Ness

Formed February 26, 1867 (58^th county)

Ness County (2,676), Ness City (1,340)                

The masonry Classical Revival courthouse was constructed in 1917 on a square at Kansas, Sycamore, Court, and Main streets.  Kansas State Highway 96 is Sycamore Street.  There was also an 1890 courthouse to serve since the February 26, 1867 county founding both in Ness City.  A gazebo sits on the courthouse grounds.  J. C. Holland & Son were the architects.  The county was taken from Native American Territory as the 58^th county.  The county and county seat are named for Civil War hero Corporal Noah V. Ness.  

Ness County government consists of a sheriff, a clerk, an attorney, a treasurer, a coroner, and an appraiser (executive).  It has 3 Commissioners (legislative.)  Seven District Court Judges serve Ness, Edwards, Hodgeman, Lane, Pawnee, and Rush counties (judicial.) The county is in west Kansas.  Dodge City, Kansas is south and Wichita, Kansas is southeast of the county.  The county center is 6.5 miles North-Northeast of Ness City.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Trego, Ellis, Rush, Pawnee, Hodgeman, Finney, Lane, and Gove counties. 

The area of the county is 1075 square miles.  It is 9 out of 105 in the state.  It ranks 89 out of 105 in population in the state.  It has a density of 2.5 persons per square mile making it 98 out of 105 in the state.  Ness County has 74.7% of its population in its incorporated areas.  United States Highway 283 crosses the county north to south from Trego County to Hodgeman County.  This square shaped county has Ness City slightly south of center in the county.  Ness City is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 50.1% of the county population.