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Jefferson County, Kansas

71 topographic sheets cover 25 settlements here, and 10 properties are on the National Register of Historic Places.

Research this county

From the record

10 National Register listings published here.

Sources: the National Register database, National Park Service

Kansas within the United States
Jefferson County within Kansas

What the record shows

  • 539 topographic sheet readings cover the county's settlements.
  • 10 properties here are on the National Register of Historic Places: 5 buildings, 3 structures and 2 districts.
  • 1 of the 10 listings was added during the 1970s.
  • The Geographic Names Information System records 25 populated places in this county; 25 are covered by at least one topographic sheet.

Places on the National Register

10

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
Buck Creek Schoolbuilding198888002830
Delaware River Composite Truss Bridgestructure200303000371
Delaware River Parker Truss Bridgestructure200303000372
Morris Harris Farmsteaddistrict2023100009181
Jefferson Old Town Bowstring Trussstructure199089002186
Maplecroft Farmsteaddistrict2017100001702
Methodist Episcopal Church of Oskaloosabuilding2025100011579
Newell-Johnson-Searle Housebuilding2017100001289
Sunnyside Schoolbuilding201110001139
Union Blockbuilding197373000760

Wildfire, 2002 to 2020

369 fires

Every wildfire the federal occurrence database records inside this county: 369 of them, burning about 3,587 acres. 3 started naturally and 39 were recorded as arson. Each settlement page carries the fires within five miles of it.

Reported cause Fires
Debris and open burning144
Missing data/not specified/undetermined133
Arson/incendiarism39
Equipment and vehicle use19
Recreation and ceremony15
Smoking12
Natural3
Other causes2
Power generation/transmission/distribution1
Fireworks1

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

DateCause SizeReported by Name on the report
16 March 2005Debris and open burning429 acresHorton AgencyWRIGHT
5 March 2016Debris and open burning300 acresKansas Forest Service54
20 January 2018Missing data/not specified/undetermined155 acresOklahoma Division of ForestryNORTH MCNALLY
31 March 2015Missing data/not specified/undetermined135 acresKansas Forest Service79
17 March 2002Debris and open burning120 acresJefferson Countynot named
23 January 2002Missing data/not specified/undetermined90 acresKansas State Fire Marshal's Officenot named
22 March 2015Debris and open burning80 acresKansas Forest Service66
21 February 2017Debris and open burning79 acresJefferson County2017029

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

Storms, 1951 to 2026

60 of 854 shown

The NOAA Storm Events Database holds 854 reports for this county, causing 1 death, 24 injuries and about $34,518,810 in recorded property damage. Each settlement page carries the reports that name it.

