Kiowa Rural Township is the sole township in Kiowa County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2020, the population of the township was 2,460, out of whom 1,615 lived in one of the township's three cities and 845 lived in unincorporated areas of the township. Kiowa Rural Township's boundaries are identical to those of Kiowa County: there are no other townships in the county, and none of the county's cities are governmentally independent.Detailed Kansas map, United States Census Bureau. Accessed 2008-06-24.
History Kiowa Rural Township was once named simply "Kiowa Township." It has not always been the only township in the county: until 1980-01-01, when all existing townships in the county were dissolved,General Highway Map of Kiowa County, Kansas, Kansas Department of Transportation, 1977, with 1981-07-06 update. Accessed 2008-07-07. there was also Martin Township, located near Mullinville in the western part of the county, and Wellsford Township (previously Dowell Township), located near Haviland in the eastern part of the county. Even these three townships were significantly expanded from past years; in 1940, Kiowa County was composed of fifteen townships: Brenham, Butler, Center, Garfield, Glick, Highland, Kiowa, Lincoln, Martin, Reeder, Union, Ursula, Valley, Wellsford, and Westland.Kansas Counties: Kiowa County, Kansas , Kansas State Historical Society, 2008. Accessed 2008-06-24. Although it includes the territories of those former townships, Kiowa Rural Township itself is not important to local government, having become inactive.
Geography Because Kiowa Rural Township is coterminous with the county, its statistics are similar to the county's. It covers an area of 722.39 square miles (1871.0 square kilometers);Kiowa County Quickfacts, United States Census Bureau, 2008-01-02. Accessed 2008-06-24. of this, 0.2 square miles (0.5 square kilometers) or 0.03%, is water.Kiowa Rural township, Kiowa County, Kansas (KS), City-Data.com, 2007. Accessed 2008-06-24.
Six cemeteries are located in the township: Belvidere, Boles, Fairview, Haviland, Hillcrest, and McKinley.
Communities Seven populated places are located in Kiowa Rural Township: Belvidere Brenham Greensburg Haviland Joy Mullinville Wellsford
Adjacent townships South Brown Township, Edwards County — northern border, west Franklin Township, Edwards County — northern border, central Lincoln Township, Edwards County — northern border, east Township 8, Pratt County — northeastern corner Township 9, Pratt County — eastern border, north Township 10, Pratt County — eastern border, central Turkey Creek Township, Barber County — eastern border, south Powell Township, Comanche County — southern border, east Coldwater Township, Comanche County — southern border, central Protection Township, Comanche County — southern border, west Lexington Township, Clark County — southwestern corner Liberty Township, Clark County — western border, south Bucklin Township, Ford County — western border, central and north Wheatland Township, Ford County — northwestern corner
Transportation Major highways in Kiowa Rural Township include U.S. Routes 54, 183, and 400.Rand McNally. The Road Atlas '08. Chicago: Rand McNally, 2008, p. 40. As well, two airports are located in the township: Gail Ballard Municipal Airport and Paul Windle Municipal Field.
References
Further reading
External links City-Data.com