Russell County, Kansas

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

County Seat: Russell
Year Organized: 1872
Square Miles: 869

Court House:

400 Main, PO Box 113
County Courthouse
Russell, KS 67665-2732

Etymology - Origin of County Name

In memory of Avrah P. Russell, Captain, Company K, Second Kansas Cavalry, who died December 12, 1862 in field hospital near Prairie Grove, Ark., of wounds received in battle December 7, 1862 at Prairie Grove.

Demographics:

County QuickFacts: Census Bureau Quick Facts

History

Russell County, in the northwest section of the state, is in the third tier from the Nebraska line, and is the sixth county east from Colorado. It is bounded on the north by Osborne county: on the east by Lincoln and Ellsworth; on the south by Barton, and on the west by Ellis. The railroad was built through the central part of the county in 1867, about the time the boundaries were first defined, and before there was a single settler. In 1868 the legislature again defined the boundaries and named the county in honor of Avra P. Russell of the Second Kansas cavalry.

In 1870 a number of men came into the county on a hunting expedition, selected claims and returned to their homes. In April, 1871, a large colony from Green Lake, Wis., settled upon the site of Russell. Shortly afterward a colony from Ohio settled east of Russell and started the town of Bunker Hill. In 1872 a colony from Pennsylvania settled near Dorrance. Up to this time the county had been attached to Ellsworth for judicial purposes. In 1872 Gov. Harvey issued the proclamation organizing the county, naming Russell as the temporary county seat.

Geography

The general surface of the county is rolling and there are high bluffs along the Saline and Smoky Hill rivers. Bottom lands average three-fourths of a mile in width and comprise 20 per cent. of the area. The soil is mostly clay loam with some Benton and sandy loams. Thin belts of timber line the streams. The Saline river enters on the western border near the northwest corner, crosses east and a little south into Lincoln county. The Smoky Hill river flows east across the southern portion. There are a number of creeks tributary to these two rivers. Soft and hard limestone, potter's clay and salt are found.

Neighboring Counties:

Osborne County (north)
Lincoln County (east)
Ellsworth County (southeast)
Barton County (south)
Rush County (southwest)
Ellis County (west)

Cities and Towns:

- Big Creek	township
- Bunker Hill	city	Incorporated Area
- Center	township
- Dorrance	city	Incorporated Area
- Fairfield	township
- Gorham	city	Incorporated Area
- Grant	township
- Lucas	city	Incorporated Area
- Luray	city	Incorporated Area
- Paradise	city	Incorporated Area
- Plymouth	township
- Russell (County Seat)	city	Incorporated Area
- Waldo	city	Incorporated Area
- Winterset	township

County Resources:

Russell County - KS-Cyclopedia - 1912

County Resource Guide

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