124-647: Wabaunsee County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kansas . Its county seat is Alma . As of the 2020 census , the county population was 6,877. The county was named for Chief Waubonsie of the Potawatomi Indians . For millennia, the land now known as Kansas was inhabited by Native Americans . In 1803, most of modern Kansas was secured by the United States as part of the Louisiana Purchase . The first white settlers in
248-1054: A city , town , or village . A few counties directly provide public transportation themselves, usually in the form of a simple bus system. However, in most counties, public transportation is provided by one of the following: a special district that is coterminous with the county (but exists separately from the county government), a multi-county regional transit authority, or a state agency. In western and southern states, more populated counties provide many facilities, such as airports, convention centers , museums, recreation centers , beaches, harbors, zoos, clinics, law libraries , and public housing . They provide services such as child and family services, elder services, mental health services, welfare services, veterans assistance services, animal control , probation supervision, historic preservation, food safety regulation, and environmental health services. They have many additional officials like public defenders , arts commissioners, human rights commissioners, and planning commissioners. There may be
372-446: A consolidated city-county or independent city exists, a city council usually governs city/county or city affairs. In some counties, day-to-day operations are overseen by an elected county executive or by a chief administrative officer or county administrator who reports to the board, the mayor, or both. In many states, the board in charge of a county holds powers that transcend all three traditional branches of government. It has
496-424: A county fire department and a county police department – as distinguished from fire and police departments operated by individual cities, special districts, or the state government. For example, Gwinnett County, Georgia , and its county seat, the city of Lawrenceville , each have their own police departments. (A separate county sheriff's department is responsible for security of the county courts and administration of
620-476: A female householder with no husband present, 4.8% had a male householder with no wife present, and 43.1% were not families. About 35.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.29, and the average family size was 2.99. The city's age distribution was 24.4% under age 18, 9.8% from 18 to 24; 26.1% from 25 to 44, 25.4% from 45 to 64, and 14.3% were 65 or older. The median age in
744-465: A few counties bear names of Native American , French, or Spanish origin. Counties are most often named for people, often political figures or early settlers, with over 2,100 of the 3,144 total so named. The most common county name, with 31, is Washington County , for America's first president, George Washington . Up until 1871, there was a Washington County within the District of Columbia , but it
868-400: A land area of 20,057 square miles (51,947 km ). The least extensive county is Kalawao County, Hawaii , with a land area of 11.991 square miles (31.058 km ). The least extensive county equivalent in the 50 states is the independent city of Falls Church, Virginia , with a land area of 1.999 square miles (5.177 km ). If U.S. territories are included,
992-453: A large number of counties, and many Western states were sparsely populated when counties were created by their respective state legislatures. The five counties of Rhode Island and eight of the 14 counties of Massachusetts no longer have functional county governments, but continue to exist as legal and census entities. Connecticut abolished county governments in 1960, leaving its eight counties as mere legal and census entities. In 2022,
1116-888: A matter of U.S. state law , so the specific governmental powers of counties may vary widely between the states, with many providing some level of services to civil townships , municipalities , and unincorporated areas . Certain municipalities are in multiple counties ; New York City is uniquely partitioned into five counties, referred to at the city government level as boroughs . Some municipalities have been consolidated with their county government to form consolidated city-counties , or have been legally separated from counties altogether to form independent cities . Conversely, counties in Connecticut and Rhode Island , eight of Massachusetts's 14 counties , and Alaska's Unorganized Borough have no government power, existing only as geographic distinctions. The United States Census Bureau uses
1240-614: A population of 233,870 in the 2010 census . The city, laid out in 1854, was one of the Free-State towns founded by Eastern antislavery men immediately after the passage of the Kansas–Nebraska Bill . In 1857, Topeka was chartered as a city. The city is well known for the landmark U.S. Supreme Court case Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka , which overturned Plessy v. Ferguson and declared racial segregation in public schools to be unconstitutional. The name "Topeka"
1364-415: A population over 100,000; 137 counties have a population over 500,000; 45 counties have a population over 1,000,000; and 14 counties have a population over 2,000,000. At the other extreme, 35 counties have a population under 1,000; 307 counties have a population under 5,000; 709 counties have a population under 10,000; and 1,492 counties have a population between 10,000 and 50,000. At the 2000 U.S. Census ,
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#17327733236661488-676: A seaman who joined the Beecher Bible and Rifle Colony that settled in Wabaunsee, played an important role in the county settlement and with the underground railroad. The county's first church, Wabaunsee Church of Christ, was founded in June 1857. In 1861 Kansas became the 34th U.S. state , entering the union as a free state. The first railroad to be built through Wabaunsee County was the Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe in 1880. In 1887,
1612-504: A verb, to avoid the trademark becoming genericized . Topeka is in north east Kansas at the intersection of I-70 and U.S. Highway 75 . It is the origin of I-335 which is a portion of the Kansas Turnpike running from Topeka to Emporia, Kansas . Topeka is also on U.S. Highway 24 (about 50 miles [80 km] east of Manhattan, Kansas ) and U.S. Highway 40 (about 30 miles [48 km] west of Lawrence, Kansas ). US 40
1736-428: Is Lake . Words from Native American languages, as well as the names of Native American leaders and tribes, lend their names to many counties. Quite a few counties bear names of French or Spanish origin, such as Marquette County being named after French missionary Father Jacques Marquette . The county's equivalent in the state of Louisiana, the parish (Fr. paroisse civile and Sp. parroquia ) took its name during
