Kansas
Javascript not enabled.
Return to Stately Knowledge Home
to navigate to other states.
- Just the Facts
- Encyclopedias & Almanacs
- State Links
- Did You Know
- State’s Famous People
| Abbreviation | KS Source: United States Postal Service – Abbreviations |
|---|---|
| Capital | Topeka |
| Population | 2,853,118 Source: Resident Population Data – 2010 Census |
| Governor | Sam Brownback (Republican, to January 2015) |
| Entered the Union | January 29, 1861 as the 34th state |
| Motto | Ad astra per aspera (To the stars through difficulties) |
| Nicknames | Sunflower State, Jayhawk State, Breadbasket of America |
| Flower | Sunflower |
| Bird | Western Meadowlark |
| Song | Home on the Range |
| Professional Sports Teams | No NFL, MLB, NBA, WNBA, MLS, or NHL teams. (sports listing policy) |
| Origin of Name | From a Sioux word meaning “people of the south wind” |
| Historical Sites | Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial Museum and Library, Fort Leavenworth, Fort Riley, Fort Scott Historic Site, Boot Hill Museum’s Front Street, Fort Larned National Historic Site, Old Abilene Town |
| Points of Interest | Wichita Art Museum, Kansas Cosmosphere and Space Center, NCAA Visitors Center |
| Bordering States | Kansas borders Nebraska, Colorado, Oklahoma, and Missouri |
| Flag |  |
Follow these links to read articles about Kansas from Encyclopedias and Almanacs:
Official State Links
- Access Kansas: The Official Web Site of the State of Kansas
http://www.state.ks.us/
This is the official website for the State of Kansas. - Kansas State Library
http://skyways.lib.ks.us/kansas/KSL/
Here is the homepage for the Kansas State Library. - Kansas State Historical Society
http://www.kshs.org/
Here is the homepage for the Kansas State Historical Society. - Kansas Museum of History
http://www.kshs.org/places/museum.htm
Here is the homepage for the Kansas State Historical Society Musuem. - The Kansas State Archives
http://www.kshs.org/research/collections/documents/govtrecords/index.htm
Here is the homepage for the Kansas State Archives. - Kansas State Parks
http://www.kdwp.state.ks.us/news/State-Parks
Here is the homepage for Kansas State Parks. - Kansas: As Big As You Think
http://www.travelks.com/
Here is the official state travel and tourism website for Kansas. - Kansas Kids
http://www.kssos.org/resources/kansas_kids.html
Here is a site from the Kansas Office of the Governor just for kids!
Other State Links
- 50states.com: Kansas
http://www.50states.com/kansas.htm
The site provides a wealth of information about Kansas. It includes everything from the highest point to county profile to climate. - Things To Do in Kansas
http://www.thingstodo.com/states/KS/index.htm
ThingsToDo.com is an online guide to information about entertainment, recreation, and travel in Kansas, and includes the state’s interesting facts, famous people, and special events. - Roadside America: Kansas Attractions
http://www.roadsideamerica.com/map/ks.html
Roadside America describes itself as an online guide to offbeat attractions. This site offers reviews of “weird sites along the highway” in Kansas. - Kansas Cosmosphere and Space Center
http://www.cosmo.org/
Check out this exciting space museum with Dr. Goddard’s Science Lab live science show, the Justice Planetarium and its laser light shows, space camp experiences for all ages, the IMAX Theatre, and a collection of space artifacts second only to the National Air and Space Museum. - Kansas Sights
http://www.ukans.edu/heritage/kssights/
Use this site to find online links for everything about Kansas from checking out Kansas schools, learning about Kansas history, and answering your burning questions about Kansas facts and history. - FedStats: MapStat: United States: Kansas
http://www.fedstats.gov/qf/states/20000.html
Fast access to statistics from more than 100 federal agencies on “economic and population trends, crime, education, health care, aviation safety, energy use, farm production and more” in Kansas.
- Susanna Salter was elected mayor of Argonia in 1887, making her the first woman mayor in the U. S.
- Kansas was the first state to include prohibition of alcohol in its constitution in 1880.
Some Famous People from this State
- Amelia Earhart was the first woman to fly across the Atlantic Ocean. She was born in Atchison on July 24, 1897, and she mysteriously disappeared over the Pacific Ocean in 1937 while attempting to fly around the world.
- Bob Dole was a United States senator for many years; he ran unsuccessfully for President in 1996. He was born in Russell on July 22, 1923.
- James “Wild Bill” Hickok was a scout and frontier marshal in the Old West.
- Charlie “Bird” Parker was born in the 1920s. He is remembered as one of the greatest jazz musicians in American history.
- John Brown was an infamous abolitionist during the Civil War.
- Melissa Etheridge, a popular singer and guitarist, was born in Leavenworth on May 29, 1961.
- Kirstie Alley, actress, was born January 12, 1951, in Wichita. She is most well-known for her role as Rebecca on the television show “Cheers.”