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Reno County Kansas 

The area in South Central Kansas known as Reno County was part of the area purchased by the United States from the French in 1803.  Explorers passed through Kansas between 1803 and 1861 when Kansas became a state but settlement didn’t begin until Congress created Kansas territory and decreed that it was no longer Indian territory. 

The Kansas Legislature drew the boundaries for Reno County in 1865.  The population wasn’t sufficient to necessitate self-government until December 1871.  The first election for county officers was held in January of 1872. 

Reno County was named for Major-General Jesse Lee Reno who fought in the Civil War and died in the line of duty at the Battle of South Mountain in Maryland in 1862.  Hutchinson is the county seat and the largest city in the county.  Hutchinson was named after its founder, Clinton Carter Hutchinson.  Mr. Hutchinson claimed to be a Baptist preacher and he stipulated that no alcoholic beverages could be sold or consumed on the property or the land would forfeit back to him.  This also kept the town quiet.  The early settlement of the county by Amish and Mennonites also contributed to the quiet history.  The Mennonites and Amish are still strongly represented in the county.

Average household size:

Reno County:	2.4 people
Kansas:	2.5 people

Estimated median household income in 2007: $41,477 ($35,510 in 1999)

This county:	$41,477
Kansas:	$47,451

Agriculture in Reno County

Average size of farms: 468 acres

Average value of agricultural products sold per farm: $71127

Average value of crops sold per acre for harvested cropland: $139.22

The value of livestock, poultry, and their products as a percentage of the total market value of agricultural products sold: 50.49%

Average total farm production expenses per farm: $66372

Harvested cropland as a percentage of land in farms: 54.02%

Irrigated harvested cropland as a percentage of land in farms: 10.55%

Average market value of all machinery and equipment per farm: $70644

The percentage of farms operated by a family or individual: 89.49%

Average age of principal farm operators: 58 years

Average number of cattle and calves per 100 acres of all land in farms: 11.75

Milk cows as a percentage of all cattle and calves: 3.66%

Corn for grain: 24708 harvested acres

All wheat for grain: 217119 harvested acres

Soybeans for beans: 33466 harvested acres

Vegetables: 14 harvested acres

Land in orchards: 58 acres

Reno County historical area-adjusted tornado activity is above Kansas state average. It is 3.5 times above overall U.S. average.

Tornadoes in this county have caused 4 fatalities and 90 injuries recorded between 1950 and 2004.

On 3/13/1990, a category 5 (max. wind speeds 261-318 mph) tornado killed one person and injured 60 people and caused between $5,000,000 and $50,000,000 in damages.

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