Jefferson County, Kansas
| Jefferson County, Kansas | |
|---|---|
| County | |
Jefferson County Courthouse in Oskaloosa
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|
 Location in the U.S. state of Kansas |
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 Kansas's location in the U.S. |
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| Founded | August 25, 1855 |
| Named for | Thomas Jefferson |
| Seat | Oskaloosa |
| Largest city | Valley Falls |
| Area | |
| • Total | 557 sq mi (1,443 km2) |
| • Land | 533 sq mi (1,380 km2) |
| • Water | 24 sq mi (62 km2), 4.3% |
| Population (est.) | |
| • (2012) | 18,945 |
| • Density | 36/sq mi (14/km²) |
| Congressional district | 2nd |
| Time zone | Central: UTC-6/-5 |
| Website | jfcountyks |
Coordinates: 39°13′N 95°24′W / 39.217°N 95.400°W
Jefferson County (county code JF) is a county located in the U.S. state of Kansas. At the 2010 census, the county population was 19,126. Its county seat is Oskaloosa, and its most populous city is Valley Falls.
For many millennia, 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.
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