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Barber County
Medicine Lodge Stockade Museum (left) and Carry A. Nation house (right) in Medicine Lodge
Medicine Lodge Stockade Museum (left) and Carry A. Nation house (right) in Medicine Lodge
Map of Kansas highlighting Barber County
Location within the U.S. state of Kansas
Map of the United States highlighting Kansas
Kansas's location within the U.S.
Country  United States
State  Kansas
Founded February 26, 1867
Named for Thomas W. Barber
Seat Medicine Lodge
Largest city Medicine Lodge
Area
 • Total 1,136 sq mi (2,940 km2)
 • Land 1,134 sq mi (2,940 km2)
 • Water 2.1 sq mi (5 km2)  0.2%%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 4,228
 • Density 3.7/sq mi (1.4/km2)
Time zone UTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST) UTC−5 (CDT)
Area code 620
Congressional district 4th

Barber County is a county located in the south-central portion of the U.S. state of Kansas. Its county seat and most populous city is Medicine Lodge. As of the 2020 census, the county population was 4,228. The county was named for Thomas Barber, an abolitionist who was killed in Douglas County in 1855 during the Wakarusa War.

History

Barber County was formed in 1867 from parts of Washington County, Peketon County, and Marion County. Organized in 1873, it was named after Thomas Barber, a free-state man killed during Bleeding Kansas. The county's name was initially misspelled as “Barbour” before being officially changed to “Barber.”

The land that would become Barber County was formerly part of the "thirty mile" and "three mile" strips, previously owned by the Osages and the Cherokees respectively. These lands were ceded to the United States Government by the treaty of July 15, 1870, and were then offered for pre-emption, but not for homesteading or timber claim entry. Early settlers noted the numerous buffalo wallows in the county.

The first settler in the county, a man named Griffin, settled in the winter of 1871-72 near Sun City. Indians opposed to white settlement soon brought conflict, including an 1872 raid resulting in the death of trader E. H. Mosely. Defensive stockades were subsequently erected in Medicine Lodge and Sun City.

Settlements such as Kiowa and Medicine Lodge were established, with rapid settlement occurring in the summer of 1873. Notable events included the county's first child born in 1873 and its first wedding in 1874.

In the summer of 1874, an Indian raid resulted in the murder of several settlers along the Medicine Lodge River. Various accounts attribute the raid to Indian opposition to white settlement or the actions of disguised white assailants aiming to cover up their illegal activities in the county. To protect citizens, stockades were built, and militia groups were organized in Medicine Lodge and Sun City.

Buffalo once roamed abundantly in the county, but by the 1880s, their numbers had significantly diminished. Their former habitat, however, made excellent range for cattle, and in 1870, Barber and Comanche county ranchers formed a cooperative known as the Comanche cattle pool. The discovery of gypsum deposits along the Medicine Lodge River led to the establishment of a plaster company in Sun City in 1891.

The Medicine Lodge Bank was robbed in 1884 by a gang led by Henry Newton Brown, the marshal of Caldwell in nearby Sumner County. The bandits were pursued, captured, and thrown in jail. That night, a mob overpowered the Medicine Lodge sheriff and killed the bandits.

Temperance advocate Carrie Nation smashed her first saloon in Kiowa, Kansas in 1900. Today, her former residence is a National Historic Landmark.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,136 square miles (2,940 km2), of which 1,134 square miles (2,940 km2) is land and 2.1 square miles (5.4 km2) (0.2%) is water.

The Medicine Lodge River flows through the county.

Adjacent counties

Major highways

Sources: National Atlas, U.S. Census Bureau

Demographics

USA Barber County, Kansas age pyramid
Population pyramid based on 2000 census age data
Historical population
Census Pop.
1880 2,661
1890 7,973 199.6%
1900 6,594 −17.3%
1910 9,916 50.4%
1920 9,739 −1.8%
1930 10,178 4.5%
1940 9,073 −10.9%
1950 8,521 −6.1%
1960 8,713 2.3%
1970 7,016 −19.5%
1980 6,548 −6.7%
1990 5,874 −10.3%
2000 5,307 −9.7%
2010 4,861 −8.4%
2020 4,228 −13.0%
2023 (est.) 4,071 −16.3%
U.S. Decennial Census
1790-1960 1900-1990
1990-2000 2010-2020

As of the 2000 census, there were 5,307 people, 2,235 households, and 1,510 families residing in the county. The population density was 5 people per square mile (1.9 people/km2). There were 2,740 housing units at an average density of 2 per square mile (0.77/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 97.06% White, 0.38% Black or African American, 0.58% Native American, 0.09% Asian, 0.89% from other races, and 1.00% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.02% of the population.

