Cottonwood Falls is the biggest city of Chase County, Kansas. It is also the county seat of Chase County. In 2010, 903 people lived there.

History

The first settlement in the Cottonwood Falls area was in 1854. An Indian trader named Seth Hayes created a cattle ranch on the Cottonwood River. In 1859, the area around the town was organized as Chase County. Cottonwood Falls was chosen to be the temporary county seat. Other early people came in Cottonwood and nearby land from 1856 to 1858.

The first post office in Cottonwood Falls was created in 1858.  In 1873, the city's French Renaissance style Chase County courthouse was built. Around the same time, the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway reached Cottonwood Falls area. Through the late 19th century and early 20th century the area around the city was mostly farms and cattle ranches.

Geography

Cottonwood Falls is at  (38.368159, -96.542918). It is in the Flint Hills of the Great Plains. The United States Census Bureau says that the city has a total area of . Of that,  is land and  is water.

Climate
Cottonwood Falls has hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. The Köppen Climate Classification system says that Cottonwood Falls has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.

People

Cottonwood Falls is part of the Emporia Micropolitan Statistical Area.

2010 census
The 2010 census says that there were 903 people, 342 households, and 205 families living in Cottonwood Falls.

Education
Cottonwood Falls is part of Unified School District 284.

Infrastructure

Transportation
K-177 highway goes north-south through the city.  
Chase County Airport, FAA:9K0, is south-east of 8th St and Airport Rd.

Things to see
Cottonwood Falls has five things on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP).
 Cartter Building (NRHP).
 Chase County Courthouse (NRHP). It is the oldest courthouse in continual use in the state of Kansas and one of the oldest in continual use West of the Mississippi.
 Chase County National Bank (NRHP).
 Cottonwood River Bridge (NRHP).
 Samuel N Wood House (NRHP).
 Kansas Historical Marker - A Landmark Of Distinction, located in courthouse square.
 Chase Lake Falls

Famous people
 John Campbell III, U.S. Representative from California, accountant, automobile dealer.
 Dudley Doolittle (1881-1957), U.S. Representative from Kansas, lawyer, banker.
 Harley Martin (1880-1951), Wisconsin state legislator and farmer
 William Morgan (1866-1932), newspaper publisher and editor, author, lieutenant governor of Kansas 1915-19
 Samuel Wood (December 30, 1825 – June 23, 1891), was an American attorney and Kansas politician.

Related pages
 Great Flood of 1951

References

Other websites

City
 City of Cottonwood Falls
 Cottonwood Falls - Directory of Public Officials
 Chase County Chamber of Commerce
Schools
 USD 284, school district for all of Chase County.
 USD 284 School District Boundary Map, KDOT
Historical
 Rockne Memorial, Knute Rockne crash site.
 Poster from Chase County Agricultural Fair from October 7-9, 1891
Lodging
 Grand Central Hotel
Maps
 Cottonwood Falls City Map, KDOT
 Topo Map of Cottonwood Falls / Bazaar area, USGS
 Chase County Maps: Current, Historic, KDOT

Cities in Chase County, Kansas
County seats in Kansas
Chase County, Kansas