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65-414: Western Kansas may refer to: The western part of Kansas West Kansas , proposed state Episcopal Diocese of Western Kansas Topics referred to by the same term [REDACTED] This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the title Western Kansas . If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to
130-699: A bending course for nearly 500 mi (800 km) across the western and southern parts of the state. With its tributaries, (the Little Arkansas , Ninnescah , Walnut, Cow Creek , Cimarron , Verdigris, and the Neosho ), it forms the southern drainage system of the state. Kansas's other rivers are the Saline and Solomon Rivers, tributaries of the Smoky Hill River; the Big Blue , Delaware , and Wakarusa , which flow into
195-539: A life expectancy near the U.S. national average. In 2013, males in Kansas lived an average of 76.6 years compared to a male national average of 76.7 years and females lived an average of 81.0 years compared to a female national average of 81.5 years. Increases in life expectancy between 1980 and 2013 were below the national average for males and near the national average for females. Male life expectancy in Kansas between 1980 and 2014 increased by an average of 5.2 years, compared to
260-481: A male national average of a 6.7-year increase. Life expectancy for females in Kansas between 1980 and 2014 increased by 4.3 years, compared to a female national average of a 4.0 year increase. Using 2017–2019 data, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation calculated that life expectancy for Kansas counties ranged from 75.8 years for Wyandotte County to 81.7 years for Johnson County . Life expectancy for
325-758: A marshal at Hays and Abilene . Dodge City was home to both Bat Masterson and Wyatt Earp , who worked as lawmen in the town. The Dalton Gang robbed trains and banks throughout Kansas and the Southwest and maintained a hideout in Meade . In one year alone , eight million head of cattle from Texas boarded trains in Dodge City bound for the East, earning Dodge the nickname "Queen of the Cowtowns". In response to demands of Methodists and other evangelical Protestants , in 1881 Kansas became
390-432: A population of less than 25,000, and upon reaching a population of more than 15,000, they may be certified as a city of the first class. First and second class cities are independent of any township and are not included within the township's territory. Note: Births in table do not add up, because Hispanics are counted both by their ethnicity and by their race, giving a higher overall number. The residents of Kansas have
455-538: A woman will sit in the governor's chair in Kansas." Kansas suffered severe and environmental damage in the 1930s due to the combined effects of the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl , and large numbers of people left southwestern Kansas in particular for better opportunities elsewhere. The outbreak of World War II spurred rapid growth in aircraft manufacturing near Wichita in the so-called Battle of Kansas , and
520-449: A young city incorporated in 1960, has the largest population and the largest land area in the county. It is home to Johnson County Community College . Olathe is the county seat and home to Johnson County Executive Airport . The cities of Olathe, Shawnee , De Soto and Gardner have some of the state's fastest growing populations. The cities of Overland Park, Lenexa , Olathe, De Soto, and Gardner are also notable because they lie along
585-660: Is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States . It borders Nebraska to the north; Missouri to the east; Oklahoma to the south; and Colorado to the west. Kansas is named after the Kansas River , in turn named after the Kansa people. Its capital is Topeka , and its most populous city is Wichita ; however, the largest urban area is the bi-state Kansas City, MO–KS metropolitan area . For thousands of years, what
650-682: Is also the home of Kansas Cosmosphere and Space Center , Prairie Dunes Country Club and the Kansas State Fair . North of Wichita along Interstate 135 is the city of Newton , the former western terminal of the Santa Fe Railroad and trailhead for the famed Chisholm Trail . To the southeast of Wichita are the cities of Winfield and Arkansas City with historic architecture and the Cherokee Strip Museum (in Ark City). The city of Udall
