View source for Decatur County, Kansas

{{Infobox U.S. county
|county             = Decatur County
|state              = Kansas
|type               = [[County (United States)|County]]
|ex image           = Bank of Oberlin from SE 1.JPG
|ex image cap       = Bank of Oberlin (2014)
|founded            = March 20, 1873
|named for          = [[Stephen Decatur, Jr.]]
|seat wl            = Oberlin
|largest city wl    = Oberlin
|area_total_sq_mi   = 894
|area_land_sq_mi    = 894
|area_water_sq_mi   = 0.6
|area percentage    = 0.07%
|population_footnotes = <ref name="2020QF"/>
|population_as_of   = 2020
|population_total   = 2764
|pop_est_footnotes  =
|pop_est_as_of      =
|population_est     =
|population_density_sq_mi = 3.1
|area codes         = [[Area code 785|785]]
|district           = 1st
|time zone          = Central
|website            = {{URL|http://oberlinks.com/|oberlinks.com}}
|coordinates        = {{coord|39|48|N|100|28|W|region:US-KS_type:adm2nd_source:GNIS|display=inline,title}}
}}

'''Decatur County''' (county code '''DC''') is a [[County (United States)|county]] in Northwest [[Kansas]]. In [[2020 United States Census|2020]], 2,764 people lived there.<ref name="2020QF">{{cite web|title=QuickFacts: Decatur County, Kansas|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]|url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/decaturcountykansas|access-date=September 27, 2023}}</ref> Its [[county seat]] is [[Oberlin, Kansas|Oberlin]]. Oberlin is also the biggest city in Decatur County.<ref name="GR6">{{cite web|url=http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |access-date=2011-06-07 |title=Find a County |publisher=National Association of Counties |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110531210815/http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |archive-date=2011-05-31 }}</ref> The county is named after Commodore [[Stephen Decatur|Stephen Decatur, Jr.]]
== History ==
'''Decatur County''' was created on March 20, 1873 and organized on December 15, 1879. It is named after the Navy war hero Commodore [[Stephen Decatur|Stephen Decatur, Jr.]].<ref>{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9V1IAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA102 | title=The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States | publisher=Govt. Print. Off. | author=Gannett, Henry | year=1905 | pages=102}}</ref> He served during the [[First Barbary War]] and the [[Second Barbary War]] and the [[War of 1812]].

