Anderson County, KS

History

Organized in 1855. County seat Garnett. Received its name from Jos. C. Anderson, of Missouri, who was a member of the first Kansas Territorial Legislature, and Speaker pro tem. of the House of Representatives.

Map and text from History of Kansas, Noble Prentis, (Winfield: E.P. Greer. 1899)

Garnett was the birthplace of Arthur Capper, publisher, governor, and longtime U. S. Senator.

William G. Cutler's History of Kansas, first published in 1883, tells about early Anderson County.

There is a section on Anderson County in the book Kansas: a Cyclopedia Of State History by Frank Blackmar (1912).

The Special Collections of the Ablah Library at WSU contain historical images of Anderson County towns: Colony, Garnett, and Westphalia.

The Kansas State Historical Society also has more historical data for Anderson County online including a rich bibliography and lists of cemeteries, post offices, and newspapers.

Cities, Towns, & Villages of Anderson County

                           2000
    Town                Population  ZIP         Year  Elevation
    =================   ==========  =========   ====  =========
    Bush City                                           1031
    Central                                              970
    Colony                     397  66015       1872    1130
    Garnett                  3,368  66032       1856    1049
    Glenlock                                            1005
    Greeley                    327  66033                880
    Harris                      53                       995
    Kincaid                    178  66039               1045
    Lone Elm                    27                      1100
    Mont Ida                                            1053
    Scipio                                              1026
    Selma                                               1065
    Vance                                               1060
    Welda                           66091               1100
    Westphalia                 165  66093               1100

Census Bureau Profile & Map

Special Places in Anderson County

The county has a rail converted to trail for hiking and bicycling, called the Praire Spirit Trail that currently runs 33 miles, from Welda north to Ottawa (in Franklin County).

Libraries

Colony City Library
339 Cherry St / P. O. Box 68 / Colony, KS 66015
Garnett Public Library
125 W Fourth Ave / Garnett, KS 66032

Museums

Anderson County Historical Museum (785) 448-5740
Sixth Avenue & Highway US 59 / Garnett, KS 66032

Anderson County School Systems

USD 365 Garnett (785) 448-6155 Garnett
USD 479 Crest (620) 852-3540 Colony

Newspapers

Anderson Countian (785) 448-3121
112 W. 6th / Garnett, KS 66032-0409
Anderson County Review (785) 448-3121
Garnett Publishing, Inc., P.O. Box 409 / Garnett, KS 66032
Garnett Review (785) 448-3121
112 W. 6th / Garnett, KS 66032

More Data About Anderson County

Health Data

KDHE's Anderson County Health Profile

Genealogy

Anderson County KSGenWeb

Anderson County Offices

Anderson County (785) 448-6841
100 E. 4th. Ave. / Garnett, KS 66032
District Court (785) 448-6886
Extension Service (785) 448-6826
411 S Oak, PO Box 423, Garnett, KS 66032-0423

For more about Anderson County contact:

City of Garnett (785) 448-5496
P. O. Box H, Garnett, KS 66032
Anderson County Economic Development (785) 448-6767
419 S. Oak, Garnett, KS 66032