Cowley County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kansas. Its county seat is Winfield, and its most populous city is Arkansas City. As of the 2020 census, the county population was 34,549. The county was named after Matthew Cowley, first lieutenant in Company I, 9th Kansas Cavalry, who died during the Civil War.
History
For millennia, the land now known as Kansas was inhabited by Native Americans. The first European visitor to Kansas was the Spanish explorer Francisco Vasquez de Coronado in 1541. In 1601, the Governor of New Mexico, Juan de Oñate, visited Etzanoa, a settlement of several thousand Wichita people near Arkansas City along the Walnut River. The ruins of Etzanoa have been found by archaeologists.
19th century In 1803, most of modern Kansas was secured by the United States as part of the Louisiana Purchase. In 1854, the Kansas Territory was organized, then in 1861 Kansas became the 34th U.S. state. Cowley County was officially organized as a county, but reserved for the Osage Indians, by the Kansas Legislature in March 1867, originally named Hunter County for Robert Mercer Taliaferro Hunter (1809–1887), a Virginia Representative and Senator to Congress and Speaker of the House in the twenty-sixth Congress. In 1870, the county was renamed for Matthew Cowley, First Lieutenant in Company I, 9th Kansas Cavalry, who died at Little Rock, Arkansas, on October 7, 1864. Officially opened for settlement July 15, 1870, there was a lengthy and bitter disagreement between the towns of Winfield and Cresswell (the town now named Arkansas City) over the possession of the county seat of government. Finally settled after two special elections and numerous petitions to the Governor and Legislature, Winfield was determined to be the county seat and a courthouse was constructed in 1873 at a cost of $11,500.
21st century In 2010, the Keystone-Cushing Pipeline (Phase II) was constructed north to south through Cowley County. Controversy arose from the Kansas legislature's decision to grant the pipeline a ten-year exemption from property taxes; it was estimated that this would mean $15 million per year in lost revenue to the six counties through which the pipeline passed. The counties were unsuccessful in an attempt to eliminate the exemption.Davis, Dakotah. "Commissioners green light pipeline, sort of". NewsCow.net. May 19, 2010. Retrieved May 1, 2016."Counties to seek denial of pipeline tax exemption". Clay Center Dispatch. November 5, 2009. Archived December 16, 2009."Court upholds pipeline tax exemption". Topeka Capital-Journal. May 18, 2012. Retrieved May 1, 2016.Milburn, John. "Kansas appeals court upholds Keystone pipeline tax ruling". Kansas City Star. April 26, 2013. Retrieved May 1, 2016.
Geography According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (0.6%) is water.
West of Dexter, KS, Cowley County Fishing Lake is positioned just off of Highway 166. This fishing lake is the home of the Cowley County Waterfall, which can be visited following the road to the northwest side of the property. However, in recent years (as of 2021) the severe drought has caused the waterfall to stop flowing. It will likely continue if the area receives enough precipitation and ends the drought.
Adjacent counties Butler County (north) Elk County (northeast) Chautauqua County (east) Osage County, Oklahoma (south) Kay County, Oklahoma (southwest) Sumner County (west) Sedgwick County (northwest)
Demographics
Cowley County comprises the Arkansas City-Winfield, KS Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is included in the Wichita-Arkansas City-Winfield, KS Combined Statistical Area.
Racial and ethnic composition +Cowley County, Kansas – Racial and ethnic compositionRace / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)Pop 1980 Pop 1990Pop 2000Pop 2010 Pop 2020% 1980% 1990% 2000% 2010% 2020White alone (NH)34,35433,78932,09129,83226,22793.29%91.53%88.43%82.16%75.91%Black or African American alone (NH)8841,0409719718652.40%2.82%2.68%2.67%2.50%Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)5456566586446261.48%1.78%1.81%1.77%1.81%Asian alone (NH)973155505784990.26%0.85%1.52%1.59%1.44%Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH)x included in the Asian category in the 1980 Censusx included in the Asian category in the 1990 Census513179xx0.01%0.04%0.52%Other race alone (NH)88181812730.24%0.05%0.05%0.03%0.21%Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)x not an option in the 1980 Censusx not an option in the 1990 Census6949692,109xx1.91%2.67%6.10%Hispanic or Latino (any race)8561,0971,3043,2923,9712.32%2.97%3.59%9.07%11.49%Total36,82436,91536,29136,31134,549 100.00%100.00%100.00%100.00%100.00%
2020 census
As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 34,549. The median age was 39.0 years. 23.6% of residents were under the age of 18 and 19.0% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 101.2 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 101.2 males age 18 and over. 68.0% of residents lived in urban areas, while 32.0% lived in rural areas.
The racial makeup of the county was 79.3% White, 2.6% Black or African American, 2.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.5% Asian, 0.5% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 4.1% from some other race, and 9.7% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 11.5% of the population.
There were 13,322 households in the county, of which 29.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 26.0% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 29.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.
There were 15,558 housing units, of which 14.4% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 66.3% were owner-occupied and 33.7% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.3% and the rental vacancy rate was 13.7%.
2000 census
As of the U.S. Census in 2000, there were 36,291 people, 14,039 households, and 9,616 families residing in the county. The population density was . There were 15,673 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 90.13% White, 2.70% Black or African American, 1.96% Native American, 1.53% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 1.36% from other races, and 2.30% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.59% of the population.
