Bourbon County Kansas

Bourbon County Kansas Bourbon County, with its rich historic past, also looks forward to the future. It was named after Bourbon County, Kentucky.

THE HISTORY OF BOURBON COUNTY, KANSAS
Bourbon County, Kansas, was one of the thirty-three original counties of Kansas created by the first Territorial Assembly of 1855. The area containing the present Bourbon County was part of the Louisiana Purchase of 1803. In 1806 Zebulon Pike was sent to survey the area. Pike entered the present Bourbon County near where the towns of Hammond, Fulton and Barnes

ville now stand. During the early part of the 19th Century, the area was inhabited only by Native Americans, mostly the Osage. A six mile strip across the southern portion of the present Bourbon County was Cherokee Neutral Lands. The remaining area was given to the New York or Iroquois Tribes. In 1837 the War Department ordered the laying out of a military road from Fort Coffey, Indian Territory, to Fort Leavenworth. 1842 saw temporary buildings being erected at the site of Fort Scott. Within a few years, the quarters were among the finest and most commodious of any frontier post. The fort was named in honor of General-in-Chief of the Army, Winfield Scott. During the Civil War, Fort Scott was the base of supplies and the station of several regiments of Union Troops. The population of Bourbon County is 14,803. The principal industries are agriculture, livestock, coal mining, garment manufacturing, aluminum, granite and marble works, printed business forms, commercial printing, cabinets, trucking and insurance companies. The County's leading crops are milo, wheat and soybeans. Bourbon County has four large, man-made lakes--one in the western part of the County, Bourbon State Fishing Lake, with a surface area of approximately 207 acres, Lake Fort Scott, four miles southwest of Fort Scott, with a surface area of 350 acres, Elm Creek Lake, 15 miles southwest of Fort Scott and Cedar Creek Lake, located approximately 6 miles west of Fort Scott. In addition to the larger lakes, there are several smaller man-made lakes which are stocked by KDWP as well. Those include Rock Creek Lake, lakes at Gunn Park and the small lake at Fort Scott Community College. Kansas Department of Wildlife & Parks (KDWP) stocks some of these lakes with trout. KDWP also helps fund maintenance of these lakes, which means that fishing in them requires no additional permit, other than those required by KDWP. National Cemetery #1, was established by an act of Congress in 1862, and is located in Fort Scott. The Fort Scott National Historic Site is operated by the National Park Service. It contains many original and reconstructed buildings from the 1846 period when it was built. There are many annual activities at the fort, commemorating its history.

05/10/2026

ROAD CLOSED: K-7 between U.S. 54 and the K-31 north junction is closed. The bridge over Mill Creek requires repairs.

05/07/2026

The Freeman ER ribbon cutting is this morning and two or more commissioners may be present but no county business will be conducted.

05/01/2026

Taking applications for Maintenance Assistant. Turn applications in to Executive Assistant @bourboncountyks.org or in courthouse next to commission room.
Position is open until filled.

04/27/2026

K-31 west of Fulton has been closed due to flooding at the Little Osage River.

Flood Statement
National Weather Service Springfield MO
416 AM CDT Mon Apr 27 2026
..The Flood Warning continues for the following rivers in Kansas...
Missouri...

Little Osage River at Fulton affecting Bourbon County.

Little Osage River near Horton affecting Vernon County.
..The Flood Warning is extended for the following rivers in
Missouri...

Osage River at Taberville affecting Vernon and St. Clair Counties.

For the Little Osage River...including Fulton, Horton...Minor
flooding is forecast.
For the Osage River...including Taberville...Minor flooding is
forecast.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Turn around, don`t drown when encountering flooded roads. Many flood
deaths occur in vehicles.

Additional information is available at www.weather.gov.

04/22/2026

The Clerk’ office will be closed tomorrow 4/23/26 until 11 due to illness and staffing shortages. Sorry for any inconvenience this may cause.

Susan Walker
County Clerk

04/21/2026
04/20/2026

Welcome to the Official Website of Consolidated Rural Water Dist. 2 in Fort Scott, KS!

04/18/2026

When a public water supply system experiences a disruption in service there are precautions that consumers may need to take during and after the incident.

04/17/2026

EXPIRED POST
A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 900 PM

04/17/2026

Severe thunderstorms will develop northwest of the area late this afternoon and move through the area this evening and into the overnight hours. Have a way to receive weather alerts tonight and remain weather aware.

04/17/2026

FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT FROM THIS EVENING THROUGH SATURDAY
MORNING...

* WHAT...Flooding caused by excessive rainfall is possible.

* WHERE...Portions of southeast Kansas, including the following
areas, Bourbon, Cherokee and Crawford and Missouri, including the
following areas, Barton, Benton, Camden, Cedar, Dade, Dallas,
Greene, Hickory, Jasper, Laclede, Lawrence, Maries, Miller,
Morgan, Newton, Phelps, Polk, Pulaski, St. Clair, Vernon and
Webster.

* WHEN...From this evening through Saturday morning.

* IMPACTS...Excessive runoff may result in flooding of rivers,
creeks, streams, and other low-lying and flood-prone locations.
Low-water crossings may be flooded.

* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...
- A round of thunderstorms with heavy rainfall is likely Friday
night. Rainfall amounts of 1-2 inches with localized amounts
of 3-4 inches are possible.
- http://www.weather.gov/safety/flood

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

You should monitor later forecasts and be alert for possible Flood
Warnings. Those living in areas prone to flooding should be prepared
to take action should flooding develop.

Address

Fort Scott, KS
66701

Opening Hours

Monday 8:30am - 4:30pm
Tuesday 8:30am - 4:30pm
Wednesday 8:30am - 4:30pm
Thursday 8:30am - 4:30pm
Friday 8:30am - 4:30pm

Telephone

+16202233800

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Bourbon County Kansas posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Organization

Send a message to Bourbon County Kansas:

Shortcuts

Share