Osage

Formed February 11, 1859 (32^nd county)

Osage County (15,770), Lyndon (1,039), Osage City (2,862)

The Neo-Classical type courthouse of Osage County was built in 1921.  It is sited on a square at Topeka, 7^th, Ash, and 8^th streets.  Topeka Street is United States Highway 75 in the city.  William E. Hulse designed this tan brick and masonry facility.  The interior features half marble walls.  There was a previous 1887 courthouse following the county’s February 11, 1859 creation.  The county was the 32^nd county with Lyndon as the only county seat.  The county is named for the Native American tribe.  The county seat is named for Lyndon, Vermont. 

Osage County government consists of a sheriff, a clerk, an attorney, a treasurer, a coroner, and an appraiser (executive).  It has 3 Commissioners (legislative.)  Four District Court Judges serve Osage, Anderson, Coffey, and Franklin counties. (judicial.) The county is in the eastern part of the state directly south of Topeka, Kansas.  The county center is 4.2 miles Northwest of Lyndon.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Shawnee, Douglas, Franklin, Coffey, Lyon, and Wabaunsee counties. 

The area of the county is 704 square miles.  It is 68 out of 105 in the state.  It ranks 33 out of 105 in population in the state.  It has a density of 22.4 persons per square mile making it 33 out of 105 in the state.  Osage County has 54.5% of its population in its incorporated areas.  Interstate Highway 35 clips the southern part of the county from Franklin County, east, to Coffey County, south.  Interstate Highway 335 cuts the northwest corner from Shawnee County, north, to Lyon County, west.  United States Highway 50 is joined with Interstate Highway 35 from Franklin to Coffey counties.  United States Highway 56 goes east to west in the county from Douglas County to Lyon County.  United States Highway 75 passes north to south from Shawnee County to Coffey County.  The county is a rectangle.  Lyndon is in the southeast quarter of the county.  Osage City is in the southwest quarter.  Lyndon is the county seat and Osage City is the largest city.  Lyndon is 6.6% of the county population while Osage City is 18.2% of the county population.  The county and largest city are pronounced OE-SAEG.  The county seat is pronounced LIN-DON.  This county is in the Topeka Metropolitan Statistical Area.