1. The Development of Local Government by Charles Arthur Shively, 1907. An unpublished dissertation, the document describes the rationale behind the process involved and steps taken to lay out sub-districts in Kansas, first as a Territory and then as a State. An interesting mix of history, politics and geography provides insight into the origins of our state’s governmental foundation.
2. The Establishment of Counties in Kansas, 1855 – 1903 by Helen C. Gill, 1903. Beginning on page 449 in Volume 8 of the Kansas Historical Society Collections, this thesis illustrates the growth and development of counties as settlements grew and spread across the state. Maps provide visual testimony to the state’s growth and development while the narrative provides further insight into the thinking behind county formation. Both describe the fluidity of the time in terms of county size, name and structure.
3. The Government of Kansas by James Drury, 1970. Published by The University of Kansas Press, this book contains a chapter entitled, “County and Township Government” which describes the relationships shared by the two local forms of government as well as the elected officers each possess. It further details the functions of each in addition to how each is financed.
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