Osage County (county code OS) is a
county
A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposesChambers Dictionary, L. Brookes (ed.), 2005, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh in certain modern nations. The term is derived from the Old French ...
located in the
U.S. state
In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its sover ...
of
Kansas
Kansas () is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its capital is Topeka, and its largest city is Wichita. Kansas is a landlocked state bordered by Nebraska to the north; Missouri to the east; Oklahoma to the south; and Colorado to the ...
. As of the
2020 census, the county population was 15,766.
Its
county seat
A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, Taiwan, and the United States. The equivalent term shire town is used in the US st ...
is
Lyndon
Lyndon may refer to:
Places
* Lyndon, Alberta, Canada
* Lyndon, Rutland, East Midlands, England
* Lyndon, Solihull, West Midlands, England
United States
* Lyndon, Illinois
* Lyndon, Kansas
* Lyndon, Kentucky
* Lyndon, New York
* Lyndon, Ohio
* L ...
,
and its most populous city is
Osage City. The county was originally organized in 1855 as Weller County, and was renamed in 1859 after the
Osage Native American Tribe.
History
Early history
For many
millennia
A millennium (plural millennia or millenniums) is a period of one thousand years, sometimes called a kiloannum (ka), or kiloyear (ky). Normally, the word is used specifically for periods of a thousand years that begin at the starting point (ini ...
, the
Great Plains
The Great Plains (french: Grandes Plaines), sometimes simply "the Plains", is a broad expanse of flatland in North America. It is located west of the Mississippi River and east of the Rocky Mountains, much of it covered in prairie, steppe, an ...
of
North America
North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere and almost entirely within the Western Hemisphere. It is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South America and the Car ...
was inhabited by
nomadic
A nomad is a member of a community without fixed habitation who regularly moves to and from the same areas. Such groups include hunter-gatherers, pastoral nomads (owning livestock), tinkers and trader nomads. In the twentieth century, the popu ...
Native Americans. From the 16th century to 18th century, the
Kingdom of France
The Kingdom of France ( fro, Reaume de France; frm, Royaulme de France; french: link=yes, Royaume de France) is the historiographical name or umbrella term given to various political entities of France in the medieval and early modern period. ...
claimed ownership of large parts of
North America
North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere and almost entirely within the Western Hemisphere. It is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South America and the Car ...
. In 1762, after the
French and Indian War
The French and Indian War (1754–1763) was a theater of the Seven Years' War, which pitted the North American colonies of the British Empire against those of the French, each side being supported by various Native American tribes. At the ...
, France secretly ceded
New France
New France (french: Nouvelle-France) was the area colonized by France in North America, beginning with the exploration of the Gulf of Saint Lawrence by Jacques Cartier in 1534 and ending with the cession of New France to Great Britain and Spai ...
to
Spain
, image_flag = Bandera de España.svg
, image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg
, national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond")
, national_anthem = (English: "Royal March")
, i ...
, per 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
The Louisiana Purchase (french: Vente de la Louisiane, translation=Sale of Louisiana) was the acquisition of the territory of Louisiana by the United States from the French First Republic in 1803. In return for fifteen million dollars, or app ...
for 2.83
cents per
acre
The acre is a unit of land area used in the imperial
Imperial is that which relates to an empire, emperor, or imperialism.
Imperial or The Imperial may also refer to:
Places
United States
* Imperial, California
* Imperial, Missouri
* Imp ...
.
In 1854, the
Kansas Territory
The Territory of Kansas was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from May 30, 1854, until January 29, 1861, when the eastern portion of the territory was admitted to the United States, Union as the Slave and ...
was organized, then in 1861
Kansas
Kansas () is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its capital is Topeka, and its largest city is Wichita. Kansas is a landlocked state bordered by Nebraska to the north; Missouri to the east; Oklahoma to the south; and Colorado to the ...
became the 34th
U.S. state
In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its sover ...
. In 1859, Osage County was established.
Geography
According to the
U.S. Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...
, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (2.0%) is water.
Adjacent counties
*
Shawnee County
Shawnee County (county code SN) is located in northeast Kansas, in the central United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 178,909, making it the third-most populous county in Kansas. Its most populous city, Topeka, is the state ...
(north)
*
Douglas County (northeast)
*
Franklin County (east)
*
Coffey County (south)
*
Lyon County (southwest)
*
Wabaunsee County (northwest)
Demographics
Osage County is included in the
Topeka
Topeka ( ; Kansa: ; iow, Dópikˀe, script=Latn or ) is the capital city of the U.S. state of Kansas and the seat of Shawnee County. It is along the Kansas River in the central part of Shawnee County, in northeast Kansas, in the Central Un ...
Metropolitan Statistical Area
In the United States, a metropolitan statistical area (MSA) is a geographical region with a relatively high population density at its core and close economic ties throughout the area. Such regions are neither legally Incorporated town, incorporate ...
.
As of the
2000 census,
there were 16,712 people, 6,490 households, and 4,737 families residing in the county. The
population density
Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopul ...
was 24 people per square mile (9/km
2). There were 7,018 housing units at an average density of 10 per square mile (4/km
2). The
racial makeup
A race is a categorization of humans based on shared physical or social qualities into groups generally viewed as distinct within a given society. The term came into common usage during the 1500s, when it was used to refer to groups of variou ...
of the county was 97.27%
White
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White on ...
, 0.22%
Black
Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white have o ...
or
African American
African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
, 0.65%
Native American, 0.17%
Asian
Asian may refer to:
* Items from or related to the continent of Asia:
** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia
** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia
** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...
, 0.10%
Pacific Islander
Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe the original p ...