1860-572: Is 343 sq mi (890 km ), whereas in Utah it is 2,427 sq mi (6,290 km ). The most extensive county or county equivalent is the Yukon–Koyukuk Census Area, Alaska , with a land area of 145,505 square miles (376,856 km ). All nine of the most extensive county equivalents are in Alaska. The most extensive county is San Bernardino County, California , with
1984-575: Is October 15 through April 17. The area receives about 36.53 inches (928 mm) of precipitation during a typical year, with the largest share being received in May and June—the April through June period averages 32.8 days of measurable precipitation. Generally, the spring and summer have the most rainfall, with autumn and winter being fairly dry. During a typical year, the total amount of precipitation may vary from 25 to 47 inches (640 to 1,190 mm). Much of
2108-616: Is a Kansa-Osage word that means "place where we dig potatoes", or "a good place to dig potatoes". As a placename, Topeka was first recorded in 1826 as the Kansa name for what is now called the Kansas River . Topeka's founders chose the name in 1855 because it "was novel, of Indian origin, and euphonious of sound". Mixed-heritage Kansa Native American Joseph James , called Jojim, is credited with suggesting Topeka's name. Along with Cheyenne, Wyoming and Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Topeka
2232-399: Is an unusual case because it encompasses multiple entire counties in one city. Each of those counties is coextensive with one of the five boroughs of the city: Manhattan (New York County), The Bronx (Bronx County), Queens (Queens County), Brooklyn (Kings County), and Staten Island (Richmond County). Topeka, Kansas Topeka ( / t ə ˈ p iː k ə / tə- PEE -kə )
2356-509: Is coincident with I-70 west from Topeka. According to the United States Census Bureau , the city has a total area of 61.47 sq mi (159.21 km ), of which 1.30 sq mi (3.37 km ) are covered by water. Topeka has a humid continental climate ( Köppen climate classification Dfa ) or a subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa ), with hot, somewhat humid summers and cool to cold, fairly dry winters, and
2480-500: Is either done at the state level or at the municipal level. In Connecticut and parts of Massachusetts, regional councils have been established to partially fill the void left behind by the abolished county governments. The regional councils' authority is limited compared with a county government—they have authority only over infrastructure and land use planning, distribution of state and federal funds for infrastructure projects, emergency preparedness, and limited law enforcement duties. In
2604-399: Is greater than the populations of 41 U.S. states, and is only slightly smaller than the combined population of the 10 least populous states and Washington, D.C. It also makes the population of Los Angeles County 17.4 times greater than that of the least populous state, Wyoming. The second most populous county is Cook County, Illinois , with a population of 5,275,541. Cook County's population
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#17327733236662728-714: Is in USDA plant hardiness zone 6a. Over the course of a year, the monthly daily average temperature ranges from 30.2 °F (−1.0 °C) in January to 79.8 °F (26.6 °C) in July. The maximum temperature reaches 90 °F (32 °C) an average of 49.6 afternoons per year and reaches 100 °F (38 °C) an average of 6.0 afternoons per year. The minimum temperature falls below 0 °F (−18 °C) an average of 2.7 mornings per year, and 21.7 afternoons per year stay below freezing. The average window for freezing temperatures
2852-593: Is large, and the city is home to nine Roman Catholic parishes, five of which feature elementary schools. Grace Cathedral of the Episcopal Diocese of Kansas is a large Gothic Revival structure in the city. Topeka also has a claim in the history of the Baháʼí Faith in Kansas. Not only does the city have the oldest continuous Baháʼí community in Kansas (beginning in 1906), but the community also has roots to
2976-455: Is larger than that of 28 individual U.S. states and the combined populations of the six smallest states. The least populous county is Loving County, Texas , with 64 residents in 2020. Eight county equivalents in the U.S. territories have no human population: Rose Atoll , Northern Islands Municipality , Baker Island , Howland Island , Jarvis Island , Johnston Atoll , Kingman Reef , and Navassa Island . The remaining three islands in
3100-782: Is no formal level of government (municipality, public education, or otherwise) existing below that of the county in the state. In most Midwestern and Northeastern states, counties are further subdivided into townships or towns , which sometimes exercise local powers or administration. Throughout the United States, counties may contain other independent, self-governing municipalities . In New England, counties function at most as judicial court districts and sheriff's departments (presently, in Connecticut only as judicial court districts—and in Rhode Island , they have lost both those functions and most others but they are still used by
3224-596: Is now 427-429 S. Kansas Avenue. Besides being used as the Kansas statehouse from 1863 to 1869, Constitution Hall is the site where antislavery settlers convened in 1855 to write the first of four state constitutions, making it the "Free State Capitol". The National Park Service recognizes Constitution Hall in Topeka as headquarters in the operation of the Lane Trail to Freedom on the Underground Railroad ,
3348-647: Is one of three state capitals with an indigenous name in a state with an indigenous name. For many millennia , Native Americans inhabited the Great Plains of North America. From the 16th to the mid-18th centuries, the Kingdom of France laid claim to large parts of North America. In 1762, late in the French and Indian War , France secretly ceded Louisiana west of the Mississippi River to Spain in
3472-410: Is rarely a county responsibility, execution of capital punishment is never a county responsibility, and the state's responses to prisoners' appeals are the responsibility of the state attorney general , who has to defend before the state appellate courts the prosecutions conducted by locally elected district attorneys in the name of the state. Furthermore, county-level trial court judges are officers of
3596-562: Is simultaneously a city, which is a municipality (municipal corporation), and a county, which is an administrative division of a state, having the powers and responsibilities of both types of entities. The city limit or jurisdiction is synonymous with the county line, as the two administrative entities become a non-dichotomous single entity. For this reason, a consolidated city-county is officially remarked as name of city – name of county (i.e., Augusta–Richmond County in Georgia). The same
3720-493: Is the capital city of the U.S. state of Kansas and the county seat of Shawnee County . It is along the Kansas River in the central part of Shawnee County, in northeast Kansas, in the Central United States . As of the 2020 census , the population of the city was 126,587. The Topeka metropolitan statistical area , which includes Shawnee, Jackson , Jefferson , Osage , and Wabaunsee Counties, had
