100 Dumb US Laws (With Proof They Exist)
Kansas (KS) lies near the geographic center of the contiguous United States, and the state is known for its endless prairies and authentic Old West atmosphere. Agriculture focused on wheat production and manufacturing are important to Kansas’s economy. The capital of Kansas is Topeka, while the largest city is Wichita. One popular attraction is the space museum in Hutchinson.
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Table of Contents
Quick Facts
Name Kansas Abbreviation KS Capital Topeka Largest city Wichita (Population: 396 119) Current time 10:51 Time zone CST (UTC-6) is in effect in most of the state, MST (UTC-7) is in effect in Greeley, Hamilton, Sherman and Wallace counties to the west. The state observes daylight saving time CDT (UTC-5) and MDT (UTC-6) Population 2,937,835 (#35 most populous US state) Area 213,100 km² (#15 largest US state) Admitted to the Union January 29, 1861 (#34 state to join) ⭐ Capital of Kansas
The capital of the state of Kansas is Topeka, founded in 1854 as one of the first towns in the territory that opposed slavery. The name Topeka comes from a Native American language and translates as “a good place to dig potatoes.” Topeka has been the capital of Kansas since 1861, when the state joined the Union.
🏙️ Largest City in Kansas
The largest city in Kansas is Wichita, which had 396,119 residents in 2023. The second most populous city is Overland Park with 197,089 residents, and the third largest is Kansas City with 152,933 residents.
🕒 Time in Kansas
The current time in most of Kansas is 10:51. The majority of the state observes Central Standard Time (CST, UTC-6) and switches to Daylight Time CDT (UTC-5) from March to November. Only a few counties in western Kansas observe Mountain Standard Time (MST, UTC-7), and for part of the year they also observe Daylight Time.
🧑🤝🧑 Population of Kansas
According to 2023 data, Kansas had 2,937,835 residents, making it the 35th most populous U.S. state.
📍 Area of Kansas
The total area of Kansas is 213,100 km², of which 211,754 km² is land and only 1,346 km² is water. Kansas is the 15th largest state in the United States.
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Fun Facts About the State of Kansas
🧩 Which States Border Kansas
Kansas borders four U.S. states. To the west is Colorado, to the north Nebraska, to the east Missouri, and to the south Oklahoma.
📅 Date of Kansas Statehood
Kansas was admitted to the Union on January 29, 1861 as the 34th state, after separating from the original Kansas Territory.
📛 Kansas State Nickname
The official nickname of Kansas is “The Sunflower State,” which refers to the wild sunflowers found here in eleven different species. The sunflower became the official state flower in 1903.
Kansas also carries the nickname “The Wheat State” because it ranks among the largest wheat growers in the USA. According to some sources, Kansas mills are the country’s leading producers of wheat among all U.S. states.
⛰️ Highest Point of Kansas
The highest point of Kansas is Mount Sunflower at 1,231.09 m, located very close to the Colorado border.
🏞️ Rivers in Kansas
The longest river flowing through Kansas is the Missouri River, with a total length of 3,770 km across several states. It is followed by the Arkansas River (2,364 km), the Cimarron River (1,123 km), the Smoky Hill River (900 km), and the Neosho River (745 km).
🎓 Universities in Kansas
The largest university in Kansas is the University of Kansas, founded in 1865 in the city of Lawrence and attended by around 28,000 students. In second place is Kansas State University with approximately 15,000 students, and the third largest is Wichita State University, with about 13,000 students.
✉️ ZIP Codes in Kansas
Kansas is assigned ZIP code ranges 660xx–662xx and 664xx–679xx. You can look up a ZIP code for a specific address on the USPS website, and you can read more about how they work in the article ZIP Codes in the USA.
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Weather in Kansas
The best time to visit Kansas is in September and early October, when temperatures are pleasant and the risk of storms is lower than in previous months. Deciduous trees turn orange and red in the fall, which creates a nice atmosphere for exploring nature.
