Chase County, Kansas

Chase County Education, Geography, and History

Chase County is a county located in the state of Kansas. Based on the 2010 census, the county population was 2,790.  Chase County was created on February 11, 1859. The county seat and most populous city is Cottonwood Falls. The county is named in honor of Salmon Portland Chase (1808-1873), in turn governor of Ohio, United States senator, Secretary of the Treasury, and chief justice of the United States Supreme Court.  

The county has been the subject of a book, PrairyErth (A Deep Map) by William Least Heat-Moon. In 1931, Notre Dame coach Knute Rockne died in a plane crash a few miles southwest of Bazaar, in Chase County, Kansas. In 1996, the Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve was established in the county

Etymology - Origin of Chase County Name

Chase county is named in honor of Salmon P. Chase, successively Governor of Ohio, United States Senator, Secretary of the Treasury, and Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. In the Senate, he was earnest in his opposition to the extension of slavery into Kansas.

Demographics:

County QuickFacts: CensusBureau Quick Facts

Chase County History

Chase County contains vast areas of unspoiled prairie, used and managed as grasslands since it was settled. In the spring, after the pastures have been burnt, some of the hills look like they are all rock without enough soil to support life, and it's easy to see where the name Flint Hills came from. Later, by the end of May, the harshness is buried in a thick carpet of wildflowers and lush bluestem grasses.

Sharp's Creek Drive is probably the prettiest drive in the county, if not the state. Head south and east from Bazaar and go at least a couple of miles beyond the Kansas Turnpike onto the open range to experience what the first settlers must have seen and felt. If you travel east from Matfield Green you can still ford the Verdigris river. The road west from Matfield Green through Wonsevu to Burns in Marion County provides a similar experience. Stop somewhere and savor the solitude and silence. If you can't visit, William Least Heat-Moon's 1991 book, Prairy Erth, captures the spirit of the land. Wagon train tours through the Flint Hills are another nice way to experience this area

Geography: Land and Water

As reported by the Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 778 square miles (2,020 km²), of which 773 square miles (2,000 km²) is land and 4.7 square miles (12 km²) (0.6%) is water.

Chase county is located in east Kansas, in the Flint Hills geologic region. The county is in the Neosho River drainage basin.

The county is to some extent broken and hilly, particularly in the southern portion. The north area is gently rolling slopes and in some locations along the streams the slopes end in abrupt bluffs. The Cottonwood river is the principal stream. It enters the county from the west about 12 miles from the southern line, flows northeast to Cottonwood Falls and east into Lyon county. Some of the important creeks are Diamond, Fox and Middle creeks on the north, and Fork and Cedar on the south. The types of wood are walnut, cottonwood, burr-oak, sycamore, ash, hickory, hackberry, box-elder, redbud and buckeye. Limestone of an outstanding quality and material for building-brick is found in abundance.

Neighboring Counties

Bordering counties are as follows:

• North: Morris County
• Northeast: Lyon County
• Southeast: Greenwood County
• Southwest: Butler County
• West: Marion County

Education

Unified School Districts

USD 284, Chase County - Cottonwood Falls, Strong City, Matfield Green, Cedar Point, Elmdale, Clements, Saffordville, Bazaar, Rural Areas; Chase County Junior/Senior High School

District Office In Neighboring County

USD 398, Peabody-Burns-Wonsevu, Rural Areas; Peabody-Burns Junior/Senior High School

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