Brown County, Kansas

Brown County, Kansas
Brown County (county code BR) is a county located in the northeast portion of the U.S. state of Kansas. Its county seat and most populous city is Hiawatha. As of the 2020 census, the county population was 9,508. The county was named after Albert G. Brown, a U.S. Senator from Mississippi and Kansas statehood advocate. The Kickapoo Indian Reservation of Kansas, the majority of the Sac and Fox Reservation, and the majority of the Iowa Reservation of Kansas and Nebraska are located within the county.
History
Early history
For many millennia, the Great Plains 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.
In 1854, the Kansas Territory was organized, then in 1861 Kansas became the 34th U.S. state. Brown County was founded in 1855, was named for Albert G. Brown.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (0.2%) is water. The Wolf River has its source in the county. Brown State Fishing Lake, formerly known as "Brown County State Park" is in the county, 8 miles (13 km) east of Hiawatha.
Adjacent counties
Richardson County, Nebraska (north)
Doniphan County (east)
Atchison County (southeast)
Jackson County (southwest)
Nemaha County (west)
Major highways
Sources: National Atlas, U.S. Census Bureau
U.S. Route 36
U.S. Route 73
U.S. Route 75
U.S. Route 159
Kansas Highway 20
Kansas Highway 246
Demographics
As of the 2000 census, there were 10,724 people, 4,318 households, and 2,949 families residing in the county. The population density was . There were 4,815 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 86.87% White, 1.56% Black or African American, 8.82% Native American, 0.21% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.73% from other races, and 1.81% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.32% of the population.
There were 4,318 households, out of which 31.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.80% were married couples living together, 9.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.70% were non-families. 28.80% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.70% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 2.99.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 26.40% under the age of 18, 7.40% from 18 to 24, 24.00% from 25 to 44, 22.70% from 45 to 64, and 19.50% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 93.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.80 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $31,971, and the median income for a family was $39,525. Males had a median income of $29,163 versus $19,829 for females. The per capita income for the county was $15,163. About 10.60% of families and 12.90% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.40% of those under age 18 and 11.80% of those age 65 or over.
Government
Presidential elections
Like all of Kansas outside the eastern cities, Brown County is overwhelmingly Republican, although its history of Yankee settlement means it has been thus for longer than certain other parts of the state. Brown was Alf Landon’s strongest county in his home state during his disastrous 1936 presidential campaign. FDR was never to win so much as 42 percent of the vote in any of his four Presidential elections; indeed no Democratic presidential nominee has ever won a majority in Brown County, with the highest percentage being 47 percent by William Jennings Bryan in 1896. A mortally divided Republican Party allowed Woodrow Wilson to win a plurality in 1912 with under 37 percent of the county’s vote – nonetheless since 1968 no Democrat has reached even that percentage.
Laws
Following amendment to the Kansas Constitution in 1986, the county remained a prohibition, or "dry", county until 2000, when voters approved the sale of alcoholic liquor by the individual drink without a food sales requirement.
Education
Unified school districts
Hiawatha USD 415
South Brown County USD 430
School district office in neighboring county
Doniphan West USD 111
Prairie Hills USD 113
North Jackson USD 335
Bureau of Indian Education-affiliated tribal schools
Kickapoo Nation School
Communities
‡ means a community has portions in an adjacent county.
† means a community is designated a Census-Designated Place (CDP) by the United States Census Bureau.
Cities
Everest
Fairview
Hamlin
Hiawatha (county seat)
Horton
Morrill
Powhattan
Reserve
Robinson
Sabetha‡
Willis
Unincorporated communities
Baker
Mercier
Padonia
Kickapoo Tribal Center†
Kickapoo Site 1†
Kickapoo Site 2†
Kickapoo Site 5†
Kickapoo Site 6†
Kickapoo Site 7†
Indian reservations
Ioway Reservation‡
Kickapoo Indian Reservation of Kansas‡
Sac and Fox Reservation‡
Townships
Brown County is divided into ten townships. The cities of Hiawatha, Horton, and Sabetha are considered governmentally independent and are 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
National Register of Historic Places listings in Brown County, Kansas
References
Further reading
Standard Atlas of Brown County, Kansas; Geo. A. Ogle & Co; 70 pages; 1919.
Plat Book of Brown County, Kansas; Northwest Publishing Company; 44 pages; 1904.
Meacham's Illustrated Atlas of Brown and Nemaha Counties, Kansas; J.H. Meacham & Company; 127 pages; 1887.
External links
County
Brown County - Directory of Public Officials
Maps
Brown County Maps: Current, Historic, KDOT
Kansas Highway Maps: Current, Historic, KDOT
Kansas Railroad Maps: Current, 1996, 1915, KDOT and Kansas Historical Society
Kansas counties
1855 establishments in Kansas Territory