History of Kansas in Timeline

Kansas, a Midwestern U.S. state, is named after the Kansas River and the Kansa people. It's landlocked, bordering Nebraska, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Colorado. Topeka is the capital, while Wichita is the most populous city. The largest urban area is the Kansas City metropolitan area, which spans across Kansas and Missouri.

1900: The Wonderful Wizard of Oz Published

In 1900, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, which features Kansas as the home of Dorothy Gale, was published.

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (Illustrated First Edition): 100th Anniversary OZ Collection

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1900: Carrie Nation vandalizes her first saloon

In 1900, anti-saloon activist Carrie Nation vandalized her first saloon in Kiowa, Kansas.

1901: Origin of glossolalia as evidence of Holy Spirit baptism

In 1901, glossolalia was first claimed as the evidence of a spiritual experience referred to as the baptism of the Holy Spirit at Charles Fox Parham's Bethel Bible College in Topeka, Kansas.

1903: Patee Theater Opened in Lawrence

In 1903, the Patee Theater, the first film theater in Kansas, opened in Lawrence.

February 13, 1905: Lowest temperature recorded in Kansas

On February 13, 1905, the all-time low temperature recorded in Kansas was −40 °F (−40 °C) near Lebanon in Smith County.

May 22, 1907: The Plaza Cinema Built in Ottawa

On May 22, 1907, The Plaza Cinema was built in Ottawa, Kansas, and is listed by the Guinness Book of World Records as the oldest operating cinema in the world.

1922: Ella Uphay Mowry runs for governor

In 1922, Ella Uphay Mowry became the first female gubernatorial candidate in Kansas, running as "Mrs. W.D. Mowry".

1922: KU Awarded National Championship by Helms Foundation

In 1922, KU was retroactively awarded a national championship by the Helms Foundation.

1923: KU Awarded National Championship by Helms Foundation

In 1923, KU was retroactively awarded a national championship by the Helms Foundation.

1923: Mount St. Scholastica College established

In 1923, Mount St. Scholastica College was established; it later merged with St. Benedict's College to form Benedictine College.

1926: The Jayhawk Theatre Opened in Topeka

In 1926, The Jayhawk Theatre, an art-deco movie house, opened in Topeka.

April 17, 1930: First Use of Permanent Lighting System for Baseball

On April 17, 1930, the permanent lighting system was first used for an exhibition baseball game between the Independence Producers and House of David semi-professional baseball team of Benton Harbor, Michigan. Independence won 9-1.

April 28, 1930: First Night Game in Professional Baseball

On April 28, 1930, the first night game in the history of professional baseball was played in Independence when the Muscogee (Oklahoma) Indians beat the Independence Producers 13–3.

1930: The Fox Theater Built in Hutchinson

In 1930, The Fox Theater was built in Hutchinson.

1932: Kansas Last Elected a Democrat to the U.S. Senate

In 1932, Kansas last elected a Democrat to the U.S. Senate when Franklin D. Roosevelt won his first term as president.

1935: Little House on the Prairie Published

In 1935, Laura Ingalls Wilder's Little House on the Prairie, a well-known tale about Kansas, was published.

1935: The Kansas March Adopted

In 1935, The Kansas Legislature adopted "The Kansas March" as the official state march.

July 24, 1936: Highest temperature recorded in Kansas

On July 24, 1936, the all-time highest temperature recorded in Kansas was 121 °F (49.4 °C) near Alton in Osborne County.

1936: Alf Landon Ran for President

In 1936, Governor Alf Landon was a losing Republican candidate for President.

1936: Setting of Moon Over Manifest

The novel Moon Over Manifest by Clare Vanderpool, winner of the 2011 Newbery Medal, is set in the fictional town of Manifest, Kansas, in the summer of 1936.

1937: Sale of Cereal Malt Beverage Legalized

In 1937, the sale of cereal malt beverage (also known as 3.2 beer) was legalized in Kansas.

1948: Repeal of Kansas constitutional amendment prohibiting alcohol

In 1948, Kansas repealed its constitutional amendment prohibiting all alcoholic beverages.

1948: Alcoholic Liquor Legalized After Prohibition

In 1948, the first post-Prohibition legalization of alcoholic liquor occurred when the state's constitution was amended.

1952: Jayhawks Won NCAA Tournament Championship

In 1952, the Jayhawks won an NCAA tournament championship.

1952: NCAA Headquartered in Johnson County

In 1952, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) was headquartered in Johnson County, Kansas.