3844-506: Is true of the boroughs of New York City , each of which is coextensive with a county of New York State. For those entities in which the city uses the same name as the county, city and county of name may be used (i.e., City and County of Denver in Colorado). Similarly, some of Alaska 's boroughs have merged with their principal cities, creating unified city-boroughs. Some such consolidations and mergers have created cities that rank among
Wabaunsee County, Kansas - Misplaced Pages Continue
3968-558: Is under way to continue to redevelop areas along the Kansas River, which runs west to east through Topeka. In the Kansas River Corridor through the center of town, downtown Topeka has experienced apartment and condominium loft development, and façade and streetscape improvements. On March 1, 2010, Topeka Mayor Bill Bunten issued a proclamation calling for Topeka to be known for the month of March as "Google, Kansas,
4092-652: The Alaska Constitutional Convention wanted to avoid the traditional county system and adopted their own unique model with different types of boroughs varying in powers and duties. In some states, these powers are partly or mostly devolved to the counties' smaller divisions usually called townships , though in New York, New England and Wisconsin they are called "towns". The county may or may not be able to override its townships on certain matters, depending on state law. The newest county in
4216-464: The Chicago, Kansas and Nebraska Railway built a main line from Topeka to Herington . This main line connected Topeka, Valencia , Willard , Maple Hill , Vera , Paxico , McFarland , Alma , Volland , Alta Vista , Dwight , White City , Latimer , Herington. A massive drought beginning in 1930 resulted in a series of dust storms that lasted until 1941. The drought combined with the onset of
4340-458: The City and County of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania ; City and County of San Francisco, California ; and Lynchburg-Moore County, Tennessee A consolidated city-county may still contain independent municipalities maintaining some governmental powers that did not merge with the rest of the county. For example, the government of Jacksonville–Duval County, Florida , still provides county-level services to
4464-608: The Civilian Conservation Corps , the Works Progress Administration , which put tens of thousands of Kansans to work as unskilled labor. Republican Governor Alf Landon also employed emergency measures, including a moratorium on mortgage foreclosures and a balanced budget initiative. The Agricultural Adjustment Administration succeeded in raising wheat prices after 1933, thus alleviating the most serious distress. During World War II,
4588-641: The Great Depression , forced farmers off the land. This ecological disaster caused an exodus of many farmers to escape from the hostile environment of Kansas. As the world demand for wheat plummeted, rural Kansas became poverty-stricken. The state became an eager participant in such major New Deal relief programs as the Civil Works Administration , the Federal Emergency Relief Administration ,
4712-603: The Mid-Atlantic and Midwest , counties typically provide, at a minimum, courts, public utilities , libraries, hospitals, public health services, parks, roads, law enforcement, and jails. There is usually a county registrar, recorder, or clerk (the exact title varies) who collects vital statistics , holds elections (sometimes in coordination with a separate elections office or commission), and prepares or processes certificates of births, deaths, marriages, and dissolutions (divorce decrees). The county recorder normally maintains
4836-566: The New York City Borough of Manhattan), with 72,033 persons per square mile (27,812 persons/km ) in 2015. The Yukon–Koyukuk Census Area, Alaska , is both the most extensive and the least densely populated county or county equivalent with 0.0380 persons per square mile (0.0147 persons/km ) in 2015. In the 50 states (plus the District of Columbia), a total of 981 counties have a population over 50,000; 592 counties have
4960-557: The Oregon Trail . About 60 miles (97 km) west of Kansas City, Missouri , three half- Kansas Indian sisters married to the French-Canadian Pappan brothers established a ferry service allowing travelers to cross the Kansas River at what is now Topeka. During the 1840s and into the 1850s, travelers could reliably find a way across the river, but little else was in the area. In the early 1850s, traffic along
5084-576: The Province of Maine founded York County . Massachusetts followed in 1643. Pennsylvania and New York delegated significant power and responsibility from the colony government to county governments and thereby established a pattern for most of the United States, although counties remained relatively weak in New England . When independence came, the framers of the Constitution left
Wabaunsee County, Kansas - Misplaced Pages Continue
5208-453: The Treaty of Fontainebleau . In 1800, Spain returned Louisiana to France. In 1803, the United States purchased the territory , which included most of the land of modern Kansas , from France for $ 15 million (~$ 371 million in 2023). In the 1840s, wagon trains made their way west from Independence, Missouri , on a journey of 2,000 miles (3,000 km), following what came to be known as
5332-463: The U.S. Census Bureau , the county has a total area of 800 square miles (2,100 km), of which 794 square miles (2,060 km) is land and 5.3 square miles (14 km) (0.7%) is water. Wabaunsee County is part of the Topeka , KS Metropolitan Statistical Area . As of the census of 2000, there were 6,885 people, 2,633 households, and 1,958 families residing in the county. The population density
5456-437: The U.S. Minor Outlying Islands ( Midway Atoll , Palmyra Atoll and Wake Island ) have small non-permanent human populations. The county equivalent with the smallest non-zero population counted in the census is Swains Island, American Samoa (17 people), although since 2008 this population has not been permanent either. The most densely populated county or county equivalent is New York County, New York (coextensive with
5580-582: The USGS counts Guam's election districts (villages) as county equivalents. The U.S. Census Bureau counts the 3 main islands in the U.S. Virgin Islands as county equivalents, while the USGS counts the districts of the U.S. Virgin Islands (of which there are 2) as county equivalents. Common sources of county names are names of people, geographic features, places in other states or countries, and animals. Quite
5704-490: The United States , a county or county equivalent is an administrative or political subdivision of a U.S. state or other territories of the United States which consists of a geographic area with specific boundaries and usually some level of governmental authority. The term " county " is used in 48 states, while Louisiana and Alaska have functionally equivalent subdivisions called parishes and boroughs , respectively. Counties and other local governments exist as
