Lyon County, Kansas

Lyon County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kansas. Its county seat and largest city is Emporia. As of the 2020 census, the county population was 32,179. The county was named for Nathaniel Lyon, a general who was killed at the Battle of Wilson's Creek during the Civil War.

History

Early history

For many millennia, the Great Plains of North America was inhabited by nomadic Native Americans. From the 16th century to 18th century, the Kingdom of France claimed ownership of large parts of North America. In 1762, after the French and Indian War, France secretly ceded New France to Spain, per the Treaty of Fontainebleau.

19th century In 1802, Spain returned most of the land to France, but keeping title to about 7,500 square miles. In 1803, most of the land for modern day Kansas was acquired by the United States from France as part of the 828,000 square mile Louisiana Purchase for 2.83 cents per acre.

In 1806, Zebulon Pike led the Pike Expedition westward from St Louis, Missouri, of which part of their journey followed the Cottonwood River through Lyon County.

In 1854, the Kansas Territory was organized, then in 1861 Kansas became the 34th U.S. state. In 1862, Lyon County was established from the county formerly known as Breckinridge County.

In 1871, the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway extended a main line from Emporia to Newton.Santa Fe Rail History

Geography According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (0.9%) is water.

Adjacent counties Wabaunsee County (north) Osage County (northeast) Coffey County (southeast) Greenwood County (south) Chase County (west) Morris County (northwest)

National protected area Flint Hills National Wildlife Refuge (part)

Demographics

Lyon County comprises the Emporia, KS Micropolitan Statistical Area.

Racial and ethnic composition +Lyon County, Kansas – Racial and ethnic compositionRace / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)Pop 1980 Pop 1990Pop 2000Pop 2010 Pop 2020% 1980% 1990% 2000% 2010% 2020White alone (NH)32,28931,06727,78624,70422,21991.97%89.45%77.32%73.33%69.05%Black or African American alone (NH)7457067857315992.12%2.03%2.18%2.17%1.86%Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)1741811421441220.50%0.52%0.40%0.43%0.38%Asian alone (NH)1736427187595660.49%1.85%2.00%2.25%1.76%Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH)x included in the Asian category in the 1980 Censusx included in the Asian category in the 1990 Census2115xx0.01%0.03%0.02%Other race alone (NH)1602224252250.46%0.06%0.07%0.07%0.70%Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)x not an option in the 1980 Censusx not an option in the 1990 Census4685611,187xx1.30%1.67%3.69%Hispanic or Latino (any race)1,5672,1146,0106,7557,2564.46%6.09%16.72%20.05%22.55%Total35,10834,73235,93533,69032,179 100.00%100.00%100.00%100.00%100.00%

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 32,179 and a median age of 35.7 years. 22.0% of residents were under the age of 18 and 16.5% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 96.2 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 94.5 males age 18 and over. 74.8% of residents lived in urban areas, while 25.2% lived in rural areas.

The racial makeup of the county was 74.0% White, 2.0% Black or African American, 0.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.8% Asian, 0.0% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 11.7% from some other race, and 9.6% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 22.5% of the population.

There were 13,183 households in the county, of which 28.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 26.6% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 31.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

There were 14,957 housing units, of which 11.9% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 61.3% were owner-occupied and 38.7% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.7% and the rental vacancy rate was 12.0%.

2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 35,935 people, 13,691 households, and 8,639 families residing in the county. The population density was . There were 14,757 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 83.27% White, 2.27% Black or African American, 0.47% Native American, 2.04% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 9.79% from other races, and 2.16% from two or more races. 16.72% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 13,691 households, out of which 32.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.80% were married couples living together, 8.40% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.90% were non-families. 28.50% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.80% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.51 and the average family size was 3.12.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 25.70% under the age of 18, 16.20% from 18 to 24, 27.20% from 25 to 44, 19.10% from 45 to 64, and 11.60% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.20 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $32,819, and the median income for a family was $43,112. Males had a median income of $28,865 versus $21,338 for females. The per capita income for the county was $15,724. About 9.60% of families and 14.50% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.60% of those under age 18 and 9.20% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Presidential elections Typical of Kansas, Lyon County has been strongly Republican for most of its history, although in recent times, the county isn’t as Republican as other rural counties in Kansas, owing to the presence of Emporia State University. In only seven presidential elections from 1880 to the present has the county failed to back the Republican candidate, the most recent being Lyndon B. Johnson in his national landslide of 1964. The Republican party did come close to losing the county in 1992 and 2008, however.

