Morris County, KS

History

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

Organized as Wise in 1855. County seat, Council Grove. Originally named for Henry A. Wise, who was Governor of Virginia during the John Brown seizure of Harper's Ferry. The execution of that "grand old man," at Charlestown, December 2, 1859, was one of the last acts of Wise's administration. Name was changed to Morris in February, 1859, in honor of Thomas Morris, a United States Senator from Ohio in 1832, who distinguished himself as an opponent of slavery. He died in 1844.

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

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

The Special Collections of the Ablah Library at WSU contain historical images of Burdick, Dwight, Latimer, and Wilsey.

Cities, Towns, & Villages of Morris County

                           2000
    Town                Population  ZIP         Year  Elevation
    =================   ==========  =========   ====  =========
    Burdick                         66838               1455
    Council Grove            2,321  66846       1847    1233
    Delavan                         67449               1502
    Diamond Springs                                     1370
    Dunlap                      81  66846       1878    1186
    Dwight                     330  66849               1490
    Helmick                                             1420
    Kelso                                               1318
    Latimer                     21              1871    1413
    Parkerville                 73                      1350
    Skiddy                                      1870    1230
    White City                 518              1871    1470
    Wilsey                     191  66873               1510

Census Bureau Profile & Map

Special Places in Morris County

Diamond Springs was a famous stop on the Santa Fe trail.
Council Grove has an historic tour to show the numerous places you can visit while there.
Dunlap is nearly a ghost town but has a large city park that even has some new playground equipment. See Faded Dreams.

Libraries

Council Grove Public Library (620) 767-5716
829 W Main Street / Council Grove, KS / 66846
Dwight Library (785) 482-3804
P.O. Box 278 / Dwight, KS 66849
Elm Creek Township Library (785) 497-2289
213 Fifth Street, Wilsey, KS 66873
White City Public Library (785) 349-5551
104 N. First / P. O. Box 206 / White City, KS 66872-0206

Museums

Kaw Mission (620) 767-5410 - State Historic Site
500 N. Mission, Council Grove, KS 66846
Post Office Oak and Museum
East Main, Council Grove, KS 66486
Seth Hays Home
Wood St., Council Grove, KS 66486

Morris County School Systems

USD 417 Morris County (620) 767-5192 Council Grove
USD 481 Rural Vista (785) 366-7215 Hope & White City

Hospitals

Morris County Hospital (620) 767-6811
600 N. Washington St. / Council Grove, KS 66846

Newspapers

Council Grove Republican (620) 767-5123
208 W Main, Council Grove, KS 66486
The Prairie Post (785) 349-5516 · 800-593-5516
108 E. Mackenzie, White City, KS 66872
--covering the communities of Alta Vista (Wabaunsee County), Dwight and White City

More Data About Morris 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 Morris County Health Profile

Genealogy

Morris County KSGenWeb

References

Midwest Research Institute. The Capper/MRI Quick-Fact Book of Kansas ( Topeka: Capper Press. 1990)
Fitzgerald, Daniel, Faded Dreams: More Ghost Towns of Kansas
(Lawrence: University Press of Kansas, 1994)

Morris County Offices

Morris County (620) 767-5518
501 W. Main St. / Council Grove, KS 66846
Extension Service (620) 767-5136
501 W Main / Council Grove, KS 66846-1796

For more about Morris County contact:

Council Grove Convention & Visitors Bureau (800) 732-9211
313 W. Main / Council Grove, KS 66846
Morris County Conservation District (620) 767-5111 Extension 101
116 Fox Street / Council Grove, KS 66846