5828-609: The United States Census Bureau and some other federal agencies for some federal functions), and most of the governmental authority below the state level is in the hands of towns and cities . In several of Maine's sparsely populated counties, small towns rely on the county for law enforcement, and in New Hampshire several social programs are administered at the state level. In Connecticut, Rhode Island, and parts of Massachusetts, counties are now only geographic designations, and they do not have any governmental powers. All government
5952-471: The county seat ("parish seat" in Louisiana, "borough seat" in Alaska, or " shire town " in several New England counties). The county seat usually resides in a municipality. However, some counties may have multiple seats or no seat. In some counties with no incorporated municipalities, a large settlement may serve as the county seat. The power of county governments varies widely from state to state, as does
6076-478: The median land area of U.S. counties was 622 sq mi (1,610 km ), which is two-thirds of the median land area of a ceremonial county of England , and a little more than a quarter of the median land area of a French département . Counties in the western United States typically have a much larger land area than those in the eastern United States. For example, the median land area of counties in Georgia
6200-412: The 1966 tornado and has sustained steady economic growth. Washburn University, which lost several historic buildings, received financial support from the community and alumni to rebuild many school facilities. Today, university facilities offer more than one million square feet of modern academic and support space. In 1974, Forbes Air Force Base closed and more than 10,000 people left Topeka, influencing
6324-451: The 50 states and District of Columbia. There are an additional 100 county equivalents in the territories of the United States . The average number of counties per state is 62, with a range from the three counties of Delaware to the 254 counties of Texas . Southern and Midwestern states generally tend to have more counties than Western or Northeastern states, as many Northeastern states are not large enough in area to warrant
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#17327733236666448-461: The 50 states and the District of Columbia. If the 100 county equivalents in the U.S. territories are counted, then the total is 3,244 counties and county-equivalents in the United States. The idea of counties originated with the counties of England . English (after 1707, British ) colonists brought to their colonies in North America a political subdivision that they already used in
6572-521: The 54,092 households, 24.1% had children under the age of 18; 38.4% were married couples living together; 34.9% had a female householder with no husband present. 37.3% of households consisted of individuals and 15.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.2 and the average family size was 3.0. 22.7% of the population was under the age of 18, 9.3% from 18 to 24, 25.3% from 25 to 44, 24.0% from 45 to 64, and 18.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age
6696-997: The British metropole : the counties. Counties were among the earliest units of local government established in the Thirteen Colonies that would become the United States. Virginia created the first counties in order to ease the administrative workload in Jamestown . The House of Burgesses divided the colony first into four "incorporations" in 1617 and finally into eight shires (or counties) in 1634: James City , Henrico , Charles City , Charles River , Warrosquyoake , Accomac , Elizabeth City , and Warwick River . America's oldest intact county court records can be found at Eastville, Virginia , in Northampton (originally Accomac) County , dating to 1632. Maryland established its first county, St. Mary's in 1637. In 1639,
6820-633: The Oregon Trail was supplemented by trade on a new military road stretching from Fort Leavenworth through Topeka to the newly established Fort Riley . In 1854, after completion of the first cabin, nine men established the Topeka Town Association. The group included Cyrus K. Holliday , an "idea man", who became mayor of Topeka and founder of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad . Soon, steamboats were regularly docking at
6944-542: The Task Force to Overcome Racism in Topeka formed to address the problem in a more organized way. On June 8, 1966, Topeka was struck by a tornado rated F5 on the Fujita scale . It started on the southwest side of town, moving northeast, passing over a local landmark named Burnett's Mound. According to a local Indian legend, this mound was thought to protect the city from tornadoes if left undisturbed. A few years prior to
7068-592: The Topeka landing, depositing meat , lumber , and flour and returning eastward with potatoes , corn , and wheat . By the late 1860s, Topeka had become a commercial hub that offered many Victorian era comforts. Topeka was a bastion for the free-state movement during the problems in Kansas Territory between abolitionist and proslavery settlers (the latter of whom controlled the legal government based out of Lecompton ). After southern forces barricaded Topeka in 1856, Topeka's leaders took actions to defend
7192-448: The Topeka tornado stands as one of the most costly on record. It also helped bring to prominence future CBS and A&E broadcaster Bill Kurtis , who became well known for his televised admonition to "...take cover, for God's sake, take cover!" on WIBW-TV during the tornado. (The city is home of a National Weather Service Forecast Office that serves 23 counties in north-central, northeast, and east-central Kansas). Topeka recovered from
7316-518: The U.S. Army located a German prisoner of war camp at Lake Wabaunsee , near Eskridge. It was believed that the prisoners would be less of a security risk in North America, where there were fewer Nazi sympathizers, than they would be in Europe. The prisoners were paid $ 0.40 per hour and granted a daily noon lunch, in exchange for their help on farms and bridges throughout the region. According to
7440-655: The U.S. Census Bureau began to also count Connecticut's Councils of Governments , which took over some of the regional powers from the state's former county governments, as county equivalents. Territories of the United States do not have counties; instead, the United States Census Bureau also divides them into county equivalents. The U.S. Census Bureau counts American Samoa 's districts and atolls as county equivalents. American Samoa locally has places called "counties", but these entities are considered to be " minor civil divisions " (not true counties) by
7564-473: The U.S. Census Bureau recognized the state's nine Councils of Governments as replacement for the state's eight legacy counties for all statistical purposes; full implementation was completed in 2024. The average U.S. county population was 104,435 in 2019, while the median county, which is Nicholas County, West Virginia , had a population of 25,965 in 2019. The most populous county is Los Angeles County, California , with 10,014,009 residents in 2020. This number