There were 2,235 households, out of which 28.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.70% were married couples living together, 6.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.40% were non-families. 29.90% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.00% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.35 and the average family size was 2.91.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 25.00% under the age of 18, 5.80% from 18 to 24, 23.20% from 25 to 44, 24.50% from 45 to 64, and 21.50% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females there were 92.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.40 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $33,407, and the median income for a family was $40,234. Males had a median income of $29,806 versus $20,046 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,627. About 7.50% of families and 10.10% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.60% of those under age 18 and 4.90% of those age 65 or over.

Economy

RSI Corporation

Education

Unified school districts

  • Barber County North USD 254
  • South Barber USD 255

Communities

Map of Barber Co, Ks, USA
2005 map of Barber County (legend)

List of townships / incorporated cities / unincorporated communities / extinct former communities within Barber County.

Cities

Unincorporated communities

Ghost towns

  • Lasswell
  • Mingona
  • Pixley

Townships

Barber County is divided into eighteen townships. None of the cities within the county are considered governmentally independent, and all figures for the townships include those of the cities. 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 Population
center
Population Population
density
/km2 (/sq mi)
Land area
km2 (sq mi)
Water area
km2 (sq mi)
Water % Geographic coordinates
Aetna 00400 3 0 (0) 318 (123) 0 (0) 0.13% 37°5′37″N 98°56′43″W / 37.09361°N 98.94528°W / 37.09361; -98.94528
Deerhead 17300 11 0 (0) 165 (64) 0 (0) 0.07% 37°13′59″N 98°58′3″W / 37.23306°N 98.96750°W / 37.23306; -98.96750
Eagle 19150 42 0 (0) 290 (112) 0 (0) 0.04% 37°10′13″N 98°46′22″W / 37.17028°N 98.77278°W / 37.17028; -98.77278
Elm Mills 20800 106 1 (2) 155 (60) 1 (0) 0.35% 37°25′37″N 98°38′45″W / 37.42694°N 98.64583°W / 37.42694; -98.64583
Elwood 20925 Hardtner 275 1 (3) 260 (100) 0 (0) 0.18% 37°2′30″N 98°40′35″W / 37.04167°N 98.67639°W / 37.04167; -98.67639
Hazelton 31175 Hazelton 213 1 (3) 189 (73) 1 (0) 0.33% 37°6′7″N 98°24′1″W / 37.10194°N 98.40028°W / 37.10194; -98.40028
Kiowa 37150 Kiowa 1,164 9 (24) 124 (48) 0 (0) 0.31% 37°1′3″N 98°29′19″W / 37.01750°N 98.48861°W / 37.01750; -98.48861
Lake City 37900 83 1 (2) 109 (42) 0 (0) 0.20% 37°21′11″N 98°49′2″W / 37.35306°N 98.81722°W / 37.35306; -98.81722
McAdoo 43550 29 0 (1) 93 (36) 0 (0) 0.36% 37°26′16″N 98°49′31″W / 37.43778°N 98.82528°W / 37.43778; -98.82528
Medicine Lodge 45525 Medicine Lodge 2,573 8 (22) 309 (119) 1 (0) 0.33% 37°17′17″N 98°34′5″W / 37.28806°N 98.56806°W / 37.28806; -98.56806
Mingona 47050 57 0 (1) 139 (54) 0 (0) 0.10% 37°17′39″N 98°40′37″W / 37.29417°N 98.67694°W / 37.29417; -98.67694
Moore 48075 32 0 (1) 119 (46) 0 (0) 0.24% 37°4′9″N 98°32′59″W / 37.06917°N 98.54972°W / 37.06917; -98.54972
Nippawalla 50775 26 0 (0) 140 (54) 0 (0) 0.26% 37°9′56″N 98°32′5″W / 37.16556°N 98.53472°W / 37.16556; -98.53472
Ridge (defunct, merged with Sharon) 59775 4 0 (0) 93 (36) 0 (0) 0.12% 37°22′37″N 98°25′7″W / 37.37694°N 98.41861°W / 37.37694; -98.41861
Sharon 64350 Sharon 369 4 (10) 95 (37) 0 (0) 0.04% 37°14′56″N 98°24′32″W / 37.24889°N 98.40889°W / 37.24889; -98.40889
Sun City 69300 Sun City 100 1 (2) 124 (48) 0 (0) 0.09% 37°22′39″N 98°55′13″W / 37.37750°N 98.92028°W / 37.37750; -98.92028
Turkey Creek 71675 37 0 (1) 123 (47) 0 (0) 0.12% 37°26′6″N 98°55′0″W / 37.43500°N 98.91667°W / 37.43500; -98.91667
Valley 72750 Isabel 183 2 (5) 94 (36) 0 (0) 0.01% 37°26′6″N 98°31′44″W / 37.43500°N 98.52889°W / 37.43500; -98.52889
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