1954: St. Benedict's College Won NAIA Basketball Championship

In 1954, St. Benedict's College (now Benedictine College) won the Men's NAIA Basketball Championship.

May 25, 1955: Deadliest tornado in Kansas hits Udall

On May 25, 1955, the deadliest tornado in Kansas history struck Udall, killing 80 people in and around the city.

1959: Murders in Holcomb

In 1959, a wealthy farmer and his family were murdered in the small West Kansas town of Holcomb in Finney County.

1960: Incorporation of Overland Park

Overland Park, Kansas, was incorporated in 1960.

1965: In Cold Blood Published

In 1965, Truman Capote published In Cold Blood, a "nonfiction novel" about the 1959 murder of a family in Holcomb, Kansas.

In Cold Blood

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1965: Wichita State Appeared in the Final Four

In 1965, Wichita State's men's basketball team appeared in the Final Four.

1965: Growth of Asian community in Kansas

Since 1965, more and more Asian families have moved to Kansas from countries such as the Philippines, China, Korea, India, and Vietnam.

1967: St. Benedict's College Won NAIA Basketball Championship

In 1967, St. Benedict's College (now Benedictine College) won the Men's NAIA Basketball Championship.

1970: Shocker Football Team Plane Crash

In 1970, the Shocker football team was involved in a plane crash that killed 31 people, including 14 players.

1973: WIBW Became Flagship Radio Station for the Royals

From 1973, the flagship radio station for the Kansas City Royals was WIBW in Topeka.

1980: Increase in life expectancy in Kansas since 1980

Between 1980 and 2013, male life expectancy in Kansas increased by an average of 5.2 years, while female life expectancy increased by 4.3 years.

1986: Wichita State Stopped Fielding a Football Team

In 1986, Wichita State stopped fielding a football team.

1986: Liquor-by-the-drink Became Legal

In 1986, liquor-by-the-drink became legal in Kansas following an amendment to the state's constitution.

1987: Washburn University Won NAIA Men's Basketball Championship

In 1987, Washburn University in Topeka won the NAIA Men's Basketball Championship.

1988: Jayhawks Won NCAA Tournament Championship

In 1988, the Jayhawks won an NCAA tournament championship, defeating K-State in the Elite Eight.

1989: Bill Snyder Arrived at K-State

In 1989, Bill Snyder arrived to coach at K-State.

1989: The Fox Theater Placed on National Register of Historic Places

In 1989, The Fox Theater in Hutchinson was placed on the National Register of Historic Places.

1989: Shockers Won the College World Series

In 1989, Wichita State's baseball team won the College World Series.

1989: Change in geodetic center of North America

Until 1989, the Meades Ranch Triangulation Station in Osborne County was the geodetic center of North America.

1992: Southwest Kansas secessionist movement

In 1992, a short-lived secessionist movement advocated for the secession of several counties in southwest Kansas.

1995: Pittsburg State Became Winningest NCAA Division II Football Program

In 1995, Pittsburg State became the winningest NCAA Division II football program.

1996: Bob Dole Ran for President

In 1996, Senator Bob Dole was a losing Republican candidate for President.

1996: Fort Hays State University Won NCAA Division II Title

In 1996, the Fort Hays State University men won the NCAA Division II title with a 34–0 record.

1997: K-State Won the Fiesta Bowl

In 1997, K-State won the Fiesta Bowl.

1997: WIBW No Longer Radio Station for the Royals

Until 1997, the flagship radio station for the Kansas City Royals was WIBW in Topeka.

1998: K-State Had an Undefeated Regular Season

In 1998, K-State achieved an undefeated (11–0) regular season and No. 1 ranking.

1999: NCAA Moved to Indianapolis

In 1999, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) moved from Johnson County, Kansas to Indianapolis.

1999: Board of Education Approved Changes to Science Curriculum

Twice since 1999 the Board of Education approved changes in the state science curriculum standards that encouraged the teaching of intelligent design. Both times, the standards were reversed after changes in the composition of the board in the next election.

2000: Languages spoken in Kansas in 2000

As of the year 2000, 91.3% of the population in Kansas spoke only English at home, while 5.5% spoke Spanish, 0.7% spoke German, and 0.4% spoke Vietnamese.

2000: Population growth of Goddard since 2000

Since 2000, the population of Goddard, Kansas, has grown by more than 11% per year.

2003: K-State Won the Big 12 Conference Championship

In 2003, K-State won the Big 12 Conference championship.

2003: Kansas declared flatter than a pancake

In 2003, a tongue-in-cheek study famously declared Kansas "flatter than a pancake".