715-656: Is covered by glacial drift and loess . The western two-thirds of the state, lying in the great central plain of the United States, has a generally flat or undulating surface, while the eastern third has many hills and forests. The land gradually rises from east to west; its altitude ranges from 684 ft (208 m) along the Verdigris River at Coffeyville in Montgomery County , to 4,039 ft (1,231 m) at Mount Sunflower , 0.5 miles (0.80 kilometers) from
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#1732897721917780-662: Is defined by the Missouri River . The Kansas River (locally known as the Kaw), formed by the junction of the Smoky Hill and Republican rivers at appropriately-named Junction City , joins the Missouri River at Kansas City , after a course of 170 mi (270 km) across the northeastern part of the state. The Arkansas River ( pronunciation varies ), rising in Colorado , flows with
845-543: Is home to Fort Hays State University and the Sternberg Museum of Natural History, and is the largest city in the northwest with a population of around 20,001. List of U.S. states and territories by area This is a complete list of all 50 U.S. states , its federal district ( Washington, D.C. ) and its major territories ordered by total area, land area and water area. The water area includes inland waters , coastal waters ,
910-568: Is now Kansas was home to numerous and diverse Indigenous tribes . The first settlement of non-indigenous people in Kansas occurred in 1827 at Fort Leavenworth . The pace of settlement accelerated in the 1850s, in the midst of political wars over the slavery debate. When it was officially opened to settlement by the U.S. government in 1854 with the Kansas–Nebraska Act , conflict between abolitionist Free-Staters from New England and pro-slavery settlers from neighboring Missouri broke out over
975-456: Is the largest city in central and north-central Kansas. South of Salina is the small city of Lindsborg with its numerous Dala horses . Much of the architecture and decor of this town has a distinctly Swedish style. To the east along Interstate 70 , the historic city of Abilene was formerly a trailhead for the Chisholm Trail and was the boyhood home of President Dwight D. Eisenhower , and
1040-431: Is the largest state by total area, land area, and water area. It is the seventh-largest country subdivision in the world. [REDACTED] The area of Alaska is 18% of the area of the United States and equivalent to 21% of the area of the contiguous United States . [REDACTED] The second largest state, Texas , has only 40% of the total area of the largest state, Alaska. [REDACTED] Rhode Island
1105-543: Is the site of his Presidential Library and the tombs of the former president, First Lady and son who died in infancy. To the west is Lucas , the Grassroots Art Capital of Kansas. Westward along the Interstate, the city of Russell , traditionally the beginning of sparsely-populated northwest Kansas, was the base of former U.S. Senator Bob Dole and the boyhood home of U.S. Senator Arlen Specter . The city of Hays
1170-418: Is the smallest state by total area and land area. [REDACTED] San Bernardino County is the largest county in the contiguous U.S. and is larger than each of the nine smallest states; it is larger than the four smallest states combined. [REDACTED] Michigan is second (after Alaska) in water area, and first in water percentage. [REDACTED] Florida is mostly a peninsula, and has
1235-625: The Amerindians . Explorer Antoine de Marigny and others continued trading across the Kansas River , especially at its confluence with the Missouri River , tributaries of the Mississippi River . In 1803, most of modern Kansas was acquired by the United States as part of the Louisiana Purchase . Southwest Kansas, however, was still a part of Spain, Mexico, and the Republic of Texas until
1300-7327: The Great Lakes and territorial waters . Glaciers and intermittent bodies of water are counted as land area. Area by state, federal district or territory [ edit ] Land, water and total area by U.S. state, district or territory, sortable State / territory Total area Land area Water area sq mi km sq mi km sq mi km % [REDACTED] Alaska 665,384 1,723,337 570,641 1,477,953 94,743 245,383 14.2% [REDACTED] Texas 268,596 695,662 261,232 676,587 7,365 19,075 2.7% [REDACTED] California 163,695 423,967 155,779 403,466 7,916 20,501 4.8% [REDACTED] Montana 147,040 380,831 145,546 376,962 1,494 3,869 1.0% [REDACTED] New Mexico 121,590 314,917 121,298 314,161 292 757 0.2% [REDACTED] Arizona 113,990 295,234 113,594 294,207 396 1,026 0.3% [REDACTED] Nevada 110,572 