Pratt County, Kansas
Pratt County, Kansas, experienced many disagreements over its county seat in its early years. Pratt, where the county seat remains today, was aided by the arrival of railroads in the 1880s. The town was prospering and did not feel the effects of the Great Depression until later than most places. Pratt Army Airfield was important during the years of World War II.
Pratt County, organized in 1879, is named after Second Lieutenant Caleb S. Pratt. He was killed while fighting in the Civil War. Pratt County was once part of the land that was the old Washington County, Peketon County, and later an enlargDelete Rowsed Marion County.
Pratt County immigration started significantly in 1877, and even more the following two years. Prior to this, the land had seen a few settlers, but at the time was not considered the best land. In fact, a large part of the county was the Osage Indian Reservation. In 1873, a traveling group originating in Hutchinson passed through and attempted to fraudulently organize Pratt and other counties they passed through. There were no settlers in the county and the county was not legally organized until 1879.
In 1874 a hunter and trapper by the name of “Skunk Johnson,” Indians attacked him and for fifteen days he withstood them trying to smoke him out. He killed some of them, and eventually they gave up and left him alone.
There was an election in 1879, which Iuka was the winner. Saratoga, one of the opposing towns, was not ready to accept this and took legal action ending up in the Supreme Court. A new election was held. A man by the name of W.F. Gibbons tried to pay Barber County residents to vote for Saratoga. This appeared to be in order until a dispute arose over the pay and the fraudulent votes were not cast. Iuka won the election. A movement started in 1885 to change the county seat to Pratt. Saratoga was once again not happy. Eventually in 1888, Pratt did become the county seat, where it remains today.
In the 1880s railroads came to the town of Pratt. One of the railroads was the Rock Island Railroad, which had a division point in the town.
The great blizzard of 1888 which lasted about 48 hours caused considerable death and hardship throughout the county. It was estimated that over 80 percent of cattle died in the storm.
The county seat, fared much better than many places when the Great Depression hit the nation. The effects were not felt as quickly, although it did affect the town eventually.
Farming continues to be important to the county, which is among the state’s leading winter wheat producers.
Pratt County properties listed in the National Register of Historic Places include the Hotel Roberts, constructed in 1930, that survived the Great Depression aided by the presence of a restaurant. In 1932 a hospital was established on the eighth floor of the hotel. In 1959 the hotel was sold and the name changed to Hotel Parish. It ceased to be a hotel in 1974. The parachute building and Norden Bombsight Storage Vaults were part of the World War II Pratt Army Airfield. The airfield held a few different purposes during its years of operation such as processing crews, training, temporary placement of groups about to be sent to the war, and preparation of B-29s.
J.S. Barnes migrated to Pratt in 1885 and became an important public servant. He was elected to the legislature in 1905, where he was the author of the Barnes High School Law allowing for county levy of taxes to establish high schools, a railroad switch law requiring railroads to extend side tracks to farmers’ elevators. He established the state fish and game law, which provided funds to establish the headquarters at Pratt. Other people with connections to Pratt include William Farmer, a voice actor and comedian, known for his work as the Disney characters, Goofy and Pluto.
There was an election in 1879, which Iuka was the winner. Saratoga, one of the opposing towns, was not ready to accept this and took legal action ending up in the Supreme Court. A new election was held. A man by the name of W.F. Gibbons tried to pay Barber County residents to vote for Saratoga. This appeared to be in order until a dispute arose over the pay and the fraudulent votes were not cast. Iuka won the election. A movement started in 1885 to change the county seat to Pratt. Saratoga was once again not happy. Eventually in 1888, Pratt did become the county seat, where it remains today.
In the 1880s railroads came to the town of Pratt. One of the railroads was the Rock Island Railroad, which had a division point in the town.
The great blizzard of 1888 which lasted about 48 hours caused considerable death and hardship throughout the county. It was estimated that over 80 percent of cattle died in the storm.
The county seat, fared much better than many places when the Great Depression hit the nation. The effects were not felt as quickly, although it did affect the town eventually.
Farming continues to be important to the county, which is among the state’s leading winter wheat producers.
Pratt County properties listed in the National Register of Historic Places include the Hotel Roberts, constructed in 1930, that survived the Great Depression aided by the presence of a restaurant. In 1932 a hospital was established on the eighth floor of the hotel. In 1959 the hotel was sold and the name changed to Hotel Parish. It ceased to be a hotel in 1974. The parachute building and Norden Bombsight Storage Vaults were part of the World War II Pratt Army Airfield. The airfield held a few different purposes during its years of operation such as processing crews, training, temporary placement of groups about to be sent to the war, and preparation of B-29s.
J.S. Barnes migrated to Pratt in 1885 and became an important public servant. He was elected to the legislature in 1905, where he was the author of the Barnes High School Law allowing for county levy of taxes to establish high schools, a railroad switch law requiring railroads to extend side tracks to farmers’ elevators. He established the state fish and game law, which provided funds to establish the headquarters at Pratt. Other people with connections to Pratt include William Farmer, a voice actor and comedian, known for his work as the Disney characters, Goofy and Pluto.
Quick Facts
| Date Established: | February 26, 1867 |
| Date Organized: | July 26, 1879 |
| County Seat: | Pratt |
| Kansas Region: | South Central |
| Physiographic Region: | High Plains and Arkansas River Lowlands |
| Courthouse: | 1923 |
Timeline
1867 - Pratt County is established.
1873 - A fraudulent attempt to organize the county takes place.
1879 - Pratt County is organized.
1880 - Railroads help come to the town of Pratt.
1888 - Pratt becomes the county seat.
1943 - 1945- Pratt Army Airfield is established and serves several purposes during the war such as preparation of B-29s.
More on Pratt County
- National and State Register
- Kansas Historical Markers
- Kansas Memory
- Archives Catalog
- Counties Database
- Pratt County Government
Sources
Entry: Pratt County, Kansas
Author: Kansas Historical Society
Author information: The Kansas Historical Society is a state agency charged with actively safeguarding and sharing the state's history.
Date Created: February 2010
Date Modified: August 2023
The author of this article is solely responsible for its content.
