County seat war
Encyclopedia
A county seat war is a phenomenon that occurred in the American West
as it was being settled, although incidences elsewhere, such as in West Virginia
, have been also been recorded. As new towns sprang up and county lines were drawn, there was intense competition for the status and tax benefits bestowed by becoming a county seat
. These "wars" often involved nothing more than lining up at the ballot box, but sometimes partisans for a particular town would resort to voter fraud, intimidation or violence. The fight between Coronado
and neighboring Leoti
in western Kansas is considered the bloodiest occurrence of this phenomenon. Another violent county seat war in Kansas included the Hay Meadow Massacre
in Stevens County
.
Another Kansas county seat war resulted in the dissolution of a county. Eminence and Ravanna fought over the privilege of being the county seat for Garfield County. When people in the county suggested the county be surveyed, it was found that it was too small to be a legal county under a Kansas law established in the late 19th century (Wyandotte County
had been founded before this law was passed). Garfield County was dissolved and annexed into Finney County
, which is why that county has a panhandle.
Western United States
.The Western United States, commonly referred to as the American West or simply "the West," traditionally refers to the region comprising the westernmost states of the United States. Because the U.S. expanded westward after its founding, the meaning of the West has evolved over time...
as it was being settled, although incidences elsewhere, such as in West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
, have been also been recorded. As new towns sprang up and county lines were drawn, there was intense competition for the status and tax benefits bestowed by becoming a county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
. These "wars" often involved nothing more than lining up at the ballot box, but sometimes partisans for a particular town would resort to voter fraud, intimidation or violence. The fight between Coronado
Coronado, Kansas
Coronado, now a siding on the Union Pacific railroad in Wichita County, Kansas, United States, was once a thriving community. Platted in 1885, Coronado was involved in the bloodiest county seat fight in the history of the American West. The shoot-out on February 27, 1887, with boosters—some...
and neighboring Leoti
Leoti, Kansas
Leoti, pronounced "Lee-oh-TAH", is a city in and the county seat of Wichita County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 1,534.- History :...
in western Kansas is considered the bloodiest occurrence of this phenomenon. Another violent county seat war in Kansas included the Hay Meadow Massacre
Hay Meadow Massacre
The Hay Meadow Massacre, July 25, 1888, was the most violent event of the Stevens County, Kansas, county seat fight.In July 1888, Sam Robinson, the marshal of Hugoton and a group of men supporting Hugoton for the county seat planned an outing in No Man's Land just south of the county...
in Stevens County
Stevens County, Kansas
Stevens County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kansas. As of the 2010 census, the county population was 5,724. Its county seat is Hugoton...
.
Another Kansas county seat war resulted in the dissolution of a county. Eminence and Ravanna fought over the privilege of being the county seat for Garfield County. When people in the county suggested the county be surveyed, it was found that it was too small to be a legal county under a Kansas law established in the late 19th century (Wyandotte County
Wyandotte County, Kansas
Wyandotte County is a county located in northeast Kansas, in the Central United States. The county's population was 157,505 for the 2010 census. Its county seat and most populous city is Kansas City with which it shares a unified government...
had been founded before this law was passed). Garfield County was dissolved and annexed into Finney County
Finney County, Kansas
Finney County is a county located in Southwest Kansas, in the Central United States. As of the 2010 census, the county population was 36,776. Its county seat and most populous city is Garden City...
, which is why that county has a panhandle.