286,380 109,781 284,332 791 2,048 0.7% [REDACTED] Colorado 104,094 269,601 103,642 268,431 452 1,170 0.4% [REDACTED] Oregon 98,379 254,799 95,988 248,608 2,391 6,191 2.4% [REDACTED] Wyoming 97,813 253,335 97,093 251,470 720 1,864 0.7% [REDACTED] Michigan 96,714 250,487 56,539 146,435 40,175 104,052 41.5% [REDACTED] Minnesota 86,936 225,163 79,627 206,232 7,309 18,930 8.4% [REDACTED] Utah 84,897 219,882 82,170 212,818 2,727 7,064 3.2% [REDACTED] Idaho 83,569 216,443 82,643 214,045 926 2,398 1.1% [REDACTED] Kansas 82,278 213,100 81,759 211,754 520 1,346 0.6% [REDACTED] Nebraska 77,348 200,330 76,824 198,974 524 1,356 0.7% [REDACTED] South Dakota 77,116 199,729 75,811 196,350 1,305 3,379 1.7% [REDACTED] Washington 71,298 184,661 66,456 172,119 4,842 12,542 6.8% [REDACTED] North Dakota 70,698 183,108 69,001 178,711 1,698 4,397 2.4% [REDACTED] Oklahoma 69,899 181,037 68,595 177,660 1,304 3,377 1.9% [REDACTED] Missouri 69,707 180,540 68,742 178,040 965 2,501 1.4% [REDACTED] Florida 65,758 170,312 53,625 138,887 12,133 31,424 18.5% [REDACTED] Wisconsin 65,496 169,635 54,158 140,268 11,339 29,367 17.3% [REDACTED] Georgia 59,425 153,910 57,513 148,959 1,912 4,951 3.2% [REDACTED] Illinois 57,914 149,995 55,519 143,793 2,395 6,202 4.1% [REDACTED] Iowa 56,273 145,746 55,857 144,669 416 1,077 0.7% [REDACTED] New York 54,555 141,297 47,126 122,057 7,429 19,240 13.6% [REDACTED] North Carolina 53,819 139,391 48,618 125,920 5,201 13,471 9.7% [REDACTED] Arkansas 53,179 137,732 52,035 134,771 1,143 2,961 2.1% [REDACTED] Alabama 52,420 135,767 50,645 131,171 1,775 4,597 3.4% [REDACTED] Louisiana 52,378 135,659 43,204 111,898 9,174 23,761 17.5% [REDACTED] Mississippi 48,432 125,438 46,923 121,531 1,509 3,907 3.1% [REDACTED] Pennsylvania 46,054 119,280 44,743 115,883 1,312 3,397 2.8% [REDACTED] Ohio 44,826 116,098 40,861 105,829 3,965 10,269 8.8% [REDACTED] Virginia 42,775 110,787 39,490 102,279 3,285 8,508 7.7% [REDACTED] Tennessee 42,144 109,153 41,235 106,798 909 2,355 2.2% [REDACTED] Kentucky 40,408 104,656 39,486 102,269 921 2,387 2.3% [REDACTED] Indiana 36,420 94,326 35,826 92,789 593 1,537 1.6% [REDACTED] Maine 35,380 91,633 30,843 79,883 4,537 11,750 12.8% [REDACTED] South Carolina 32,020 82,933 30,061 77,857 1,960 5,076 6.1% [REDACTED] West Virginia 24,230 62,756 24,038 62,259 192 497 0.8% [REDACTED] Maryland 12,406 32,131 9,707 25,142 2,699 6,990 21.8% [REDACTED] Hawaii 10,932 28,313 6,423 16,635 4,509 11,678 41.2% [REDACTED] Massachusetts 10,554 27,336 7,800 20,202 2,754 7,134 26.1% [REDACTED] Vermont 9,616 24,906 9,217 23,871 400 1,035 4.2% [REDACTED] New Hampshire 9,349 24,214 8,953 23,187 397 1,027 4.2% [REDACTED] New Jersey 8,723 22,591 7,354 19,047 1,368 3,544 15.7% [REDACTED] Connecticut 5,543 14,357 4,842 12,542 701 1,816 12.6% [REDACTED] Puerto Rico 5,325 13,791 3,424 8,868 1,901 4,924 35.7% [REDACTED] Delaware 2,489 6,446 1,949 5,047 540 1,399 21.7% [REDACTED] Northern Mariana Islands 1,976 5,117 182 472 1,793 4,644 90.7% [REDACTED] Rhode Island 1,545 4,001 1,034 2,678 511 1,324 33.1% [REDACTED] U.S. Virgin Islands 733 1,898 134 348 599 1,550 81.7% [REDACTED] American Samoa 581 1,505 76 198 505 1,307 86.9% [REDACTED] Guam 571 1,478 210 543 361 935 63.2% [REDACTED] District of Columbia 68 177 61 158 7 19 10.3% Minor Outlying Islands 16 41 16 41 0 0 0.0% Contiguous US 3,120,428 8,081,869 2,954,843 7,653,006 165,589 428,865 5.3% 50 States 3,796,676 9,833,342 3,531,846 9,147,436 264,834 685,907 7.0% 50 States and DC 3,796,744 9,833,519 3,531,907 9,147,594 264,841 685,926 7.0% United States 3,805,927 9,857,306 3,535,932 9,158,022 269,995 699,284 7.1% [REDACTED] U.S. states by total area [REDACTED] U.S. states by land area [REDACTED] U.S. states by water area [REDACTED] U.S. states by water percentage [REDACTED] Alaska
1365-517: The Kansa , a federally recognized Native American tribe. The tribe 's name (natively kką:ze ) is often said to mean "people of the (south) wind" although this was probably not the term's original meaning. Before European colonization , Kansas was occupied by the Caddoan Wichita and later the Siouan Kaw people . Tribes in the eastern part of the state generally lived in villages along
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#17328977219171430-498: The Köppen climate classification , Kansas has three climates: humid continental, semi-arid steppe, and humid subtropical. The eastern two-thirds of the state (especially the northeastern portion) has a humid continental climate , with cool to cold winters and hot, often humid summers. Most of the precipitation falls during both the summer and the spring. The USDA hardiness zones for Kansas range from Zone 5b (−15 °F to −10 °F) in
