What is Kansas Known For? (Not Just Oz)
The mid-western state of Kansas is a region of plains and prairies known as the breadbasket of the country. Its agricultural economy is made up of cattle, wheat, soybeans, and corn. The 34th state to join the Union in 1861, its rich history dates back to 1822 when the Santa Fe Trail brought hundreds of covered wagons through the area and the population grew.
Cattle drives and railroads resulted in the world’s largest cattle market in Dodge City and rough and tough cowboys like Wyatt Earp, Bat Masterson Wild Bill Hickok.
Interestingly, the name Kansas came from the Kansas River which was the local Indian word for “South Wind”.
Today, Kansas is a colorful tapestry of big-faced sunflowers, fields of tall wheat blowing in the wind, and a tornado that blew a young girl and her dog somewhere over the rainbow. These facts about Kansas mean it is no surprise that it is called both the Sunflower State and the Wheat State as well.
Despite its notoriety of boring, endless prairie land, there are lots of exciting things to see and do in the state of Kansas. Did you know that Kansas City, which is partially in Missouri, has more boulevards than Paris and more fountains than Rome? Read on to find out 15 things Kansas is known for.