Kansas State University is located in the heartland of America in Manhattan, Kansas. Manhattan was founded by accident in 1855 by members of the Cincinnati Company and small groups of local settlers after the steamboat Hartford ran aground in the Kansas River about a mile upstream from the mouth of the Big Blue River. The first post office was established in 1856, and the city was incorporated February 14, 1857.

Today, about 45,000 people live in Manhattan, officially nicknamed "The Little Apple" in 1977. The city, very near the geographic center of the United States, is located in the picturesque Flint Hills, named for the geologic bands of chert or flint. Gravel from these flinty bands convinced many early settlers that the land was not suitable for cultivation, but some pioneers built farms in the sheltered valleys where water was available year round and where their cattle could graze on the grassy uplands. Much of the Flint Hills region is still largely untouched by the plow and is the last large preserve of native tallgrass prairie in the United States.

Manhattan has 21 neighborhood parks, 12 movie screens, one major shopping mall with 65 shops, and a great zoo. The tree-shaded streets, walks, and limestone buildings on this campus make it a beautiful setting for students and residents of the town. See the following links for more information about Manhattan and current events:
http://www.manhattan.org
http://surfmanhattan.net
Manhattan map

Climate. Kansas has a typical continental climate with rather large changes in temperature between winter (January) and summer (July) and between daytime and night time. In winter, typical daily temperatures range from -15C (4F) to 11C (51F). Typical summer temperatures range from 16C (61F) to 37C (99F). There are four distinct seasons of approximately equal length. Weather in the spring and fall is moderate and comfortable.

April through September is the period of greatest rainfall. Seventy-five percent of the annual precipitation occurs during this period. During the rest of the year, precipitation is light. There is some snow from December to March, but the snow cover seldom lasts more than a few days. Mean annual precipitation in Manhattan is 835 mm (33 inches). Severe weather, including tornadoes, can occur most often between May and September. An early warning system is in place to alert residents if Manhattan is in a tornado watch. There are designated areas in most buildings to go for shelter. A significant tornado has not hit Manhattan since 1966.

Shopping. The Manhattan Town Center, an enclosed regional mall in the heart of downtown, features national chain stores. Aggieville, located near campus, is a district of clothing stores, music shops, bookstores, and restaurants. Other shopping options include downtown stores; the Westloop, Village Plaza, and Towne East shopping centers; and national discount stores.

Schools. Unified School District #383 serves the Manhattan area. The district operates eight elementary schools in Manhattan and one in the nearby City of Ogden. Two middle schools, one high school with two campuses, and one technical college, all located in Manhattan, serve the entire district. A measure of the quality of the school system is the fact that 70 percent of its high school graduates go on to college.

The school district offers special education programs in the following areas: educable mentally handicapped, severely handicapped, trainable mentally handicapped, emotionally disturbed, learning disabled, hearing impaired, gifted, physically handicapped, and visually impaired.

Churches. A listing of religious groups registered with the Office of Student Activities and Services is available at www.ksu.edu/Directories/relig.html.

Travel Information

Manhattan Municipal Airport is located just four miles west of the city on Highway K-18. Scheduled daily flights are available to and from Kansas City.

Kansas City International Airport (MCI), 130 miles (208km) east of Manhattan, is the closest international airport to Manhattan. All major airlines offer MCI destination tickets. USAir Express flies into the Manhattan Municipal Airport, offering shuttle service from MCI.

Besides the flying shuttle, a ground shuttle, MCI Roadrunner Express, is also available from MCI to Manhattan. The one-way charge for a student, with up to three pieces of luggage, is $47.00, and you will be delivered to any location in Manhattan. A reservation is required for this service. You may call at your point of entry airport at 1-(800) 826-8294 or (785) 537-2086. For details, please visit the Roadrunner website at http://www.kciroadrunner.com/ .

A free shuttle for international students from the Kansas City Airport to Manhattan is also provided by the KSU International Student Center on certain days for the fall and spring semester. Please see http://www.k-state.edu/intlstucenter/ for more details and the exact dates of the shuttle service.

There is no local bus service in the city of Manhattan. However, taxi service is available from the Manhattan Municipal Airport and other locations in Manhattan. The distance from the airport to campus is approximately 5 miles (8km), and the fare is about $15.00.

If you are driving to Manhattan:

• From Kansas City International Airport ... (EAST)
  • Take I-435 South/West
  • Take I-70
  • Take Exit 313/K-177 North to Manhattan (9 miles)
  • When in Manhattan city limits, you will go across a bridge -- exit first right
  • Turn right at the light onto Fort Riley Blvd.
  • Travel West to the 17th Street stop light
  • Turn right on 17th Street
  • You will travel 11 blocks before you come to the Anderson Ave. stop light
  • You will then be at the entrance to KSU
  • Cross Anderson Avenue and continue to the Information Booth for campus information and a temporary parking permit
• From Junction City ... (WEST)
  • Take I-70 East
  • Take Exit 303/K-18 North to Manhattan (approx. 9 miles)
  • Once in Manhattan, K-18 will become Fort Riley Blvd.
  • Continue to 17th Street
  • Turn left at the light on 17th Street
  • You will travel 11 blocks before you come to the Anderson Ave. stop light
  • You will then be at the entrance to KSU
  • Go straight through the light and continue to the Information Booth
• From the North (Nebraska) ... (NORTH)
  • Take Highway 13 South to Highway 113
  • Travel South on 113 (which becomes Seth Childs Rd.) to Anderson Ave.
  • Turn left on Anderson Avenue and travel East to 17th Street
  • Turn left at the 17th Street light and continue to the Information Booth
• From Council Grove ... (SOUTH)
  • Take K-177 North to Manhattan
  • When in Manhattan city limits, you will go across a bridge -- exit first right
  • Turn right at the light onto Fort Riley Blvd.
  • Travel West to the 17th Street stop light
  • Turn right on 17th Street
  • You will travel 11 blocks before you come to the Anderson Ave. stop light
  • You will then be at the entrance to KSU
  • Go straight through the light and continue to the Information Booth
• Kansas State University map through Mapquest