Kansas: Sunflower State

Kansas, in the Great Plains, is known for wheat production, flat terrain, tornados, and Wild West history. "The Wizard of Oz" made Kansas synonymous with rural America. The state features vast prairies and agricultural landscapes.

Kansas has rich Old West heritage including Dodge City and Boot Hill, Wyatt Earp's stomping grounds. Topeka, the capital, was center of Brown v. Board of Education school desegregation case. Wichita is the largest city and aviation manufacturing hub. The Tallgrass Prairie preserves native grasslands. Monument Rocks are chalk formations in western Kansas.

Kansas's economy includes agriculture (wheat, beef cattle), aviation (Cessna, Beechcraft, Spirit AeroSystems), and oil. The state is in "Tornado Alley" with frequent severe weather. Kansas has conservative politics and rural character despite growing urban areas. Dwight Eisenhower was from Abilene. The state's agricultural importance feeds America and the world. Basketball inventor James Naismith taught at University of Kansas.