Greeley County, Kansas

Greeley County Education, Geography, and History

Greeley County is a county located in western Kansas, in the Central United States. Based on the 2010 census, the population was 1,247, which makes it the least populous county in Kansas. Greeley County was created on March 20, 1873. The county seat and largest city is Tribune. The county is named after Horace Greeley of Chappaqua, New York, editor of the New York Tribune. Greeley encouraged western settlement with the motto "Go West, young man"

Etymology - Origin of Greeley County Name

Horace Greeley (1811-1872) was publisher of the New York Tribune and fought for Kansas entry into the Union as a free state. He was also famous for his boosterism of the West: "Go west young man."

Demographics:

County QuickFacts: CensusBureau Quick Facts

Greeley County History

Named in honor of the founder of the New York Tribune, Greeley County, one of the western tier, is located midway between Oklahoma and Nebraska. It is bounded on the north by Wallace county, on the east by Wichita, on the south by Hamilton, and on the west by the State of Colorado. It is crossed by the 5th guide meridian west. Greeley was the last county in the state to be organized. In 1879 it was created and the boundaries fixed as follows: "Commencing at the intersection of the east line of range 39 west, with the 3d standard parallel; thence south along said range line to where it intersects the 4th standard parallel; thence west along said 4th standard parallel to the west boundary line of the State of Kansas; thence north along said west boundary line of the state to where it is intersected by the 3d standard parallel; thence east to the place of beginning."

Proclamation of organization was made by Gov. Martin in July, 1888. Tribune was named as the temporary county seat.

Geography: Land and Water

As reported by the Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 778 square miles (2,020 km²), all of which is land. It is the largest of five United States counties and twelve (Virginia) independent cities that officially have no water area.

 Greeley county is located in west Kansas. The county is prairie and the elevation is from 3,000 to 4,000 feet. The main stream is White Woman creek. The streams have no water in them the greater part of the year, but that there are under currents is demonstrated by the fact that water is found at the depth of a few feet.

Neighboring Counties

Bordering counties are as follows:

• Wallace County (north)
• Wichita County (east)
• Hamilton County (south)
• Prowers County, Colorado (southwest)
• Kiowa County, Colorado (west)
• Cheyenne County, Colorado (northwest)

Education

Unified School Districts

Greeley County Schools, USD 200

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