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Kiowa County, Kansas

29 topographic sheets cover 7 settlements here, and 3 properties are on the National Register of Historic Places.

Research this county

From the record

3 National Register listings published here.

Sources: the National Register database, National Park Service

Kansas within the United States
Kiowa County within Kansas

What the record shows

  • 121 topographic sheet readings cover the county's settlements.
  • 3 properties here are on the National Register of Historic Places: 2 buildings and 1 structure.
  • 1 of the 3 listings was added during the 1970s.
  • The Geographic Names Information System records 7 populated places in this county; 7 are covered by at least one topographic sheet.

Places on the National Register

3

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
Fromme-Birney Round Barnbuilding198787001253
Greensburg Wellstructure197272000507
S.D. Robinett Buildingbuilding200909000029

Wildfire, 1994 to 2020

25 fires

Every wildfire the federal occurrence database records inside this county: 25 of them, burning about 59,911 acres. None started naturally and none was recorded as arson. Each settlement page carries the fires within five miles of it.

Reported cause Fires
Missing data/not specified/undetermined17
Equipment and vehicle use6
Debris and open burning2

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

DateCause SizeReported by Name on the report
7 April 1994Missing data/not specified/undetermined30,000 acresComanche Countynot named
16 March 1994Missing data/not specified/undetermined7,000 acresComanche Countynot named
18 February 1994Missing data/not specified/undetermined7,000 acresKiowa Countynot named
17 February 1997Missing data/not specified/undetermined6,000 acresComanche Countynot named
21 March 1997Missing data/not specified/undetermined5,000 acresKiowa Countynot named
5 April 2008Missing data/not specified/undetermined4,000 acresKansas CountiesKIOWA
15 March 2018Missing data/not specified/undetermined450 acresKiowa CountyCOTTON BALE
21 July 2012Missing data/not specified/undetermined420 acresKansas Counties2012019 GRASS

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

Storms, 1954 to 2025

60 of 629 shown

The NOAA Storm Events Database holds 629 reports for this county, causing 11 deaths, 74 injuries and about $255,120,730 in recorded property damage. Each settlement page carries the reports that name it.

Kind of event Reports
Hail396
Thunderstorm Wind131
Tornado64
Heavy Rain28
Flood5
Flash Flood4
Funnel Cloud1

