Last updated on June 15th, 2024
Kansas is the 35th most populous and the 15th most extensive of the 50 states of the United States. It lies in the Midwestern United States. The state attained statehood on January 29, 1861, becoming the 34th state to join the union. Its four bordering states are Colorado, Missouri, Nebraska, and Oklahoma. Here is the complete list of the 50 states and their borders. Kansas (nicknamed: Bleeding Kansas, Jayhawks State, Sunflower State, and Wheat State) has 105 counties. The state’s capital is Topeka. The postal abbreviation for Kansas is KS. With these interesting facts about Kansas, let us learn about its history, people, culture, geography, economy and much more.
Facts about Kansas
1. Native American Tribes
Numerous Native American tribes once called Kansas home. They settled in the area way before 1541, when Francisco Vázquez de Coronado, the European explorer, arrived. The name of the state came from the Kansas River, which got its name from the Kansa tribe.
2. The name originates from
The state’s name comes from a Siouan-language phrase meaning “people of the south wind.”
3. Spain was the first one to reach here
Even though Spain first discovered Kansas, they never settled in that area; neither had any other country. They did send a military expedition in 1720.
4. Was part of Louisiana purchase
Kansas was once sold to the U.S. as a part of Louisiana in 1803.
Kansas with its bordering states
5. Welcoming Residents
Newcomers to the state frequently speak of feeling overwhelmed by the friendliness of Kansans. Everyone seems to be filled with profound Kansas pride and prepared to display it through homegrown hospitality.
6. Other spoken languages
Vietnamese is the most commonly spoken foreign language in Kansas. According to some estimate, nearly 0.6% of the state’s population speaks Vietnamese at home.
7. Nicknames
The state has two primary nicknames, “the sunflower state” and “the wheat state.” The former stems from the abundance of the yellow flower painting located across the plains of the state. These flowers have been the ultimate fashion accessory and an essential source of vegetable oil over the years.
8. Agriculture
Here is another amazing Kansas fact. Kansas is among the most productive states where agriculture is concerned. They produce high yields of soybeans, sorghum, corn and wheat.
9. Wheat Champions
Kansas is the largest producers of wheat in the country. Just about one-fifth of the wheat grown in the U.S. comes from Kansas. It has been stated that enough wheat is produced to feed everyone across the globe for roughly two weeks.
10. Rock Island Railroad Bridge
Built in 1939, the Rock Island Railroad bridge is located North of Arkalon. It has been dubbed, the “Sampson of the Cimarron.” It spans more than 1200 feet across the Cimarron River. It towers approximately 114 feet above the river.
11. Hugoton Gas Field
Within the United States, The Hugoton Gas Field is the world’s biggest natural gas field. It is approximately 8500 square miles, which is almost 5 times the size of Rhode Island.
12. Longest Grain Elevator
Hutchinson is the home to possibly the longest grain elevators across the globe. Built in 1961, it is approximately 2600 feet in length.
13. The Largest Easel
Goodland has the largest easel in the world. This 40,000 pound, 80 foot steel easel is home to a massive replica of the “Sunflower” painting by Vincent Van Gough.
14. The Big Well
Located in Greensburg, The Big Well is known as the largest hand-dug well in the world. In 1987, workers dug the well using hand tools and the end result is a well 32 feet in diameter and 109 feet deep.
15. Kansas Hosts an Insane Waterslide
Verruckt is the name of the waterslide, which literally means “insane” in German language. Found in the Schlitterbahn Waterpark, it has 264 steps leading to the top and is the world’s tallest waterslide with a height of 168 feet 7 inches.
16. Biggest Ball of Twine
Cawker City officials have on display the biggest ball of Sisal twine. In 1953, Frank Stoeber, a local farmer, started creating his Sisal twine. To this day, locals and visitors alike continue working on the twine.
17. The 4-State Lookout
Standing in a particular spot in White Cloud, you will be able to view the panoramic scenes of the Missouri River valley. You will also be able to simultaneously see four states, namely Iowa, Nebraska, Missouri and Kansas, without even taking a step.
