Township 1, Rooks County, Kansas Explained

Township 1
Settlement Type:Township
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Name:United States
Subdivision Type1:State
Subdivision Name1:Kansas
Subdivision Type2:County
Subdivision Name2:Rooks
Established Title:Township 1
Established Date:1971
Population As Of:2010
Population Total:242
Timezone:CST
Utc Offset:-6
Elevation M:512
Elevation Ft:1680
Coordinates:39.4381°N -99.1008°W
Blank Name:GNIS feature ID
Blank Info:472247[1]

Township 1 is a township in Rooks County, Kansas, United States. Woodston is the largest population center in Township 1.

History

Rooks County was established with four townships: Bow Creek, Lowell, Paradise and Stockton. That number increased to seven by 1878[2] and twenty three in 1925. The twenty three townships were in place until 1971 when the number was reduced to the current twelve townships.[3]

Township 1 was formed from Rooks County townships Ash Rock, Lowell and Medicine[4] in 1971 pursuant to Kansas Statute 80-1110.[5] 80-1110 allowed for the disorganization of townships and assigning those territories to contiguous townships.[6]

Buros Creek flows through the northern part of Township 1 into South Fork Solomon River. Medicine Creek flows through the southern part of Township 1 into South Fork Solomon River.

Ash Rock Township

Ash Rock Township was established in 1877 from part of Lowell Township. The township was named for a petrified tree trunk found by an early settler, H. C. Olds. The Stone Church built in 1883 is a landmark from Ash Rock township.[7]

Lowell Township

Lowell Township was one of the four original Rooks County civil townships along with Bow Creek, Paradise and Stockton. The original Lowell Township was 18 miles north-to-south (3 survey townships). The west border was with Bow Creek and Stockton Townships. The east border the Osborne County line making it 9 miles (1-1/2 survey townships) wide. Lowell originally included territory that would become Ash Rock, Medicine and parts of Greenfield, Iowa and Lanark townships.

The South Fork Solomon River traversed Lowell Township.[8]

Medicine Township

Medicine Township was established in 1879 from part of Lowell Township. The township was named for Medicine Creek that traversed the township to the South Fork Solomon River. Medicine Creek was called "heap big medicine" by Native Americans.[9]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: US Board on Geographic Names. 2018-01-07. United States Geological Survey. 1978-10-13.
  2. Web site: MAP OF ROOKS COUNTY, KANSAS, 1878 . KS Gen Web . February 10, 2018.
  3. Web site: Rooks County Kansas . Kansas Historical Society . February 10, 2018.
  4. Web site: Kansas Civil Townships and Independent Cities. 2018-01-07. Kansas Historical Society.
  5. News: BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, ROOKS COUNTY KANSAS . LEGAL ADVERTISING . Plainville Times . January 7, 1971 . 10.
  6. Web site: Chapter 80.:-TOWNSHIPS AND TOWNSHIP OFFICERS . Kansas Office of Revisor of Statutes . February 10, 2018.
  7. News: Dodrill . Mrs. Ellsworth . A History of Ash Rock Township . Plainville Times . January 26, 1961 . 8.
  8. News: Murphy . Elton J. . A History of Lowell Township . Plainville Times . March 2, 1961 . 5.
  9. News: Rubottom . Mrs. L. A. . A History of Medicine Township . Plainville Times . March 23, 1961 . 5.