Kan CB 51.239 1958 (UM£| Travel and Recreation PUBLISHED BY KANSAS INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION KANSAS TRAVEL STATE OFFICE BUILDING • TOPEKA S t e v e E. Aduddell, Coffeyville, Chairman AND RECREATION G eorge E. L ist e r , Ottawa, Vice-chairman D ea n e E. Ac k ers, Topeka E l l io t t B eld en , Salina STATE LIBRARY OF KANSAS ksdoc Lou M. B rya n t, Arkansas City GUIDE R a lph J. D uvall, Kansas City M urray H. H odges, Olathe R o b er t P. S now den, Atchison 1958 EDITION ' 41 00089 9972 H arry L. S t e v e n s, Hutchinson J ohn II. S t ic h e r , Director Eisenhower Museum at Abilene in north-central Kansas is a major point of ★ interest throughout the year. E r n est L. S t a n l e y , Director, Tourist Division D on R ichards, Editor We Kansans Welcome You! Many hands have cooperated to produce this Kansas; the great sweep of the high plains to guide book of interesting places in Kansas, and the west; the roadside parks, lakes and streams. likewise, many hands are ready to cooperate in Whether you come for a day, a few days, making your visit to the Sunflower State a or to make Kansas your permanent home, we pleasant one. As this hook will point out, Kan­ welcome you and hope you will stay as long sas has many attractions— scenic, recreational, as you can. historical, and industrial—which you will want to see. Plan to visit some of these attractions, and sample the friendly spirit of the people of Kansas, where there is still time and space to relax. Enjoy the rolling hills of eastern Kansas; the upland pastures and wheatlands of central G overno r 1 <4 W E K A N S A N S THE KANSAS SCENE is far more varied than it may seem to the casual visitor. The elevation rises from about 700 feet above sea level in Buffalo, state animal southeastern Kansas to more than 4,000 feet Meadowlark, state bird Sunflower, state flower Cottonwood, state tree near the western border. The surface changes from the gently rolling landscape of eastern ments in Kansas, and about 4,200 wholesale sand and gravel. TRANSPORTATION. Kansas Kansas . to the upland pastureland of establishments. Total personal incomes of Kan­ holds second place in the nation in rural high­ the Flint Hills . to areas distinguished sans are now approximately $3.4 billion an­ way mileage, and third place in total highway by cliffs and canyons . and finally to nually. MANUFACTURING. Rising upon Kansas’ and city street mileage. Kansas ranks fifth in the high plains of the western part of the state. fertile and mineral-rich soil is a growing indus­ the United States in railway mileage, with 8,700 Thirteenth in area (82,276 square miles) among trial empire which already lists more than 3,250 miles of track owned by sixteen railroad com­ the states, Kansas is in the exact center of the plants turning out thousands of products ranging panies. More than 1,700 motor vehicle common nation. “Home on the Range,” composed in from glass fibers to bombers. Kansas ranked carriers operate some 800 inter-state routes in 1872 by Dr. Brewster Higley and Dan Kelley fourth in the nation in percentage increase of Kansas, and over 1,000 intra-state routes. Five near Smith Center, is the official state song. manufacturing employment from 1947 to 1954, airlines serve the state, and Kansas has a The name “Kansas” originated from a Sioux fourth in manufacturing payrolls gain, and fifth network of 166 airports, seventy of which are Indian word loosely translated “swift or south in increase of value added by manufacture. At fully attended and operationally active fields. wind.” Kansas is popularly known as the the end of April 1957, manufacturing indus­ The state ranks eighth in the nation in owner­ “Sunflower” state, or the “Jayhawker” state. tries in Kansas employed a total of 128,800 ship of personal aircraft. Three Kansas cities— PEOPLE. Kansas’ population passed the 2 mil­ persons. M IN IN G. Mineral production in Kan­ Atchison, Leavenworth, and Kansas City—are lion mark in 1952, and in 1957 the estimated sas in 1956 had an estimated value of $520.9 served by barge transportation on the Missouri population of the state had reached 2,081,654. million, setting a new all-time record in annual river from April to November each year. From 1950 to 1956 Kansas showed the largest mineral output for the state. Eighth in the AGRICULTURE. Breadbasket of the world, Kan­ percentage gain in population (10.4 percent) nation in mineral production, Kansas has sas is the nation’s leading wheat state, produc­ in the seven West North Central States, accord­ twenty-one basic minerals in commercial pro­ ing about one-fifth