Gray County | |
---|---|
Former Gray County courthouse in Cimarron (2015) | |
![]() Location within the U.S. state of Kansas | |
![]() Kansas's location within the U.S. | |
Coordinates: 37°44′00″N 100°25′59″W / 37.7333°N 100.433°W | |
Country | ![]() |
State | ![]() |
Founded | March 13, 1881 |
Named for | Alfred Gray |
Seat | Cimarron |
Largest city | Cimarron |
Area | |
• Total | 869 sq mi (2,250 km2) |
• Land | 869 sq mi (2,250 km2) |
• Water | 0.4 sq mi (1 km2) 0.05% |
Population | |
• Total | 5,653 |
• Density | 6.5/sq mi (2.5/km2) |
Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
Congressional district | 1st |
Website | GrayCo.org |
Gray County (county code GY) is a county in the U.S. state of Kansas. In 2020, 5,653 people lived there.[1] Its county seat is Cimarron. Cimarron is also the biggest city in Gray County.[2]
Gray County was created in 1881. It was named after Alfred Gray.[3] Between 1887 and 1893, a county seat war happened in Gray County that involved several notable Old West figures, such as Bat Masterson, Bill Tilghman, and Ben Daniels. Because of this, Cimarron became the permanent county seat of Gray County.[4]
The U.S. Census Bureau says that the county has a total area of 869 square miles (2,250 km2). Of that, 869 square miles (2,250 km2) is land and 0.4 square miles (1.0 km2) (0.05%) is water.[5]
Since 2001, NextEra Energy Resources has operated the biggest wind farm in Kansas. They have 170 turbines. They can generate up to 110 megawatts. It is on a 12,000-acre (49 km2) site near Montezuma.[6]
Historical population | |||
---|---|---|---|
Census | Pop. | %± | |
1890 | 2,415 | — | |
1900 | 1,264 | −47.7% | |
1910 | 3,121 | 146.9% | |
1920 | 4,711 | 50.9% | |
1930 | 6,211 | 31.8% | |
1940 | 4,773 | −23.2% | |
1950 | 4,894 | 2.5% | |
1960 | 4,380 | −10.5% | |
1970 | 4,516 | 3.1% | |
1980 | 5,138 | 13.8% | |
1990 | 5,396 | 5.0% | |
2000 | 5,904 | 9.4% | |
2010 | 6,006 | 1.7% | |
2020 | 5,653 | −5.9% | |
U.S. Decennial Census[7] 1790–1960[8] 1900–1990[9] 1990–2000[10] 2010–2020[1] |
Gray County has the highest percentage of followers of the Church of God in Christ, Mennonite in the US. There were 1,032 members of the Church in Gray County in 2010, which is 17.18% of the total number of people in Gray County. It is the biggest Church in the county.[11]
Gray county is often won by Republican candidates. The last time a Democratic candidate won this county was in 1976 by Jimmy Carter.
Year | Republican | Democratic | Third Parties |
---|---|---|---|
2020 | 83.5% 1,911 | 14.9% 341 | 1.6% 36 |
2016 | 82.2% 1,698 | 12.7% 263 | 5.1% 105 |
2012 | 81.9% 1,603 | 16.6% 324 | 1.6% 31 |
2008 | 77.5% 1,643 | 20.6% 436 | 1.9% 40 |
2004 | 80.9% 1,816 | 18.2% 408 | 0.9% 21 |
2000 | 75.5% 1,631 | 22.3% 482 | 2.2% 47 |
1996 | 71.5% 1,457 | 19.8% 404 | 8.6% 176 |
1992 | 47.8% 1,039 | 20.4% 443 | 31.8% 691 |
1988 | 61.6% 1,180 | 36.3% 696 | 2.1% 41 |
1984 | 74.3% 1,580 | 24.2% 514 | 1.5% 32 |
1980 | 63.7% 1,310 | 28.3% 583 | 8.0% 164 |
1976 | 42.1% 837 | 55.9% 1,111 | 2.1% 41 |
1972 | 69.2% 1,235 | 28.6% 511 | 2.2% 40 |
1968 | 55.3% 952 | 35.5% 612 | 9.2% 159 |
1964 | 35.9% 643 | 63.4% 1,136 | 0.8% 14 |
1960 | 60.6% 1,150 | 39.2% 744 | 0.3% 5 |
1956 | 66.8% 1,278 | 32.8% 627 | 0.5% 9 |
1952 | 73.5% 1,515 | 26.1% 537 | 0.4% 9 |
1948 | 53.7% 1,035 | 45.1% 869 | 1.2% 24 |
1944 | 57.0% 1,057 | 41.8% 775 | 1.2% 22 |
1940 | 51.9% 1,056 | 47.3% 962 | 0.9% 18 |
1936 | 34.3% 764 | 65.6% 1,459 | 0.1% 2 |
1932 | 39.3% 910 | 58.2% 1,348 | 2.6% 59 |
1928 | 67.5% 1,294 | 31.6% 606 | 0.9% 18 |
1924 | 59.3% 959 | 28.7% 463 | 12.0% 194 |
1920 | 62.2% 962 | 32.8% 507 | 5.0% 78 |
1916 | 38.7% 660 | 52.1% 889 | 9.3% 158 |
1912 | 16.0% 112 | 34.6% 243 | 49.4% 347 |
1908 | 46.8% 372 | 42.5% 338 | 10.7% 85 |
1904 | 64.5% 285 | 25.6% 113 | 10.0% 44 |
1900 | 55.8% 188 | 43.0% 145 | 1.2% 4 |
1896 | 53.5% 153 | 46.5% 133 | 0.0% 0 |
1892 | 54.4% 274 | 45.6% 230 | |
1888 | 53.8% 417 | 34.6% 268 | 11.6% 90 |
Although the Kansas Constitution was changed in 1986 to allow the sale of alcohol, Gray County is still a "dry" county.[13]