the east by Coffey, Woodson and Wilson, on the south by Elk, and on the west by Butler and Chase.

As first laid out Greenwood county comprised a square area about equal to the adjoining counties, but later Madison county was disposed of, half of it being given to Lyon county and the other half to Greenwood, which made it irregular in shape.

The various accounts of the organization of the county as well as the addition of a half of Madison county do not agree as to dates. However, there is an act on the statute books of 1860, whereby the county of Greenwood was organized, Eureka made the temporary county seat, and the following men were appointed commissioners: James Ashmore, A. Clark and H. B. Slough. The act further provided that the commissioners should divide the county into townships, not to exceed three, and establish election precincts, and that an election for county officers should take place on April 4, 1860. For some reason these instructions of the legislature were not carried out for the next legislature (1862) passed an act organizing Greenwood county, stating in the preamble that, as Madison county had been divided and half of it given to Greenwood county, and as the citizens of that territory given to Greenwood county had now no government it was thought expedient to organize Greenwood county. The division of Madison county then must have taken place prior to 1862 instead of in 1867, as given by some historians.

Geography

The surface of the county, except for the bluffs along the streams, is undulating prairie. The bottom lands average one-half to one mile in width and comprise 10 per cent. of the total area. The timber belts which follow the streams are from 40 to 80 rods in width and contain hickory, burr-oak, Spanish oak, walnut, maple, elm, box-elder, mulberry, black ash and locust. Of the geologic deposits, blue limestone is abundant in the north, sandstone in the south, magnesian limestone in the west, and potter's clay in the southwest. Mineral paint has been found in the central and southwestern portions of the county and there is a vein of cement several feet in thickness in the central west. There is a salt spring in the southeast.

Fall river, flowing through the county in a southeasterly direction, is the principal stream. The Verdigris, Willow and Homer, all in the northeast, join just beyond the county line. Spring and Otter creeks are the two largest tributaries of Fall river.

Neighboring Counties:

• Lyon County (north)
• Coffey County (northeast)
• Woodson County (east)
• Wilson County (southeast)
• Elk County (south)
• Butler County (west)
• Chase County (northwest)

Cities and Towns:

County Resources:

Greenwood County - KS-Cyclopedia - 1912