Greenwood County, Kansas

Greenwood County Education, Geography, and History

Greenwood County is a county located in the southeast portion of the state of Kansas. Based on the 2010 census, the county population was 6,689. Greenwood County was created on August 25, 1855. The county seat and most populous city is Eureka. The county is named in honor of Alfred B. Greenwood (1811-1889), United States Representative from Arkansas and Kansas statehood advocate.

Etymology - Origin of Greenwood County Name

This county received its name as a compliment to Alfred B. Greenwood, who, about the time of the organization of the territory, was commissioner of Indian Affairs. He negotiated treaties on behalf of the United States with the Sac and Fox and other tribes in southern Kansas.

Demographics:

County QuickFacts: CensusBureau Quick Facts

Greenwood County History

Greenwood County, one of the original 33 counties erected by the first territorial legislature, is located in the southeastern part of the state, the fourth county west from the Missouri line, and in the third tier north from Oklahoma. It is bounded on the north by Chase and Lyon counties, on the east by Coffey, Woodson and Wilson, on the south by Elk, and on the west by Butler and Chase.

As first laid out Greenwood county comprised a square area about equal to the adjoining counties, but later Madison county was disposed of, half of it being given to Lyon county and the other half to Greenwood, which made it irregular in shape.

The various accounts of the organization of the county as well as the addition of a half of Madison county do not agree as to dates. However, there is an act on the statute books of 1860, whereby the county of Greenwood was organized, Eureka made the temporary county seat, and the following men were appointed commissioners: James Ashmore, A. Clark and H. B. Slough. The act further provided that the commissioners should divide the county into townships, not to exceed three, and establish election precincts, and that an election for county officers should take place on April 4, 1860. For some reason these instructions of the legislature were not carried out for the next legislature (1862) passed an act organizing Greenwood county, stating in the preamble that, as Madison county had been divided and half of it given to Greenwood county, and as the citizens of that territory given to Greenwood county had now no government it was thought expedient to organize Greenwood county. The division of Madison county then must have taken place prior to 1862 instead of in 1867, as given by some historians.

Geography: Land and Water

As reported by the Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,153 square miles (2,990 km²), of which 1,143 square miles (2,960 km²) is land and 9.3 square miles (24 km²) (0.8%) is water.

 Greenwood county is located in east Kansas. This county is the fifth-largest county in Kansas by area. The county, except for the bluffs along the streams, is rolling prairie. Timber in the county consist of hickory, burr-oak, Spanish oak, walnut, maple, elm, box-elder, mulberry, black ash and locust. Geologic deposits of blue limestone is abundant in the north, sandstone in the south, magnesian limestone in the west, and potter's clay in the southwest. Mineral paint has been found in the central and southwestern portions of the county and there is a vein of cement several feet in thickness in the central west. There is a salt spring in the southeast. Fall river, flowing through the county in a southeast direction, is the main stream.

Neighboring Counties

Bordering counties are as follows:

• Lyon County (north)
• Coffey County (northeast)
• Woodson County (east)
• Wilson County (southeast)
• Elk County (south)
• Butler County (west)
• Chase County (northwest)

Education

Unified School Districts

Madison-Virgil USD 386
Eureka USD 389
Hamilton USD 390
West Elk USD 282 (serving Severy and extreme southern GW county)

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