Spring in Kansas is known for changeable weather. In March, average recorded temperatures in Wichita range from 3 °C to 17 °C, then rise to a comfortable 10 °C to 23 °C in May. Spring often brings severe thunderstorms with hail or dangerous tornadoes, with a higher likelihood in the western part of the state. Rainfall is frequent, although it usually comes as short, intense showers.
Summer in Kansas is generally dry and very hot. From June through August, temperatures range from 22 °C to 32 °C. The western part of the state is drier, while eastern Kansas sees more thunderstorms accompanied by heavy downpours. Tornado risk is highest in spring and early summer due to variable temperatures and strong storms. Long, sunny days are ideal for outdoor activities, but be prepared for very high temperatures.
Fall in Kansas brings relief from the summer heat as temperatures gradually drop from September’s 14 °C to 27 °C to the more typical 1 °C to 12 °C in November. Rainfall is sporadic, and fronts can bring thunderstorms. Tornado risk is low, which makes fall a good season for hiking and time outdoors.
Winters in Kansas are very cold, with most days ranging from -8 °C to 5 °C. Especially in the north, temperatures can sink well below -10 °C, and snow showers are more likely there. Strong winds increase the bitter feel, and ice storms can cause transportation problems.
🌡️ Average Temperatures and Precipitation in Kansas
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What to See in Kansas
1️⃣ Kansas State Capitol
The Capitol building in the capital city of Topeka is one of the most important buildings in Kansas. It was built from 1866 to 1903 in the French Renaissance style. The richly decorated interiors and frescoes are architectural highlights. Visitors can tour the interior on a free guided tour. The top experience is entering the dome’s summit, which offers beautiful views of the surroundings.
2️⃣ Cosmosphere Space Museum
The Cosmosphere in Hutchinson ranks among the largest space museums in the world. Visitors can explore an extensive collection of exhibits, including items from American and Soviet space missions. Highlights include the original Apollo 13 command module and rare artifacts from the space race era. The Cosmosphere also includes a planetarium and an IMAX theater.
3️⃣ Boot Hill Museum of the Wild West
Boot Hill Museum focuses on the 19th-century Wild West and features a replica historic western town with shops, a saloon, and a jail. The exhibits include reenactments of gunfights and cowboy shows. The museum is located in Dodge City in southwestern Kansas.
4️⃣ Strataca: Underground Salt Mine Museum
Strataca in Hutchinson offers a unique look at salt mining in Kansas. Visitors descend by elevator to 650 m underground, where they can see extensive salt mines and learn more about their history. The tour includes a ride on an underground mine train. The salt mine began operations in 1923.
5️⃣ Monument Rocks
The Monument Rocks National Natural Landmark consists of chalk formations more than 80 million years old with rich fossil deposits. One of the first natural landmarks in the United States is also known as the Chalk Pyramids. The largest formations reach heights of up to 21.3 m. There are no restaurants or shops nearby, so bring enough food and water.
6️⃣ Quivira National Wildlife Refuge
The Quivira refuge is home to thousands of migrating birds, including several endangered species. It lies in central Kansas northwest of Wichita. Most of the refuge consists of wetlands and grasslands with observation towers that are ideal for birdwatching. If you prefer being active, take an interpretive trail or choose one of the hiking routes.
7️⃣ Big Brutus Mining Shovel
A striking attraction in southeastern Kansas is Big Brutus, one of the largest mining shovels in the world. The machine, with an overall length of 69.8 m, was used for coal mining from 1963 to 1974. After it was retired, it became a tourist attraction. Next to the shovel is a museum with exhibits on the history of mining in Kansas and the technologies used in the mines.
8️⃣ Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve
The Tallgrass Prairie preserve was established in November 1996 to protect the remaining tallgrass prairies that once covered much of central North America. Visitors can choose from 64.37 km of hiking trails and may see bison herds, a symbol of the original plains. The preserve includes original 19th-century farmhouses and barns.
9️⃣ The World’s Largest Czech Easter Egg
In the town of Wilson you will find an unusual attraction that pays tribute to Czech culture. The intricately decorated egg is painted with traditional Czech motifs. At a height of 6.1 m, it is considered the largest of its kind in the world. Wilson is regarded as the Czech capital of Kansas, and a festival with traditional foods and dances is held there regularly.
