Meade County, KS

Description

Meade County is part of the High Plains of Kansas: fairly flat and well suited to dry country farming. Early settlers seemed to think they had found the Garden of Eden:

"If there is a more beautiful country than Meade Co. we know it not"
The Call, Pearlette (Meade County), Kansas, August 15, 1879

Crooked Creek drains most of the county and the Cimarron River crosses the southwest corner. Highway US 54 follows the railroad diagonally across the the county leading southwest to Liberal. Highway US 160 crosses East/West and state highway K-23 runs North/South.

History

Organized November 3, 1885. County seat Meade. Named in honor of Major-General George C. Meade, United States Army, who died in 1872.

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

Both the city and county were named for General George C. Meade (1815-1872), the Union commander at Gettysburg.

O. E. Short and members of his government surveying team were killed in Meade County by Cheyenne Indians in 1874. The six were buried under a lone cottonwood tree that was a well-known trail landmark of the times.

The Special Collections of the Ablah Library at WSU contain historical images of Fowler and Meade.

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

Extracts from Pioneer Stories of Meade County:

Early Meade County
Rural Meade Schools
Fairview School
Stone School House

Meade's Salt Well
1885 Letter from Carthage
Crooked Creek Massacre

(Used by permission of the Meade County Historical Society)

Cities, Towns, & Villages of Meade County

                 2000
  Year  Elev  Population Name              ZIP
  ====  ====  ========== ================ =====
        2723             Collano
  1884  2481         567 Fowler           67844
        2730             Hobart
        2497       1,672 Meade            67864
  1886                   Mertilla
        2697             Missler
  1886                   Pearlette
  1885  2760       1,163 Plains           67869

Census Bureau Profile & Map

Special Places in Meade County

The Meade State Lake is 13 miles southwest of Meade off KS-23. There is also a state fish hatchery there.
The historical society in Meade has an old school and a collection of old farm implements on Pearlette St in addition to the regular museum.
The Dalton Gang hideout in Meade has a tunnel for fast getaways.
Plains wide main street has amusingly painted fire hydrants.

Special Events in Meade County

Meade celebrates Dalton Days and the Meade County Rodeo in May with a parade, festival, and rodeo.
On the third weekend in July, Fowler hosts its 3-day "Threshing Days" celebration.

Meade County School Systems

USD 226 Meade (620) 873-2081 Meade
USD 225 Fowler (620) 646-5661 Fowler
USD 483 Kismet-Plains (620) 563-7292 Plains

Hospitals

Meade District Hospital (620) 873-2141
510 E. Carthage / Meade, KS 67864

Libraries

Fowler Public Library (620) 646-5550
510 Main St / P.O. Box 101 / Fowler, KS 67844
Meade Public Library (620) 873-2522
132 S. Fowler Street / P. O. Box 599 / Meade, KS 67864
Plains Community Library (620) 563-7326
308 Second / Plains, KS 67869

Museums

Dalton Gang Hideout (620) 873-2731 or 1-800-354-2743
502 S. Pearlette / Meade, KS 67864
Meade County Historical Society Museum (620) 873-2359
200 E. Carthage / Meade, KS / 67864

Newspapers

Meade County News (620) 873-2118
105 S. Fowler / P. O. Box 310 / Meade, KS 67864
Prairie Sun Weekly (620) 873-2900
102 N. Fowler / P. O. Box 700 / Meade, KS 67864

More Data About Meade 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 Meade County Health Profile

Genealogy

Meade County KSGenWeb

References

Pioneer Stories of Meade County (Meade: Meade County Historical Society. 1985)
Sullivan, Frank S. A History of Meade County, Kansas (Topeka: Crane & Co. 1916)
WPA The WPA Guide to 1930s Kansas ( Lawrence: University Press of Kansas. 1984 )

Meade County Offices

Meade County (620) 873-8700
200 N. Fowler St., Meade, KS 67864
Extension Service (620) 873-8790
P.O. Box 369 / 407 E Rainbelt / Meade KS, 67864

For more about Meade County

Meade County Economic Development (620) 873-8795
Meade Chamber of Commerce (620) 873-2359
P. O. Box 576, Meade, KS 67864-0576