The original land of the Wizard of Oz, but there’s more to Kansas than Dorothy, Toto, and the Little House on the Prairie. Here are ten things you (probably) didn’t know about the Sunflower State.
- The 34th State
Kansas became the 34th state of the Union upon its admission on the 29th of January 1861. Once part of Missouri Territory, Kansas became a territory following the Kansas-Nebraska Act on the 30th May 1854. Effectively repealing the Missouri Compromise, the act led to debates and fights over slavery in Kansas, sparking “Bleeding Kansas” which was akin to a mini civil war. Settlers from Missouri and Arkansas moved to the east of the state and tried to vote in slavery. New England abolitionists settled in central and west Kansas to stop the spread of pro-slavery sentiments. When it was admitted to the Union, Kansas was a free state.
2. Kansa Nation
The state was named after the Kaw (or Kansa/Kanza) Nation who originally inhabited the area. In 1844, a flood destroyed most of their land and by 1846, they sold most of the remaining 2 million acres of land to the U.S government for $202,000 and a 256,000 acre reservation in Council Grove. Though the area has forests, water, and prairie, it was a favorite stopping place of traders on the Santa Fe Trail – the first Kaw arriving were attacked by traders. Overtime, settlers began to establish themselves on Council Grove, soon reducing the size of the reservation to 80,000 acres. In 1873, the Kaw were forcibly removed to the Indian Territory reservation in modern day Oklahoma. By then, the Nation only consisted of 533 people.
3. Wheat State
Kansas produces the most wheat out of any state in the U.S. The wheat cultivated in the state is enough to produce 36 billion loaves of bread – or enough to feed everyone in the world for about two weeks. And that’s just from the wheat grown in Kansas alone.
4. Stick The Seal On It
Another state where the flag has the state seal on it. Kansas’ seal exhibits pioneer life in the early years of the state. The rising sun represents the east. Commerce is represented by the river and steamboat. The field and cabin represents agriculture. The wagon trail is moving west, referring to expansion. The motto Ad Astra per Aspera is Latin for “To the Stars through Difficulties.”
5. No Hitting The Vending Machine
In Derby, it is considered illegal to hit a vending machine that stole your money. To be fair, this could be considered a destruction of property, but the specifics are a little strange. Meanwhile in Lawrence, you may not wear a bee in your hat and in Topeka, singing the alphabet on the streets at night is prohibited.
6. Halfway Point
Kansas really is ‘middle America.’ It is equidistant from the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Atlantic to the east. Two and a half miles north of Lebanon in north Kansas is the location of the geographical center of the continental United States.
7. Helium. Not As Rare As Thought
When helium was discovered in 1868 by French astronomer Pierre Jansson, it was believed to be one of the rarest elements in the universe. This was disproved in 1905 when University of Kansas chemists investigated gas from a well in Dexter. They discovered that helium was a predominant gas, establishing it as a common element on earth.
8. The Windy City
No, Chicago is not the windiest city in the United States. That title goes to Dodge City where the average wind speed is 14 miles per hour. Chicago’s average wind speed is about 10.3 miles per hour (even Boston is also windier than the supposed “Windy City” with average speeds of 12.4 miles per hour).
9. Sunflower State
Kansas is not called the Sunflower State because it grows the most sunflowers. It was regarded that in 1903, with the sunflower becoming the state’s official flower, in reference to the wild sunflowers that grew there.
10. Dessert Connoisseurs
For some reason, it was deemed illegal to serve ice cream on top of cherry pie in Kansas. It is unlikely to be a chargeable offense anymore.
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