History

Organized in 1867. Hays is the county seat. Named in memory of George Ellis, First Lieutenant of Company I, Twelfth Kansas Infantry, killed in battle April 30, 1864, at Jenkins Ferry, Arkansas.   Map and text from History of Kansas, Noble Prentis, 1899

Cities, Towns, & Villages of Ellis County

                           2000
    Town                Population  ZIP         Year  Elevation
    =================   ==========  =========   ====  =========
    Antonino                        67601               2100
    Catherine                       67627       1876    2017
    Ellis                    1,873  67637               2117
    Emmeram                                             2002
    Hays                    20,013  67601               2010
    Hog Back                                            2074
    Midian                                              1411
    Munjor                                              1946
    Pfeifer                         67660                875
    Schoenchen                 214  67667               1936
    Toulon                                              2005
    Turkville                                           1828
    Victoria                 1,208  67671               1940
    Walker                          67674               1942
    Yocemento                                   1906    2051

Special Places in Ellis County

• The limestone St. Fidelis Church, the Cathedral of the Plains, in Victoria is a magnificent Catholic church built by German settlers. It was dedicated August 27, 1911
• Saint Mary's church in Antonino is an "almost new" brick church since it was built in 1952.
• The KSU Agricultural Research Center-Hays is the largest dryland research center in the world, and has been in operation for over 100 years.

Libraries

• Ellis Public Library   (785) 726-3464
  911 Washington / P. O. Box 107, Ellis, KS 67637
• Hays Public Library   (785) 625-9014
  1205 Main, Hays, KS 67601

Museums

• Ellis Railroad Museum   (785) 726-4493
  911 Washington St, Ellis, KS 67637
  Full of memorabilia
   
  
• Walter Chrysler Home & Museum   (785) 726-3636   chrysler@eaglecom.net
  Tenth & Washington, Ellis, KS 67637
   
  
• Ellis County Historical Society Museum   (785) 628-2624
  100 W. 7th, Hays, KS 67601
  Old stone chapel; Volga-German house
   
  
• Fort Hays   785-625-6812   State Historic Site
  1272 Alternate Hwy 183, Hays, KS 67601
  Old stone buildings from the frontier military post.
   
  
• Sternberg Museum   (785) 628-4286
  3000 Sternberg Drive, Hays KS 67601
  Extensive fossil collection, including "fish within a fish," and animated, life-size dinosaurs.

Ellis County School Systems

• USD 388 Ellis   (785) 726-4281 Ellis
• USD 432 Victoria   (785) 735-9212 Victoria
• USD 489 Hays   (785) 623-2400 Hays

Colleges & Universities

• Fort Hays State University   (785) 628-4000
  600 Park St.,Hays, KS 67601
• North Central Kansas Technical College   1-888-567-4297
  2205 Wheatland, Hays, KS 67601

Hospitals

• Hays Medical Center   (785) 623-5000
  201 E 7th St., Hays, KS 67601

Newspapers

• Ellis County Star
• Ellis Review (785) 726-4583
  822 Washington. Ellis, KS 67637
• Hays Daily News   (785) 628-1081
  507 Main Street / P. O. Box 857, Hays, KS 67601

More Data About Ellis County

Genealogy

• Ellis County KSGenWeb

Ellis County Offices

• Ellis County   (785) 628-9410
  1204 Fort St., Hays, KS 67601
• Extension Service (785) 628-9430
  601 Main Street - Suite A, Hays, KS 67601

For more about Ellis County contact:

• Ellis Chamber of Commerce   (785) 726-3636
  PO BOX 229, Ellis, KS 67637
• Hays CVB   (785) 628-8202
  2700 Vine , Hays, KS 67601-1926