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 2007Tornado (EF5)Mullinville11 killed, 63 hurt, $250,000,000This killer tornado started in Comanche county and crossed into Kiowa county at 2003 CST / 2103 CDT. It curved north then northwest before making a complete loop northwest of Greensburg. Thus, the path was 25.8 miles.||This tornado destroyed nearly 95 percent of the town of Greensburg and despite adequate warning, unfortunately took the life of 11 people, some that were in basements. First responders arriving on the scene requested three refrigerated refer trucks thinking there would be hundreds of fatalities. It also destroyed a dozen homes and a church south of Greensburg but did not cause injury. In all, 961 homes and businesses were destroyed, 216 received major damage and 307 received minor damage. ||As the tornado was dissipating it turned northwest, west, south and then back east making a loop. This was documented on both high resolution doppler radar and through the ground survey. Also as the tornado was dissipating a new circulation quickly grew northeast of town.||Several oil storage tanks were destroyed causing an environmental concern. In the town of Greensburg, hazardous material was strewn everywhere. As of July 26th, the debris was still not fully cleaned up. Two landfills were filled with debris from the town and this was even as most was burned. Hundreds of thousands of dump truck loads were taken out. It was estimated that approximately 400,000 cubic yards of debris was removed. The major highway running through town was closed for 1 full month.||At one time there were over 150 law enforcement officers (from all over the country) present. Military was called in for debris removal and rebuilding. ||Damage of insured losses exceeded $150 million, but including un-insured losses, was roughly 250 million dollars.||**** NOTE **** The 11th victim passed away on September 19th, 2007 after a long battle with a head injury sustained during the tornado.
April 1956Tornado (F4)not stated6 hurt, $250,000no account filed
August 1986Tornado (F1)not stated3 hurt, $25,000no account filed
May 2002Tornado (F3)Mullinville1 hurt, $800,000This tornado moved slowly east/northeast at first and then turned south/southeast striking two farms. One person was thrown from the house and into the yard.
June 1958Tornado (F1)not stated1 hurt, $2,500no account filed
August 1996Thunderstorm WindHaviland$2,000,000no account filed
June 1996Thunderstorm WindMullinville$1,500,000no account filed
March 2021Thunderstorm WindHaviland$100,000There were several pivot irrigations systems rolled over several times and were completely destroyed. An unofficial wind measurement from a home weather station was 114 MPH.
July 1999Thunderstorm WindGreensburg$70,000Pivot sprinkler overturned...siding stripped off a house and a shed was destroyed.
April 2006Thunderstorm WindHaviland$50,000A pivot irrigation sprinkler was overturned by the high wind.
May 2002Thunderstorm WindHaviland$50,000A tractor was blown upside down onto a road.
June 1994Thunderstorm WindGreensburg$50,000no account filed
April 2001Thunderstorm WindHaviland$40,000100 year old cedar tree was uprooted.
July 1999Thunderstorm WindGreensburg$30,000All out buildings destroyed.
March 1992Tornado (F1)not stated$25,000no account filed
May 1965Tornadonot stated$25,000no account filed
May 1962Tornado (F2)not stated$25,000no account filed
March 2021Thunderstorm WindMullinville$20,000Roof damage and broken windows resulted from the high wind. A nearby weather station reported a gust to 105 MPH.
June 2013Tornado (EF1)Mullinville$18,000A detached garage was destroyed and thrown northwest by a small tornado that developed on the leading edge of the squall line.
July 2000Thunderstorm WindGreensburg$10,000Barn destroyed and trees uprooted.
March 2000Thunderstorm WindGreensburg$8,000Downburst removed a tin roof off a building and damaged part of the wall.
July 2025Flash FloodMullinville$5,000The Emergency management reported roads washed out in southwest Kiowa County. Time estimated.
April 2001Thunderstorm WindGreensburg$5,000Roof blown off a modular home under construction
May 1995Thunderstorm Wind2 E Greensburg$5,000Damage to siding from 90 mph wind and dime-size hail.
May 1975Tornado (F1)not stated$2,500no account filed
May 2002Thunderstorm WindGreensburg$2,000Four power poles were blown down.
July 1999Thunderstorm WindGreensburg$1,500Power poles blown down.
May 2002Thunderstorm WindWellsford$500Vehicle blown into a ditch.
August 2002Thunderstorm WindMullinville$500Heavy farm machinery was moved by the high wind.
March 2000Thunderstorm WindMullinville$200Trampoline was thrown into trees.
August 1960Tornado (F0)not stated$30no account filed
May 2025Tornado (EF3)Greensburg-A NWS storm survey confirmed reports of a tornado. Some damage included broken power poles, tree trunk snaped, an irrigation pivot broken and tossed.
September 2025Thunderstorm WindWellsford-There was a snapped utility pole reported.
August 2025Thunderstorm WindMullinville-The Mesonet station UP372 2.3 W Mullinville reported a 66 mph wind gust.
August 2025Thunderstorm WindGreensburg-A personal weather station, Kents station, recorded a 71 mph wind gust.
August 2025Thunderstorm WindGreensburg Arpt-Mesonet station UP323 2.3 E Greensburg (UPR) recorded a 58 mph wind gust.
May 2025Tornado (EF3)Brenham-A NWS storm survey confirmed reports of a tornado with damage including snapped power poles, debarked trees, tossed irrigation pivots, and other damage.
May 2025Tornado (EF1)Brenham-Short-lived satellite tornado off of the larger main votex farther east. Total path just under 3 miles and width no more than 50 yards with peak winds of 90 mph.
September 2025HailGreensburg-A storm chaser reported 1 inch hail.
June 2024Flash FloodMullinville-Road over highway.
June 2024Thunderstorm WindGreensburg-A 65 mph wind gust was reported.
May 2024Heavy RainHaviland-A 24 hour rainfall report of 1.00 inches.
May 2024Heavy RainGreensburg-Rainfall report of 2.39 inches.
May 2024Heavy RainMullinville-Rainfall report of 2.54 inches.
May 2024Heavy RainBrenham-Rainfall report of 1.80 inches.
August 2022Thunderstorm WindGreensburg-There was significant tree damage.
June 2022Thunderstorm WindHaviland-A semi truck was blown over on the highway.
March 2021Thunderstorm WindJoy-Numerous windows were blown out by high wind.
March 2021Thunderstorm WindGreensburg-There was roof damage.
March 2021Thunderstorm WindMullinville-Numerous windows were blown out by the high wind.
March 2021Thunderstorm WindGreensburg-There was single damage to a roof.
October 2021Thunderstorm WindGreensburg Arpt-Winds were estimated to be 70-80 MPH wind gusts.
October 2021Tornado (EF1)Joy-This was a qlcs tornado.
October 2021Tornado (EFU)Joy-This was a qlcs tornado.
July 2020Heavy RainHaviland-Rainfall of 2.00 inches was observed.
June 2019Thunderstorm WindGreensburg-Winds were estimated to be 70 MPH. One to two inch diameter tree branches were broken by the high wind.
May 2019Thunderstorm WindMullinville-Winds were estimated to be gusting to 70 MPH.
September 2019Heavy RainJoy-Rainfall of 4.43 inches was observed.
September 2019HailGreensburg-Mostly dime sized hail was observed but a few the size of a quarter were noted.
August 2019Heavy RainHaviland-Rainfall of 2.40 inches was observed.

Every populated place in the county

7

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.