Lyon County, Kansas
county in Kansas, United States From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Lyon County (standard abbreviation: LY) is a county in the U.S. state of Kansas. In 2020, 32,179 people lived there.[1] The county seat Emporia. Emporia is also the biggest city in Lyon County.[2] The county was named after General Nathaniel Lyon, who was killed at the Battle of Wilson's Creek in the American Civil War.[3]
Lyon County | |
|---|---|
 Lyon County Courthouse in Emporia (2009) | |
 Location within the U.S. state of Kansas | |
 Kansas's location within the U.S. | |
| Coordinates: 38°27′N 96°09′W | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Kansas |
| Founded | February 5, 1862 |
| Named for | Nathaniel Lyon |
| Seat | Emporia |
| Largest city | Emporia |
| Area | |
| • Total | 855 sq mi (2,210 km2) |
| • Land | 847 sq mi (2,190 km2) |
| • Water | 7.9 sq mi (20 km2) 0.9% |
| Population | |
| • Total | 32,179 |
| • Density | 38.0/sq mi (14.7/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Congressional district | 2nd |
| Website | lyoncounty |
19th century
In 1806, Zebulon Pike led the Pike expedition west from St Louis, Missouri. Part of their journey followed the Cottonwood River through Lyon County.[4]
In 1862, Lyon County was created from the county formerly known as Breckinridge County.[5]
In 1871, the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway extended a railroad from Emporia to Newton.[6]
The U.S. Census Bureau says that the county has a total area of 855 square miles (2,210 km2). Of that, 847 square miles (2,190 km2) is land and 7.9 square miles (20 km2) (0.9%) is water.[7]
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1870 | 8,014 | — | |
| 1880 | 17,326 | 116.2% | |
| 1890 | 23,196 | 33.9% | |
| 1900 | 25,074 | 8.1% | |
| 1910 | 24,927 | −0.6% | |
| 1920 | 26,154 | 4.9% | |
| 1930 | 29,240 | 11.8% | |
| 1940 | 26,424 | −9.6% | |
| 1950 | 26,576 | 0.6% | |
| 1960 | 26,928 | 1.3% | |
| 1970 | 32,071 | 19.1% | |
| 1980 | 35,108 | 9.5% | |
| 1990 | 34,732 | −1.1% | |
| 2000 | 35,935 | 3.5% | |
| 2010 | 33,690 | −6.2% | |
| 2020 | 32,179 | −4.5% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census[8] 1790-1960[9] 1900-1990[10] 1990-2000[11] 2010-2020[1] | |||
Lyon County comprises the Emporia, KS Micropolitan Statistical Area.
Presidential elections
Emporia County has been very Republican for most of its history. The last time a Democrat won the county was Lyndon B. Johnson in 1964.
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third Parties |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 53.7% 7,550 | 43.1% 6,055 | 3.2% 444 |
| 2016 | 52.5% 6,552 | 37.3% 4,649 | 10.2% 1,271 |
| 2012 | 54.5% 6,470 | 43.0% 5,111 | 2.5% 294 |
| 2008 | 51.9% 6,698 | 45.9% 5,924 | 2.2% 289 |
| 2004 | 59.2% 7,951 | 38.9% 5,234 | 1.9% 255 |
| 2000 | 53.4% 6,652 | 41.7% 5,190 | 4.9% 613 |
| 1996 | 50.0% 6,612 | 36.9% 4,884 | 13.1% 1,725 |
| 1992 | 34.7% 5,090 | 32.8% 4,811 | 32.4% 4,755 |
| 1988 | 55.3% 6,820 | 43.1% 5,314 | 1.6% 200 |
| 1984 | 69.4% 9,796 | 29.7% 4,188 | 1.0% 137 |
| 1980 | 57.9% 8,431 | 32.2% 4,680 | 9.9% 1,440 |
| 1976 | 52.6% 7,062 | 42.0% 5,634 | 5.5% 732 |
| 1972 | 69.7% 9,157 | 28.3% 3,720 | 2.0% 266 |
| 1968 | 57.3% 6,558 | 35.1% 4,020 | 7.6% 868 |
| 1964 | 45.2% 5,184 | 54.1% 6,197 | 0.7% 81 |
| 1960 | 60.9% 7,470 | 38.8% 4,755 | 0.3% 41 |
| 1956 | 67.3% 8,021 | 32.2% 3,831 | 0.5% 59 |
| 1952 | 68.0% 8,544 | 31.4% 3,944 | 0.6% 80 |
| 1948 | 50.0% 5,941 | 48.1% 5,708 | 1.9% 227 |
| 1944 | 52.9% 5,710 | 46.2% 4,984 | 1.0% 105 |
| 1940 | 52.3% 6,918 | 46.7% 6,170 | 1.0% 131 |
| 1936 | 44.7% 6,005 | 54.7% 7,340 | 0.6% 80 |
| 1932 | 47.4% 6,044 | 49.9% 6,365 | 2.7% 347 |
| 1928 | 75.5% 8,753 | 23.8% 2,761 | 0.7% 81 |
| 1924 | 57.3% 6,290 | 25.1% 2,750 | 17.6% 1,934 |
| 1920 | 61.1% 5,492 | 36.7% 3,303 | 2.2% 195 |
| 1916 | 40.3% 4,215 | 53.4% 5,584 | 6.4% 665 |
| 1912 | 17.4% 962 | 42.8% 2,363 | 39.8% 2,200 |
| 1908 | 50.9% 2,973 | 43.8% 2,562 | 5.3% 309 |
| 1904 | 62.1% 3,450 | 26.3% 1,461 | 11.6% 643 |
| 1900 | 50.7% 3,083 | 47.1% 2,865 | 2.2% 131 |
| 1896 | 45.9% 2,860 | 52.6% 3,276 | 1.5% 93 |
| 1892 | 48.5% 2,591 | 51.5% 2,753[lower-alpha 1] | |
| 1888 | 60.1% 3,014 | 27.5% 1,377 | 12.4% 624 |
Presidential Elections Results
Unified school districts
- North Lyon County USD 251
- Southern Lyon County USD 252
- Emporia USD 253
Colleges and universities
- Emporia State University
- Flint Hills Technical College
Cities
R. Lee Ermey was born in Emporia on March 24, 1944. He 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 performance as Gunnery Sergeant Hartman in Full Metal Jacket.
William Allen White was an American newspaper editor, politician, author, and leader of the Progressive movement. Between 1896 and his death White became the spokesman for middle America. He won a 1923 Pulitzer Prize for his editorial "To an Anxious Friend," published July 27, 1922. This was after being arrested in a disagreement over free speech. This was after there were objections to the way the state of Kansas handled the men who took part in the Great Railroad Strike of 1922.
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