History of Kansas, USA

1803 - U.S. acquired most of Kansas from France in the Louisiana Purchase

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1830s - Settlers arrived in Kansas by the thousands

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(1855-1859) The Kansas-Nebraska Act caused bloody fighting over slavery; Kansas was called "Bloody Kansas."

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1857 - An Anti-Vegitarian Virgin
One of our north country-pitmen, who had turned vegetarian, went a courting to a pluncky lass in the colliery village; and 'popped the question!' 'Oh!' said she, 'go along with you! Do you think I'm going to be flesh of your flesh, and you live on cabbages? No, indeed, I don't belong to the rabit family.'
Elmwood Advertiser
Elmwood, Kansas
Thursday, July 16, 1857

1860 - First railroad reached Kansas

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1861 - January 29 – Kansas is admitted as the 34th U.S. state.
In 1861, on January 29th, Kansas was officially admitted as the 34th state of the United States. This event marked the culmination of a tumultuous period in Kansas's history, known as "Bleeding Kansas," which began in the mid-1850s. The territory had been a focal point of the debate over the expansion of slavery in the United States. Pro-slavery and anti-slavery settlers clashed violently, leading to a series of conflicts and political tensions that garnered national attention.

Kansas's admission as a free state was a significant victory for the anti-slavery movement, as it tipped the balance of power in Congress further against the pro-slavery faction.

January 29, 1861

1863 - Timely Advice
The growth of intemperance in Kansas can but be viewed, with concern by all who have the future welfare of the State in view. The evil of drunkenness is becoming more and more a feature of our times. But few of us can look through the list, of our acquaintances and relatives without plainly seeing that this assertion is true. Since the war commenced, the fashion of drinking has increased immeasurably - our soldiers are removed from the restraints of home, the ties that have held men in sobriety are broken. The evil among officers has become greater then with the soldiers. The example set by the Army has had an effect among the people. Young men are growing up forming habits of drinking that but a few years ago would have shocked all - now it seems to attract but little attention. Parents, it is time that an effort was made to stay this evil. If your children have not yet commenced the downward career is there any good cause to suppose with the influences that are surrounding them... Read MORE...

1869 - The Kansas Legistlature, on the 19th, indefinitely postponed the resolution allowing negroes to vote. A concurrent resolution asking Senator Ross to resign was laid over.

St Joseph Herald
Saint Joseph, Michigan
January 30, 1869

1870 - Coal mines are now being worked in seven counties of Kansas.

St Joseph Herald
Saint Joseph, Michigan
October 22, 1870

1876 - Business Maxims
1. After the feast the giver shakes his head.

2. The sleeping fox catches no poultry.

3. Creditors have excellent memories.

4. Caution is the father of security.

5. He who pays beforehand is served behindhand.

6. If you would know the value of a dollar try to borrow one.

7. Great bargains have ruined many.

8. Be silent when a fool talks.

9. Give a foolish talker rope enough and he will hang himself.

10. Never speak boastingly of your business.

11. It is hard for a hungry man to wait when he smells the roast meat.

12. An hour of triumph comes at last to those who watch and wait.

13. Word by word Webster's big Dictionary was made.

14. Speak well of your friends of your enemies say nothing.

15. Never take back a discharged servant.

16. If you post your servants upon your affairs, they will one day rend you.

17. No man can be successful who neglects his business.

18. Do not waste time in useless regrets over losses.... Read MORE...

1876 - May 18 – Wyatt Earp starts work in Dodge City, Kansas, serving under Marshal Larry Deger.
In 1876, on May 18th, Wyatt Earp began his employment in Dodge City, Kansas, working under Marshal Larry Deger. This event marked the start of Earp's notable career as a lawman and gunfighter in the American West. Dodge City was a bustling frontier town known for its lawlessness and frequent conflicts, making it a challenging but important place for law enforcement officers like Earp.

Earp's time in Dodge City was characterized by his efforts to maintain law and order in a town plagued by violence and crime. His reputation as a skilled lawman grew during this period, as he became known for his quick draw and no-nonsense approach to dealing with troublemakers.
May 18, 1876

1881 - February 19 – Kansas becomes the first U.S. state to prohibit all alcoholic beverages.
In 1881, on February 19th, Kansas made history by becoming the first state in the United States to enact a total prohibition on alcoholic beverages. This move was part of a broader temperance movement that sought to reduce or eliminate the consumption of alcohol, driven by concerns over its societal impact, including crime, poverty, and domestic violence. The prohibition law in Kansas was known as the "Kansas Prohibition Act" and was a significant step in the temperance movement's efforts to promote sobriety and morality.