🔟 World’s Largest Ball of Twine
If you want to see something quirky, set your navigation for the town of Cawker in the northern part of the state. The townspeople wanted something unique, so in 1953 they began creating the world’s largest continuously growing ball of twine. The ball keeps getting bigger, and visitors are even encouraged to add more twine. Cawker City hosts an annual festival celebrating this unusual attraction.
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Largest Cities in Kansas
The table lists the ten largest cities in the state of Kansas in 2023. The data source is the federal agency United States Census Bureau, whose main task is the census.
City County Population 1 Wichita Sedgwick 396,119 Map of Wichita 2 Overland Park Johnson 197,089 Map of Overland Park 3 Kansas City Wyandotte 152,933 Map of Kansas City 4 Olathe Johnson 147,461 Map of Olathe 5 Topeka Shawnee 125,475 Map of Topeka 6 Lawrence Douglas 96,207 Map of Lawrence 7 Shawnee Johnson 69,417 Map of Shawnee 8 Lenexa Johnson 58,536 Map of Lenexa 9 Manhattan Riley, Pottawatomie 53,682 Map of Manhattan 10 Salina Saline 45,792 Map of Salina -
Sports Teams in Kansas
🏒 Hockey (NHL)
No team from Kansas plays in the NHL.
🏈 American Football (NFL)
There is no NFL team based in Kansas.
🏀 Basketball (NBA)
There is no NBA team from Kansas.
⚾ Baseball (MLB)
Kansas has no representation in MLB.
⚽ Soccer (MLS)
A long-time participant in Major League Soccer since the 1996 season is Sporting Kansas City, which originally competed in the Eastern Conference and now belongs to the Western Conference. The club colors are indigo, light blue, and dark gray, and the team plays home matches at Children’s Mercy Park in Kansas City.
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Kansas State Symbols
Kansas law defines a range of official state symbols, and only some of them are listed below.
Flag of Kansas
The current design of the Kansas flag was adopted on September 24, 1961. The dark blue field with the state seal and a sunflower is based on the original 1928 design, which was later supplemented with the state name at the bottom.
Great Seal of the State of Kansas
The Great Seal was adopted on May 25, 1861, after Kansas became a member of the Union. The seal contains several motifs intended to reflect the state’s history. The landscape with a rising sun represents the east. The river with a steamboat symbolizes commerce. A settler’s cabin and a man refer to agriculture. A train and wagons heading west recall early settlers. Native Americans and bison are also present. The number of stars refers to Kansas becoming the 34th member of the Union.
State Flower
The official state flower of Kansas since 1903 is the sunflower, which can be seen in fields across the state.
State Bird
In 1937, the western meadowlark (Sturnella neglecta) was designated a state symbol. This brown and yellow bird is 22 cm long and was chosen through a vote by elementary school students.
State Tree
In 1937, the cottonwood (Populus deltoides) was chosen as the state tree of Kansas. The cottonwood is a fast-growing tree with annual growth of up to 2.4 m, and it can reach a total height of up to 30.5 m.
State Animal
In 1955, the American bison (Bison bison) was designated the animal symbol of Kansas. Around 200,000 individuals live in parks, preserves, and other open areas in Kansas.
State Reptile
In 1986, Kansas law designated the ornate box turtle (Terrapene ornata) as the official state reptile. It can grow up to 20 cm and may live to 100 years. The turtle can be seen in grassy landscapes near water throughout most states in the central United States.
State Fish
In 2018, lawmakers added the channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) to the list of state symbols. It commonly occurs in rivers, ponds, and lakes across the eastern United States.
State Mineral
Since 2018, the state mineral of Kansas has been galena, notable for its metallic luster and cubic crystal system.
State Fruit Tree
Kansas even recognizes a state fruit tree. Since 2022, the official symbol has been the Chickasaw plum (Prunus angustifolia), which was cultivated by the original inhabitants before the arrival of Europeans.
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