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Doniphan County, Kansas

70 topographic sheets cover 18 settlements here, and 35 properties are on the National Register of Historic Places.

Research this county

From the record

35 National Register listings published here.

Sources: the National Register database, National Park Service

Kansas within the United States
Doniphan County within Kansas

What the record shows

  • 403 topographic sheet readings cover the county's settlements.
  • 35 properties here are on the National Register of Historic Places: 30 buildings, 3 districts and 2 structures.
  • 5 of the 35 listings were added during the 1970s.
  • The Geographic Names Information System records 18 populated places in this county; 18 are covered by at least one topographic sheet.

Places on the National Register

35

Every property in this county listed on the National Register of Historic Places, with the year it was listed and the federal nomination document.

Photograph PropertyType ListedReference
Albert Albers Barnbuilding198786003552
Nicholas Bohr Barnbuilding198786003531
Brenner Vineyards Historic Districtdistrict200504001514
Herman Chrystal Barnbuilding198786003538
Doniphan County Courthousebuilding197474000826
Doniphan County Courthouse Square Historic Districtdistrict200202000717
Doniphan County Waddellstructure199089002185
Mathew Eylar Barn No. 1building198786003549
Mathew Eylar Barn No. 2building198786003550
First National Bank Buildingbuilding200808000609
John R. Hale Barnbuilding198786003545
George Hanson Barnbuilding198786003548
Highland Christian Churchbuilding200707000250
Highland Presbyterian Churchbuilding200707000248
Highland Water Towerstructure07000249
Iowa, Sac, and Fox Presbyterian Missionbuilding197070000248
Irvin Hall, Highland Community Junior Collegebuilding197171000307
Fred W. Kienhoff Barnbuilding198786003537
George Kinkhead Barnbuilding198786003542
Lincoln School, District 2building201414000348
Abram M. Minier Housebuilding201414000115
Godfrey Nuzum Barnbuilding198786003533
Poulet Housebuilding197171000308
John Silvers Barnbuilding198786003553
St. Benedict's Churchbuilding199898000324
St. Martha's AME Church and Parsonagebuilding200000000757
St. Mary's Catholic Churchbuilding200101000413
John Streib Barnbuilding198786003547
J. A. Symns Barnbuilding198786003536
Wathena Fruit Growers' Association Buildingbuilding200909001092
White Cloud Historic Districtdistrict199696000701
White Cloud Schoolbuilding197373000752
T. L. White Barnbuilding198786003544
M. D. L. Williams Barnbuilding198786003551
A.L. Wynkoop Housebuilding200707000251

Wildfire, 2015 to 2020

47 fires

Every wildfire the federal occurrence database records inside this county: 47 of them, burning about 1,146 acres. None started naturally and 4 were recorded as arson. Each settlement page carries the fires within five miles of it.

Reported cause Fires
Debris and open burning25
Missing data/not specified/undetermined11
Equipment and vehicle use4
Arson/incendiarism4
Smoking3

The five largest, by the area the report gives. None of them was recorded as arson.

DateCause SizeReported by Name on the report
14 March 2015Missing data/not specified/undetermined400 acresKansas Forest Service27
15 March 2015Missing data/not specified/undetermined400 acresKansas Forest Service28
6 February 2017Debris and open burning80 acresDoniphan County2017003
29 August 2020Debris and open burning80 acresKansas Forest Servicenot named
10 March 2016Equipment and vehicle use35 acresKansas Forest Service2016012
6 March 2017Debris and open burning20 acresDoniphan County2017012
11 April 2015Missing data/not specified/undetermined20 acresKansas Forest Service22
23 March 2017Debris and open burning15 acresDoniphan County2017019

Every settlement page carries the fires within five miles of it - see the settlement index below.

Storms, 1955 to 2024

60 of 203 shown

The NOAA Storm Events Database holds 203 reports for this county, causing no deaths, 2 injuries and about $26,672,545 in recorded property damage. Each settlement page carries the reports that name it.

Kind of event Reports
Hail90
Thunderstorm Wind73
Tornado19
Flash Flood13
Flood7
Lightning1

The most serious of them, by death, then injury, then recorded damage. The accounts are quoted exactly as the forecast office filed them.

