People of The Wind: Kansas Official Visitors Guide

Picture: Sunflower-Kansas State Flower.

Kansas is a Midwestern state in the central region of the United States of America, an area often referred to as the American "Heartland". It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa tribe, who inhabited the area. The tribe's name (natively kką:ze) is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south wind", although this was probably not the term's original meaning. Residents of Kansas are called "Kansans".

Historically, the area was home to large numbers of nomadic Native Americans that hunted bison. It was first settled by European Americans in the 1830s, but the pace of settlement accelerated in the 1850s, in the midst of political wars over the slavery issue. When 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 if 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. The abolitionists eventually prevailed and on January 29, 1861, Kansas entered the Union as a free state. After the Civil War, the population of Kansas exploded when waves of immigrants turned the prairie into productive farmland. Today, Kansas is one of the most productive agricultural states, producing many crops, and leading the nation in wheat, sorghum, and sunflower production most years. [Source: Wikipedia]

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If you’re looking for new and exciting vacation adventures, then Kansas is the place you want to be. History buffs can explore the state’s legendary cowboy towns or visit Kansas’ countless museums, which celebrate the state’s pioneer, aviation, farming and Native American legacies. Outdoor enthusiasts will be happy to know that Kansas is still home on the range to the American bison, which can be viewed up close at two of the state’s wildlife refuges and along the highways in Western Kansas and the Flint Hills. And for nature lovers, Kansas is home to the largest remaining stand of tallgrass prairie in North America, providing a glimpse of what the continent looked like 200 years ago.

Source and Link: The Kansas Department of Commerce, Travel & Tourism Division-TravelKS.com

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State of Kansas
[Flag of Kansas] Seal Nickname(s): The Sunflower State (offical nickname) or The Wheat State Motto(s): Ad astra per aspera
Official language(s)	English
Demonym	Kansan
Capital	Topeka
Largest city	Wichita
Area	Ranked 15th in the US
- Total	82,277 sq mi (213,096 km²)
- Width	211 miles (340 km)
- Length	417 miles (645 km)
- % water	0.56
- Latitude	37° N to 40° N
- Longitude	94° 35′ W to 102° 3′ W
Population	Ranked 33rd in the US
- Total	2,775,997 (2007 est.)
- Density	32.9/sq mi (12.7/km²) Ranked 40th in the US