Pratt

Formed February 26, 1867 (63^rd county)

Pratt County (9,159), Pratt (6,600)                

The columns on the red brick and masonry Classical Revival facility add to its appearance.  It was built in 1909 and remodeled in 1923 and located on Ninnescah between 3^rd and 4^th streets.  The building is three blocks south of United States Highway 400 passing through the town.  Pratt County was established on February 26, 1867 from Native American Territory as the 63^rd county with Pratt as the only county seat.  George P. Washburn provided the original designs for the courthouse.  The county and county seat are named for Civil War hero Caleb Pratt. 

Pratt County government consists of a sheriff, a clerk, an attorney, a treasurer, a coroner, and an appraiser (executive).  It has 3 Commissioners (legislative.)  Five District Court Judges serve Pratt, Barber, Harper, Kingman, and Sumner counties (judicial.) Pratt County is in south central Kansas.  Wichita, Kansas is east and Dodge City, Kansas is west of the county.  The county center is in Pratt .6 miles Northeast of the city center.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Stafford, Reno, Kingman, Barber, Kiowa, and Edwards counties. 

The area of the county is 735 square miles.  It is 52 out of 105 in the state.  It ranks 43 out of 105 in population in the state.  It has a density of 12.5 persons per square mile making it 49 out of 105 in the state.  Pratt County has 78.0% of its population in its incorporated areas.  United States Highways 54/400 cross east to west in the county from Kingman County to Kiowa County.  United States Highway 281 goes north to south from Stafford County to Barber County.  The county is a square.  The City of Pratt is at or near the geographical center of the county.  Pratt is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 72.1% of the county population.

Sawyer