Founded: 1878, Population: 1,994, Elevation: 2,562 Ft.
Oberlin is located in the middle of Decatur County (County seat), in Northwest Region Kansas between Atwood and Norton and along US Highway 36.
Named in honor of Commodore Stephen Decatur, a celebrated American naval officer. He fell in a duel with Commodore Barron, United States Navy, in 1808. Oberlin was the site of the last Native American raid in Kansas on September 29, 1878 when it was attacked by the Cheyenne tribe under the leadership of Dull Knife.
While mostly undulating prairie, wooded areas along numerous streams comprise about 2% of this famous hunting area. Limestone and chalk of the best qualities are in abundance and water wells, while being driven deeper than 125 years ago, are still abundant. The stream flows are to the northeast into the Gavins Point Powerplant in Nebraska, the same water returns to Kansas in the Lower Republican River Drainage Basin in the northeastern region of the state.