18. Birthplace of the Icee Drink
Omar Knedlik, owner of the Coffeyville Dairy Queen, made the first Icee drink in the 1960s. It was such a hit that Knedlik had a particular machine developed to serve the Icee.
19. The First United Methodist Church
In 1874, The First United Methodist Church in Hutchinson was constructed during the period of the grasshopper plagues. Therefore, thousands of those insects form a part of the foundation.
20. A Revolutionary Discovery
Early in the 1900s, a newly-dug well, began emitting gas. Two professors from the University of Kansas determined that it was helium. This was an uplifting discovery for Kansas.
21. Pioneer of Botanical Innovation and Agricultural Advancements”
The famous botanical scientist George Washington Carver is from Minneapolis, Kansas. He discovered over 300 uses for peanuts and a crop rotation method for corn and cotton.
22. An experiment with convenience store food
A professor from Kansas State University, Mark Haub, went on a convenience store diet in 2010. He tried to demonstrate the importance of calorie count in weight loss.
23. Goat gland transplantation operation
Dr. Brinkley of Milford, Kansas, performed goat gland transplantation operations on men in the 1900s. It didn’t cure their problems, and he was sued for it.
24. First woman to be granted a pilot’s license
Amelia Earhart was from Atchison and is a renowned pioneer. She was the first woman to be granted a pilot’s license and the first woman to fly over the Atlantic Ocean solo.
25. First Woman Mayor in the United States
Susan Madora Salter was the first woman mayor. In Argonia, in 1887, she was elected to office.
26. Home of the First Payless Shoe Store
The first ever Payless Shoe Store was in Topeka. Established in 1956, Payless begun selling quality shoes at an affordable value price.
27. Original Home of Pizza Hut
This is one of the most interesting facts about Kansas. In 1958 in the city of Wichita, two brothers opened the first Pizza Hut. They were attending college and wanted somewhere to eat good pizza. The chain now has more than 13,000 locations globally.
28. White Castle
In 1921 in Wichita, Walter Anderson opened White Castle hamburger restaurant, which is the first national hamburger chain.
29. The Center of America
While driving on Highway 281, just a few miles to the northwest of Lebanon you will be able to see a Historical Marker (a limestone shaft and a flag) that declares that you are in the center of the United States. The geographic center of Kansas is in Barton County.
30. Kansas Sunset
In a number of lists that feature the top sunset locations across the world, the sunset that radiates from the Flint Hills is seemingly always in the top five. It is the best location in the country to watch the sun as it takes its final bow for the day. Each time certain Kansans experience the beauty of a spectacular, it reminds them why they could not leave this beautiful state to live elsewhere.
31. Flatter Than a Pancake
Some of you would be amazed to learn this fact about Kansas. The rumors are true whether you believe them or not. Legitimate scientific research has proven that Kansas is actually flatter than pancakes, the favorite breakfast treat of many.
32. It is Not All Flat Though
A close look at a pancake will reveal that it is not totally flat and the same is true for Kansas. Smoky Hills, Flint Hills and a few other places inject a bit of texture into the state and they are absolutely worth checking out.
33. “Home on the Range”
The Sunflower State has a ton of farmland and a few years ago, the state produced adequate wheat to bake six loaves for each individual earth, approximately 33 billion loaves. Residing there for a few months, anybody will easily see why the state song “Home on the Range” is believed to perfectly describe the state.
34. Monument Rocks
These are a series of huge chalk formations that are rich in fossils and located in Gove County. They are a National Natural Landmark.
Where is Kansas on the map?
35. There are Essentially Two Kansas Cities
The majority of Kansas City is actually located in Missouri, except for a few suburbs like Overland Park and Olathe. However, to get to the heart of the town, you will need to cross state lines because the Missouri side has breathtaking skylines.
36. Highest point in the state
Mount Sunflower is Kansas’s highest point at 4,039 feet (1,231 meters).
