Gray County, Kansas - Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Gray County
Former Gray County courthouse in Cimarron (2015)
Map of Kansas highlighting Gray County
Location within the U.S. state of Kansas
Map of the United States highlighting Kansas
Kansas's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 37°44′00″N 100°25′59″W / 37.7333°N 100.433°W / 37.7333; -100.433
Country United States
State Kansas
FoundedMarch 13, 1881
Named forAlfred Gray
SeatCimarron
Largest cityCimarron
Area
 • Total869 sq mi (2,250 km2)
 • Land869 sq mi (2,250 km2)
 • Water0.4 sq mi (1 km2)  0.05%
Population
 • Total5,653
 • Density6.5/sq mi (2.5/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district1st
WebsiteGrayCo.org

Gray County (county code GY) is a county in the U.S. state of Kansas. In 2020, 5,653 people lived there.[1] Its county seat is Cimarron. Cimarron is also the biggest city in Gray County.[2]

History[change | change source]

Gray County was created in 1881. It was named after Alfred Gray.[3] Between 1887 and 1893, a county seat war happened in Gray County that involved several notable Old West figures, such as Bat Masterson, Bill Tilghman, and Ben Daniels. Because of this, Cimarron became the permanent county seat of Gray County.[4]

Geography[change | change source]

The U.S. Census Bureau says that the county has a total area of 869 square miles (2,250 km2). Of that, 869 square miles (2,250 km2) is land and 0.4 square miles (1.0 km2) (0.05%) is water.[5]

Since 2001, NextEra Energy Resources has operated the biggest wind farm in Kansas. They have 170 turbines. They can generate up to 110 megawatts. It is on a 12,000-acre (49 km2) site near Montezuma.[6]

People[change | change source]

Historical population
Census Pop.
18902,415
19001,264−47.7%
19103,121146.9%
19204,71150.9%
19306,21131.8%
19404,773−23.2%
19504,8942.5%
19604,380−10.5%
19704,5163.1%
19805,13813.8%
19905,3965.0%
20005,9049.4%
20106,0061.7%
20205,653−5.9%
U.S. Decennial Census[7]
1790–1960[8] 1900–1990[9]
1990–2000[10] 2010–2020[1]
Population pyramid

Religion[change | change source]

Gray County has the highest percentage of followers of the Church of God in Christ, Mennonite in the US. There were 1,032 members of the Church in Gray County in 2010, which is 17.18% of the total number of people in Gray County. It is the biggest Church in the county.[11]

Government[change | change source]

Presidential elections[change | change source]

Gray county is often won by Republican candidates. The last time a Democratic candidate won this county was in 1976 by Jimmy Carter.

Presidential Elections Results
Presidential Elections Results[12]
Year Republican Democratic Third Parties
2020 83.5% 1,911 14.9% 341 1.6% 36
2016 82.2% 1,698 12.7% 263 5.1% 105
2012 81.9% 1,603 16.6% 324 1.6% 31
2008 77.5% 1,643 20.6% 436 1.9% 40
2004 80.9% 1,816 18.2% 408 0.9% 21
2000 75.5% 1,631 22.3% 482 2.2% 47
1996 71.5% 1,457 19.8% 404 8.6% 176
1992 47.8% 1,039 20.4% 443 31.8% 691
1988 61.6% 1,180 36.3% 696 2.1% 41
1984 74.3% 1,580 24.2% 514 1.5% 32
1980 63.7% 1,310 28.3% 583 8.0% 164
1976 42.1% 837 55.9% 1,111 2.1% 41
1972 69.2% 1,235 28.6% 511 2.2% 40
1968 55.3% 952 35.5% 612 9.2% 159
1964 35.9% 643 63.4% 1,136 0.8% 14
1960 60.6% 1,150 39.2% 744 0.3% 5
1956 66.8% 1,278 32.8% 627 0.5% 9
1952 73.5% 1,515 26.1% 537 0.4% 9
1948 53.7% 1,035 45.1% 869 1.2% 24
1944 57.0% 1,057 41.8% 775 1.2% 22
1940 51.9% 1,056 47.3% 962 0.9% 18
1936 34.3% 764 65.6% 1,459 0.1% 2
1932 39.3% 910 58.2% 1,348 2.6% 59
1928 67.5% 1,294 31.6% 606 0.9% 18
1924 59.3% 959 28.7% 463 12.0% 194
1920 62.2% 962 32.8% 507 5.0% 78
1916 38.7% 660 52.1% 889 9.3% 158
1912 16.0% 112 34.6% 243 49.4% 347
1908 46.8% 372 42.5% 338 10.7% 85
1904 64.5% 285 25.6% 113 10.0% 44
1900 55.8% 188 43.0% 145 1.2% 4
1896 53.5% 153 46.5% 133 0.0% 0
1892 54.4% 274 45.6% 230
1888 53.8% 417 34.6% 268 11.6% 90

Laws[change | change source]

Although the Kansas Constitution was changed in 1986 to allow the sale of alcohol, Gray County is still a "dry" county.[13]

Education[change | change source]

Unified school districts[change | change source]

Communities[change | change source]

2005 KDOT Map of Gray County (map legend)

Cities and Towns[change | change source]

References[change | change source]

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 "QuickFacts: Gray County, Kansas". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 1, 2023.
  2. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on 2011-05-31. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
  3. Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Govt. Print. Off. p. 142.
  4. "Feudin' and Fightin' Friday: County Seat Wars – Diggin' History". Archived from the original on 2014-04-07. Retrieved 2014-04-06.
  5. "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
  6. "Gray County Wind Farm". Aquila, Inc. Archived from the original on 2007-06-13. Retrieved 2007-06-02.
  7. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on April 26, 2015. Retrieved July 24, 2014.
  8. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Archived from the original on August 11, 2012. Retrieved July 24, 2014.
  9. "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 24, 2014.
  10. "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 24, 2014.
  11. Association of Religious Data Archives: Church of God in Christ, Mennonite Counties (2010) Archived 2019-07-31 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved May 2, 2015
  12. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections".
  13. "Map of Wet and Dry Counties". Alcoholic Beverage Control, Kansas Department of Revenue. November 2004. Archived from the original on 2007-10-08. Retrieved 2007-01-21.

Other websites[change | change source]

County
Other
Maps

37°44′N 100°26′W / 37.733°N 100.433°W / 37.733; -100.433