Council Grove, Kansas

Council Grove is a city in Morris County, Kansas, United States. It is also the county seat of Morris County. This city is fifty-five miles southwest of Topeka. It was named after an agreement between European Americans and the Osage Nation about allowing settlers' wagon trains to go through the area to go West. Pioneers came together at a grove of trees so that wagons could stay together for their trip west. In 2010, 2,182 people lived there.
History.
Council Grove was one of the last stops on the Santa Fe Trail when going southwest. The first European-American settler was Seth M. Hays. He came to the area in 1847 to trade with the Kaw tribe. The Kaw had a reservation created in the area in 1846. Hays was a great grandson of Daniel Boone.
On February 26, 1855, a post office was created in Council Grove.
In 1858, the town was officially incorporated by the Kansas legislature. Hays also opened a restaurant in 1857, the Hays House, which is said to be the oldest restaurant west of the Mississippi River.
In 1943, the United States government brought prisoners to Lawrence. These prisoners were war prisoners from World War II. The prisoners were mostly German people and Italian people. The government brought them because farmers needed more people. They were forced to live in camps. These camps were like prisons. Fort Riley created 12 small camps, and one was in Council Grove.
Geography.
The United States Census Bureau says that the city has a total area of . Of that, is land and is water.
Weather.
Council Grove has hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. The Köppen Climate Classification system says that Council Grove has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.
People.
2010 census.
The 2010 census says that there were 2,182 people, 991 households, and 565 families living in Council Grove.
Education.
Primary and secondary education.
Council Grove is part of Unified School District 417.