Russell

Formed February 26, 1867 (68^th county)

Russell County (6,684), Russell (4,396)

A Romanesque stone and brick courthouse was built in 1903.  The courthouse is on a square at Main, Artesia, Kansas, and Court streets.  United States Highway 281 is three blocks to the east.  The architects were Whelan and Nielson.  The building was altered in 1949 and the clock tower was removed.  Russell had the 1894 version also for the county after its February 26, 1867 creation.  The county was taken from Native American Territory as the 68^th county.  The county and county seat are named for United States Cavalryman Captain Avra P. Russell. 

Russell 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 Russell, Barton, Ellsworth, Rice, and Stafford counties (judicial.) The county is in northwest Kansas.  Salina, Kansas is to the southeast and Dodge City, Kansas is to the southwest.  The county center is 10.2 miles East-Northeast of Russell nearer Bunker Hill.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Osborne, Lincoln, Ellsworth, Barton, Rush, and Ellis counties. 

The area of the county is 885 square miles.  It is 36 out of 105 in the state.  It ranks 54 out of 105 in population in the state.  It has a density of 7.6 persons per square mile making it 58 out of 105 in the state.  Russell County has 83.6% of its population in its incorporated areas.  Interstate Highway 70 crosses the county east to west from Ellsworth County to Ellis County.  United States Highway 40 is joined with Interstate Highway 70 from Ellsworth to Ellis counties.  United States Highway 281 travels north to south from Osborne County to Barton County.  The county is a western Kansas square county.  The City of Russell is in the western third of the county.  Russell is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 65.8% of the county population.