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#17327733236667688-479: The U.S. Census Bureau treats American Samoa's three districts and two atolls as county equivalents). American Samoa's counties are treated as minor civil divisions. Most territories are directly divided into municipalities or similar units, which are treated as equivalent of counties for statistical purposes: The U.S. Census Bureau counts all of Guam as one county equivalent (with the FIPS code 66010), while
7812-690: The U.S. Census Bureau. The number of counties per state ranges from the three counties of Delaware to the 254 counties of Texas . County populations also vary widely: in 2017, according to the Census Bureau, more than half the U.S. population was concentrated in just 143 of the more than 3,000 counties, or just 4.6% of all counties; the five most populous counties, ordered from most to least, are Los Angeles County, California ; Cook County, Illinois ; Harris County, Texas ; Maricopa County, Arizona ; and San Diego County, California . As of 2022 , there are 3,144 counties and county-equivalents in
7936-489: The United States is the city and county of Broomfield, Colorado , established in 2001 as a consolidated city-county , previously part of four counties. The newest county equivalents are the Alaskan census areas of Chugach and Copper River , both established in 2019, and the Alaskan boroughs of Petersburg established in 2013, Wrangell established in 2008, and Skagway established in 2007. A consolidated city-county
8060-428: The age of 18 living with them, 64.30% were married couples living together, 6.30% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.60% were non-families. 23.00% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.80% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.57 and the average family size was 3.01. In the county, the population was spread out, with 26.70% under
8184-470: The age of 18, 6.20% from 18 to 24, 26.70% from 25 to 44, 24.80% from 45 to 64, and 15.60% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 102.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 101.30 males. The median income for a household in the county was $ 41,710, and the median income for a family was $ 47,500. Males had a median income of $ 31,629 versus $ 23,148 for females. The per capita income for
8308-588: The area were said to have been a band of outlaws known as the McDaniel Gang. In 1854, the Kansas Territory was organized and Wabaunsee County was created by the territorial legislature on March 25, 1859. The name used since 1859 is derived from the Potawatomi "Wah-bon-seh", meaning "dawn of day" literally, and it was the name of the chief of the Potawatomi Indians . Originally, the county
8432-402: The board. These positions may include county clerk , county treasurer , county surrogate, sheriff , and others. District attorneys or state attorneys are usually state-level as opposed to county-level officials, but in many states, counties and state judicial districts have coterminous boundaries. The site of a county's administration, and often the county courthouse , is generally called
8556-751: The capital city of fiber optics ". The name change came from Ryan Gigous, who wanted to "re-brand" the city with a simple gesture. This was to help "support continuing efforts to bring Google's fiber experiment " to Topeka, though it was not a legal name change. Lawyers advised the city council and mayor against an official name change. Google jokingly announced it would change its name to Topeka to "honor that moving gesture" on April 1, 2010 ( April Fools' Day ) and changed its home page to say Topeka. In its official blog, Google announced this change thus affected all of its services as well as its culture, e.g. "Googlers" to "Topekans", "Project Virgle" to "Project Vireka", and proper usage of "Topeka" as an adjective and not
8680-503: The cases. Shawnee County District Attorney Chad Taylor said the DA "would no longer prosecute misdemeanors committed in Topeka, including domestic battery, because his office could no longer do so after county commissioners cut his budget by 10%". The next day, Taylor said his office would "commence the review and filing of misdemeanors decriminalized by the City of Topeka". The same day, 17% of
8804-479: The chief slave escape passage and free-trade road. Although the drought of 1860 and the ensuing period of the Civil War slowed the growth of Topeka and the state, Topeka kept pace with the revival and period of growth Kansas enjoyed from the close of the war in 1865 until 1870. In the 1870s, many former slaves, known as Exodusters, settled on the east side of Lincoln Street between Munson and 12th Streets. The area
8928-432: The cities within the county are considered governmentally independent , and all figures for the townships include those of the cities. In the following table, the population center is the largest city (or cities) included in that township's population total, if it is of a significant size. 38°58′N 96°11′W / 38.967°N 96.183°W / 38.967; -96.183 County (United States) In
9052-485: The citizens again voted to extend the quarter-cent sales tax, this time for the economic development of Topeka and Shawnee County. In August, 2004, Shawnee County citizens voted to repeal the 2000 quarter-cent sales tax and replace it with a 12-year, half-cent sales tax designated for economic development, roads, and bridges. Each year, the sales tax provides $ 5 million designated for business development and job creation incentives, and $ 9 million for roads and bridges. Planning
9176-410: The city and the county at least nominally exist, they are properly classified as counties in their own right. Likewise, the boroughs of New York City are coextensive with counties and are therefore by definition also not county equivalents. There are technically no counties in U.S. territories. American Samoa has its own counties , but the U.S. Census Bureau does not treat them as counties (instead,
9300-547: The city beginning in 1911. Monroe Elementary, a segregated school that figured in the historic Brown v. Board of Education decision, through the efforts of the Brown Foundation working with the Kansas Congressional delegation place in the early 1990s, is now Brown v. Board of Education National Historic Site. The Brown Foundation is largely responsible for the content of the interpretive exhibits at
9424-582: The city was 36 years. The city's gender makeup was 47.8% male and 52.2% female. As of the 2000 census , 122,377 people, 52,190 households, and 30,687 families were residing in the city. The population density was 2,185.0 inhabitants per square mile (843.6/km ). There were 56,435 housing units at an average density of 1,007.6 per square mile (389.0/km ). The city's racial makeup was 78.5% White , 11.7% African American , 1.31% Native American , 1.09% Asian , 4.10% from other races, and 3.26% from two or more races . Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 8.9% of
9548-472: The city's growth patterns for years to come. During the 1980s, Topeka citizens voted to build a new airport and convention center and to change the form of city government. West Ridge Mall opened in 1988, replacing the White Lakes Mall , which opened in 1964. In 1989, Topeka became a motorsports mecca with the opening of Heartland Park Topeka . The Topeka Performing Arts Center opened in 1991. In