2004: Foreign-born population in Kansas in 2004

As of 2004, the population of Kansas included 149,800 foreign-born residents, accounting for 5.5% of the state's population.

2004: George W. Bush Won Kansas Electoral Votes

In 2004, George W. Bush won Kansas's six electoral votes by a 25 percentage point margin. Only Wyandotte and Douglas counties supported Democrat John Kerry in that election.

2005: Washburn Women Won NCAA Division II Crown

In 2005, the Washburn women won the NCAA Division II crown.

November 2006: Kansas Still Had 29 Dry Counties

As of November 2006, Kansas still had 29 dry counties and only 17 counties had passed liquor-by-the-drink with no food sales requirement.

2008: John McCain Won Kansas Electoral Votes

In 2008, John McCain won Kansas with 57% of the votes. Douglas, Wyandotte, and Crawford County were the only counties in support of President Barack Obama.

2008: Senator Sam Brownback Ran for President

In 2008, Senator Sam Brownback was a candidate for the Republican party nomination for president.

2008: Sporting Kansas City Played at Village West

In 2008, Sporting Kansas City started playing their home games at Village West in Kansas City.

2008: Jayhawks Won NCAA Tournament Championship

In 2008, the Jayhawks won an NCAA tournament championship.

2008: Jayhawks Won the Orange Bowl

In 2008, the Jayhawks won the Orange Bowl.

2009: Bill Snyder Came Out of Retirement

In 2009, Bill Snyder came out of retirement to coach K-State.

August 2010: Moran Won Republican Nomination for Senate Seat

In August 2010, Moran defeated Tiahrt for the Republican nomination for Brownback's Senate seat, later winning the general election against Democrat Lisa Johnston.

2010: Emporia State Won NCAA Division II National Championship

In 2010, Emporia State's women's basketball team won the NCAA Division II National Championship.

2010: Wildcats Advanced to the Elite Eight

In 2010, the Wildcats returned to the NCAA tournament and advanced to the Elite Eight.

2010: Population of Kansas in 2010

Kansas population in 2010 was included as a reference point for population growth.

2011: Minority groups under one year of age in Kansas in 2011

As of 2011, 35.0% of Kansas's population younger than one year of age belonged to minority groups.

2011: K-State Finished Second in the Big 12

In 2011, K-State football finished second in the Big 12 and earned a berth in the Cotton Bowl.

2011: Moon Over Manifest Wins Newbery Medal

In 2011, Moon Over Manifest by Kansan Clare Vanderpool, won the Newbery Medal for excellence in children's literature.

Moon Over Manifest: (Newbery Medal Winner)

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2011: Pittsburg State Claimed NCAA Division II National Title

In 2011, Pittsburg State University claimed the NCAA Division II national title in football.

2011: Sporting Kansas City Moved to Sporting Park

In 2011, Sporting Kansas City moved to their new home, a $165 million soccer-specific stadium now known as Sporting Park.

2012: K-State Won the Big 12 Again

In 2012, K-State football won the Big 12 again.

2013: FC Kansas City Played on Kansas Side

In 2013, FC Kansas City, a charter member of the National Women's Soccer League, played its first season on the Kansas side of the metropolitan area.

2013: Wichita State Appeared in the Final Four

In 2013, Wichita State's men's basketball team appeared in the Final Four.

2013: Life expectancy in Kansas in 2013

In 2013, males in Kansas had an average life expectancy of 76.6 years, while females had an average life expectancy of 81.0 years.

September 2014: Independent Greg Orman Challenged Republican Senator

In September 2014, The New York Times reported that independent Greg Orman had garnered bipartisan support, posing a challenge to Republican Pat Roberts's reelection bid for Senator as the Democratic candidate tried to drop out of the race.

2014: Increase in life expectancy in Kansas since 1980

Between 1980 and 2014, male life expectancy in Kansas increased by an average of 5.2 years, while female life expectancy increased by 4.3 years.

2014: Wichita State Entered NCAA Tournament Unbeaten

In 2014, Wichita State's men's basketball team entered the NCAA tournament unbeaten.

2014: Religious makeup of adults in Kansas in 2014

The 2014 Pew Religious Landscape Survey showed the religious makeup of adults in Kansas was 57% Protestant, 18% Catholic, 1% Mormon, 1% Jehovah's Witness, 20% unaffiliated, 1% Buddhist, and 2% other religions.

2015: Kansas agricultural productivity

As of 2015, Kansas was among the most productive agricultural states, yielding high quantities of wheat, corn, sorghum, and soybeans.

2015: Job growth rate in Kansas in 2015

In 2015, the job growth rate in Kansas was 0.8%.

