About Kansas
Statehood: January 29, 1861, thirty-fourth state
Origin of Name: Kansas is named after the Indians that the Sioux called the Kansa, meaning "people of the south wind"
State Capital: Topeka, since 1861
State Nicknames: Wheat State, Sunflower State, Jayhawker State, and Midway, U.S.A.
State Flower: Sunflower
State Reptile: Box Turtle
State Insect: Honeybee
State Song: "Home on the Range," lyrics by Brewster Higley, music by Daniel Kelley:
Oh, give me a home where the buffalo roam,
Where the deer and the antelope play,
Where seldom is heard a discouraging word and the skies are not cloudy all day.
Home, home on the range,
Where the deer and the antelope play
Where seldom is heard a discouraging word and the skies are not cloudy all day.
Buffalo - American Bison
The American Bison is known to most Americans as simply "Buffalo".
Bison differ in color, size, and shape from true buffaloes. Great herds of American Bison once
roamed North America through the Appalachian Mountains and the Colorado Rockies. Hunted for centuries,
their numbers decreased and the American Bison was on the verge of extinction by 1889. Presently numbering
about 5,000, they now live in herds scattered throughout the United States in preserved areas.
Johnny Kaw - Kansas Folkhero
He was created by a professor at Kansas State University. Johnny’s tall tale heroics include creating the
Kansas landscape and pioneer trails. He single-handedly dug the Kaw River Valley, planted wheat, invented
sunflowers, and even grew surprisingly giant potatoes. But his accomplishments did not end there. Johnny could
control the weather, and was known to lop the funnels off tornadoes and wring out clouds to end droughts.
Kansas Prairie Dog
The Prairie Dog is a little animal only about a foot long, and considered to be a member of the ground-squirrel
family. Prairie dogs are very sociable animals and make good pets. They build their homes by digging
tunnels straight down, reaching a depth of 12 feet or more. When in danger, the prairie dog warns others by
making loud chrips or barks; then they rush into their homes deep underground until danger passes.