Phillips

Formed February 26, 1867 (62^nd county)

Phillips County (4,990), Phillipsburg (2,339)

The masonry Neo-Classical building, located on a square at State, 4^th, F, and 3^rd streets, was built in 1912.  United States Highway 36 is State Street in the town.  An 1881 courthouse also existed.  The building features a working clock on the outside, the clock works inside, and county-wide tapestry.  R. A. Curtis provided the building designs.  The county was established on February 26, 1867 from Native American Territory as the 62^nd county with Phillipsburg as the only county seat.  The county and county seat are named for Congressman and activist William Addison Phillips. 

Phillips 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 Phillips, Decatur, Graham, Norton, Osborne, and Smith counties (judicial.) The county is on the northern border with Nebraska.  Salina, Kansas is southeast and Dodge City, Kansas is southwest of the county.  The county center is 2.9 miles West-Northwest of Phillipsburg.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Nebraska and Smith, Rooks, Graham, and Norton counties. 

The area of the county is 886 square miles.  It is 35 out of 105 in the state.  It ranks 68 out of 105 in population in the state.  It has a density of 5.6 persons per square mile making it 69 out of 105 in the state.  Phillips County has 69.6% of its population in its incorporated areas.  United States Highway 36 crosses the county east to west from Smith County to Norton County.  United States Highway 183 goes north to south from Nebraska to Rooks County.  The county is a rectangle with Phillipsburg located in the southern half of the county.  Phillipsburg is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 46.9% of the county population.