Brown County, KS

History

Organized in 1855. County seat Hiawatha. After Albert G. Browne, of Mississippi, who had been Senator and member of the House of Representatives from that state, was United States Senator at the date of the Act organizing Kansas Territory, was relected for six years in 1859, but withdrew with Jefferson Davis on the secession of the Southern states. The name is properly spelled with an e in the original statute, but on the county seal the e was left off--accidently, probably. All later statues present the name without the final e.

Map and text from History of Kansas, Noble Prentis, (Winfield: E.P. Greer. 1899)

Hiawatha was incorporated in 1857 and became the Brown county seat in 1858. On June 3, 1870 the town was renamed for the Indian brave in Longfellow's poem.

History and Statistics of Brown County, Kansas documents the early history of Brown County. It was compiled by E.N. Morrill and published in 1876.
William G. Cutler's History of the State of Kansas, first published in 1883, also has a chapter on early Brown County.
The Special Collections of the Ablah Library at WSU contain historical images of Hiawatha, Everest, Horton, Hamlin, Fairview, and Morrill.
The Kansas State Historical Society also has more historical data for Brown County online including a rich bibliography and lists of cemeteries, post offices, and newspapers.

Cities, Towns, & Villages of Brown County


                           2000
    Town                Population  ZIP         Year  Elevation
    =================   ==========  =========   ====  =========
    Baker                                               1179
    Everest                    314  66424               1150
    Fairview                   271  66425               1230
    Fidelity                                            1270
    Hamlin                      53                      1000
    Hiawatha                 3,417  66434-435   1857    1136
    Horton                   1,967  66439       1886    1082
    Mercier                                             1170
    Morrill                    277  66515               1091
    Padonia                                              939
    Powhattan                   91  66527               1203
    Reserve                    100  66434                908
    Robinson                   216  66532                955
    Sun Springs                                         1085
    Willis                      69  66435               1165

Census Bureau Profile & Map

Special Places in Brown County

The Old Town Clock, built in 1891, is the crowning glory to an ornate brick building in downtown Hiawatha.
Hiawatha is home to the Davis Memorial, a set of statues showing John and Sarah Davis at various stages of their life. It's a strange idea but impressive.
The Brown County Lake is a stopping point for hundreds of thousands of migrating geese.
The collection of windmills at the Brown County Agriculture Museum in Hiawatha is unique and interesting.
While in Horton go to the Post Office to view some very special murals painted by Kenneth Evett.
Mission Lake, located at the northeast corner of Horton, has 278 acres of camping grounds, boating, water skiing and fishing.

Special Events in Brown County

Horton is the site of the Brown County 4-H Fair held in mid-July.
Hiawatha's annual Maple Leaf Festival is a big event held the first Saturday in October.
Since 1914, Hiawatha has had a Halloween Frolic. Folks there say it's the oldest in the country.

School Systems

USD 415 Hiawatha (785) 742-2266 Hiawatha
USD 430 South Brown County (785) 486-2611 Horton

Hospitals

Horton Community Hospital (785) 486-2642
240 W. 18th St. / Horton, KS 66439
Hiawatha Community Hospital (785) 742-2131
300 Utah St. / Hiawatha, KS 66434

Libraries

Barnes Reading Room
Everest, KS 66424
Morrill Public Library (785) 742-3831
431 Oregon / Hiawatha, KS 66434
Horton Free Public Library (785) 486-3326
809 First Ave East / Horton, KS 66439

Museums

Brown County Agriculture Museum (785) 742-3330
East Iowa Street / Hiawatha, KS 66434
Brown County Historical Society & Museum (785) 742-3330
611 Utah Street / Hiawatha, KS 66434
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM Tuesday - Saturday ($1.00 Admission)

Newspapers

Everest World
Fairview Enterprise (785) 467-3461
Fairview, KS 66425
Hiawatha Daily World (785) 742-2111
607 Utah / Hiawatha, KS 66434
Horton Headlight (785) 486-2512
133 W. 8th / Horton, KS 66439

More Data About Brown County

Economic Development

Kansas County Profile Reports
Statistical data from The Institute for Policy and Social Research, the University of Kansas

Health Data

KDHE's Brown County Health Profile

Genealogy

Brown County KSGenWeb

Brown County Offices

Brown County
601 Oregon St. / Hiawatha, KS 66434
County Clerk (785) 742-2581
Brown County Courthouse / Courthouse Square / Hiawatha, KS 66434
N.E.K. Multi-County Health Department - Brown County (785) 742-2505
907 S. 2nd St. / Hiawatha, KS 66434
Extension Service
Courthouse, 601 Oregon / Hiawatha, KS 66434-2288

For more about Brown County contact:

Hiawatha Chamber of Commerce (785) 742-7136
622 Oregon / Hiawatha, KS 66434
Horton Chamber of Commerce (785) 486-3321
PO Box 167 / Horton, KS 66439