Wilson

Formed August 25, 1855 (20^th county)

Wilson County (8,625), Fredonia (2,153), Neodesha (2,274)

The tan brick and rock Modern building was constructed in 1960 on a square surrounded by Madison, 6^th, Monroe, and 7^th streets.  Kiene and Bradley are the building designers.  United States Highway 400 bypasses the town 16 blocks east of the courthouse.  There is a county-wide quilt inside the courthouse.  Wilson County was one of the original counties (20^th county) founded on August 25, 1855.  There was a classier 1885 courthouse in Fredonia, the only county seat.  The county is named for settler Hiero T. Wilson.  The county seat is named for Fredonia, New York. 

Wilson 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 Wilson, Allen, Neosho, and Woodson counties (judicial.) Wilson County is in southeast Kansas.  Topeka, Kansas is north and Wichita, Kansas is west of the county.  The county center is 3.9 miles North-Northeast of Fredonia.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Woodson, Allen, Neosho, Montgomery, Elk, and Greenwood counties. 

The area of the county is 574 square miles.  It is 91 out of 105 in the state.  It ranks 45 out of 105 in population in the state.  It has a density of 15.0 persons per square mile making it 40 out of 105 in the state.  Wilson County has 60.1% of its population in its incorporated areas.  United States Highway 75 travels north to south through the county from Woodson County to Montgomery County.  United States Highway 400 enters joined with United States Highway 75 from the south, Montgomery County, splits and exits west into Greenwood County.  The county is square shaped.  Fredonia is in the southwest quarter of the county.  Neodesha is near the southern border.  Fredonia is the county seat and Neodesha is the largest city.  Fredonia is 25.0% of the county population while Neodesha is 26.4% of the county population.  The county seat is pronounced FREE-DOEN-YA.  The largest city is pronounced NEE-OE-DE-SHAE.

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