Wilson County, KS

History

Organized in 1855. County Seat, Fredonia. This county originally extended to the south line of the state, and was named in honor of Colonel Hiero T. Wilson who lived in Fort Scott from September 1843. He was the first white person to settle there.

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

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

The Special Collections of the Ablah Library at WSU contain historical images of Fredonia, New Albany, Neodesha, Benedict, and Altoona.

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

Cities, Towns, & Villages of Wilson County

                 2000
  Year  Elev  Population Name              ZIP
  ====  ====  ========== ================ =====
         828         485 Altoona          66710
         900         103 Benedict         66714
         875             Brooks
         945         284 Buffalo          66717
         868             Buffville
         980             Buxton
         885          71 Coyville         66727
  1868   893       2,600 Fredonia         66736
  1865   895             Guilford
         800             Hilford
         925             Lafontaine       66736
         964             Middletown
  1869   819       2,848 Neodesha         66757
         894          73 New Albany       66759
         983             Rest
         863             Roper
         932             Vilas

Census Bureau Profile & Map

Special Places in Wilson County

Altoona's City Hall is in a beautiful old stone & brick bank building.
Roper consists of six houses, three seemingly deserted, along the Union Pacific tracks.

Special Events in Wilson County

Fredonia celebrates its Homecoming Festival in early October.

Wilson County School Systems

USD 387 Altoona-Midway (620) 537-7721 Buffalo
USD 461 Neodesha (620) 325-2610 Neodesha
USD 484 Fredonia (620) 378-4177 Fredonia

Hospitals

Fredonia Regional Hospital (620) 378-2121
1527 Madison / P. O. Box 449 / Fredonia, KS 66736
Wilson Medical Center (620) 325-2611
2600 Ottawa Road / Neodesha, KS 66757

Museums

Wilson County Museum (620) 378-3965
420 N. Seventh / Fredonia, KS 66736
Norman No. 1 Museum (620) 325-5316
First & Main / Neodesha, KS 66757
Includes outdoor replica of the 1st oil well west of the Mississippi

Newspapers

Neodesha Derrick (620) 325-3000
509 Main St. / Neodesha, KS 66757
Wilson County Citizen (620) 378-4415
406 N. 7th, PO Box 330 / Fredonia, KS 66736

Libraries

Altoona Public Library (620) 568-6645
713 Main Street / Altoona, KS 66710
Fredonia Public Library (620) 378-2863
807 Jefferson / Fredonia, KS 66736
W. A. Rankin Memorial Library (620) 325-3275
502 Indiana / Neodesha, KS 66757

More Data About Wilson 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 Wilson County Health Profile

Genealogy

Wilson County KSGenWeb

Wilson County Offices

Wilson County
615 Madison / Fredonia, KS 66736
County Coordinator (620) 378-3472 coordinator@twinmounds.com
615 Madison St. / Fredonia, KS 66736
Extension Service (620) 378-2167
Courthouse, Rm 101, 615 Madison / Fredonia, KS 66736-1383

For more about Wilson County contact:

Fredonia Chamber of Commerce (620) 378-3221
402 N. 7th / P. O. Box 449 / Fredonia, KS 66736
Neodesha Chamber of Commerce (620) 325-2055
First & Main (US 75) / Neodesha, KS