WhenEvent Place namedHarm What the report says
May 1955Tornado (F2)not stated1 hurt, $25,000no account filed
December 1956Tornadonot stated1 hurtno account filed
April 1984Tornado (F3)not stated$25,000,000no account filed
April 1995Tornadonot stated$500,000A severe thunderstorm produced golf ball- to baseball-size hail from Highland to just north of Denton. An apparant tornado formed two miles north of Denton and tracked east for 12 miles to near Wathena. Damage was intermittant along the narrow path, which averaged about 100-yards in width. Roofs were blown off of several barns and outbuildings. (F0)
April 1981Tornado (F2)not stated$250,000no account filed
May 1959Tornado (F3)not stated$250,000no account filed
July 2012Thunderstorm WindDenton$200,000Several barns were destroyed, including the historic Round Barn landmark. Thunderstorm wind gusts were estimated up to 70 mph.
May 2000LightningWathena$200,000Lightning struck a historic building, most recently used as a dance studio, in downtown Wathena. The fire that followed rendered the building a total loss, but did not spread to any other buildings.
March 2019FloodWhite Cloud$100,000Once the Missouri River started flooding on March 9, it remained in flood through the remainder of the month. The gauge in St. Joseph, Missouri reached 32.12 feet on March 22 (preliminarily a new record). The flooding was caused by several rounds of heavy snow across the Northern Plains through the winter months, followed by a rapid warm-up and several days of heavy rain. The Missouri River Basin across the Northern Plains flooded with catastrophic consequences as numerous dams and levees failed. As the water flowed into the Missouri River upstream of Buchanan County, the river swelled and ultimately overwhelmed the levees along the river. Local fields were also submerged, which delayed the growing season in the region, but several roads were washed away across Atchison County, and I-29 from St. Joseph northward to the Iowa/Missouri border was closed until mid May. Note: The dollar valued assigned to this event is likely inaccurate as a full tally of the extent of the physical damages is unknown. The Missouri River remained in flood through the rest of the month, into April.
June 1998Thunderstorm WindWathena$35,000Thunderstorm winds blew down a tree which fell on and totaled a trailer in Wathena.
September 1965Tornadonot stated$25,000no account filed
April 1964Tornadonot stated$25,000no account filed
April 2002Thunderstorm WindTroy$15,000Roof blown off a metal machine shed. Two other metal sheds were destroyed and a barn and residence had roof damage.
June 2010Thunderstorm WindWathena$10,000Multiple trailers were damaged by thunderstorm wind gusts, estimated up to 70 mph, near the Lake Contrary area.
August 2009Thunderstorm WindSeverance$10,000A roof was reported to have been blown off a home. Several power poles and trees were also blown down.
June 2004Thunderstorm WindHighland$10,000Powerlines blown down. Large tree toppled on house.
June 2008Thunderstorm WindWathena$8,000Roof was blown off a Conoco gas station along Highway 36.
June 2000Thunderstorm WindWathena$5,000Winds estimated at 60 mph tore some of the shingles off of a roof.
March 1979Tornado (F0)not stated$2,500no account filed
June 2008Thunderstorm WindElwood$2,000Power was lost in the city of Elwood with several trees down.
April 1995HailHighland$35A severe thunderstorm produced golf ball- to baseball-size hail from Highland to just north of Denton. An apparant tornado formed two miles north of Denton and tracked east for 12 miles to near Wathena. Damage was intermittant along the narrow path, which averaged about 100-yards in width. Roofs were blown off of several barns and outbuildings. (F0)
April 1995HailHighland$10A severe thunderstorm produced golf ball- to baseball-size hail from Highland to just north of Denton. An apparant tornado formed two miles north of Denton and tracked east for 12 miles to near Wathena. Damage was intermittant along the narrow path, which averaged about 100-yards in width. Roofs were blown off of several barns and outbuildings. (F0)
April 2024Tornado (EFU)White Cloud-A tornado was reported by emergency management 2 miles west southwest of White Cloud at 215 pm on 4/27. A mutual aid storm survey conducted by NWS Topeka indicated no damage in the vicinity of the tornado. Therefore, the tornado is rated EF-Unknown.
March 2024HailWathena-Photo of tennis ball sized hail in Wathena.
October 2024Thunderstorm WindTroy-Social media report of downed power poles near Troy.
October 2024Thunderstorm WindDenton-Several tree limbs blown down and minor property damage at a residence near Denton.
April 2023HailHighland-Half dollar sized hail was reported in Highland.
May 2023HailLeona-Half dollar sized hail was reported just SSE of Leona in Doniphan County.
April 2022Thunderstorm WindTroy-Tree limbs down in the area, with 60 mph estimated winds.
April 2022Thunderstorm WindHighland-A large pine tree around 12 inches in diameter was uprooted near Highland.
June 2022Thunderstorm WindSeverance-Report from MPing of 3 inch tree limbs down or power poles damaged.
June 2022Thunderstorm WindSeverance-There were a few tree limbs snapped off, which brought down some powerlines in Severance.
October 2021Tornado (EF0)Moray-This tornado developed west of Kansas Highway 7 tracking NE across Doniphan County, KS before dissipating across US36 northwest of Troy, KS.
June 2020Thunderstorm WindHighland-Public reported a large tree down across a road in town.
April 2019FloodWhite Cloud-Ongoing flooding along the Missouri River continued through the month of April and into May. Several roads were closed near the banks of the Missouri River. This flooding began in mid March and due to upstream releases and continued periods of heavy rain the flooding continued into May. Monetary damages are unknown despite the entry indicating 0 dollars of damages.
June 2019Thunderstorm WindElwood-Power lines were down in Wathena and Elwood.
June 2019FloodWhite Cloud-Heavy spring rains caused ongoing flooding along the Missouri River to Continue through the month. Some locations along the Missouri River experienced major flooding at times during the month. Damage estimates from roads washed out and crop damage are unknown at this time.
August 2019Thunderstorm WindDenton-An Emergency Manager reported 60 mph winds from the same location as golf ball sized hail.
May 2019FloodWhite Cloud-Heavy spring rains caused ongoing flooding along the Missouri River to Continue through the month. Some locations along the Missouri River experienced major flooding at times during the month. Damage estimates from roads washed out and crop damage are unknown at this time.
June 2018Thunderstorm WindTroy-Emergency Manager reported 60 to 70 mph wind gusts.
May 2018Thunderstorm WindHighland-An emergency manager reported 70 mph winds near Highland.
May 2018Thunderstorm WindWathena-A storm chaser reported 65 mph winds.
May 2018Thunderstorm WindHighland-A large tree was reported down in Highland. The report was acquired via social media.
May 2016HailTroy-This report was gathered via social media.
July 2016Thunderstorm WindTroy-A large tree of unknown condition or size was down on Seneca Street in Troy. Various tree limbs were also down across town.
July 2016Thunderstorm WindTroy-Several trees of unknown size or condition were down.
September 2016Flash FloodLeona-There was waist-deep water reported over the bridge along Ashpointe Road. The amount of damages to the highway is unknown.
May 2015Flash FloodWhite Cloud-K7 in White Cloud was flooded.
August 2014Thunderstorm WindTroy-A spotter estimated winds to be around 65 mph.
October 2014FloodDoniphan-Sedgwick Road was closed due to flooding.
June 2014Thunderstorm WindDenton-Winds were estimated to be 60 mph.
June 2014Thunderstorm WindDenton-A grain bin and an out building were blown on to a road and destroyed.
June 2014Flash FloodSeverance-Water flowing across 180th Rd and Highway 120.
June 2014Flash FloodLeona-Water running over the road at 170th and Ash Point.
June 2014Flash FloodDenton-Water was flowing over Highway 20.
May 2013Flash FloodTroy Jct-County Road 155 was reported washed out, due to heavy rains.
May 2013Flash FloodBlair-Highway 36 had a report of 8 inches of standing water on it.
June 2013Thunderstorm WindWhite Cloud-Thunderstorm wind gusts were estimated up to 75 mph.
May 2011Tornado (EF0)Iowa Pt-At 1757CST a brief EF0 tornado touchdown was observed 4 miles north of Highland. The tornado traveled about a quarter mile, and lifted a little over 4 miles north northeast of Highland, at 1759CST. Only minor tree damage was observed.
August 2011Thunderstorm WindWathena-Thunderstorm wind gusts were estimated up to 70 mph.

