Cloud County (county code CD) is a county in the U.S. state of Kansas. In 2020, 9,032 people lived there.[1] Its county seat is Concordia. Concordia is also the biggest city in Cloud County.[2]

History

19th century

In 1867, Cloud County was created.

Cloud county was originally named "Shirley" county. However, civic leaders feared that sounded too much like the name of a prostitute.[3] They changed the name to "Cloud" county. They named it after Colonel William F. Cloud.[4]

Cloud County was created from the existing Washington County, Kansas. This was in a joint convention with Republic and Cloud counties. The county was legally organized on September 6, 1866. Elk Creek was chosen as the temporary county seat.[5]

In 1887, Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway built a railroad from Neva (3 miles west of Strong City) to Superior, Nebraska. This railroad connected Strong City, Neva, Rockland, Diamond Springs, Burdick, Lost Springs, Jacobs, Hope, Navarre, Enterprise, Abilene, Talmage, Manchester, Longford, Oak Hill, Miltonvale, Aurora, Huscher, Concordia, Kackley, Courtland, Webber, Superior.

Geography

The U.S. Census Bureau says that the county has a total area of 718 square miles (1,860 km2). Of that, 715 square miles (1,850 km2) is land and 2.6 square miles (6.7 km2) (0.4%) is water.[6]

Geographic features

The Republican River goes through the county. It enters from Republic County to the north. It exits to Clay County to the east. The Solomon River goes through the southwestern part of the county. It goes from Mitchell County to Ottawa County. Jamestown Lake is partially in the northwestern part of the county and partially in southwestern Republic county.

Major highways

U.S. Route 81 goes through Cloud County. It goes through Concordia and connects north to Belleville, Kansas or south to Salina, Kansas. The southern part of the county also has U.S. Route 24,. It connectd Clay Center, Kansas from the east and Beloit, Kansas to the west.

There are four other state highways in the county: K-9, K-28, K-189, and K-194.

People

Historical population
CensusPop.%±
18702,323—
188015,343560.5%
189019,29525.8%
190018,071−6.3%
191018,3881.8%
192017,714−3.7%
193018,0061.6%
194017,247−4.2%
195016,104−6.6%
196014,407−10.5%
197013,466−6.5%
198012,494−7.2%
199011,023−11.8%
200010,268−6.8%
20109,533−7.2%
20209,032−5.3%
U.S. Decennial Census[7]
1790-1960[8] 1900-1990[9]
1990-2000[10] 2010-2020[1]
Population pyramid

Government

Presidential elections