Franklin County, Kansas

Franklin County Education, Geography, and History

Franklin County is a county located in the eastern portion of the state of Kansas. Based on the 2010 census, the county population was 25,992. Franklin County was created on August 25, 1855. The county seat and most populous city is Ottawa. The county is named in honor of Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790), orator, writer, scholar, and founding father of the United States.

Franklin County comprises the Ottawa, KS Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is included in the Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City, MO-KS Combined Statistical Area.

Etymology - Origin of Franklin County Name

The county is named in honor of the illustrious Benjamin Franklin.

Demographics:

County QuickFacts: CensusBureau Quick Facts

Franklin County History

Franklin County, located in the eastern part of the state, was one of the original 33 counties created by the first territorial legislature in 1855. It was named Franklin in honor to Benjamin Franklin. At the present time the county is bounded on the north by Douglas county, on the east by Miami, on the south by Anderson, and on the west by Osage and Coffey counties. It has an area of 576 square miles, and had a population of 20,884 in 1910. The county is divided into sixteen townships, as follows: Appanoose, Centropolis, Cutler, Franklin, Greenwood, Harrison, Hayes, Homewood, Lincoln, Ohio, Ottawa, Peoria, Pomona, Pottawatomie, Richmond and Williamsburg.

Winter wheat, Irish potatoes, and flax are important crops but corn is the leading cereal. Much effort is given to the production of live-stock and also to the growing of fruit trees, there being 150,000 bearing fruit trees in 1907.

Geography: Land and Water

As reported by the Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 577 square miles (1,490 km²), of which 572 square miles (1,480 km²) is land and 5.4 square miles (14 km²) (0.9%) is water.

 Franklin county is located in east Kansas. The  county is mostly rolling prairie. The "bottom" lands along the creeks and Marais des Cygnes river comprise nearly one-fifth of the area. Timber in this county contain walnut, oak, cottonwood, elm, hickory, willow, locust, ash, soft maple, mulberry and hackberry.  Limestone and sandstone are plentiful, marble and potter's clay are found near Ottawa. Coal is mined in several areas, and oil and gas have been found in the southern part of the county.

The principal stream is the Marais des Cygnes which enters the county from the west and flows through it into Miami county.

Neighboring Counties

Bordering counties are as follows:

• Douglas County (north)
• Johnson County (northeast)
• Miami County (east)
• Linn County (southeast)
• Anderson County (south)
• Coffey County (southwest)
• Osage County (west)

Education

Unified School Districts

West Franklin USD 287
Central Heights USD 288
Wellsville USD 289
Ottawa USD 290

Colleges and universities

Ottawa University, Ottawa
Neosho County Community College (branch campus), Ottawa

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