1495-566: The Mississippi River . The city of Atchison was an early commercial center in the state and is well known as the birthplace of Amelia Earhart . To the west, nearly a quarter million people reside in the Topeka metropolitan area. Topeka is the state capital and home to Washburn University and Washburn Institute of Technology . Built at a Kansas River crossing along the old Oregon Trail , this historic city has several nationally registered historic places. Further westward along Interstate 70 and
1560-573: The Providence Medical Center Amphitheater , the National Agricultural Center and Hall of Fame , and the annual Kansas City Renaissance Festival . Further up the Missouri River , the city of Lansing is the home of the state's first maximum-security prison. Historic Leavenworth , founded in 1854, was the first incorporated city in Kansas. North of the city, Fort Leavenworth is the oldest active Army post west of
1625-669: The 2010 census, unlike previous years, as the U.S. Census Bureau no longer collects data on the Minor Outlying Islands. References [ edit ] ^ "State Area Measurements and Internal Point Coordinates" . census.gov . 2010 . Retrieved December 2, 2023 . ^ "Census 2000 Geographic Terms and Concepts" , Census 2000 Geography Glossary , U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved July 10, 2007 . ^ "United States Summary: 2000, Population and Housing Unit Counts" (PDF) . United States Census Bureau. April 2004. p. 1 (Table 1). Archived from
1690-621: The 2020 census, and the 10th least densely populated . Residents of Kansas are called Kansans . Mount Sunflower is Kansas's highest point at 4,039 feet (1,231 meters). The name Kansas derives from the Algonquian term, Akansa , for the Quapaw people. These were a Dhegiha Siouan -speaking people who settled in Arkansas around the 13th century. The stem - kansa is named after the Kaw people , also known as
1755-710: The 48 contiguous states is in Smith County near Lebanon . Until 1989, the Meades Ranch Triangulation Station in Osborne County was the geodetic center of North America: the central reference point for all maps of North America. The geographic center of Kansas is in Barton County . Kansas is underlain by a sequence of horizontal to gently westward dipping sedimentary rocks . A sequence of Mississippian , Pennsylvanian and Permian rocks outcrop in
1820-502: The Beautiful quarters Snowiest places Symbols Tallest buildings Temperature extremes Time zones [REDACTED] Category [REDACTED] Commons [REDACTED] Portals Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_U.S._states_and_territories_by_area&oldid=1256009828 " Categories : United States geography-related lists Lists of subdivisions of
1885-535: The Colorado border, in Wallace County . It is a common misconception that Kansas is the flattest state in the nation—in 2003, a tongue-in-cheek study famously declared the state "flatter than a pancake". In fact, Kansas has a maximum topographic relief of 3,360 ft (1,020 m), making it the 23rd flattest U.S. state measured by maximum relief. Around 74 mi (119 km) of the state's northeastern boundary
1950-528: The Kansas River is Junction City with its historic limestone and brick buildings and nearby Fort Riley , well known as the home to the U.S. Army 's 1st Infantry Division (nicknamed "the Big Red One"). A short distance away, the city of Manhattan is home to Kansas State University , the second-largest public university in the state and the nation's oldest land-grant university, dating back to 1863. South of
2015-975: The Kansas River; and the Marais des Cygnes , a tributary of the Missouri River. Spring River is located between Riverton and Baxter Springs . Areas under the protection of the National Park Service include: In Kansas, there are currently 238 species of rare animals and 400 rare plants. Among those include: Smooth rockress , Virginia rail , Western Grotto Salamander , Royal Fern , Turkey-tangle , Bobolink , Cave salamander , Snowy Plover , Strecker's Chorus Frog , Peregrine falcon , and Black-footed ferret . Common animal species and grasses include: Crows , Deer , Lesser prairie chicken , Mice , Moles , Virginia Opossum , Prairie dogs , Raccoon , Eastern Gama Grass , Prairie Dropseed , Indian Grass , Little Bluestem , Switch grass , Northern Sea Oats , Tussock Sedge , Sideoats grama , and Big Bluestem . In
