Trego

Formed June 21, 1879 (93^rd county)

Trego County (2,807), WaKeeney (1,793)

A Romanesque stone courthouse was built in 1888.  The 1952 remodeling completely changed its appearance to its current look and renovated in 1967.  The courthouse is on a square surrounded by Russell, Main, 6^th, and Warren streets.  United States Highway 283 is eight blocks east of the site.  George R. Ropes provided the building designs.  Trego County was formed on June 21, 1879 from Native American Territory as the 93^rd county with WaKeeney as the only county seat.  The county’s name comes from Civil War hero Captain Edgar P. Trego.  The name for the county seat is a combination of founders Albert Warren and James F. Keeney. 

The area of the county is 888 square miles.  It is 34 out of 105 in the state.  It ranks 84 out of 105 in population in the state.  It has a density of 3.2 persons per square mile making it 88 out of 105 in the state.  Trego County has 67.3% of its population in its incorporated areas.  Interstate Highway 70 crosses east to west in the county from Ellis County to Gove County.  United States Highway 40 is joined with Interstate Highway 70 from Ellis to Gove counties.  United States Highway 283 goes north to south from Graham County to Ness County.  The county is a rectangle with WaKeeney in the northern third of the county.  WaKeeney is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 63.9% of the county population. 

Trego County government consists of a sheriff and 3 Commissioners.  Five District Court Judges serve Trego, Ellis, Gove, and Rooks counties.  Salina, Kansas is east and Dodge City, Kansas is south of this county in western Kansas.  The Saline River flows through the north part of the county.  The county center is 5 miles Southeast of WaKeeney.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Graham, Rooks, Ellis, Ness, and Gove counties.  The county is pronounced TREE-GOE.  The county seat is pronounced WA-KEE-NEE.