, 0.41% from other races, and 1.18% from
two or more races
2 (two) is a number, numeral and digit. It is the natural number following 1 and preceding 3. It is the smallest and only even prime number. Because it forms the basis of a duality, it has religious and spiritual significance in many cultur ...
.
Hispanic
The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad.
The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to Vic ...
or
Latino
Latino or Latinos most often refers to:
* Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America
* Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States
* The people or cultures of Latin America;
** Latin A ...
of any race were 1.53% of the population.
There were 6,490
household
A household consists of two or more persons who live in the same dwelling. It may be of a single family or another type of person group. The household is the basic unit of analysis in many social, microeconomic and government models, and is im ...
s, out of which 33.80% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.00% were
married couples
Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between t ...
living together, 8.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.00% were non-families. 23.50% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.54 and the average family size was 2.99.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 27.00% under the age of 18, 6.40% from 18 to 24, 27.00% from 25 to 44, 23.70% from 45 to 64, and 15.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.30 males.
The
median income for a household in the county was $37,928, and the median income for a family was $44,581. Males had a median income of $30,670 versus $22,981 for females. The
per capita income
Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population.
Per capita i ...
for the county was $17,691. About 6.40% of families and 8.40% of the population were below the
poverty line
The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...
, including 8.40% of those under age 18 and 10.40% of those age 65 or over.
Government
Presidential elections
Osage County is strongly Republican. In only six presidential elections from 1880 to the present day has the county failed to back the Republican Party candidate, most recently in
Lyndon B. Johnson
Lyndon Baines Johnson (; August 27, 1908January 22, 1973), often referred to by his initials LBJ, was an American politician who served as the 36th president of the United States from 1963 to 1969. He had previously served as the 37th vice ...
's national landslide of 1964.
Laws
Osage County was a prohibition, or
"dry", county until the
Kansas Constitution The Wyandotte Constitution is the constitution of the U.S. state of Kansas.
Background
The Kansas Territory was created in 1854. The largest issue by far in territorial Kansas was whether slavery was to be permitted or prohibited; aside from the m ...
was amended in 1986 and voters approved the sale of alcoholic liquor by the individual drink with a 30% food sales requirement.
The county voted "No" on the
2022 Kansas Value Them Both Amendment
The 2022 Kansas abortion referendum was a rejected legislatively referred constitutional amendment to the Kansas Constitution that appeared on the ballot on August 2, 2022, alongside primary elections for statewide offices, with early voting fro ...
, an anti-abortion ballot measure, by 56% to 44% despite backing
Donald Trump
Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who served as the 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021.
Trump graduated from the Wharton School of the University of Pe ...
with 71% of the vote to
Joe Biden's 27% in the
2020 presidential election
This national electoral calendar for 2020 lists the national/federal elections held in 2020 in all sovereign states and their dependent territories. By-elections are excluded, though national referendums are included.
January
*5 January:
**C ...
.
Education
Unified school districts
Osage City USD 420Lyndon USD 421
Santa Fe Trail USD 434
Burlingame USD 454
Marais des Cygnes Valley USD 456
Media
Osage County is served by a weekly newspaper, ''The Osage County Herald-Chronicle''. The newspaper has a circulation of approximately 4,500, making it the 3rd largest paid weekly publication in the state of Kansas.
''The Herald-Chronicle'' was created by the merger of ''The Osage County Herald'' and ''The Osage County Chronicle'' in February 2007.
Communities
Cities
*
Burlingame
*
Carbondale
*
Lyndon
Lyndon may refer to:
Places
* Lyndon, Alberta, Canada
* Lyndon, Rutland, East Midlands, England
* Lyndon, Solihull, West Midlands, England
United States
* Lyndon, Illinois
* Lyndon, Kansas
* Lyndon, Kentucky
* Lyndon, New York
* Lyndon, Ohio
* L ...
*
Melvern
*
Olivet
*
Osage City
*
Overbrook
*
Quenemo
*
Scranton
Scranton is a city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania, Lackawanna County. With a population of 76,328 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 U ...
Census-designated place
*
Vassar
Other unincorporated communities
*
Barclay Barclay may refer to:
People
* Barclay (surname)
* Clan Barclay
Places
* Barclay, Kansas
* Barclay, Maryland, a town in Queen Anne's County
* Barclay, Baltimore, Maryland, a neighborhood
* Barclay, Nevada, a town in Lincoln County
* Barclay, ...
*
Michigan Valley
Townships
Osage County is divided into sixteen
townships
A township is a kind of human settlement or administrative subdivision, with its meaning varying in different countries.
Although the term is occasionally associated with an urban area, that tends to be an exception to the rule. In Australia, Ca ...
. The city of
Osage City is considered ''governmentally independent'' and is 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.
See also
*
*
Osage State Fishing Lake
References
Further reading
''Standard Atlas of Osage County, Kansas'' Geo. A. Ogle & Co; 80 pages; 1918.
''Descriptive Atlas of Osage County, Kansas'' Geo. A. Ogle & Co; 67 pages; 1899.
''An Illustrated Historical Atlas of Osage County, Kansas'' Geo. A. Ogle & Co; 46 pages; 1879.
External links
;County
*
Osage County - Directory of Public Officials;Other
Osage County Historical Society;Maps
* Osage County Maps
CurrentHistoric KDOT
* Kansas Highway Maps
CurrentHistoric KDOT
* Kansas Railroad Maps
Current19961915 KDOT and Kansas Historical Society
{{coord, 38, 39, N, 95, 44, W, type:adm2nd_region:US-KS, display=title
Kansas counties
Kansas placenames of Native American origin
1859 establishments in Kansas Territory
Topeka metropolitan area, Kansas