The Kansas Prohibition Act banned the manufacture and sale of all alcoholic beverages within the state, making it illegal to produce, sell, or distribute alcohol for consumption. This law marked a milestone in the history of temperance in the United States and set a precedent for other states to follow suit in the coming years. The prohibition era in Kansas lasted until 1948 when the state repealed its prohibition laws, aligning with the broader national trend... Read MORE...

January 13, 1886 - A great blizzard struck the state of Kansas without warning. The storm claimed 50 to 100 lives, and eighty percent of the cattle in the state.

WeatherForYou.com

1888 - Governor Martin, of Kansas, authorized the statement on the 23d that great distress prevailed in the extreme southwestern part of the State, owing to the failure of the crops last year and the rigor of the winter.

St Joseph Herald
Saint Joseph, Michigan
January 28, 1888

1892 - October 5 - The Dalton Gang, attempting to rob 2 banks in Coffeyville, Kansas, is shot by the townspeople; only Emmett Dalton, with 23 wounds, survives, to spend 14 years in prison.
On October 5, 1892, the notorious Dalton Gang attempted to carry out a daring bank robbery in Coffeyville, Kansas. Comprised of brothers Bob, Grat, and Emmett Dalton, along with two other accomplices, the gang planned to simultaneously rob two banks in broad daylight. However, their plan quickly unraveled when alert townspeople recognized the disguised outlaws and raised the alarm.

As the gang attempted to flee, a fierce gunfight erupted between them and the townspeople, resulting in a chaotic and deadly shootout. By the end of the confrontation, all the members of the Dalton Gang, except for Emmett Dalton, had been killed. Despite sustaining 23 gunshot wounds, Emmett survived the ordeal, albeit gravely injured. He was subsequently captured, tried, and sentenced to 14 years in prison. The failed robbery and its violent aftermath marked the end of the Dalton Gang's criminal activities, solidifying their place in Wild West folklore.
October 5, 1892

1895 - Kansas
Kansas, kan'zas, a state of the American Union, bounded N. by Nebraska, E. by Missouri, S. by Indian Territory, and W. by Colorado. Its northern line is the 40th degree of N. lat.; its eastern limit is partly the Missouri River and partly the meridian of 94° 38' W: ; the southern boundary is on the line of the 37th degree of N. lat.; and it extends westward to 102° W. lon. Average length, 400 miles; breadth, 200 miles; area, 82,080 square miles. In this state is the geographical centre of the United States domain, exclusive of Alaska...

Pop. in 1855, 8601; in 1860, 107,206; in 1865, 135,807; in 1870,364,399; in 1878 (by state census),708,497 (the returns nearly complete); in 1880 (United States census), 996,096; in 1886 (by state census), 1,406,738; in 1890 (United States census), 1,427,096.
Lippincott's Gazetteer of the World: A Complete Pronouncing Gazetteer Or Geographical Dictionary of the World Containing Notices of Over One Hundred and Twenty-five Thousand Places ... Joseph Thomas January 1, 1895 J.B. Lippincott

February 13, 1905 - Morning lows of -29 degrees at Pond AR, -40 degrees at Lebanon KS, and -40 degrees at Warsaw MO established all-time records for those three states

The Weather Channel

1909 - ONE FATALITY IN TORNADO. BRAKEMAN BLOWN FROM FREIGHT TRAIN AND KILLED.
Concordia, Kas., April 13 -- When telephone communication was opened up today with Aurora, a little town south of here, it developed that four persons were injured, none it is believed fatally, in the tornado that struck that place yesterday. The Catholic church was among the buildings demolished and Father MOLLIER was blown thirty yards, but not serously hurt.

A. M. GOSSEMASON, who was with the priest, suffered a broken limb. NELSON MORCOTTE'S home was demolished and MRS. MORCOTTE and her infant child were seriously hurt. None was killed in Aurora, but at Beloit, a nearby town, EDWARD M. WELLS, a brakeman, was blown from a Missouri Pacific freight train and was killed.

