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You are here: Blue Skyways > Kansas > Counties > Allen Location of Allen County in Kansas
County Seat: Iola
Founded: 1855
Population:
  · 14,385 (2000)
  · 14,638 (1990)
  · 19,507 (1900)
Area: 505 Square Miles
Standard Abbreviation: AL

Allen County

 Allen County Courthouse in Iola, Kansas. Photo by Susan Howell.
Allen County Courthouse, in Iola 

History

Map of Allen County, KS, in 1899-scanned and modified for the web by John Howell
Organized in 1855. County Seat, Iola. Named in honor of William Allen, of Ohio, who was for many years a member of the United States Senate from that Commonwealth, and also its governor. He favored the doctrine of popular sovereignty on the opening of the Territory of Kansas to settlement.
Map and text from History of Kansas, Noble Prentis, 1899

 
William G. Cutler's History of Kansas, first published in 1883, tells about early Allen County.
 
There is a section on Allen County in the book Kansas: a Cyclopedia Of State History by Frank Blackmar (1912).
 
The Special Collections of the Ablah Library at WSU contain historical Savonburg photos, Gas photos, Humboldt photos, Iola photos, & Elsmore photos.
 
The Kansas State Historical Society also has more historical data for Allen County online including a rich bibliography and lists of cemeteries, post offices, and newspapers.

Cities, Towns, & Villages of Allen County

                 2000
  Year  Elev  Population Name              ZIP
  ====  ====  ========== ================ =====
         965          22 Bassett
        1020             Bayard
        1005             Carlyle          66749
        1050          73 Elsmore          66732
        1020         556 Gas              66742
        1020             Geneva
  1857   970       1,999 Humboldt         66748
  1859   965       6,302 Iola             66749
  1881  1040         706 La Harpe         66751
         992             Leanna
  1907  1064          36 Mildred          66039
        1110         562 Moran            66755
         945             Petrolia
         950          91 Savonburg        66772
U.S. Census Bureau Quick Facts about Allen County

Special Places in Allen County

  • The Northrup house in Iola is an important example of Victorian "Queen Anne" style
  • Humboldt is doing well with a downtown renovation project including a new local history museum and expansion of the public schools.
  • Second Street in Elsmore is wide, but the only business left on the street is the Post Office. A grain elevator a few blocks away is the rest of Elsmore's business scene.

Libraries

  • Humboldt Public Library   (620) 473-2243
    916 Bridge, Humboldt, KS 66748
  • Iola Public Library   (620) 365-3262
    218 E. Madison, Iola, KS 66749
  • Southeast Kansas Library System   (620) 365-5136
    218 E. Madison, Iola, KS 66749
  • Moran Public Library   (620) 237-4334
    327 N. Cedar, Moran, KS 66755
  • Savonburg Public Library Main Street
    P. O. Box 191, Savonburg, KS 66772

Museums

Allen County School Systems

Colleges & Universities

Hospitals

Newspapers

  • Humboldt Union   (620) 473-2243
    724 Bridge, Humboldt, KS 66748
  • Iola Register   (620) 365-2111
    302 S. Washington, Iola, KS 66749

More Data About Allen County

Economic Development
  • Kansas County Profile Reports
    Statistical data from The Institute for Policy and Social Research, the University of Kansas
Health Data

Genealogy

Allen County Offices

For more about Allen County:

This page was created with help from Brig C. McCoy.
Last updated on November 29, 2009 by COUNTIES@KSLIB.INFO
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Graphics by John Howell,
photos by Susan Howell,
used by permission.