Mines and quarries

1 recorded

The Survey's mineral resources record lists 1 working inside this county. It still produces. Each settlement page carries the workings within five miles of it.

Commodity Workings
Stone, Crushed/Broken1

The least common of them first, because a county's hundredth gravel pit says nothing its first ten did not.

Where SiteCommodity StatusRecorded
Wathena QuarryStone, Crushed/BrokenProducer

Every populated place in the county

18

Named settlements recorded in the Geographic Names Information System, each with the topographic sheets covering it. Villages, hamlets and abandoned places alike. Each is shown with the nearest named watercourse or landform and the survey quadrangle it falls on.

Provenance

  • Topographic sheets. USGS Historical Topographic Map Collection, county index, measured from the bulk metadata.
  • Fire insurance maps. Library of Congress Sanborn collection, faceted to this county.
  • Photographs. Each place queried individually against the Library of Congress Prints and Photographs search.
  • Wildfire. Short, Karen C. 2022. Spatial wildfire occurrence data for the United States, 1992-2020 [FPA_FOD_20221014]. 6th Edition. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2013-0009.6 Collected with United States Government funding and usable without additional permissions or fees.
  • Mines and quarries. USGS Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS) https://mrdata.usgs.gov/mrds/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.
  • Storms. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105. Narratives are quoted verbatim from the National Weather Service report and are not edited or summarised.