Western Kansas - Misplaced Pages Continue
2080-515: The North to Zone 7a (0 °F to 5 °F) in the South. The western third of the state—from roughly the U.S. Route 83 corridor westward—has a semi-arid steppe climate. Summers are hot, often very hot, and generally less humid. Winters are highly changeable between warm and very cold. The western region receives an average of about 16 inches (410 millimeters) of precipitation per year. Chinook winds in
2145-522: The aerospace sector remains a significant portion of the Kansan economy to this day. Kansas is bordered by Nebraska to the north; Missouri to the east; Oklahoma to the south; and Colorado to the west. The state is divided into 105 counties with 628 cities , with its largest county by area being Butler County . Kansas is located equidistant from the Pacific and Atlantic oceans. The geographic center of
2210-644: The all-time highest temperature recorded in Kansas is (121 °F or 49.4 °C) on July 24, 1936, near Alton in Osborne County , and the all-time low is −40 °F (−40 °C) on February 13, 1905, near Lebanon in Smith County . Alton and Lebanon are approximately 50 miles (80 km) apart. Kansas's record high of 121 °F (49.4 °C) ties with North Dakota for the fifth-highest record high in an American state, behind California (134 °F or 56.7 °C), Arizona (128 °F or 53.3 °C), Nevada (125 °F or 51.7 °C), and New Mexico (122 °F or 50 °C). Known as rural flight ,
2275-467: The campus, Aggieville dates back to 1889 and is the state's oldest shopping district of its kind. In south-central Kansas, the Wichita metropolitan area is home to more than 600,000 people. Wichita is the largest city in the state in terms of both land area and population. 'The Air Capital' is a major manufacturing center for the aircraft industry and the home of Wichita State University . Before Wichita
2340-667: The city and killing nearly 200 people. He was roundly condemned by both the conventional Confederate military and the partisan rangers commissioned by the Missouri legislature . His application to that body for a commission was flatly rejected due to his pre-war criminal record. Passage of the Homestead Acts in 1862 accelerated settlement and agricultural development in the state. After the Civil War, many veterans constructed homesteads in Kansas. Many African Americans also looked to Kansas as
2405-550: The conclusion of the Mexican–American War in 1848, when these lands were ceded to the United States . From 1812 to 1821, Kansas was part of the Missouri Territory . The Santa Fe Trail traversed Kansas from 1821 to 1880, transporting manufactured goods from Missouri and silver and furs from Santa Fe, New Mexico . Wagon ruts from the trail are still visible in the prairie today. In 1827, Fort Leavenworth became
2470-453: The day. Precipitation ranges from about 47 inches (1,200 mm) annually in the state's southeast corner to about 16 inches (410 mm) in the southwest. Snowfall ranges from around 5 inches (130 mm) in the fringes of the south, to 35 inches (890 mm) in the far northwest. Frost-free days range from more than 200 days in the south, to 130 days in the northwest. Thus, Kansas is the country's ninth or tenth sunniest state, depending on
2535-467: The eastern and southern part of the state. The state's western half has exposures of Cretaceous through Tertiary sediments, the latter derived from the erosion of the uplifted Rocky Mountains to the west. These are underlain by older Paleozoic and Mesozoic sediments which correlate well with the outcrops to the east. The state's northeastern corner was subjected to glaciation in the Pleistocene and
2600-410: The fastest-growing in the country. Kansas has 627 incorporated cities . By state statute, cities are divided into three classes as determined by the population obtained "by any census of enumeration". A city of the third class has a population of less than 5,000, but cities reaching a population of more than 2,000 may be certified as a city of the second class. The second class is limited to cities with
2665-478: The first U.S. state to adopt a constitutional amendment prohibiting all alcoholic beverages , which was repealed in 1948. Anti-saloon activist Carrie Nation vandalized her first saloon in Kiowa in 1900. In 1922, suffragist Ella Uphay Mowry became the first female gubernatorial candidate in the state when she ran as "Mrs. W.D. Mowry". She later stated that, "Someone had to be the pioneer. I firmly believe that some day
Western Kansas - Misplaced Pages Continue