Oberlin was where the last Native American (specifically the Northern Cheyenne) Raid in Kansas happened.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.legendsofkansas.com/cheyenneraid.html|title=Cheyenne Raid in Kansas|last=Weiser|first=Kathy|date=March 2012|website=Legendsofkansas.com|access-date=November 10, 2016}}</ref>
== Geography ==
The [[U.S. Census Bureau]] says that the county has a total area of {{convert|894|sqmi}}. Of that, {{convert|894|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|0.6|sqmi}} (0.07%) is water.<ref name="GR1">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/gazette.html|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=2011-04-23|date=2011-02-12|title=US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990}}</ref>
== People ==
{{US Census population
|1880= 4180
|1890= 8414
|1900= 9234
|1910= 8976
|1920= 8121
|1930= 8866
|1940= 7434
|1950= 6185
|1960= 5778
|1970= 4988
|1980= 4509
|1990= 4021
|2000= 3472
|2010= 2961
|2020= 2764
|estyear= 
|estimate= 
|estref= 
|align-fn=center
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/prod/www/decennial.html|title=U.S. Decennial Census|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=July 24, 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150426102944/http://www.census.gov/prod/www/decennial.html|archive-date=April 26, 2015}}</ref><br />1790-1960<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu/|title=Historical Census Browser|publisher=University of Virginia Library|access-date=July 24, 2014|archive-date=August 11, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120811110448/http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu/|url-status=dead}}</ref> 1900-1990<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/cencounts/ks190090.txt|title=Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=July 24, 2014}}</ref><br />1990-2000<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf|title=Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=July 24, 2014}}</ref> 2010-2020<ref name="2020QF"/>
}}
[[Image:USA Decatur County, Kansas age pyramid.svg|thumb|150px|left|[[Population pyramid]]]]
== Government ==
Decatur county is very Republican. The last time a democratic candidate won the county was in 1936 by [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]].
== Presidential elections ==
{{Hidden begin
|titlestyle = background:#ccccff;
|title      = Presidential Elections Results
}}
{| align="center" border="2" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" style="margin: 1em 1em 1em 0; border: 1px #aaa solid; border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 95%;"
|+ '''Presidential Elections Results'''<ref>{{cite web | url=http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS | title=Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections }}</ref>
|- bgcolor=lightgrey
! Year
! [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
! [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
! [[Third Party (United States)|Third Parties]]
|-
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''[[United States presidential election in Kansas, 2020|2020]]'''
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''84.1%''' ''1,260''
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|14.6% ''218''
| style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;"|1.3% ''20''
|-
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''[[United States presidential election in Kansas, 2016|2016]]'''
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''83.0%''' ''1,210''
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|12.2% ''178''
| style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;"|4.7% ''69''
|-
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''[[United States presidential election in Kansas, 2012|2012]]'''
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''79.5%''' ''1,218''
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|17.4% ''266''
| style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;"|3.1% ''48''
|-
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''[[United States presidential election in Kansas, 2008|2008]]'''
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''76.8%''' ''1,189''
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|22.2% ''343''
| style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;"|1.0% ''16''
|-
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''[[United States presidential election in Kansas, 2004|2004]]'''
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''77.9%''' ''1,355''
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|20.4% ''355''
| style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;"|1.7% ''30''
|-
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''[[United States presidential election in Kansas, 2000|2000]]'''
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''71.4%''' ''1,255''
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|24.1% ''424''
| style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;"|4.6% ''80''
|-
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''[[United States presidential election in Kansas, 1996|1996]]'''
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''68.1%''' ''1,255''
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|22.6% ''417''
| style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;"|9.3% ''172''
|-
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''[[United States presidential election in Kansas, 1992|1992]]'''
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''45.0%''' ''940''
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|27.6% ''576''
| style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;"|27.4% ''573''
|-
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''[[United States presidential election in Kansas, 1988|1988]]'''
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''60.1%''' ''1,291''
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|36.9% ''793''
| style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;"|3.0% ''64''
|-
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''[[United States presidential election in Kansas, 1984|1984]]'''
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''78.2%''' ''1,770''
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|20.6% ''467''
| style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;"|1.2% ''28''
|-
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''[[United States presidential election in Kansas, 1980|1980]]'''
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''73.0%''' ''1,642''
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|19.7% ''443''
| style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;"|7.3% ''165''
|-
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''[[United States presidential election in Kansas, 1976|1976]]'''
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''52.7%''' ''1,232''
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|43.3% ''1,011''
| style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;"|4.0% ''93''
|-
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''[[United States presidential election in Kansas, 1972|1972]]'''
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''70.2%''' ''1,707''
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|25.3% ''616''
| style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;"|4.4% ''108''
|-
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''[[United States presidential election in Kansas, 1968|1968]]'''
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''65.7%''' ''1,654''
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|25.9% ''652''
| style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;"|8.4% ''210''
|-
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''[[United States presidential election in Kansas, 1964|1964]]'''
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''51.0%''' ''1,382''
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|48.5% ''1,314''
| style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;"|0.6% ''16''
|-
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''[[United States presidential election in Kansas, 1960|1960]]'''
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''63.8%''' ''1,846''
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|35.9% ''1,038''
| style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;"|0.3% ''8''
|-
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''[[United States presidential election in Kansas, 1956|1956]]'''
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''68.6%''' ''2,028''
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|31.1% ''920''
| style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;"|0.3% ''9''
|-
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''[[1952 United States presidential election|1952]]'''
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''74.5%''' ''2,451''
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|25.0% ''821''
| style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;"|0.5% ''16''
|-
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''[[1948 United States presidential election|1948]]'''
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''51.4%''' ''1,545''
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|46.7% ''1,402''
| style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;"|1.9% ''58''
|-
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''[[1944 United States presidential election|1944]]'''
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''59.9%''' ''1,758''
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|39.5% ''1,159''
| style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;"|0.6% ''17''
|-
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''[[1940 United States presidential election|1940]]'''
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''56.2%''' ''2,018''
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|43.0% ''1,546''
| style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;"|0.8% ''29''
|-
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''[[1936 United States presidential election|1936]]'''
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|42.1% ''1,727''
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''57.6%''' ''2,362''
| style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;"|0.4% ''15''
|-
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''[[1932 United States presidential election|1932]]'''
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|36.3% ''1,439''
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''61.0%''' ''2,422''
| style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;"|2.7% ''108''
|-
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''[[1928 United States presidential election|1928]]'''
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''66.5%''' ''2,314''
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|32.5% ''1,129''
| style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;"|1.0% ''35''
|-
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''[[1924 United States presidential election|1924]]'''
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''46.9%''' ''1,621''
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|35.2% ''1,218''
| style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;"|17.9% ''618''
|-
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''[[1920 United States presidential election|1920]]'''
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''51.6%''' ''1,448''
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|43.5% ''1,221''
| style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;"|5.0% ''140''
|-
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''[[1916 United States presidential election|1916]]'''
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|27.7% ''1,007''
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''67.0%''' ''2,431''
| style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;"|5.3% ''193''
|-
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''[[1912 United States presidential election|1912]]'''
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|14.9% ''256''
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''55.5%''' ''955''
| style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;"|29.6% ''509''
|-
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''[[1908 United States presidential election|1908]]'''
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|39.3% ''898''
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''54.8%''' ''1,250''
| style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;"|5.9% ''135''
|-
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''[[1904 United States presidential election|1904]]'''
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''59.7%''' ''1,215''
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|20.2% ''411''
| style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;"|20.1% ''409''
|-
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''[[1900 United States presidential election|1900]]'''
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|41.8% ''848''
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''57.0%''' ''1,158''
| style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;"|1.2% ''24''
|-
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''[[1896 United States presidential election|1896]]'''
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|36.4% ''594''
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|'''63.2%''' ''1,032''
| style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;"|0.4% ''7''
|-
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Populist}}|'''[[United States presidential election in Kansas, 1892|1892]]'''
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|38.6% ''619''
|
| style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;"|'''61.4%''' ''985''
|-
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''[[1888 United States presidential election|1888]]'''
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Republican}}|'''57.4%''' ''1,224''
| style="text-align:center;" {{Party shading/Democratic}}|34.3% ''731''
| style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;"|8.3% ''177''
|}
{{Hidden end}}
== Education ==

