Seward County

Seward County has two incorporated towns, Liberal and Kismet.

Liberal is on Highways 54 and 83 just three miles north of the Oklahoma border. The town got its name from a spirit of hospitality and generosity that lives on today. In the 1880s, water was a rare commodity in Southwest Kansas and often very expensive for those travelers headed west with their families and livestock. S.S. Rogers, who homesteaded in the area, offered water free from his hand dug well. Visitor's reply of "that's mightly liberal of you" helped the area become known as "the liberal well." In 1888, the community was incorporated as Liberal, KS.

Kismet is 15 miles northeast of Liberal on Highway 54. A.C. Olin purchased land in 1907 and in 1908 had 40 acres surveyed into town lots where the town of Kismet is now located. Although a small community, Kismet is well known for its large celebration--The Little World's Fair. A truly family event, the Little World's Fair kicks off Saturday evening of Labor Day weekend with an old-fashioned street dance featuring a live band. Labor Day kicks off early with 5 and 10K runs and breakfast. Other events throughout the day include a horseshoe tournament, parade, free ham and bean feed, turtle races, slatting, kids pedal tractor pull, bike, trike and stick horse races, water balloon toss, egg toss, three-legged races and a carnival. Events are added and subtracted each year to keep the event fund for those who always attend and those who are coming for the first time.