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Official Website
History
The Great Plains of North America was inhabited by nomadic Native Americans. From the 16th century to 18th century, the Kingdom of France claimed ownership of large parts of North America. In 1762, after the French and Indian War, France secretly ceded New France to Spain, per the Treaty of Fontainebleau. In 1802, Spain returned most of the land to France, but keeping title to about 7,500 square miles.
In 1803, most of the land for modern day Kansas was acquired by the United States from France as part of the 828,000 square mile Louisiana Purchase for 2.83 cents per acre. In 1848, after the Mexican–American War, the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo with Spain brought into the United States all or part of land for ten future states, including southwest Kansas. In 1854, the Kansas Territory was organized, then in 1861 Kansas became the 34th U.S. state.
In 1806, Zebulon Pike led the Pike expedition westward from St Louis, Missouri, of which part of their journey followed the Cottonwood River through modern Chase County.
In 1859, Chase County was established within the Kansas Territory.
The south-western border one mile "notch" into Marion County was established under unusual circumstances. A murder had occurred and Marion County didn't want to have the trial, so a section one mile wide and eighteen miles long was ceded to Chase County to ensure the murder had occurred there. The one mile strip of land remains in Chase County to this day.
In 1931, Notre Dame coach Knute Rockne died in a plane crash a few miles southwest of Bazaar, in Chase County, Kansas.
Adjacent Counties
Cities & Communities
- Bazaar
- Birley
- Cedar Point
- Clements
- Clover Cliff
- Cottonwood Falls (County Seat)
- Elk
- Ellinor
- Elmdale
- Gladstone
- Homestead
- Hymer
- Matfield Green
- Morgan
- Neva
- Rockland
- Rural
- Saffordville
- Strong City
- Thurman
- Toledo
- Wonsevu
Links
Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve
National Register of Historic Places
Chase County Historical Society & Museum
