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.
During 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
- National and State Register
- Kansas Historical Markers
- Kansas Memory
- Archives Catalog
- Counties Database
- Stanton County Government
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.