Organized in 1855, only 6 years prior to Kansas entering the union as the 34th state, Bourbon County is part of Kansas' Osage Plains region. The topography is gently rolling with some low hills. Although there are wooded areas, very little of the area would be considered forested. The climate is continental with cold winters and hot summers. The average annual temperature is approximately 56 degrees Fahrenheit. The annual precipitation in Southeast Kansas is 40 inches with most of this in the form of rain during late spring and early summer. Most of the area was once natural grassland (prairie), a result of its subhumid to semiarid climate and recurring droughts.
The Wildlife
Our
Location
Commissioner's Statement of Direction
The Wildlife
Until the 19th century the grasslands were the home of huge herds of buffalo and antelope. Today larger wildlife is restricted to deer, coyote, fox, and rabbits. Birdlife includes prairie chicken, quail, meadowlarks, hawks, and blackbirds. The streams and lakes are the home of bass, catfish, sunfish and crappie.
Our Location
Fort Scott is positioned 37.83 degrees north of the equator and 94.70 degrees west of the prime meridian. Bourbon County consists of 408,960 acres and 639 square miles. The county was named after Bourbon County, Kentucky with the county seat located at Fort Scott. There are 11 townships in the county, and we are located in Fulton, Kansas a part of the Freedom Township.
Commissioner's Statement of Direction
A county is a political subdivision of Kansas with the basic powers vested in the governing board (Board of County Commissioners.) According to Bourbon County Commissioner Larry Shoemaker, "the past three decades have witnessed a major expansion in the number and variety of county provided services...The forces of change produced demands that counties undertake more services - services such as...environmental protection."
Special Thanks to Kansas Department of Health and Environment for the Kansas Environmental Logo
© Copyright 1998 The Hendrix Home School
