Council Grove, Kansas
Council Grove is a city of 2,265 people in Morris County, Kansas, founded in 1847.
Why visit Council Grove
Townapedia lists 26 museums and landmarks, 3 parks and trails, 13 places to eat and 1 place to stay in and around town.
Highlights include United States Post Office and Cottage House Hotel.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 90°F; January lows average 20°F.
Weather in Council Grove
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Council Grove
Council Grove is a city in and the county seat of Morris County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 2,140. It was named after an agreement between American settlers and the Osage Nation allowing settlers' wagon trains to pass westward through the area on the Santa Fe Trail. Pioneers gathered at a grove of trees so that wagons could band together for their trip west.
From the Wikipedia article Council Grove, Kansas (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Museums and landmarks26
United States Post Office
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Historic building in Council Grove, Kansas, United States
Cottage House Hotel
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Historic building in Council Grove, Kansas, United States
Council Grove Carnegie Library
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Historic building in Council Grove, Kansas, United States
Council Grove Downtown Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Historic district in Council Grove, Kansas
Council Grove Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.8 mi
Historic district in Council Grove, Kansas
Council Grove Missouri, Kansas and Texas Depot
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.6 mi
Historic railway station in Council Grove, Kansas, United States
Council Grove National Bank
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Historic building in Council Grove, Kansas, United States
Farmers and Drovers Bank
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Historic building in Council Grove, Kansas, United States
Furney Farm
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.0 mi
Historic farm near Council Grove, Kansas, United States
Greenwood Cemetery
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.6 mi
Cemetery in Council Grove, Morris County, Kansas, United States
Last Chance Store
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Commercial building in Council Grove, Kansas
Seth Hays House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
House in Council Grove, Kansas, United States
14 more on the map.
Parks, trails and playgrounds3
Restaurants and cafes13
BG's Bar and Grill
Restaurant
15 North Neosho Street, Council Grove
Tu-Th 11:00-24:00, Fr-Sa 11:00-02:00, Su 11:00-15:00
El Rancho Viejo
Restaurant · Mexican
209 West Main Street, Council Grove
Mo-Th 11:00-21:00; Fr-Sa 11:00-21:30; Su 11:00-20:00
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1 more on the map.
Where to stay1
History
Council Grove gets its name from an 1827 treaty signing with Osage Indians under an oak tree for the right-of-way for the Santa Fe Trail.
Council Grove was a stop on the Santa Fe Trail. The first European-American settler was Seth M. Hays, who came to the area in 1847 to trade with the Kaw tribe, which had a reservation established in the area in 1846. Hays was a great-grandson of Daniel Boone.
The Main street in Council Grove is the old Santa Fe Trail. The Rawlinson-Terwilliger Home, 803 West Main Street, is the oldest stone home on the Santa Fe Trail and houses the Trail Days Cafe & Museum.
A post office was established in Council Grove on February 26, 1855.
In 1858, the town was officially incorporated by the legislature. Hays also opened a restaurant in 1857, the Hays House, which is said to be the oldest continuously operating restaurant west of the Mississippi River.
The Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad connected to Council Grove in 1868.
The town has 15 sites listed on the National Register of Historic Places. One is the Post Office Oak. Travelers left their mail in this designated tree to be picked up by others going in the right direction. General Custer of the United States Army slept here with his troops during the American Civil War, under a large tree known now as the Custer Elm.
From the History section of Council Grove, Kansas on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Churches and places of worship6
First Baptist Church of Council Grove
Church · National Register of Historic Places
Council Grove United Methodist Church
Church · United Methodist
21 North Mission Street, Council Grove
Shopping3
Gas and EV charging3
Schools, colleges and libraries6
Healthcare1
Map of Council Grove
62 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 40°F | 20°F | 0.8 in | 4.0 in |
| Feb | 45°F | 23°F | 1.3 in | 2.9 in |
| Mar | 56°F | 33°F | 2.2 in | 1.2 in |
| Apr | 66°F | 44°F | 3.4 in | 0.2 in |
| May | 75°F | 55°F | 5.2 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 85°F | 64°F | 4.9 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 90°F | 69°F | 4.4 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 89°F | 67°F | 4.4 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 81°F | 58°F | 3.2 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 69°F | 45°F | 2.4 in | 0.4 in |
| Nov | 55°F | 33°F | 1.7 in | 0.5 in |
| Dec | 44°F | 24°F | 1.1 in | 2.8 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Council Grove Lake Hcn (1 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Morris County has had 24 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.
