Ness County, Kansas: History
Ness County was established on February 26, 1867. It was the site of an 1867 confrontation between the Cheyenne and Sioux tribes and General Winfield Scott Hancock at the Indian Village on Pawnee Fork, where the fighting helped inform George A. Custer's tactics throughout his career.
The county was first organized in 1873 but disestablished a year later. It was reorganized on April 14, 1880. The founding of Ness City, the county seat, followed closely after the county's organization in 1867. Ross Calhoun, the "Father of Ness City," arrived in 1877 or 1878, opened the first general store, and formally laid out the town in October 1878, inviting settlers to join him. A bitter county seat fight ensued among Ness City, Sidney, and Clarinda, lasting from 1880 to 1883, with accusations of bribery and fraud, before Ness City was confirmed as the county seat.
Ness County's population peaked in the 1930 census at 8,358 and has steadily declined since then, reaching 2,687 in the 2020 census. From 2010 to 2020, the county's population dropped by 13.5%, the third largest percentage drop in the state.