In Aurora two churches and two stores were wrecked, and almost every store and house in town was damaged. Much stock was killed in the country.
Nebraska State Journal
Lincoln, Nebraska
April 14, 1909

1915 - HAVOC WROUGHT IN MISSOURI AND KANSAS BY HIGH WINDS AND LIGHTNING. Heavy Fall of Rain Turns Many Streams Into Raging Torrents - Homes Demolished and Bridges Washed Out.
Kansas City, Mo. - Nineteen deaths and many persons injured was the result of the terrific windstorm in Missouri and Kansas on Friday.

A list of deaths from the storm follows:

Richmond, Mo. - MRS. ARTHUR COVEY and small child, killed when their home was demolished by a tornado; MRS. MARY BELL, 60 years old, struck by lightning.

Westmoreland, Kan. - CHARLES MORRIS, his son and JOHN GUNTHER, drowned when their gasoline motor car was swept into a creek by a sudden rush of water.

Onaga, Kan. - Five members of family of JOHN BURGES, farmer, killed when a tornado demolished the Burges home.

Nevada, Mo. - MRS. GERTRUDE KNAU, 80, lost life when house was demolished by a tornado.

Latour, Mo. - MRS. ALMA ALLMAN, killed when wind swept her home away.

Montrose, Mo. - Unidentified infant killed in windstorm.

Wamego, Kan. - GENE NICHOLS, farmer, struck by lightning.

Goltry, Okla. - MRS. CARRIE FORD, killed in tornado that demolished her home.

Joplin, Mo. - Two-year old ... Read MORE...

1918 - January – 1918 flu pandemic: "Spanish 'flu" (influenza) first observed in Haskell County, Kansas.
The 1918 flu pandemic, often referred to as the "Spanish flu," was a devastating global outbreak of influenza that caused severe illness and death in millions of people. The first observed cases of this deadly flu strain were reported in January 1918 in Haskell County, Kansas, although its exact origins remain uncertain. The virus quickly spread across the United States and around the world, fueled by the movement of troops during World War I.

The Spanish flu was highly contagious and had a high mortality rate, particularly among young adults. Its rapid spread and severity overwhelmed healthcare systems in many countries, leading to shortages of medical personnel and supplies. The pandemic eventually subsided in 1919, but not before claiming the lives of an estimated 50 million people worldwide, making it one of the deadliest pandemics in human history.
January 1, 1918

1918 - May 20 – The small town of Codell, Kansas, is hit for the third year in a row on the same date by a tornado.

May 20, 1918

1930s - Severe dust storms destroyed acres and acres of crops (Kansas)
In the 1930s, severe dust storms ravaged the Great Plains region of the United States, including states like Kansas, in a period known as the Dust Bowl. This environmental disaster was largely a result of poor farming practices, prolonged drought, and economic depression. Farmers had been using the land extensively for agriculture, leaving it vulnerable to erosion. When the drought hit, the land dried up, and strong winds picked up the loose topsoil, creating massive dust storms that blotted out the sun and swept across the landscape.

The dust storms had devastating effects on agriculture, destroying crops and making the land unusable for farming. Many farmers lost their livelihoods and were forced to abandon their land. The Dust Bowl had far-reaching impacts, leading to economic hardship, mass migration, and significant changes in agricultural practices and land management policies. It stands as a stark reminder of the importance of sustainable farming practices and environmental... Read MORE...

1951 - Floods struck the state causing wide-spread damage

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Kansas has something to offer. Here's a list of places to go and things to do in the Sunflower State:
1. Visit the Kansas City Metro Area:

Kansas City: Start your journey in the largest city in Kansas, Kansas City. Explore the vibrant art scene in the Crossroads Arts District, sample world-famous barbecue, and catch a game at Arrowhead Stadium (home of the Chiefs) or Kauffman Stadium (home of the Royals).

Overland Park: A suburb of Kansas City, Overland Park offers shopping, dining, and cultural attractions like the Nerman Museum of Contemporary Art.

2. Discover Wichita:

Wichita: Known as the Air Capital of the World, Wichita is home to the Kansas Aviation Museum, Old Cowtown Museum, and the beautiful Botanica Gardens. Don't miss the Keeper of the Plains, a striking statue overlooking the confluence of the Arkansas and Little Arkansas Rivers.

3. Explore Historic Sites:

Dodge City: Relive the Wild West in Dodge City, where you can visit Boot Hill Museum and see reenactments of famous gunfights.

Lecompton: Explore the Constitution Hall State Historic Site, where the ... Read MORE...