Introduction

Known as the "Sunflower State", Kansas became the 34th state in 1861. The state's name comes from the Kansa or Kaw Indians and is a Sioux Indian term meaning "south wind people". Within Kansas's borders is the magnetic center mark for all of North America. The native sunflower is the state flower and the capital is Topeka.
Today, wheat fields, oil-well derricks, herds of cattle and grain-storage elevators are chief features of the Kansas landscape. A leading wheat-growing state, Kansas also raises corn, sorghum, oats, barley, soybeans and potatoes. Kansas stands high in petroleum production and mines zinc, coal, salt and lead. It is also the nation's leading producer of helium.Wichita is one of the nation's leading aircraft-manufacturing centers, ranking first in production of private aircraft. Kansas City is an important transportation, milling and meat-packing center.

Points of interest include the Kansas History Center at Topeka, the Eisenhower boyhood home and the Eisenhower Memorial Museum and Presidential Library at Abilene, John Brown's cabin at Osawatomie, re-created Front Street in Dodge City, Fort Larned , Fort Leavenworth, and Fort Riley.

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