Elk

Formed March 25, 1875 (92^nd county)

Elk County (2,479), Howard (571)

The tan brick and stone structure, built in 1909, stands out on a square of Pine, Washington, Cedar, and Randolph streets.  Kansas State Highway 99 is seven blocks to the east.  The building was renovated in 1977.  The county was established on March 25, 1875 with a courthouse built in 1877 in Howard, the only county seat.  It was carved from the former Howard County as the 92^nd county.  George E. McDonald designed this courthouse featuring a tower on top.  The county is named for the Elk River.  The county seat is named for Civil War General Oliver Otis Howard. 

Elk County government consists of a sheriff, a clerk, an attorney, a treasurer, a coroner, and an appraiser (executive).  It has 3 Commissioners (legislative.)  Six District Court Judges serve Elk, Butler, and Greenwood counties (judicial.) The county is in southeast Kansas.  Wichita, Kansas is northwest and Topeka, Kansas is northeast.  The county center is 11.2 miles Southeast of Howard nearer Elk Falls.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Greenwood, Wilson, Montgomery, Chautauqua, Cowley, and Butler counties. 

The area of the county is 648 square miles.  It is 74 out of 105 in the state.  It ranks 94 out of 105 in population in the state.  It has a density of 3.8 persons per square mile making it 82 out of 105 in the state.  Elk County has 58.9% of its population in its incorporated areas.  United States Highway 160 crosses the county east to west from Montgomery County to Cowley County.  The county is a rectangle with Howard near the county’s center.  Howard is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 23.0% of the county population.