History

County seat Lyons. Named in memory of Samuel A. Rice, Brigadier-General, United States volunteers, killed April 30, 1864 at Jenkins Ferry, Ark.   Map and text from History of Kansas, Noble Prentis, (Winfield: E.P. Greer. 1899)

Cities, Towns, & Villages of Rice County

                 2000
  Year  Elev  Population Name              ZIP
  ====  ====  ========== ================ =====
  1872  1680         168 Alden            67512
        1765         314 Bushton          67427
        1718         490 Chase            67524
        1692             Crawford
  1878  1762          11 Frederick
        1650             Galt
  1886  1750         272 Geneseo          67444
        1590         536 Little River     67457
  1876  1700       3,732 Lyons            67554
        1738             Mitchell
        1735             Pollard
  1872  1726          95 Raymond          67573
        1625             Saxman
        1810             Silica
        1640       2,642 Sterling         67579

Special Places in Rice County

• The Santa Fe Trail ran east/west across the county following the route of US-56; the ruts can still be seen at various places. Nine of the red stone DAR markers are in Rice County.
• Beside US-56, there is a huge cross and a historical marker in honor of Father Juan Padilla who first came to Kansas with Coronado in 1542 and was later killed by Indians.
• The courthouse on the square in Lyons shows the pride and optimism that went into the development of the area.
• Alden, located just north of the Arkansas River, is proud of its 1884 depot and of its turn-of-the-century township hall.

Rice County School Systems

• USD 328 Lorraine   (785) 472-5241 Lorraine, Bushton, Holyrood, Wilson
• USD 376 Sterling   (620) 278-3621 Sterling, Alden
• USD 401 Chase-Raymond   (620) 938-2913 Chase, Raymond
• USD 405 Lyons   (620) 257-5196 Lyons
• USD 444 Little River   (620) 897-6325 Little River, Windom

Colleges

• Sterling College   (620) 278-2173
  125 W. Cooper / Sterling, KS 67579

Hospitals

• Rice County District Hospital   (620) 257-5173
  619 S Clark Ave. / Lyons, KS 67554

Libraries

• Farmer Township Library
  Bushton, KS 67427
• Geneseo Public Library   (620) 824-6140
  P. O. Box 326 / Geneseo, KS 67444
• Little River Public Library   (620) 897-6610
  340 Main St. / Little River, KS 67457
• Lyons Public Library   (620) 257-2961
  217 E Ave S / Lyons, KS 67554
• Sterling Free Public Library   (620) 278-3191
  138 N. Broadway / Sterling, KS 67579
• Mabee Library   (620) 278-2173
  Sterling College / Sterling, KS 67579

Museums

• Bushton Museum   (620) 562-3411
  218 S. Main / Bushton, KS, 67427
• Geneseo City History Museum   (620) 824-6250
  708 10th / Geneseo, Kansas 67444
• Coronado-Quivira Museum   (620) 257-3941
  105 West Lyon / Lyons, KS 67554
  Tues-Sat 9:00-5:00 & Closed Sun, Mon and major holidays

Newspapers

• The Monitor-Journal   (620) 897-6234
  240 Main / Little River, KS 67457
• Lyons Daily News   (620) 257-2368
  210 W. Commercial / Lyons, KS 67554
• Sterling Bulletin   (620) 278-2114
  209 S. Broadway / Sterling, KS 67579

More Data About Rice County

Genealogy

• Rice County KSGenWeb

References

• Jones, Horace. Up from the Sod (Lyons: Coronado Publishers. 1968)

Rice County Government

• Rice County   620) 257-2232
  101 W. Commercial St., Lyons, KS 67554
   
• Extension Service   (620) 257-5131
  701 E. Main, Lyons, KS 67554

For More Information

• Lyons Chamber of Commerce   (620) 257-2842
  101 W. Main / Lyons, KS 67544
   
• Rice County Community Foundation   (620) 257-5390 · rccf@ricecounty.org
  1145 US Highway 56 East / Lyons, KS 67544  
   
• Rice County Economic Development   (620) 257-5166
  1145 US Highway 56 East / Lyons, KS 67544  
   
• Sterling Chamber of Commerce   (620) 278-3360
  114 N. Broadway / Sterling, KS 67579
   
• Rice County Council on Aging   (620) 257-5153
  117 West Avenue South, Lyons, KS 67554