9672-421: The county (which merely implements state law). A typical criminal defendant will be arraigned and subsequently indicted or held over for trial before a trial court in and for a particular county where the crime occurred, kept in the county jail (if he is not granted bail or cannot make bail), prosecuted by the county's district attorney, and tried before a jury selected from that county. But long-term incarceration
9796-480: The county include: Other districts include: List of townships / incorporated cities / unincorporated communities / extinct former communities within Wabaunsee County. ‡ denotes a community with portions in an adjacent county. † denotes a community which is designated a Census-Designated Place (CDP) by the United States Census Bureau . Wabaunsee County is divided into thirteen townships . None of
9920-463: The county jail.) In several southern states, public school systems are organized and administered at the county level. As of 2024 , there were 2,999 counties, 64 Louisiana parishes , 19 organized boroughs and 11 census areas in Alaska, 9 Councils of Government in Connecticut, 41 independent cities , and the District of Columbia for a total of 3,144 counties and county equivalents in
10044-579: The county was $ 17,704. About 5.80% of families and 7.30% of the population were below the poverty line , including 8.40% of those under age 18 and 7.90% of those age 65 or over. County governance is overseen by a three member Board of Commissioners, each of whom is responsible for a separate district. Wabaunsee County is overwhelmingly Republican. No Democratic presidential candidate has won Wabaunsee County since Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1932, and since at least 1888 only Roosevelt in 1932 and 1936, plus William Jennings Bryan in 1896, have reached 41 percent of
10168-580: The county's vote for the Democratic Party. The county was however one of three Kansas counties – Anderson and Jefferson being the other two – to give a plurality to Ross Perot in 1992. Wabaunsee County was a prohibition, or "dry" , county until the Kansas Constitution was amended in 1986 and voters approved the sale of alcoholic liquor by the individual drink with a 30 percent food sales requirement. School districts based in
10292-438: The early 1990s, the city experienced business growth with Reser's Fine Foods locating in Topeka and expansions for Santa Fe and Hill's Pet Nutrition. During the 1990s, voters approved bond issues for public school improvements, including magnet schools, technology, air conditioning, classrooms, and a sports complex. Voters also approved a quarter-cent sales tax for a new law-enforcement center, and in 1996, approved an extension of
10416-511: The east wing, and then the west wing, and finally the central building, using Kansas limestone . In fall 1864, a stockade fort, later named Fort Simple , was built in the intersection of 6th and Kansas Avenues to protect Topeka, should Confederate forces then in Missouri decide to attack the city. It was abandoned by April 1865 and demolished in April 1867. State officers first used the state capitol in 1869, moving from Constitution Hall , what
10540-489: The employees in the district attorney's office were announced to be laid off. Topeka is sometimes cited as the home of Pentecostalism , as it was the site of Charles Fox Parham 's Bethel Bible College , where glossolalia was first claimed as the evidence of a spiritual experience referred to as the baptism of the Holy Spirit in 1901. It is also the home of Reverend Charles Sheldon , author of In His Steps , and
10664-696: The first Baháʼí community in Kansas, in Enterprise, in 1897. This was the second Baháʼí community in the Western Hemisphere. Topeka is home of the Westboro Baptist Church , a hate group according to the Southern Poverty Law Center . The homophobic church has garnered worldwide media attention for picketing the funerals of U.S. servicemen and women for what church members claim as "necessary to combat
10788-399: The four independent municipalities within its borders: Atlantic Beach , Baldwin , Jacksonville Beach , and Neptune Beach . The term county equivalents is used by the United States Census Bureau to describe divisions that are comparable to counties but called by different names: Consolidated city-counties are not designated county equivalents for administrative purposes; since both
10912-414: The free-state town from invasion. A militia was organized and stone fortifications were built on Quincy Street. The fortifications seemed to consist of low-lying earthwork levies strengthened by the presence of at least one cannon. The militia manned the fortifications until at least September 1856, when the siege around the town was lifted. After a decade of abolitionist and pro-slavery conflict that gave
11036-461: The general law of the state or by a charter specific to that county. States may allow only general-law counties, only charter counties, or both. Generally, general-law local governments have less autonomy than chartered local governments. Counties are usually governed by an elected body, variously called the county commission , board of supervisors , commissioners' court , county council , county court , or county legislature . In cases in which
11160-575: The geographically largest cities in the world, though often with population densities far below those of most urban areas. There are 40 consolidated city-counties in the U.S., including Augusta–Richmond County; the City and County of Denver, Colorado; the City and County of Honolulu, Hawaii ; Indianapolis–Marion County, Indiana ; Jacksonville–Duval County, Florida ; Louisville–Jefferson County, Kentucky ; Lexington–Fayette County, Kentucky ; Kansas City–Wyandotte County, Kansas ; Nashville–Davidson County, Tennessee ; New Orleans–Orleans Parish, Louisiana ;
11284-406: The historic site. The National Historic Site was opened by President George W. Bush on May 17, 2004. Topeka has struggled with the burden of racial discrimination even after Brown . New lawsuits attempted unsuccessfully to force suburban school districts that ring the city to participate in racial integration with the inner-city district. In the late 1980s, a group of citizens calling themselves
11408-624: The home of Oliver Brown, the named plaintiff in Brown v. Board of Education , which was the case responsible for eliminating the standard of "separate but equal", and requiring racial integration in American public schools. In 1960, the Census Bureau reported Topeka's population as 91.8% White and 7.7% Black. At the time the suit was filed, only the elementary schools were segregated in Topeka, and Topeka High School had been fully integrated since its inception in 1871. Furthermore, Topeka High School
11532-405: The judicial branch of the state government rather than county governments. In many states, the county controls all unincorporated lands within its boundaries. In states with a township tier, unincorporated land is controlled by the townships. Residents of unincorporated land who are dissatisfied with county-level or township-level resource allocation decisions can attempt to vote to incorporate as
