For many millennia, the Great Plains of North America was inhabited by nomadic Native Americans.

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.

In 1854, after first serving as an area to relocate Native American tribes from the east, the United States organized Kansas Territory.

The area that today is Elk County was, for a brief period, reserved to the Osage Indians as hunting grounds for buffalo and other game.

[7] As of the 2000 census,[13] there were 3,261 people, 1,412 households, and 923 families residing in the county.

32.90% of all households were made up of individuals, and 18.60% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

The Kansas Constitution was amended in 1986 to allow the sale of alcoholic liquor by the individual drink, with approval by voters.