Norton

Formed February 26, 1867 (59^th county)

Norton County (5,458), Norton (2,754)

The pseudo columns on the masonry and brown brick 1929 Classical Revival facility stand out on a square at Kansas, Main, Norton, and Washington streets.  The site is one block east of United States Highway 283.  Cuthbert and Suehrk are the building designers.  Memorial bricks lead up to the courthouse.  Since its founding on February 26, 1867, Norton has been the county seat.  The county was taken from Native American Territory as the 59^th county.  There was a classier 1888 courthouse in Norton.   Norton County and Norton City are named for Civil War hero Captain Orloff Norton. 

Norton 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 Norton, Decatur, Graham, Osborne, Phillips, and Smith counties (judicial.) The county is in northwest Kansas on the border with Nebraska.  Salina, Kansas is southeast and Dodge City, Kansas is south of the county.  The county center is 9.3 miles Southwest of Norton.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Nebraska and Phillips, Graham, Sheridan, and Decatur counties. 

The area of the county is 878 square miles.  It is 37 out of 105 in the state.  It ranks 64 out of 105 in population in the state.  It has a density of 6.2 persons per square mile making it 67 out of 105 in the state.  Norton County has 62.1% of its population in its incorporated areas.  United States Highway 36 crosses east to west through the county from Phillips County to Decatur County.  United States Highway 283 goes north to south from Nebraska to Graham County.  The county is square.  The City of Norton is north of center in the county.  Norton is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 50.5% of the county population.