History of Rawlins County

  • Rawlins Township was named for John A. Rawlins of Galena, IL., which was also the hometown of Ulysses S. Grant. Rawlins went into the cabinet of General Grant as Secretary of War March 11, 1869 and died September 6, 1879.
  • Located in the Northwest Corner of Kansas. Rawlins County's area is 1,080 square miles, borders Nebraska and is 1 county away from border with Colorado.
  • Rawlins County was created by the Legislature of 1873 and organized May 25, 1881. With Atwood as the temporary county seat.
  • There was an exciting fight over county seat between Blakeman and Atwood, which was settled by the courts in July, 1881.
  • The first county fair was held in McDonald in September, 1918, and later moved to Atwood. In 1879 the newspaper states there was one school district for the entire county, District Number 1, in Atwood.
  • Rawlins County is birthplace to two famous Kansans. Rudolph Wendlin, who created "Smokey the Bear" for the Park Service. Also, Mike Hayden, who served as governor of Kansas from 1987-1991.