of the country’s supply. ing to the U. S. Bureau of the Census. There duction, with five other available for production. Kansas agriculture, however, is varied and are 105 counties, 612 incorporated cities, and Petroleum is the state’s greatest mineral asset. diversified. The state has about 50 million approximately 120,000 farms and ranches. Kansas ranks fifth in the nation in production of acres in farmland and pasture. Total farm About 404,000 pupils are enrolled in Kansas crude oil, which in 1956 amounted to an esti­ value of all crops produced in Kansas in 1955 public schools, and approximately 42,500 stu­ mated 124 million barrels with a value of $351.1 was nearly $510.5 million, while livestock and dents are registered in forty-three institutions of million. Production of natural gas, the second poultry production had an additional value of higher learning. TRADE AND BUSINESS. Kansas leading mineral, amounted to 523 billion cubic about $427.2 million. In addition to wheat, retail trade totaled over $2.5 billion in 1956, feet in 1956, valued at $58 million, and placed the state's leading crops include corn, oats, and has exceeded the $2 billion mark each year Kansas sixth in national rank. Other important barley, alfalfa and other forage, grain sorghums, since 1950. Retail, wholesale, and service in­ minerals commercially produced in Kansas in­ flax, soybeans, potatoes, sugar beets, apples and dustries now employ about 192,000 persons. clude natural gasoline and liquified petroleum other fruits. Kansas livestock is the primary There are more than 25,000 retail establish­ gases, cement, coal, zinc, lead, stone, salt, clay, market for Kansas crops. 2 came popping out of Kansas at the turn of the century, interrupted by the Spanish-American War to which Kansas sent four regiments and hero General Funston. Kansas furnished more than its quota in World War I, and in World War II 230,000 Kansans saw service. IN THIS GUIDE BOOK, the state has been divided into six areas. At the beginning of each area is a map showing highways, cities and towns of the section. Major tourist sites not located in a city are also indicated on the map. The cities of each region are listed al­ phabetically, followed by a code letter-num­ ber referring to the letters and numbers on the margin of the area maps. These symbols also coincide with the letters and numbers on "They crossed the prairie as of old the Pil­ the official state highway map published by grims crossed the sea, to make the W est, as the Kansas State Highway Commission. they the East, the homestead of the free!" Following the location code is a number in­ Kansas History dicating the population of each town or city, as reported by County Assessors March 1, 1957, The story of Kansas begins 79 years before to the Union. During the Civil War, Kansas and published by the Kansas State Board of the Pilgrims landed on Plymouth Rock. Coro­ was plagued by Indian uprisings in the west Agriculture. nado rode north from Mexico as far as central and guerrilla warfare in the east. After Ap­ This symbol on the maps indicates a Kansas in 1541. Three centuries later William pomattox, the lengthening ribbons of rails Roadside Park. Becknell opened the great trade route of the prompted the beginning in 1867 of the Chis­ Santa Fe Trail which stretched 750 miles from holm Trail along which long-horned cattle were GENERAL INDEX ........................Page 63 the Missouri River to Santa Fe, New Mexico, driven from Texas to Abilene to be shipped to with 500 miles of it in Kansas. After 1840 the east. As the railroads built west and north, travel increased over the Santa Fe and along Ellsworth, Newton, Hays, Wichita, Caldwell NORTHWEST NORTH CENTRAL NORTHEAST- 1C the Oregon and California Trails to the west. and Dodge City had their days as wild cow Pg . 4 Pg. 12 Pg. 22 On May 30, 1854, President Pierce signed towns. Then came the settlement of western the Kansas-Xebraska Bill creating the territory Kansas as peace was made with the Indians. of Kansas, thus opening it to white settlement. In 1874, Mennonite emigrants from Russia John Brown, abolitionist, played a conspicuous arrived in central Kansas with their famous Red part in the pre-Civil War border warfare and Turkey hard winter wheat seed which even­ SOUTHWEST SOUTH CENTRAL SOUTHEAST operated his “underground railway” for run­ tually helped to make Kansas the Wheat State. Pg. 34 Pg. 42 Pg. 52 away slaves through Kansas. Sparked by prophets like Sockless Jerry Simp­ On January 29, 1861, Kansas was admitted son, and crusaders like Carrie Nation, ideas 3 Northwest Kansas B eeler (D -4).