Information and history of the state of Kansas

Spanish explorer Francisco de Coronado, in 1541, is considered the first European to have traveled this region. Sieur de la Salle's extensive land claims for France (1682) included present-day Kansas. Ceded to Spain by France in 1763, the territory reverted to France in 1800 and was sold to the U.S. as part of the Louisiana Purchase in 1803.

When it was officially opened to settlement by the U.S. government in 1854, abolitionist Free-Staters from New England and pro-slavery settlers from neighboring Missouri rushed to the territory to determine whether Kansas would become a free state or a slave state. Thus, the area was a hotbed of violence and chaos in its early days as these forces collided, and was known as Bleeding Kansas.

Kansas was admitted to the United States as a slave-free state on January 29, 1861, making it the 34th state to enter the Union.

Some Kansas Symbols

1. State Bird	2. State Mammal	3. State Flower	4. State Insect	5. State Amphibian
6. State Tree	7. State Motto	8. State Soil	9. State Nickname	10. State Reptile

1. Western Meadowlark - The western meadowlark was designated the official state bird of Kansas in 1937.The Western Meadowlark is a familiar songbird of open country across the western two-thirds of the continent.
2. American Buffalo- The magnificent American buffalo was recognized as the official animal symbol of Kansas in 1955. A male bison can weigh over 1800 pounds and is 6 foot tall at the shoulder.
3. Wild Native Sunflower - Kansas recognized the sunflower as official state flower in 1903. The Native Sunflower grows to 15 feet tall with flower heads up to 2 feet in diameter, and can produce over 1,000 seeds from one plant.
4. Honeybee - Kansas designated the honeybee as official state insect in 1976. Bee pollination is critical to plant and human survival - beeswax and honey are just surplus gifts from this tiny wonder of nature.
5. Barred Tiger Salamander - Kansas designated the barred tiger salamander as the official state amphibian in 1994. A large amphibian that can grow to 14 inches, they can be found in the wild from southwestern Canada through the western United States to northern Mexico.
6. Cottonwood - Kansas designated the cottonwood as the official state tree in 1937. The cottonwoods are deciduous trees of the poplar species, distinguished by thick, deeply fissured bark and triangular to diamond-shaped leaves.
7. Ad astra per aspera - The state motto of Kansas is Ad astra per aspera (To the stars through difficulties). The state motto can also be seen on the Kansas state flag and state seal.
8. Harney Silt Loam - Kansas designated Harney silt loam as the official state soil in 1990 because it is an ideal prairie soil and recognized as prime farmland.
9. The Sunflower State - The nickname for Kansas is The Sunflower State (the sunflower is also the state flower of Kansas and appears on the state flag and the Kansas state quarter.
10. Ornate Box Turtle - Kansas designated the ornate box turtle as the offical state reptile in 1986. There are only two species of land-dwelling turtles that live on the great plains (the ornate box turtle and its close cousin, the eastern box turtle). The ornate box turtle prefers prairies and pastures over forest - it is found from South Dakota to southern Arizona and the Rio Grande valley.

Did you know?

• The first woman mayor in the United States was Susan Madora Salter. She was elected to office in Argonia in 1887.
• Dwight D. Eisenhower from Abilene was the 34th President of the United States.
• Wyatt Earp, James Butler "Wild Bill" Hickok and William B. "Bat" Masterson were three of the legendary lawmen who kept the peace in rowdy frontier towns like Abilene, Dodge City, Ellsworth, Hays, and Wichita.
• Smith County is the geographical center of the 48 contiguous states.
• Kansas produced a record 492.2 million bushels of wheat in 1997, enough to make 35.9 billion loaves of bread.
• The Arkansas River may be the only river whose pronunciation changes as it crosses state lines. In Kansas, it is called the Arkansas (ahr-KAN-zuhs). On both sides of Kansas (Colorado and Oklahoma), it is called the Arkansaw.