Franklin County (county code FR) is a county located in the eastern portion of the U.S. state of Kansas. As of the 2020 census, the county population was 25,996. Its county seat and most populous city is

Ottawa Ottawa (, ; Canadian French: ) is the capital city of Canada. It is located at the confluence of the Ottawa River and the Rideau River in the southern portion of the province of Ontario. Ottawa borders Gatineau, Quebec, and forms the core ...

. The county is predominantly rural. Formerly it was a part of the

Kansas City metropolitan area The Kansas City metropolitan area is a bi-state metropolitan area anchored by Kansas City, Missouri. Its 14 counties straddle the border between the U.S. states of Missouri (9 counties) and Kansas (5 counties). With and a population of more th ...

, but was removed in 2013. However, it is still part of the Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City MO-KS CSA.

History

Early history

For many millennia, 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 was inhabited by nomadic Native Americans. From the 16th century to 18th century, the Kingdom of France claimed ownership of large parts of North America. In 1762, after the French and Indian War, France secretly ceded New France to Spain, 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 for 2.83 cents per acre. The area was included in a treaty ceding land to the

Osage Nation The Osage Nation ( ) ( Osage: 𐓁𐒻 𐓂𐒼𐒰𐓇𐒼𐒰͘ ('), "People of the Middle Waters") is a Midwestern Native American tribe of the Great Plains. The tribe developed in the Ohio and Mississippi river valleys around 700 BC along ...

in 1808, and ceded back to the federal government in 1825. After 1825 and prior to 1867, treaties with various Indian nations set off parts of what was later to become Franklin County for their use. In 1854, the Kansas Territory was organized, then in 1861 Kansas became the 34th U.S. state. In 1855, Franklin County was established. Franklin County was one of the 33 original Kansas Territory counties created by the first Territorial Legislature of 1855. The county was named after Benjamin Franklin.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (0.9%) is water.

Major highways

* Interstate 35 (Kansas), Interstate 35 * U.S. Route 50 (Kansas), U.S. Route 50 * U.S. Route 59 (Kansas), U.S. Route 59 * K-33 (Kansas highway), K-33 * K-68 (Kansas highway), K-68

Adjacent counties

* Douglas County, Kansas, Douglas County (north) * Johnson County, Kansas, Johnson County (northeast) * Miami County, Kansas, Miami County (east) * Linn County, Kansas, Linn County (southeast) * Anderson County, Kansas, Anderson County (south) * Coffey County, Kansas, Coffey County (southwest) * Osage County, Kansas, Osage County (west)

Demographics

Franklin County comprises the Ottawa, KS Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is included in the Kansas City, Missouri, Kansas City-Overland Park, Kansas, Overland Park-Kansas City, Kansas, Kansas City, Missouri, MO-KS Kansas City Metropolitan Area, Combined Statistical Area. As of the United States Census, 2000, U.S. Census in 2000, there were 24,784 people, 9,452 households, and 6,720 families residing in the county. The population density was 43 people per square mile (17/km²). There were 10,229 housing units at an average density of 18 per square mile (7/km²). The Race (United States Census), racial makeup of the county was 95.05% White American, White, 1.21% Black American, Black or African American, 0.94% Native American, 0.31% Asian American, Asian, 0.78% from other races, and 1.71% from Multiracial, two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.62% of the population. There were 9,452 households, out of which 34.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.10% were married couples living together, 8.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.90% were non-families. 24.80% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.30% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 3.04. In the county, the population was spread out, with 27.50% under the age of 18, 8.90% from 18 to 24, 28.30% from 25 to 44, 21.20% from 45 to 64, and 14.00% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 98.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.10 males. The Median household income, median income for a household in the county was $39,052, and the median income for a family was $45,197. Males had a median income of $31,223 versus $22,992 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,311. About 5.60% of families and 7.70% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.40% of those under age 18 and 7.30% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Presidential elections

Franklin County is often carried by Republican Candidates. The last time a Democratic candidate has carried Franklin County was in 1964 by Lyndon B. Johnson.

Laws

Following amendment to the Kansas Constitution in 1986, the county remained a prohibition, or dry county, "dry", county until 1994, when voters approved the sale of alcoholic liquor by the individual drink with a 30 percent food sales requirement. The county voted "No" on the 2022 Kansas Value Them Both Amendment, an anti-abortion ballot measure, by 56% to 44% despite backing Donald Trump with 68% of the vote to Joe Biden's 30% in the 2020 United States presidential election, 2020 presidential election.

Education

Unified school districts

West Franklin USD 287

Central Heights USD 288

Wellsville USD 289
* Ottawa USD 290

Colleges and universities

* Ottawa University, Ottawa * Neosho County Community College (branch campus), Ottawa

Communities

Cities

* Lane, Kansas, Lane *

(county seat) * Pomona, Kansas, Pomona * Princeton, Kansas, Princeton * Rantoul, Kansas, Rantoul * Richmond, Kansas, Richmond * Wellsville, Kansas, Wellsville * Williamsburg, Kansas, Williamsburg

Unincorporated places

* Centropolis, Kansas, Centropolis * Homewood, Kansas, Homewood * Imes, Kansas, Imes * LeLoup, Kansas, LeLoup * Peoria, Kansas, Peoria * Ransomville, Kansas, Ransomville * Richter, Kansas, Richter

Ghost towns

* Minneola, Franklin County, Kansas, Minneola * Norwood, Kansas, Norwood * Silkville, Kansas, Silkville

Townships

Franklin County is divided into sixteen Civil township, townships. The city of

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.

Notable people

*Steve Grogan, National Football League, NFL quarterback, who grew up in Ottawa. *Chely Wright, Singer *James Still (playwright), writer, who grew up in Pomona *Gary Hart, Democratic US Senator

References

;Notes