Ellis County is named for First Lieutenant George Ellis of company I, twelfth Kansas infantry, who was killed on April 30, 1864 at Jenkins Ferry, Arkansas.
Surrounding County Courthouses:
N – Rooks County
E – Russell County
S – Rush County
W – Trego County
Created: February 26, 1867 
County Seat:
Hays 1867 – present
County Courthouse – Hays
Location: 1204 Fort Street / East 12th Street
Built: 1940 – 1942
Style: Art Deco
Architect: Mann and Company of Hutchinson
Contractor: Ralph Hunter Construction
Description: The building faces west and is a two story yellow colored brick structure. The building is located in the center of Hays. The recessed center section rises above the north and south sections. Three long vertical windows are above the entrance canopy on the west side with long narrow windows on either side. The roof line is flat. The building was a Work Projects Administration project.
See: The architect, Mann & Company of Hutchinson, designed courthouses in Ellsworth County, Graham County, Lane County, Pratt County, Republic County, Scott County, Stafford County and Stevens County.
See: The other courthouses in Kansas which were constructed with federal government funding under WPA and PWA are located in Jewell County and Kearny County.
History: In 1873, the first courthouse was a frame structure in Hays. The second courthouse was designed by C W Squires and built by Zeigler & Dalton in 1898. The third and present courthouse was constructed in 1940 to 1942.
County Courthouse – Hays
Photos taken 2007 and 2010