2730-667: The first permanent settlement of white Americans in the future state. The Kansas–Nebraska Act became law on May 30, 1854, establishing Nebraska Territory and Kansas Territory , and opening the area to broader settlement by whites. Kansas Territory stretched all the way to the Continental Divide and included the sites of present-day Denver , Colorado Springs , and Pueblo . The first non-military settlement of Euro-Americans in Kansas Territory consisted of abolitionists from Massachusetts and other Free-Staters who founded
2795-725: The former route of the Santa Fe Trail . Among cities with at least one thousand residents, Mission Hills has the highest median income in the state. Several institutions of higher education are located in Northeast Kansas including Baker University (the oldest university in the state, founded in 1858 and affiliated with the United Methodist Church ) in Baldwin City, Benedictine College (sponsored by St. Benedict's Abbey and Mount St. Scholastica Monastery and formed from
2860-611: The heat index in those three cities is usually lower than the actual air temperature. Although temperatures of 100 °F (38 °C) or higher are not as common in areas east of U.S. 81, higher humidity and the urban heat island effect lead most summer days to heat indices between 107 and 114 °F (42 and 46 °C) in Topeka , Lawrence , and the Kansas City metropolitan area . Also, combined with humidity between 85 and 95 percent, dangerous heat indices can be experienced at every hour of
2925-404: The intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Western_Kansas&oldid=700715509 " Category : Disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages Kansas Kansas ( / ˈ k æ n z ə s / KAN -zəss )
2990-468: The land of " John Brown " and, led by freedmen like Benjamin "Pap" Singleton , began establishing black colonies in the state. Leaving southern states in the late 1870s because of increasing discrimination, they became known as Exodusters . At the same time, the Chisholm Trail was opened and the Wild West era commenced in Kansas. Storied lawman Wild Bill Hickok was a deputy marshal at Fort Riley and
3055-521: The last few decades have been marked by a migratory pattern out of the countryside into cities. Out of all the cities in these Midwestern states, 89% have fewer than 3,000 people, and hundreds of those have fewer than 1,000. In Kansas alone, there are more than 6,000 ghost towns and dwindling communities, according to one Kansas historian, Daniel C. Fitzgerald. At the same time, some of the communities in Johnson County (metropolitan Kansas City) are among
3120-739: The merger of St. Benedict's College (1858) and Mount St. Scholastica College (1923)) in Atchison, MidAmerica Nazarene University in Olathe, Ottawa University in Ottawa and Overland Park, Kansas City Kansas Community College and KU Medical Center in Kansas City, and KU Edwards Campus in Overland Park. Less than an hour's drive to the west, Lawrence is home to the University of Kansas , the largest public university in
3185-477: The nickname Bleeding Kansas . These included John Brown 's Pottawatomie massacre of 1856. Kansas was admitted to the Union as a free state on January 29, 1861, making it the 34th state to join the United States. By that time, the violence in Kansas had largely subsided, but during the Civil War, on August 21, 1863, William Quantrill led several hundred of his supporters on a raid into Lawrence , destroying much of
3250-401: The original (PDF) on February 3, 2017 . Retrieved December 28, 2023 . ^ "United States Summary: 2010, Population and Housing Unit Counts" (PDF) . United States Census Bureau . September 2012. pp. V–2, 1 & 41 (Tables 1 & 18) . Retrieved February 7, 2014 . ^ "World Factbook Country Comparison: Area" . The World Factbook . CIA . Archived from
3315-4180: The original on August 4, 2018 . Retrieved August 1, 2018 . v t e United States state-related lists List of states and territories of the United States Demographics Population African American Amish Asian Birth and death rates Density Hispanic and Latino Historical Household income Immigration LGBT Non-Hispanic white Pacific Islander Spanish-speaking Educational attainment Largest cities by population Median age Most popular given names Most populous counties Net migration Populated places Population density (cities) Race/ethnicity Religiosity Irreligion Economy Billionaires Budgets Companies Credit ratings Employment rates Exports and imports Federal tax revenue Federal taxation and