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Stanton County, Kansas

Stanton County, Kansas, was affected by the Dust Bowl Years of the 1930s, as dust storms hit the state. The Hugoton and Panoma Gas fields are partially located in the county.

Stanton County, Kansas, organized in 1887, was named for Edwin McMasters Stanton, who was Secretary of War for several years in the 1862, including for part of the Civil War. The county was once part of the land that was the old Washington County, Peketon County, and later an enlarged Marion County.

While the county was established in 1873, it was taken over by Hamilton for a few years in the 1880s before the county was returned back to the way it was. Johnson City ended up with the title of county seat, which it still holds today.

File:Stanton County Courthouse (Kansas) from W 1.JPG - Wikimedia CommonsDuring the 1930s, a serious drought combined with other factors, led to what is well-known as the Dust Bowl. Terrible dust storms hit Kansas, including Stanton County. Individuals affected by the dust storms had to fight the dust and the sickness that sometimes came with it as the dust entered their lungs.

In the 1920s, natural gas was discovered in nearby counties. Industrialization of the Hugoton Gas Field became important to the region. While it started to become an industry in the late 1920s, regulations on the industry began in the 1930s. Both the Hugoton and Panoma Gas Fields are partially in Stanton County. Agriculture has been and continues to be another important industry for the county.

C.E. Van Meter is an interesting figure with connections to the county. He was a minister, editor, merchant, farmer, schoolteacher, railroad booster, and county official at one time or another throughout his life. He died in 1946.

Quick Facts

Date Established: March 20, 1873
Date Organized: June 17, 1887
County Seat: Johnson City
Kansas Region: Southwest
Physiographic Region: High Plains
Courthouse: 1925-1926

Timeline

1873 - Stanton County is established.
1887 - Stanton County is organized.
1920 - 1930 - Discovery of the Hugoton Gas Field, and after a few years becomes an important industry in that region of Kansas.
1930 - Dust Bowl Years. 

More on Shanton County

Entry: Stanton 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.