- 2026-09-01: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2026-06-30: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2025-12-19: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2025-09-11: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2024-08-20: Severe Storm, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2024-07-15: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Emporia Municipal Airport (EMP) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 28 miles away.
- Cottonwood Falls 21 mi south, about 33 min by car
- Emporia 24 mi southeast, about 39 min by car
- Grandview Plaza 30 mi northwest, about 49 min by car
- Junction City 32 mi northwest, about 51 min by car
- Fort Riley 35 mi northwest, about 57 min by car
- Marion 35 mi southwest, about 57 min by car
- Osage City 36 mi east, about 58 min by car
- Chapman 36 mi northwest, about 58 min by car
- Manhattan 37 mi north, about 59 min by car
- Wamego 39 mi north, about 1 h by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Aerial photo of Council Grove Kansas 09-04-2013, Ichabod, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Simcock House (Council Grove, Kansas) side view, SharonPapierdreams, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Simcock House (Council Grove, Kansas), SharonPapierdreams, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Belfry Hill (Council Grove, Kansas), SharonPapierdreams, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Belfry Hill concrete fence (Council Grove, Kansas), SharonPapierdreams, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Hermit's Cave on Belfry Hill interior (Council Grove, Kansas), SharonPapierdreams, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Belfry Hill McKinley Old Bell (Council Grove, Kansas), SharonPapierdreams, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Hermit's Cave on Belfry Hill (Council Grove, Kansas), SharonPapierdreams, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Council Grove Kansas Post Office, Lefibreguy, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Council Grove National Historic Landmark Hays Tavern Morris Co KS, SharonPapierdreams, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Council grove 2006, Cbaer, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Council Grove, Kansas (14518387303), Ken Lund from Reno, Nevada, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Carnegie Library Council Grove, Kansas, Art davis, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Morris County Courthouse, Council Grove, KS, Chfstew, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Greenwood Cemetery Shelter House in Council Grove Kansas, SharonPapierdreams, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Greenwood Cemetery interior of wall in Council Grove Kansas, SharonPapierdreams, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Greenwood Cemetery Seth Hays headstone Council Grove Kansas, SharonPapierdreams, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Greenwood Cemetery in Council Grove Kansas, SharonPapierdreams, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Greenwood Cemetery gates in Council Grove Kansas, SharonPapierdreams, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Greenwood Cemetery stone wall in Council Grove Kansas, SharonPapierdreams, CC BY-SA 4.0
- MKT Depot Council Grove, Kansas, Art davis, CC BY-SA 3.0
- OLD KAW MISSION, JERRYE & ROY KLOTZ MD, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Farmers and Drovers Bank and Indicator Building (8217689776), Douglas Kulp, CC BY 2.0
- Cottage House Hotel - (8217687428), Douglas Kulp, CC BY 2.0
- Furney Farmhouse front view Morris County Kansas, SharonPapierdreams, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Big John Farm Limestone Bank Barn wide view, SharonPapierdreams, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Last Chance Store, Douglas McCleery, Public domain
- Morris County State Bank, Art davis, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Last Chance Store Morris Co KS view from south southeast, SharonPapierdreams, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Last Chance Store Morris Co KS view from southeast, SharonPapierdreams, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Last Chance Store Morris Co KS view from south southwest, SharonPapierdreams, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Post Office Oak Morris Co KS view from south, SharonPapierdreams, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Post Office Oak Morris Co KS view from southeast, SharonPapierdreams, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Seth hays house, Art davis, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Seth Hays Home Morris Co KS view from northwest, SharonPapierdreams, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Seth Hays Home Morris Co KS view from the east, SharonPapierdreams, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Council Oak Morris Co KS view from south, SharonPapierdreams, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Council Oak Morris Co KS view from southeast, SharonPapierdreams, CC BY-SA 4.0
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