== Unified school districts ==
* [http://www.usd294.org Oberlin USD 294]
* Prairie Heights USD 295, dissolved as of July 1, 2006; absorbed by USD 294.
== Communities ==
[[File:Map of Decatur Co, Ks, USA.png|thumb|250px|right|2005 [[Kansas Department of Transportation|KDOT]] Map of Decatur County ([[:File:Kansas official transportation map legend.png|map legend]])]]
== Cities ==
* [[Clayton, Kansas|Clayton]]
* [[Dresden, Kansas|Dresden]]
* [[Jennings, Kansas|Jennings]]
* [[Norcatur, Kansas|Norcatur]]
* [[Oberlin, Kansas|Oberlin]]
== References ==
{{Reflist|30em}}
== More reading ==
* [https://www.kansasmemory.org/item/225067/ ''Handbook of Decatur County, Kansas'']; C.S. Burch Publishing Co; 25 pages; 1885.
* [https://www.kansasmemory.org/item/223989/ ''Standard Atlas of Decatur County, Kansas'']; Geo. A. Ogle & Co; 80 pages; 1921.
* [https://www.kansasmemory.org/item/223988/ ''Standard Atlas of Decatur County, Kansas'']; Geo. A. Ogle & Co; 69 pages; 1905.
== Other websites ==
{{Commons category|Decatur County, Kansas}}
;County
* {{Official website|http://www.oberlinks.com|Decatur County - Official}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20160510191912/http://www.lkm.org/directory/counties.php?ID=74 Decatur County - Directory of Public Officials]
;Maps
* Decatur County Maps: [http://www.ksdot.org/Assets/wwwksdotorg/bureaus/burTransPlan/maps/county-pdf/decatur.PDF Current] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210119104800/http://www.ksdot.org/Assets/wwwksdotorg/bureaus/burTransPlan/maps/county-pdf/decatur.pdf |date=2021-01-19 }}, [http://www.ksdot.org/bureaus/burtransplan/maps/PastPublishedCounty.asp Historic] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140702055713/http://ksdot.org/bureaus/burtransplan/maps/PastPublishedCounty.asp |date=2014-07-02 }}, KDOT
* Kansas Highway Maps: [http://www.ksdot.org/burtransplan/maps/MapsState.asp Current] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160507230256/http://www.ksdot.org/burtransplan/maps/MapsState.asp |date=2016-05-07 }}, [http://www.ksdot.org/burtransplan/maps/HistoricStateMaps.asp Historic] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101219115640/http://ksdot.org/burtransplan/maps/HistoricStateMaps.asp |date=2010-12-19 }}, KDOT
* Kansas Railroad Maps: [http://www.ksdot.org/BurTransPlan/maps/RRStateMap.asp Current] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160507225716/http://www.ksdot.org/BurTransPlan/maps/RRStateMap.asp |date=2016-05-07 }}, [http://www.kansasmemory.org/item/227379 1996], [http://www.kansasmemory.org/item/227380 1915], KDOT and Kansas Historical Society

{{Decatur County, Kansas}}
{{Kansas}}
{{authority control}}

[[Category:Kansas counties]]
[[Category:1873 establishments in Kansas]]


{{US-geo-stub}}