Kansas occupies a prominent place in American history, though its status in pop culture is somewhat less distinguished. The state was a violent battleground between pro- and anti-slavery settlers during the 1850s, a period dubbed 'Bleeding Kansas'. It played a pivotal role in
America's westward expansion, its string of frontier forts supporting the clashes of the Indian Wars of the 1860s. But as every American school kid knows, Kansas is most famous for the landmark ruling of
Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, which ended segregation in public schools. Visitors can learn more about
Kansas' history at the state's many historic sites, many of which have been designated national historic landmarks.
Kansas has its colorful past as well, peopled by cowboys, gunfighters and lawmen. It is home to
Dodge City, the once-infamous 'Wickedest City of the West', which has been the setting of countless movies and television shows, including
Gunsmoke. Even today, Kansas has a reputation for quirkiness. Among worldlier travelers, it has often been the butt of jokes-a place whose miles of seemingly flat, empty terrain are punctuated by sites like the world's largest ball of twine or stirred out of sleepiness by a tornado à la
Wizard of Oz. While Kansas may not be the ideal holiday spot for some, it does have a lot to offer, and not only to history buffs.
Kansas' network of state parks and wildlife refuges comprises rolling hills and prairies, sand dunes, wildflowers, rivers and lakes, offering hunters, hikers, boaters, horseback riders and fishermen a wealth of options. The town of
Lawrence, home to the
University of Kansas, is a perfect example of why not to take stereotypes as truth, in this case, Kansas' oft-derided, oft-revered reputation for conservatism. Former senator
Bob Dole is a graduate, and yet Lawrence was the last home of
William S. Burroughs. The fun town seems to have found a balance between traditional American values (including top-notch basketball) and the funky world of collegiate creativity. After a visit to Lawrence, travelers might feel jazzed enough to check out that giant ball of twine in
Cawker City or watch Kansas toss the world's largest spinach salad in
Lenexa.