There were 14,039 households, out of which 32.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.20% were married couples living together, 9.60% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.50% were non-families. 27.90% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.20% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 3.00.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 26.00% under the age of 18, 9.90% from 18 to 24, 26.00% from 25 to 44, 22.20% from 45 to 64, and 15.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.20 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $34,406, and the median income for a family was $43,636. Males had a median income of $31,703 versus $21,341 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,509. About 9.20% of families and 12.90% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.00% of those under age 18 and 11.20% of those age 65 or over.
Government
Presidential elections
Laws Following amendment to the Kansas Constitution in 1986, the county remained a prohibition, or "dry", county until 1996, when voters approved the sale of alcoholic liquor by the individual drink without a food sales requirement.
The county voted "No" on the 2022 Kansas abortion referendum, an anti-abortion ballot measure, by 52% to 48% despite backing Donald Trump with 68% of the vote to Joe Biden's 30% in the 2020 presidential election.
Education
Colleges Cowley College Southwestern College St. John's College (closed in 1986)
Unified school districts Central USD 462 Udall USD 463 Winfield USD 465 Arkansas City USD 470 Dexter USD 471
Communities
List of townships / incorporated cities / unincorporated communities / extinct former communities within Cowley County.
Cities ‡ means a community has portions in an adjacent county.
Arkansas City Atlanta Burden Cambridge Dexter Geuda Springs‡ Parkerfield Udall Winfield (county seat)
Unincorporated communities † means a community is designated a Census-Designated Place (CDP) by the United States Census Bureau.
Akron / Little Dutch Albright Box Cale Cameron / Townsend Dale / Seely Eaton Eschs Floral Glen Crouse Glen Grouse Grand Summit Hackney / Constant Hooser Kellogg Maple City Moxham New Salem† Otto Pleasant Valley Rainbow Bend Redbud Rock† Silverdale† Tannehill Taussig Tisdale Torrance Tresham Vinton Wilmot
Ghost towns Etzanoa Polo
Townships Cowley County is divided into twenty-five townships. The cities of Arkansas City and Winfield 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.
Township FIPS Populationcenter Population Populationdensity/km2 (/sq mi) Land areakm2 (sq mi) Water areakm2 (sq mi) Water % Geographic coordinates Beaver 05025 244 3 (7) 92 (36) 2 (1) 1.91% Bolton 07875 1,754 13 (33) 136 (53) 2 (1) 1.59% Cedar 11250 44 0 (1) 119 (46) 1 (0) 0.45% Creswell 16375 2,098 22 (56) 97 (38) 2 (1) 2.07% Dexter 17950 506 3 (7) 185 (71) 0 (0) 0.19% Fairview 22475 203 2 (6) 93 (36) 0 (0) 0.29% Grant 27550 76 1 (2) 116 (45) 0 (0) 0.09% Harvey 30525 117 1 (2) 162 (63) 0 (0) 0.24% Liberty 39950 218 2 (5) 124 (48) 0 (0) 0.02% Maple 44450 702 8 (20) 91 (35) 0 (0) 0% Ninnescah 50625 1,114 12 (31) 93 (36) 0 (0) 0.09% Omnia 52850 357 4 (10) 93 (36) 0 (0) 0.22% Otter 53625 54 0 (1) 135 (52) 1 (0) 0.68% Pleasant Valley 56500 838 7 (18) 117 (45) 0 (0) 0.05% Richland 59275 178 2 (4) 108 (42) 0 (0) 0% Rock Creek 60525 243 3 (7) 92 (35) 1 (0) 0.55% Salem 62625 364 5 (14) 66 (26) 0 (0) 0.27% Sheridan 64650 159 2 (4) 93 (36) 0 (0) 0.01% Silver Creek 65500 770 8 (21) 93 (36) 0 (0) 0.27% Silverdale 65575 Silverdale 327 2 (6) 136 (53) 0 (0) 0.31% Spring Creek 67400 77 1 (2) 115 (45) 0 (0) 0.26% Tisdale 70725 340 4 (11) 78 (30) 0 (0) 0.13% Vernon 73575 502 5 (13) 102 (39) 1 (0) 0.67% Walnut 74925 626 7 (18) 89 (34) 0 (0) 0.18% Windsor 79875 211 1 (2) 243 (94) 0 (0) 0.18% Sources:
Notable people See List of people from Cowley County, Kansas
General Dean Coldwell Strother was a United States Air Force four-star general who served as U.S. Military Representative, NATO Military Committee (USMILREP), from 1962 to 1965; and as Commander in Chief, North American Air Defense Command/Commander in Chief, Continental Air Defense Command (CINCNORAD/CINCONAD), from 1965 to 1966.
Robert Docking was a successful banker and mayor of Arkansas City before he became the 38th Governor of Kansas.
Several college football head coaches have passed through Winfield that have gone on to become widely recognized. Jerry Kill is the current head coach for the Minnesota Golden Gophers—he played for the Southwestern Moundbuilders under Dennis Franchione when he was head coach. Jack Mitchell went on to coach several schools including the Kansas Jayhawks. Former head coach and for the Oklahoma Sooners and College Football Hall of Fame member Bennie Owen was born in Arkansas City.
Perhaps the most famous resident of Cowley County is the fictional character Mary Ann Summers from the television show Gilligan's Island. It is said on the show that she is "employed at the Winfield General Store."
See also