11656-560: The least extensive county equivalent is Kingman Reef , with a land area of 0.01 square miles (0.03 km ). In some states, a municipality may be in only one county and may not annex territory in adjacent counties, but in the majority of states, the state constitution or state law allows municipalities to extend across county boundaries. At least 32 states include municipalities in multiple counties . Dallas , for example, contains portions of five counties, while numerous other cities comprise portions of four counties. New York City
11780-416: The legislative power to enact laws for the county; it has the executive power to oversee the executive operations of county government; and it has quasi-judicial power with regard to certain limited matters (such as hearing appeals from the planning commission if one exists). In many states, several important officials are elected separately from the board of commissioners or supervisors and cannot be fired by
11904-686: The matter to the states. Subsequently, state constitutions conceptualized county governments as arms of the state. Louisiana instead adopted the local divisions called parishes that dated back to both the Spanish colonial and French colonial periods when the land was dominated by the Catholic Church . In the twentieth century, the role of local governments strengthened and counties began providing more services, acquiring home rule and county commissions to pass local ordinances pertaining to their unincorporated areas . In 1955, delegates to
12028-521: The next most common source of county names are geographic features and locations, with some counties even being named after counties in other states, or for places in other countries, such as the United Kingdom (the latter is most common in the area of the original Thirteen Colonies in the case of the United Kingdom, or in places which had a large number of immigrants from a particular area for other countries). The most common geographic county name
12152-424: The official record of all real estate transactions. Other key county officials include the coroner / medical examiner , treasurer , assessor , auditor , comptroller , and district attorney . In most states, the county sheriff is the chief law enforcement officer in the county. However, except in major emergencies where clear chains of command are essential, the county sheriff normally does not directly control
12276-448: The police departments of city governments, but merely cooperates with them (e.g., under mutual aid pacts). Thus, the most common interaction between county and city law enforcement personnel is when city police officers deliver suspects to sheriff's deputies for detention or incarceration in the county jail. In most states, the state courts and local law enforcement are organized and implemented along county boundaries, but nearly all of
12400-401: The population. Of the 52,190 households , 28.0% had children under 18 living with them, 41.8% were married couples living together, 13.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.2% were not families. About 35.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.7% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.27, and the average family size
12524-425: The racial counts and placed in their own category) was 64.18% (81,243) White (non-Hispanic) , 9.93% (12,574) Black (non-Hispanic) , 0.92% (1,169) Native American (non-Hispanic) or Alaskan Native (non-Hispanic) , 1.61% (2,043) Asian (non-Hispanic) , 0.11% (135) Pacific Islander (non-Hispanic) , 0.36% (458) from other race (non-Hispanic) , 6.49% (8,216) Multiracial , and 16.39% (20,749) Hispanic or Latino . Of
12648-413: The railway started moving westward from Topeka, where general offices and machine shops of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad system were established in 1878. During the late 1880s, Topeka passed through a boom period that ended in disaster. Vast speculation on town lots occurred. The 1889 bubble burst, and many investors were ruined. Topeka, however, doubled in population during the period, and
12772-844: The rainfall is delivered by thunderstorms. These can be severe, producing frequent lightning , large hail , and sometimes tornadoes. An average of 100 days of measurable precipitation occur per year. Winter snowfall is light, as is the case in most of the state, as a result of the dry, sunny weather patterns that dominate Kansas winters, which do not allow for sufficient moisture for significant snowfall. Winter snowfall averages 17.1 in (43 cm). Measurable (≥0.1 in or 0.25 cm) snowfall occurs an average of 12 days per year, with at least 1.0 in (2.5 cm) of snow being received on five of those days. Snow depth of at least an inch occurs an average of 17.7 days per year. The 2020 United States census counted 126,587 people, 54,092 households, and 30,361 families in Topeka. The population density
12896-582: The relationship between counties and incorporated cities. The powers of counties arise from state law and vary widely. In Connecticut and Rhode Island , counties are geographic entities, but not governmental jurisdictions. At the other extreme, Maryland counties and the county equivalent City of Baltimore handle almost all services, including public education , although the state retains an active oversight authority with many of these services. Counties in Hawaii also handle almost all services since there
13020-621: The sales tax for the East Topeka Interchange connecting the Oakland Expressway, K-4, I-70, and the Kansas Turnpike. During the 1990s, Shawnee County voters approved tax measures to expand the Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library. The Kansas Legislature and governor also approved legislation to replace the majority of the property tax supporting Washburn University with a countywide sales tax. In 2000,
13144-488: The state's French and Spanish colonial periods. Before the Louisiana Purchase and granting of statehood, government was often administered in towns where major church parishes were located. Of the original 19 civil parishes of Louisiana that date from statehood in 1807, nine were named after the Roman Catholic parishes from which they were governed. The structure and powers of a county government may be defined by
13268-421: The substantive and procedural law adjudicated in state trial courts originates from the state legislature and state appellate courts. In other words, most criminal defendants are prosecuted for violations of state law, not local ordinances, and if they, the district attorney, or police seek reforms to the criminal justice system, they will usually have to direct their efforts towards the state legislature rather than
13392-399: The term "county equivalent" to describe places that are comparable to counties, but called by different names. Louisiana parishes, the organized boroughs of Alaska, independent cities, and the District of Columbia are equivalent to counties for administrative purposes. Alaska's Unorganized Borough is further divided into 11 census areas that are statistically equivalent to counties. In 2024,