Kind of event Reports
Hail379
Thunderstorm Wind353
Flash Flood55
Tornado37
Flood16
Funnel Cloud12
Heavy Rain1
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
April 2009LightningNewman1 killed, 1 hurtA group of seven motorcyclists riding together as members of the group Bikers Against Child Abuse were struck by lightning just before 5pm on the 25th. One biker was killed by the strike, and the rider next to him was injured and taken to the hospital, but released later that evening. The other 5 were not injured.
May 2007Heavy RainGrantville6 hurt, $50,000Heavy rain caused a smoking roof to collapse injuring 6 people...none seriously. Also, Muddy Creek is out of it's banks and is beginning to run over highway 24.
April 1991Tornado (F1)not stated4 hurt, $25,000no account filed
April 1991Tornado (F2)not stated2 hurt, $2,500,000no account filed
October 2005Flash FloodCountywide2 hurt, $2,000,000Highway 16 flooded with deep fast flowing water northwest of Valley Falls. Other roads over the county flooded as well including Highways 92 and 59.
June 1998Thunderstorm WindPerry2 hurt, $700,000no account filed
May 1996Thunderstorm WindPerry Lake2 hurt, $150,000no account filed
May 2016HailMeriden2 hurtTwo injuries reported by the Emergency Manager. The victims refused treatment. Time was based on radar.
May 1960Tornado (F4)not stated1 hurt, $250,000no account filed
May 1960Tornado (F3)not stated1 hurtno account filed
May 1960Tornado (F3)not stated1 hurtno account filed
April 1984Tornado (F3)not stated$25,000,000no account filed
May 1997HailPerry$1,000,000no account filed
June 1996Tornado (F1)Thompsonville$600,000no account filed
October 2005Flash FloodMeriden$420,000Officials closing several roads in the Meriden area due to flash flooding and deep water over the roads.
March 1990Tornado (F1)not stated$250,000no account filed
September 2005Flash FloodWilliamstown$200,000no account filed
June 1999Flash FloodMc Louth$120,000Heavy rains caused flash flooding . Two people were stranded by the flash flooding near McLouth and had to be rescued by boat. Three feet of water was in the Valley Falls High School gymnasium for a time. Eight homes had extensive flood damage.
May 2000Tornado (F1)Williamstown$108,000A tornado touched down just north of Williamstown and moved east until it crossed into Leavenworth county at 2040 cst. Windows were blown out of a house north of Williamstown. East of Williamstown it struck a farmstead where 2 homes were damaged, 5 pole barns destroyed and 2 others damaged. Metal from an outbuilding was carried 100 feet and hung in a tree 10 feet above ground.
June 1998HailPerry$100,000no account filed
June 1996Flash FloodWilliamstown$100,000no account filed
August 2005Flash FloodOskaloosa$80,000Fast flowing water across several rural roads.
June 1997Thunderstorm WindMeriden$80,000no account filed
June 1997Thunderstorm WindRock Creek$60,000no account filed
May 2007Flash FloodBuck Creek$50,000Reported water flowing over Highway 24 east of the junction with highway 59.
May 2007FloodGrantville$50,000Prairie Creek over road at 50th St. Water over the road at 27th and KOA. A few evacuations taking place in Grantville. A fan boat was used to aid in the evacuation effort. Highway 24 along with a few other county roads were flooded and closed.
June 2005Flash FloodMeriden$50,000Rural 54th street low water crossing has at least 6 inches of fast flowing water.
May 2002Tornado (F1)Oskaloosa$50,000A short lived tornado touched down in Oskaloosa and damaged a seed mill and other buildings.
July 1994Thunderstorm WindValley Falls$50,000High winds, estimated to 90 mph, caused widespread damage to trees, power lines and some buildings across the county.
July 1994Thunderstorm WindValley Falls$50,000High winds ripped part of the roof off a rural Valley Falls home.
September 1993HailMeriden$50,000A slow moving supercell thunderstorm that formed north of Manhattan moved across southern Jefferson county during the mid afternoon producing numerous reports of large hail and winds up to 75 knots. Widespread damage was inflicted to crops, vehicles and buildings by the combined effects of hail and high wind. Heavy rainfall of 3.00 to 5.00 inches temporarily flooded low lying and poor drainage areas, especially roads and highways.
July 2004Flash FloodPerry$40,000Heavy rains produced flash flooding in southern Jefferson county. At Perry water was running over the street curbs. Many roads near Perry were covered by water. Near Williamstown the junction of highways 24 and 59 was barracaded due to rising water.
May 2002Tornado (F1)Winchester$25,000A tornado touched down near Winchester and damaged buildings and power lines.
October 1998Flash FloodWilliamstown$25,000no account filed
October 1961Tornado (F1)not stated$25,000no account filed
April 2026Flash FloodWilliamstown$20,000Vehicle stranded in flood waters on US 24 highway.
May 2007Flash FloodMeriden$20,000Water over roads near Meriden and Oskaloosa. 10 inches of water over roadway at 102nd and Osage. 8 to 12 inches of water over roadway at 54th and Clark.
November 1998Flash FloodGrantville$20,000no account filed
June 1997Thunderstorm WindMeriden$20,000no account filed
September 2001Thunderstorm WindMc Louth$15,000Strong winds blew a boat and dock onto nearby boats at Lake Dabanawa doing major damage.
May 1995HailGrantville$15,000no account filed
April 2026Flash FloodBuck Creek$10,000The intersection of 13th and Wellman road is impassable from water up to a foot in depth.
April 2006Thunderstorm WindPerry$10,0002 boat houses had roofs blown off at Perry Lake Marina.
May 2002Tornado (F1)Oskaloosa$10,000A short lived tornado touched down near Oskaloosa and damaged buildings, roofs, and power lines.
May 2002Thunderstorm WindPerry$10,000Strong winds damaged a marina at Lake Perry.
June 2004HailThompsonville$8,000Large hail damaged houses and crops near Thompsonville.
June 2004HailGrantville$7,000Large hail fell across southern Jefferson county between Grantville and Perry. Some vehicles were damaged by golfball size hail as well as roofs of some homes. Extensive crop damage occurred.
August 2011HailNortonville$5,000Three windows were broken on the west side of a home due to wind driven hail. Damage to the vinyle siding of the home was also reported.
June 2004Thunderstorm WindMc Louth$5,000Strong winds blew down trees. A tree punctured a propane tank.
June 2004HailPerry$5,000Large hail damaged vehicles and crops near Perry.
June 2004Thunderstorm WindValley Falls$5,000Strong winds blew the siding off a house.
May 2002Tornado (F0)Oskaloosa$5,000A tornado briefly touched down northeast of Oskaloosa and damaged power lines.
October 1998Thunderstorm WindWilliamstown$5,000Strong winds blew the roof off a barn.
April 1994Thunderstorm WindMeriden$5,000Winds estimated to 60 mph knocked down large trees.
June 1994Thunderstorm WindPerry$5,000High winds knocked down power lines.
May 2002Thunderstorm WindMc Louth$4,000Strong winds destroyed outbuildings near McClouth.
August 2000Thunderstorm WindMidland$4,000Strong winds damaged a barn near Midland.
August 2000Thunderstorm WindMidland$4,000Strong winds damaged a barn near Midland.
August 2011HailNortonville$3,000Hail cracked two windows at the home.
April 2002Thunderstorm WindPerry$3,000Strong winds downed power lines.

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
Hamm PlantStone, Crushed/BrokenProducer

Every populated place in the county

25

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.