Harvey County, KS

History

Organized in 1872. County seat Newton. Named for James M. Harvey, Captain of Company G, Tenth Regiment of Kansas Infantry, and Governor of the State from 1869 to 1873. In January, 1874, he was elected United States Senator to fill the unexpired term ending in 1877.

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

The county's history includes the violence of cowtown wickedness, dynamic railroad activity, and prosperous settlements of "Turkey Red" wheat farmers - many of them Mennonite immigrants from Europe. The beautiful Santa Fe depot in Newton is now mostly an office building; one of the tenant's web site has some neat pictures of the station.

William G. Cutler's History of Kansas, first published in 1883, tells about early Harvey County.

The Special Collections of the Ablah Library at WSU contain historical images of Sedgwick, Halstead, Newton, and Burrton.

The Kansas State Historical Society also has more historical data for Harvey County online including a rich bibliography and lists of cemeteries, post offices, and newspapers.

Downtown Newton is full of locally-developed historical markers.

Cities, Towns, & Villages of Harvey County

                           2000
    Town                Population  ZIP         Year  Elevation
    =================   ==========  =========   ====  =========
    Alta Mills                                          1420
    Annelly                                             1390
    Burrton                    932  67020               1453
    Halstead                 1,873  67056       1873    1400
    Hesston                  3,509  67062       1886    1476
    McGraw                                              1410
    Mclains                                             1508
    Newton                  17,190  67114       1871    1448
    North Newton             1,522  67117               1440
    Patterson                                           1438
    Paxton                                              1435
    Putnam                                              1399
    Sand Creek                                          1430
    Sedgwick                 1,537  67135               1379
    Van Arsdale                                         1404
    Walton                     284  67151               1537
    Zimmerdale                                          1462

U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts about Harvey County, Kansas

Libraries

Burrton Public Library (620) 463-7902
118 N. Burrton Avenue / P. O. Box 358, Burrton, KS 67020
Halstead Public Library (316) 835-2170
264 Main / Halstead, KS 67056
Hesston Public Library (620) 327-4666
110 E. Smith / P. O. Box 640, Hesston, KS 67062
Lillian Tear Library (316) 772-5727
112 W. 5th, Sedgwick, KS 67135
Newton Public Library (316) 283-2890
720 N. Oak, Newton, KS 67114
Walton Community Library (620) 837-3252
122 Main (Main & First) / P. O. Box 108, Walton, KS 67151-0108

Museums

Harvey County Historical Museum & Library (316) 283-2221
P. O. Box 4 / 203 N. Main Street · Newton, KS 67114
In 1904 Carnegie Library with a one room schoolhouse on the grounds.
Kauffman Museum 316-283-1612
27th & N. Main · Newton, KS 67117
Halstead Heritage Museum & Depot 316-835-2267
Old Santa Fe Depot, 116 East 1st · Halstead, KS 67056
Kansas Learning Center for Health 316-835-2124
505 Main · Halstead, KS 67056
Sedgwick Historical Museum
PO Box 360, Sedgwick, KS 67135

Harvey County School Systems

USD 369 Burrton "Chargers" (620) 463-3840 Burrton
USD 373 Newton (316) 284-6200 Newton, Walton
USD 439 Sedgwick Public Schools (316) 772-5783 Sedgwick
USD 440 Halstead (316) 835-2641 Halstead, Bentley
USD 460 Hesston (620) 327-4931 Hesston

Colleges & Universities

Bethel College (316) 283-2500
300 East 27th Street, North Newton, KS 67117-8061
Hesston College (620) 327-4221
325 S. College Dr., Box 3000, Hesston, KS 67062

Hospitals

Hertzler Clinic (316) 835-2241
327 Chestnut St., Halstead, KS 67056
Newton Medical Center (316) 283-2700
600 Medical Center Dr., Newton, KS 67114
Prairie View Hospital (316) 284-6400 or (800) 362-0180
1901 E. 1st, Newton, KS 67114

Harvey County Non-profit agencies & organizations

Communities In Schools of Harvey County (316) 284-6520
PO Box 91, Newton, KS 67114
"Coordinates and collaborates with social and educational services to meet the needs of families in Harvey County. "

Newspapers

Harvey County Independent (316) 835-2235
220 Main, Halstead, KS 67056
Hesston Record (620) 327-4831
109 N. Main, Hesston, KS 67062
Newton Kansan (316) 283-1500
121 W. Sixth, Newton, KS 67114

Economic Development

Harvey County Economic Development Council (316) 283-6033 or 800-648-7759
500 N. Main, St. 109 / P.O. Box 82 Newton, KS 67114
Kansas County Profile Reports
Statistical data from The Institute for Policy and Social Research, the University of Kansas

Health Data

KDHE's Harvey County Health Profile

Genealogy

Harvey County KSGenWeb
Harvey County Genealogical Society
PO Box 75, Newton, KS 67114

References

WPA. The WPA Guide to 1930s Kansas (Lawrence: University Press of Kansas, reprint 1984) Pages 261-265

Harvey County Offices

Harvey County (316) 284-6806
800 N. Main / P.O. Box 687, Newton, KS 67114
Research and Extension Office (316) 284-6930
Courthouse, Box 583, Newton, KS 67114-0583

For more about Harvey County contact:

Halstead Chamber of Commerce (316) 835-2445
coc@HalsteadKansas.com
P.O. Box 328, Halstead, KS 67056
Hesston Chamber of Commerce (620) 327-4102
115 E. Smith, Hesston, KS 67062
City of Newton (316) 284-6000
201 E 6th St / PO Box 426, Newton, KS 67114-2215
Newton Area Chamber Of Commerce & Visitors Bureau (316) 283-2560 or (800) 868-2560
500 N. Main, Suite 101 / P. O. Box 353, Newton, KS 67114