Barber County, Kansas

Barber County (county code BA) is a county in the south-central part of the U.S. state of Kansas. In 2020, 4,228 people lived there. The county seat is Medicine Lodge. Medicine Lodge is also the biggest city in Barber County. Barber County was named after Thomas W. Barber (born 22 February 1814), an abolitionist martyr who was killed in Douglas County on 6 December 1855, during the Wakarusa War.

Barber County
County
Medicine Lodge Stockade Museum (left) and Carry A. Nation house (right) in Medicine Lodge
Location within the U.S. state of Kansas
Kansas's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 37°14′N 98°41′W
Country	United States
State	Kansas
Founded	February 26, 1867
Named for	Thomas W. Barber
Seat	Medicine Lodge
Largest city	Medicine Lodge
Area
• Total	1,136 sq mi (2,940 km2)
• Land	1,134 sq mi (2,940 km2)
• Water	2.1 sq mi (5 km2)  0.2%
Population  (2020)
• Total	4,228
• Density	3.7/sq mi (1.4/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Area code	620
Congressional district	4th
Website	barber.ks.gov

Geography

The U.S. Census Bureau says that the county has a total area of 1,136 square miles (2,940 km²). Of that, 1,134 square miles (2,940 km²) is land and 2.1 square miles (5.4 km²) (0.2%) is water.

Major highways

Sources: National Atlas, U.S. Census Bureau

• U.S. Route 160
• U.S. Route 281
• Kansas Highway 2

Demographics

Population pyramid

Government

This county has generally voted Republican in recent elections. The last time a democratic candidate has carried this county was in 1964.

Presidential elections

Presidential Elections Results

Presidential Elections Results

Year	Republican	Democratic	Third Parties
2020	86.0% 2,014	12.4% 291	1.6% 37
2016	81.8% 1,850	12.7% 286	5.5% 125
2012	76.6% 1,772	20.8% 482	2.6% 60
2008	74.5% 1,833	24.3% 598	1.3% 31
2004	74.2% 1,782	24.5% 588	1.4% 33
2000	70.3% 1,755	25.5% 637	4.2% 106
1996	62.2% 1,696	26.8% 730	11.1% 303
1992	42.5% 1,225	26.4% 759	31.1% 897
1988	56.9% 1,539	41.3% 1,118	1.8% 49
1984	71.8% 2,112	27.4% 806	0.8% 22
1980	62.5% 1,872	30.5% 914	7.0% 208
1976	50.4% 1,568	48.1% 1,494	1.5% 47
1972	74.3% 2,308	23.4% 727	2.4% 73
1968	60.6% 2,023	30.7% 1,027	8.7% 291
1964	48.5% 1,758	50.9% 1,845	0.6% 21
1960	66.5% 2,703	33.1% 1,347	0.4% 16
1956	68.3% 2,698	31.4% 1,241	0.3% 10
1952	74.1% 3,071	24.8% 1,028	1.1% 46
1948	50.9% 2,013	47.8% 1,891	1.2% 49
1944	58.3% 2,140	40.9% 1,501	0.8% 31
1940	52.8% 2,389	45.9% 2,074	1.3% 58
1936	39.4% 1,816	60.2% 2,774	0.4% 18
1932	40.9% 1,671	56.8% 2,321	2.4% 96
1928	76.4% 2,984	22.3% 871	1.3% 49
1924	58.3% 2,218	23.9% 909	17.9% 681
1920	66.5% 2,400	30.4% 1,098	3.2% 114
1916	41.0% 1,632	51.7% 2,061	7.3% 290
1912	12.7% 295	38.1% 883	49.2% 1,139
1908	53.7% 1,097	42.3% 864	4.0% 81
1904	58.3% 967	34.1% 566	7.6% 126
1900	51.2% 862	46.5% 783	2.4% 40
1896	44.5% 597	54.3% 729	1.3% 17
1892	37.8% 883		62.2% 1,456
1888	48.8% 977	35.5% 710	15.7% 315

Education

Unified school districts

• Barber County North USD 254
• South Barber County USD 255

Communities

2005 KDOT Map of Barber County (map legend)

Cities

• Hardtner
• Hazelton
• Isabel
• Kiowa
• Medicine Lodge
• Sharon
• Sun City

More reading

• Chosen Land: A History of Barber County, Kansas; The Barber County History Committee; Taylor Printing; 1980.
• Standard Atlas of Barber County, Kansas; Geo. A. Ogle & Co; 76 pages; 1923.
• Standard Atlas of Barber County, Kansas; Geo. A. Ogle & Co; 64 pages; 1905.

Other websites

County

• Barber County - Official
• "Barber County - Directory of Public Officials". Archived from the original on 2011-12-13.
• Barber County - Development Archived 2018-09-28 at the Wayback Machine
• Grave of abolitionist martyr Thomas W. Barber, for whom Barber County is named at FindAGrave.com

Maps

• Barber County Maps: Current, Historic, KDOT
• Kansas Highway Maps: Current, Historic, KDOT
• Kansas Railroad Maps: Current, 1996, 1915, KDOT and Kansas Historical Society