Entered Union January 29, 1861 (34th state)
Kansas (2,937,835), Topeka (126,601), Wichita (397,547)
The limestone capitol was originally completed in 1903 using the designs of Edward T. Mix. It is located on 8th Street at Van Buren Street. Interstate Highway 70 is four blocks east of the capitol. The Capitol is designed in French Renaissance style. The only major supporting structure is the Supreme Court and Court of Appeals building. The state was officially created as the 34th state in January 29, 1861 from Native American lands and the Kansas Territory. Topeka has been the capital since 1856 with Lawrence and Pawnee claiming the role before. The state’s name comes from the river which comes from the Native American tribe. Topeka is a Native American word meaning “place where we dug potatoes.” Wichita is named for the Native American tribe.
Kansas government, in the Executive, consists of a Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of State, Treasurer, Attorney General, and Insurance Commissioner. There are 40 Senators and 125 Representatives in the Legislative. Seven Supreme Court Justices and Fourteen Court of Appeals Justices serve Kansas in the Judicial. Kansas is located in the central part of the United States. The geographic center is in Barton County 23 miles northeast of Great Bend. The state is surrounded clockwise by Nebraska, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Colorado.
The area is 82278 square miles. It is 15th largest state in the country. It is the 35th most populated state in the country. It has a density of 35.7 persons per square mile making it 41st in the country. Its major rivers are the Missouri, the Arkansas, the Kansas, the Verdigris, and the Republican. Topeka is located in the eastern quarter of the state. Wichita is in the southern third of the state. Mount Sunflower in Wallace County is the highest point and the lowest point is in Montgomery County where the Verdigris River enters Oklahoma.
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