Laws Lyon 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. The food sales requirement was removed with voter approval in 1992.

The county voted "No" on the 2022 Kansas abortion referendum, an anti-abortion ballot measure, by 63% to 37% despite backing Donald Trump with 54% of the vote to Joe Biden's 43% in the 2020 presidential election.

Education

Colleges and universities Emporia State University in Emporia Flint Hills Technical College in Emporia

Unified school districts School districts include: - Text list North Lyon County USD 251 Southern Lyon County USD 252 Emporia USD 253

School districts with offices in neighboring counties Chase County USD 284 Lebo-Waverly USD 243 Madison-Virgil USD 386 Morris County USD 417 Wabaunsee East USD 330

Communities

List of townships / incorporated cities / unincorporated communities / extinct former communities within Lyon County.

Cities

Admire Allen Americus Bushong Emporia (county seat) Hartford Neosho Rapids Olpe Reading

Unincorporated communities Miller Plymouth

Townships Lyon County is divided into eleven townships. The city of Emporia is considered governmentally independent and is excluded from the census figures for the townships. 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.

Sources: 2000 U.S. Gazetteer from the U.S. Census Bureau. Township FIPS Populationcenter Population Populationdensity/km2 (/sq mi) Land areakm2 (sq mi) Water areakm2 (sq mi) Water % Geographic coordinates Agnes City 00525 430 2 (4) 279 (108) 0 (0) 0.15% Americus 01700 1,503 7 (17) 225 (87) 1 (0) 0.35% Center 11800 1,198 4 (10) 308 (119) 3 (1) 0.82% Elmendaro 20687 788 4 (10) 257 (99) 1 (0) 0.31% Emporia 21300 907 8 (21) 143 (55) 2 (1) 1.20% Fremont 24750 903 5 (12) 184 (71) 1 (0) 0.33% Ivy 34700 269 3 (9) 88 (34) 0 (0) 0.07% Jackson 34825 979 4 (11) 227 (88) 1 (1) 0.62% Pike 55825 1,034 6 (17) 139 (54) 0 (0) 0.35% Reading 58625 487 3 (8) 175 (67) 1 (1) 0.79% Waterloo 75925 284 2 (5) 154 (59) 1 (0) 0.40%

Notable people

R. Lee Ermey was born in Emporia on March 24, 1944, and died on April 15, 2018. He was a retired United States Marine Corps Gunnery Sergeant, Drill Instructor and actor. Ermey was often best known for his roles of authority figures, such as his breakout performance as Gunnery Sergeant Hartman in Full Metal Jacket, Mayor Tilman in the Alan Parker film Mississippi Burning, Bill Bowerman in Prefontaine, Sheriff Hoyt in The Texas Chainsaw Massacre remake, and plastic army men leader Sarge in the Toy Story films.

Homer Woodson Hargiss was an innovative college football coach who regularly used the forward pass and records show that it was used as early as 1910, three years before Knute Rockne began to call the play. He was head coach at both the College of Emporia and Emporia State.Emporia Gazette, 1910 Forward PassDefinitive use of forward pass and the option pass in 1910 by Bill Hargiss He is also credited with inventing the huddle.

Jerry Kill was the head football coach for the Minnesota Golden Gophers. He has over 100 wins in his career as a head coach, having worked as a head coach through several institutions at the college level.

Dean Smith is a retired American head coach of men's college basketball. Originally from Emporia, Kansas, Smith has been called a “coaching legend” by the Basketball Hall of Fame. Smith is best known for his successful 36-year coaching tenure at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Smith coached from 1961 to 1997 and retired as the NCAA Division I men's basketball record-holder for victories (879), a record which was surpassed by Bob Knight in 2007, Mike Krzyzewski in 2011, and Jim Boeheim in 2012. During his tenure as head coach of North Carolina, the team won two national titles and appeared in 11 Final Fours.

William Allen White was a renowned American newspaper editor, politician, author, and leader of the Progressive movement. Between 1896 and his death White became the iconic spokesman for middle America. He won a 1923 Pulitzer Prize for his editorial "To an Anxious Friend," published July 27, 1922, after being arrested in a dispute over free speech following objections to the way the state of Kansas handled the men who participated in the Great Railroad Strike of 1922.

Maud Wagner was the first known female tattoo artist in the United States. She was a circus performer and traveled with her husband as both tattoo artists and as "tattooed attractions."

Lyon County, Kansas

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