About Doniphan County

Doniphan County is located in the far northeast corner of Kansas, bordering southeast Nebraska and northwest Missouri. We are located in the Glacier Hills area, a geographic location composed of Loess soils. Loess soils are composed of 20 feet or more of topsoil especially along the Missouri River bluffs. We receive on average around 36 inches of rainfall.

Doniphan is a rural county with a population of around 7493 residents (US Census Bureau; 2023). As of the 2022 Census of Agriculture, there were 337 farms with 154,259 acres in farmland. Farms are defined as any agricultural business having $1,000 or more income from agricultural products. 97% of agricultural product profits produced in the county are from crop production alone. Source

Kansas State Cooperative Extension began in 1914. Mr. William R. Curry was the first Agricultural Extension Agent serving Doniphan County starting in 1917. The first Home Economics Extension Agent was Ms. Anna Wilson who began serving in 1938. The Doniphan County Extension office was housed in the basement of the Courthouse until 2009. It was then moved to the former County Jail located next door, on the Courthouse square.

The Doniphan County Extension Homemaker Unit is active in the county providing home economics education and outreach. As of 2025, we have 5 Homemaker Clubs: Bendena Friends, Happytime, Helping Hands, Pollyanna, and Moray.

Doniphan County Fair Board Association members held the first Doniphan County Fair in 1869 according to county records. The predecessors to our present day Fair Board Association was called the Doniphan County Agricultural, Horticultural and Mechanical Association (chartered in 1867 until unknown year).

Kansas 4-H was established around 1917, along with the creation of Doniphan 4-H around then. Boys and Girls Clubs were created into 4-H Clubs in the early 1920s. As of 2025, we have 7 active 4-H Community Clubs: Bendena, Circle B, Doniphan Star, Highland Cloverpatch, Midway Meadowlarks, Troy Triangle, and Wathena Sunflower. Each club is represented by elected youth officers and community club leaders as part of the Doniphan 4-H Council leading Doniphan 4-H.

About K-State Research and Extension

Short for the Kansas State University Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service, K-State Research and Extension employs approximately 300 research scientists, 180 faculty specialists and program leaders, 270 county and area specialists, and 400 support staff in 23 departments from 5 different colleges. Personnel are located at the main campus, in 105 county offices, 9 experiment fields, 5 area offices, 3 research centers, and 3 research–extension centers.

Our Mission

"We are dedicated to a safe, sustainable, competitive food and fiber system and to strong, healthy communities, families and youth through integrated research, analysis and education."

Our Vision

K-State Research and Extension is committed to expanding human capacity by delivering educational programs and technical information that result in improved leadership skills in the areas of communication, group dynamics, conflict resolution, issue analysis, and strategic planning that can enhance the economic viability and quality of life in communities.