spending Gross domestic product Growth rate Per capita Income Inequality Median home prices Median wages Millionaire households Minimum wages Poverty rates R&D spending Sales taxes Savings rate Socioeconomic factors Sovereign wealth funds State income taxes Unemployment rates Union affiliation Vehicles per capita Environment Botanical gardens Carbon dioxide emissions Parks National Natural Landmarks National Wildlife Refuges Nature centers Electricity ( Renewable ) Superfund sites Wilderness areas Geography Area Bays Beaches Coastline Elevation Extreme points Forest Geographic centers Highest cities Islands Lakes Mountains Regions Volcanoes Government Agriculture commissioners Attorneys general Capitals Capitol buildings Comparison Congressional districts Members Counties Alphabetical List Courts Governors Lieutenant governors Legislatures Libraries and archives Official languages Poets laureate Politics by state or territory Political party strength State auditors State legislators Alabama–Missouri Montana–Wyoming State senators State secretaries of state State speakers State chief justices State presidents pro tempore State superintendents of education State supreme courts State treasurers Statewide elected executive officials Health Changes in life expectancy, 1985–2010 Fertility rates Hospitals Human Development Index American Human Development Index Life expectancy Infant mortality rates Obesity rates Road deaths Smoking History Date of statehood Name etymologies Historical societies Museums National Historic Landmarks National Register of Historic Places State partitions Historic regions Law Abortion Age of consent Alcohol Dry communities Alford plea Cell phone use while driving Constitutions Firearms Firearms death rates Gun Violence Homicide Rate Law enforcement agencies Legality of cannabis Peace Index Prisons Incarceration rate Same-sex unions Former constitutional bans Marriage law Seat belt laws Self-representation Smoking bans Speed limits ( by jurisdiction ) Statutory codes Violent Crime Rate Miscellaneous Abbreviations Airports Bus transit systems Casinos Cemeteries Demonyms Flags Hotels Insignia Coats of arms License plates Malls Mottos Newspapers Nicknames Numbered highways Quarters 50 states District of Columbia and territories America
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#17328977219173380-546: The question of whether Kansas would become a free state or a slave state , in a period known as Bleeding Kansas . On January 29, 1861, Kansas entered the Union as a free state, hence the unofficial nickname "The Free State". Passage of the Homestead Acts in 1862 brought a further influx of settlers, and the booming cattle trade of the 1870s attracted some of the Wild West's most iconic figures to western Kansas. As of 2015, Kansas
3445-508: The river valleys. Tribes in the western part of the state were semi-nomadic and hunted large herds of bison . The first European to set foot in present-day Kansas was the Spanish conquistador Francisco Vázquez de Coronado , who explored the area in 1541. Between 1763 and 1803, the territory of Kansas was integrated into Spanish Louisiana . During that period, Governor Luis de Unzaga 'le Conciliateur' promoted expeditions and good relations with
3510-750: The source. Western Kansas is as sunny as parts of California and Arizona . Kansas is prone to severe weather, especially in the spring and the early-summer. Despite the frequent sunshine throughout much of the state, due to its location at a climatic boundary prone to intrusions of multiple air masses, the state is vulnerable to strong and severe thunderstorms. Some of these storms become supercell thunderstorms; these can produce some tornadoes , occasionally those of EF3 strength or higher. Kansas averages more than 50 tornadoes annually. Severe thunderstorms sometimes drop some very large hail over Kansas as well. Furthermore, these storms can even bring in flash flooding and damaging straight line winds. According to NOAA,
3575-465: The state as a whole was 78.5 years. Life expectancy for the United States as a whole in 2019 was 78.8 years. The northeastern portion of the state, extending from the eastern border to Junction City and from the Nebraska border to south of Johnson County is home to more than 1.5 million people in the Kansas City (Kansas portion), Manhattan, Lawrence, and Topeka metropolitan areas . Overland Park ,