2016: Average cost of running a farm in Kansas in 2016

In 2016, the average cost of running a farm in Kansas was $300,000.

2016: Employment in Kansas metropolitan areas in 2016

In 2016, the document reviews employment in the metropolitan areas in the State of Kansas.

2016: Number of employer establishments in 2016

In 2016, there were 74,884 employer establishments in Kansas.

February 2017: Kansas budget shortfall and credit rating downgrade in February 2017

In February 2017, the State of Kansas had a $350 million budget shortfall, and S&P downgraded Kansas's credit rating to AA−.

2017: FC Kansas City Folded

After the 2017 season, FC Kansas City, a charter member of the National Women's Soccer League, folded.

2017: Life expectancy range across Kansas counties in 2017-2019 data

Based on 2017-2019 data, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation calculated that life expectancy for Kansas counties ranged from 75.8 years for Wyandotte County to 81.7 years for Johnson County.

2018: Farms in Kansas in 2018

As of 2018, there were 59,600 farms in Kansas, 86 of which were certified organic farms.

2018: Wildcats Advanced to the Elite Eight

In 2018, the Wildcats advanced to the Elite Eight.

2018: Top countries of origin for Kansas's immigrants in 2018

In 2018, the top countries of origin for Kansas's immigrants were Mexico, India, Vietnam, Guatemala, and China.

July 1, 2019: Kansas population estimate on July 1, 2019

On July 1, 2019, the United States Census Bureau estimated the population of Kansas to be 2,913,314.

2019: Life expectancy in Kansas and United States in 2019

In 2019, life expectancy for Kansas was 78.5 years, while life expectancy for the United States as a whole was 78.8 years.

2019: Agreement to stop offering financial incentives

In 2019, the governors of Kansas and Missouri signed an agreement to stop offering financial incentives to businesses to move across the border between the two states.

2020: Kansas population in 2020

According to the 2020 census, Kansas had a population of 2,940,865.

2020: Population of Kansas in 2020

At the 2020 census, Kansas's population was recorded at 2,937,880.

2020: Racial and ethnic makeup of Kansas population in 2020

At the 2020 census, Kansas's racial and ethnic makeup was 75.6% White, 5.7% African American, 2.9% Asian American, 1.1% Native American, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 4.9% some other race, and 9.5% two or more races.

2020: Kansas Ranked as 13th Hardest State to Vote In

In 2020, a study ranked Kansas as the 13th hardest state for citizens to vote in.

2021: Racial makeup of Kansas population in 2021

According to the 2021 United States census estimates, the racial makeup of the population was: White American, non-Hispanic (74.7%), Hispanic or Latino (12.7%), Black or African American (6.2%), Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander (0.1%), two or more races (3.3%), Asian (3.2%), and American Indian and Alaska Native (1.2%).

May 12, 2022: Kansas Legalized Sports Betting

On May 12, 2022, Gov. Laura Kelly signed legislation (Senate Bill 84) legalizing sports betting in Kansas, making it the 35th state to approve sports wagering in the US.

2022: Estimated homeless population in Kansas in 2022

According to HUD's 2022 Annual Homeless Assessment Report, there were an estimated 2,397 homeless people in Kansas.

2022: Religious makeup of Kansas population in 2022

In 2022, a study revealed that 74% of the total population of Kansas were Christian, 23% were religiously unaffiliated, 1% were Unitarian Universalists, and 1% were New Agers.

2022: Jayhawks Won NCAA Tournament Championship

In 2022, the Jayhawks won an NCAA tournament championship.

2022: Kansas governor comments on Chiefs enticement

In 2022, the governor of Kansas clarified that the agreement made in 2019 did not include preventing enticement of the Chiefs football team to move their arena from Missouri to Kansas.

2023: Kansas GDP and per capita income in 2023

In 2023, Kansas's total GDP was $226 billion, and the state's per capita income was $63,732.

June 2024: Architecture firm releases stadium design video

In June 2024, an architecture firm in Kansas released a video featuring 3D renderings of a potential design for a domed stadium in Kansas City, Kansas.

February 2025: Talks with Chiefs intensify

In February 2025, Kansas House of Representatives member Sean Tarwater stated that talks with the Chiefs were intensifying, and that Kansas was close to "bringing over at least one team, maybe two".

March 2025: Chiefs' potential move to Kansas

As of March 2025, the Chiefs haven't commented directly on a move to Kansas, but the Royals have expressed interest in building a riverfront stadium on the junction between the Kansas River and Missouri River.