13516-524: The territory the nickname Bleeding Kansas , it was admitted to the Union in 1861 as the 34th state. Topeka was chosen as the capital, with Charles Robinson as the first governor. In 1862, Cyrus K. Holliday donated a tract of land to the state for the construction of a state capitol. Construction of the Kansas State Capitol began in 1866. About 37 years were needed to build the capitol, first
13640-425: The tornado strike, development began near the mound, including a water tank constructed near the top of the mound against the warnings of local Native Americans. The tornado went on to rip through the city, hitting the downtown area and Washburn University. Total repair cost was put at $ 100 million, making it, at the time, one of the most costly tornadoes in American history. Even to this day, with inflation factored in,
13764-464: Was $ 32,634 (+/- $ 944). Approximately, 9.5% of families and 13.9% of the population were below the poverty line , including 16.7% of those under the age of 18 and 7.8% of those ages 65 or over. As of the census of 2010, the city had 127,473 people, 53,943 households, and 30,707 families. The population density was 2,118.5 inhabitants per square mile (818.0/km ). The 59,582 housing units averaged 990.2/sq mi (382.3/km ). The city's racial makeup
13888-409: Was $ 45,803. Males had a median income of $ 32,373 versus $ 25,633 for females. The city's per capita income was $ 19,555. About 8.5% of families and 12.4% of the population were below the poverty line , including 16.7% of those under age 18 and 8.2% of those age 65 or over. Although Topeka experienced problems with crime in the 1990s, the city's crime rates have improved since. Overall, crime in Topeka
14012-670: Was 2,060.3 per square mile (795.4/km ). There were 60,489 housing units at an average density of 984.5 per square mile (380.1/km ). The U.S. Census accounts for race by two methodologies. "Race alone" and "Race alone less Hispanics" where Hispanics are delineated separately as if a separate race. The racial makeup (including Hispanics in the racial counts) was 68.44% (86,642) white , 10.44% (13,218) black or African-American , 1.36% (1,723) Native American , 1.64% (2,073) Asian , 0.12% (153) Pacific Islander , 6.09% (7,707) from other races , and 11.91% (15,071) from two or more races. The racial and ethnic makeup (where Hispanics are excluded from
14136-413: Was 2.94. About 24.3% of the city's population was under age 18, 9.9% was from age 18 to 24, 28.9% was from age 25 to 44, 21.9% was from age 45 to 64, and 15.1% was age 65 or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.4 males. As of 2000, the city's median household income was $ 35,928, and the median family income
14260-473: Was 38.1 years. For every 100 females, the population had 91.0 males. For every 100 females ages 18 and older, there were 87.3 males. The 2016-2020 5-year American Community Survey estimates show that the median household income was $ 49,647 (with a margin of error of +/- $ 1,860) and the median family income $ 64,454 (+/- $ 1,541). Males had a median income of $ 36,601 (+/- $ 1,727) versus $ 29,303 (+/- $ 1,097) for females. The median income for those above 16 years old
14384-408: Was 76.2% White, 11.3% African American, 1.4% Native American, 1.3% Asian, 4.8% from other races, and 4.9% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 13.4% of the population. Non-Hispanic Whites were 69.7% of the population in 2010, down from 86.3% in 1970. Of the 53,943 households, 29.5% had children under 18 living with them, 37.9% were married couples living together, 14.2% had
14508-484: Was 9 people per square mile (3.5 people/km). There were 3,033 housing units at an average density of 4 per square mile (1.5/km). The racial makeup of the county was 97.24% White , 0.46% Black or African American , 0.49% Native American , 0.15% Asian , 0.06% Pacific Islander , 0.60% from other races , and 1.00% from two or more races. 1.86% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. There were 2,633 households, out of which 33.50% had children under
14632-402: Was able to weather the depressions of the 1890s. Early in the 20th century, another kind of boom, this time the automobile industry, took off, and numerous pioneering companies appeared and disappeared. Topeka was not left out. The Smith Automobile Company was founded there in 1902, lasting until 1912. Home to the first African-American kindergarten west of the Mississippi River, Topeka was
14756-440: Was dissolved by the District of Columbia Organic Act . Jefferson County , for Thomas Jefferson , is next with 26. The most recent president to have a county named for him was Warren G. Harding , reflecting the slowing rate of county creation since New Mexico and Arizona became states in 1912. The most common names for counties not named after a president are Franklin (25), Clay (18), and Montgomery (18). After people,
14880-528: Was down nearly 18% in the first half of 2008, compared with the same period of 2007. Topeka police reported a 6.4% drop in crime from 2007 to 2008, including significant reductions in business robberies and aggravated assaults and batteries, as well as thefts. On October 11, 2011, the Topeka city council agreed to repeal the ordinance banning domestic violence in an effort to force the Shawnee County District Attorney to prosecute
15004-772: Was known as Tennessee Town because so many of them were from the Volunteer State. Charles Sheldon, pastor of the Central Congregational Church, organized the first African American kindergarten west of the Mississippi in 1893. Lincoln College, now Washburn University , was established in 1865 in Topeka by a charter issued by the State of Kansas and the General Association of Congregational Ministers and Churches of Kansas. In 1869,
15128-685: Was named Richardson , after William Alexander Richardson , a congressman from Illinois, who introduced the first Kansas and Nebraska Bill in the House of Representatives, which made certain Indian lands territories in 1854. Also in 1854, the Beecher Bible and Rifle Church was established by a group of free-staters, who had rifles shipped to the church to be used in the free-state effort in boxes marked Bibles. Captain William Mitchell, Jr.,
15252-511: Was the only public high school in the city of Topeka. Other rural high schools existed, such as Washburn Rural High School—created in 1918—and Seaman High School—created in 1920. Highland Park High School became part of the Topeka school system in 1959 along with the opening of Topeka West High School in 1961. A Catholic high school —Assumption High School, later renamed Capitol Catholic High School, then in 1939 again renamed, to Hayden High School after its founder, Father Francis Hayden — also served
15376-638: Was the site where the famous question " What would Jesus do? " originated in a sermon of Sheldon's at Central Congregational Church. The First Presbyterian Church in Topeka is one of the few churches in the U.S. to have its sanctuary completely decorated with Tiffany stained glass (another is St. Luke's United Methodist in Dubuque, Iowa ; another is the Emmanuel Episcopal Church in Cumberland, Maryland ). The Roman Catholic population
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