Kansas, known as the “Sunflower State,” has a rich history and many interesting characteristics. Here are some fun facts about Kansas:
- State nickname: Kansas is often called the “Sunflower State” because of the abundance of wild sunflowers that grow across the state.
- Statehood: Kansas became the 34th state of the United States on January 29, 1861.
- State symbols: The state bird of Kansas is the Western Meadowlark, the state flower is the Sunflower, and the state tree is the Cottonwood.
- Geographic center: Kansas is the geographic center of the 48 contiguous United States. The exact center is located near the town of Lebanon.
- Agriculture: Kansas is a leading agricultural state, known for its production of wheat, sorghum, and sunflowers. It is often referred to as the “Wheat State” or the “Breadbasket of the World.”
- Tornado Alley: Kansas is part of Tornado Alley, an area in the central United States known for its high frequency of tornadoes.
- The Wizard of Oz: Kansas is famously associated with the classic 1939 film “The Wizard of Oz.” The story’s protagonist, Dorothy Gale, hails from a Kansas farm, and her iconic line, “There’s no place like home,” has become synonymous with the state.
- Amelia Earhart: Pioneering aviator Amelia Earhart was born in Atchison, Kansas, in 1897. She was the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean.
- The Santa Fe Trail: The historic Santa Fe Trail, a major 19th-century trade route, passes through Kansas, connecting Missouri to Santa Fe, New Mexico.
- Kansas Cosmosphere: The Kansas Cosmosphere and Space Center, located in Hutchinson, is home to the largest collection of U.S. and Russian space artifacts outside of the Smithsonian Institution.
- Kansas Underground Salt Museum: The Strataca salt mine in Hutchinson, Kansas, is the site of the Kansas Underground Salt Museum. Visitors can take a tour 650 feet below the Earth’s surface to explore the mine and learn about the history of salt mining.
- Fort Leavenworth: Established in 1827, Fort Leavenworth is the oldest active U.S. Army installation west of the Mississippi River.
- Pizza Hut: The first Pizza Hut restaurant opened in Wichita, Kansas, in 1958.
- Dwight D. Eisenhower: The 34th President of the United States, Dwight D. Eisenhower, was raised in Abilene, Kansas.
- Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve: The Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve in Kansas is one of the last remaining areas of tallgrass prairie in North America, an ecosystem that once covered 170 million acres of the United States.