37. Caves and caves and caves…
Spread out over the 51 counties of Kansas, there are more than 800 caves. Almost all of them were discovered after 1960.
38. Arkansas River
The Arkansas River could possibly be the only river with a change in pronunciation as it goes over state lines. It is known as the “ahr-KAN-zuhs” in Kansas and in Oklahoma and Colorado, it is known as the “Arkansaw.”
39. The Salt City with a Rich Mining History
Hutchinson, Kansas, has been the home of salt mines since 1887. That is also why the city is known as the Salt City.
40. Garden of Eden
The Garden of Eden is located in Lucas and is characterized in more than 100 tons of concrete. S.P. Dinsmoor, a Civil War veteran, constructed his version between the 1900s and the 1930s. It is a remarkable homage, complete with concrete trees ranging between 30 and 40 feet.
41. The Highest Civil War Casualty Rate
Kansas had the highest percentage of casualties during the Civil War—more than 8500 casualties of the 20,000 soldiers sent to the war were from Kansas.
42. The Remarkable WWII Pilot’s Unforgettable Encounter in Kansas
During WWII, a female Japanese pilot, Hazel Ying Lee, who flew for the US Air Force, was forced to land in Kansas. She was mistakenly seen as an invading Japanese Army.
43. Patriotism is in the air
Kansas is ranked among the most patriotic states in the U.S. Therefore, it should come as no surprise that Emporia, Kansas was the venue for the first Veteran’s Day celebrations. Kansas is home to the Army’s Fort Leavenworth and Fort Riley and McConnell AFB that belongs to the Air Force. Tens of thousands of active members of the military are in the state.
44. Kansas State Capitol
Located in Topeka, the state capitol was constructed in the French Renaissance style. It holds murals by John Steuart Curry, a native of Kansas.
45. Holy Cross Shrine
Located in Pfeifer, the shrine was referred to as the 2 Cent Church. This is because it was constructed using a 2 cent donations from every bushel of wheat sold by church members.
46. The Bible Belt
A recent survey revealed that 86 percent of Kansans identify as Christians. This should come as no surprise since the bottom half of the state forms a part of the “Bible Belt.”
47. The whole town was moved
The Ulysses, Kansas, residents moved the whole town three miles west in 1909. That was when the bank foreclosed on the land.
48. Ghost Towns
Approximately 90 percent of rural towns have fewer than 3000 residents and throughout the state, there are several thousand ghost towns. Locals know the importance of filling up with gas before going for a long drive to the west. This is because it might be quite a while before they see a working gas station.
49. Haunted Atchinson
Atchinson was a booming town in the 1800s when people moved to the West. It is known for many paranormal activities and is named Haunted Atchinson these days.
50. Thomas Corbett: The Unconventional Life
After killing Lincoln’s assassin, Thomas Corbett lived in a hole just outside Concordia, Kansas. He also retired from the Army and received part of the reward.
51. John Brown
John Brown spent his time freeing enslaved people and ensuring they stayed free. He moved to Kansas in 1855 to live with his sons, also abolitionists.
52. The Annual Performance of Handel’s Messiah
The Messiah has been presented on Palm Sunday and Easter in Lindsborg, Kansas, since 1889. It is a play written by Handel and performed in many places every year.
53. Hometown of the American rock band
Topeka, Kansas, is the hometown of the American rock band Kansas of the ‘70s. They were famous then for singles like ‘Dust in the Wind.’
54. Gone With the Wind
A Wichita, Kansas native, Hattie McDaniel, is the first black woman to receive an Academy Award. She was honored for her performance in Gone With the Wind.
55. Graham Crackers
The graham cracker got its name from Reverend Sylvester Graham, a Minister of Religion. He was a firm believer in consuming products made from whole-wheat flour.
56. Weather Chrysler
The founder of Chrysler Automobiles, Weather Chrysler, was born in Womego, Kansas. He grew up in Ellis, where he gained knowledge and appreciation of engines.
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