3640-515: The state, and Haskell Indian Nations University . To the north, Kansas City , with the second largest land area in the state, contains a number of diverse ethnic neighborhoods. Its attractions include the Kansas Speedway , Sporting Kansas City , Kansas City Monarchs , and The Legends at Village West retail and entertainment center. Nearby, Kansas's first settlement Bonner Springs is home to several national and regional attractions including
3705-566: The third-largest water area and seventh-largest water area percentage. See also [ edit ] [REDACTED] Geography portal [REDACTED] United States portal List of Canadian provinces and territories by area List of European countries by area List of political and geographic subdivisions by total area List of the largest country subdivisions by area List of U.S. cities by area List of U.S. states and territories by population Notes [ edit ] ^ Areas were not published in
3770-463: The town of Lawrence and attempted to stop the spread of slavery from neighboring Missouri. Missouri and Arkansas continually sent settlers into Kansas Territory along its eastern border to sway votes in favor of slavery prior to Kansas statehood elections. Directly presaging the American Civil War these forces collided, entering into skirmishes and guerrilla conflicts that earned the territory
3835-500: The winter can warm western Kansas all the way into the 80 degrees Fahrenheit (27 degrees Celsius) range. The south-central and southeastern portions of the state, including the Wichita area, have a humid subtropical climate with hot and humid summers, milder winters, and more precipitation than elsewhere in Kansas. Some features of all three climates can be found in most of the state, with droughts and changeable weather between dry and humid not uncommon, and both warm and cold spells in
3900-594: The winter. Temperatures in areas between U.S. Routes 83 and 81 , as well as the southwestern portion of the state along and south of U.S. 50 , reach 90 °F (32 °C) or above on most days of June, July, and August. High humidity added to the high temperatures sends the heat index into life-threatening territory, especially in Wichita, Hutchinson , Salina , Russell , Hays , and Great Bend . Temperatures are often higher in Dodge City , Garden City , and Liberal , but
3965-516: Was 'The Air Capital' it was a Cowtown. With a number of nationally registered historic places, museums, and other entertainment destinations, it has a desire to become a cultural mecca in the Midwest. Wichita's population growth has grown by double digits and the surrounding suburbs are among the fastest growing cities in the state. The population of Goddard has grown by more than 11% per year since 2000. Other fast-growing cities include Andover , Maize , Park City , Derby , and Haysville . Wichita
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#17328977219174030-424: Was among the most productive agricultural states, producing high yields of wheat, corn, sorghum , and soybeans . In addition to its traditional strength in agriculture, Kansas possesses an extensive aerospace industry. Kansas, which has an area of 82,278 square miles (213,100 square kilometers) is the 15th-largest state by area , the 36th most-populous of the 50 states, with a population of 2,940,865 according to
4095-409: Was one of the first cities to add the city commissioner and city manager in their form of government. Wichita is also home of the nationally recognized Sedgwick County Zoo. Up river (the Arkansas River ) from Wichita is the city of Hutchinson . The city was built on one of the world's largest salt deposits (of what would form Strataca ), and it has the world's largest and longest wheat elevator. It
4160-445: Was the site of the deadliest tornado in Kansas on May 25, 1955; it killed 80 people in and near the city. Southeast Kansas has a unique history with a number of nationally registered historic places in this coal-mining region. Located in Crawford County (dubbed the Fried Chicken Capital of Kansas), Pittsburg is the largest city in the region and the home of Pittsburg State University . The neighboring city of Frontenac in 1888
4225-410: Was the site of the worst mine disaster in the state in which an underground explosion killed 47 miners. " Big Brutus " is located 1.5 miles (2.4 km) outside the city of West Mineral . Along with the restored fort, historic Fort Scott has a national cemetery designated by President Lincoln in 1862. The region also shares a Media market with Joplin, Missouri , a city in Southwest Missouri. Salina
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