Editing Kansas (section)

===Regions===
====Northeast Kansas====
[[File:UK Strong Hall Lawrence Nima 02.jpg|thumb|left|[[University of Kansas]] Strong Hall in Lawrence.]]
The northeastern portion of the state, extending from the eastern border to [[Junction City, Kansas|Junction City]] and from the Nebraska border to south of Johnson County is home to more than 1.5&nbsp;million people in the Kansas City (Kansas portion), Manhattan, Lawrence, and Topeka [[metropolitan area]]s. [[Overland Park, Kansas|Overland Park]], a young city incorporated in 1960, has the largest population and the largest land area in the county. It is home to [[Johnson County Community College]].

Olathe is the [[county seat]] and home to [[Johnson County Executive Airport]]. The cities of Olathe, [[Shawnee, Kansas|Shawnee]], [[De Soto, Kansas|De Soto]] and [[Gardner, Kansas|Gardner]] have some of the state's fastest growing populations. The cities of Overland Park, [[Lenexa, Kansas|Lenexa]], Olathe, De Soto, and Gardner are also notable because they lie along the former route of the [[Santa Fe Trail]]. Among cities with at least one thousand residents, [[Mission Hills, Kansas|Mission Hills]] has the highest median income in the state.

Several institutions of higher education are located in Northeast Kansas including [[Baker University]] (the oldest university in the state, founded in 1858 and affiliated with the [[United Methodist Church]]) in Baldwin City, [[Benedictine College]] (sponsored by [[St. Benedict's Abbey]] and [[Benedictine Sisters of Mount St. Scholastica|Mount St. Scholastica Monastery]] and formed from the merger of St. Benedict's College (1858) and Mount St. Scholastica College (1923)) in Atchison, [[MidAmerica Nazarene University]] in Olathe, [[Ottawa University]] in Ottawa and Overland Park, Kansas City Kansas Community College and KU Medical Center in Kansas City, and KU Edwards Campus in Overland Park. Less than an hour's drive to the west, [[Lawrence, Kansas|Lawrence]] is home to the [[University of Kansas]], the largest public university in the state, and [[Haskell Indian Nations University]].

To the north, [[Kansas City, Kansas|Kansas City]], with the second largest land area in the state, contains a number of diverse ethnic neighborhoods. Its attractions include the [[Kansas Speedway]], [[Sporting Kansas City]], [[Kansas City Monarchs (American Association)|Kansas City Monarchs]], and [[The Legends at Village West]] retail and entertainment center. Nearby, Kansas's first settlement [[Bonner Springs, Kansas|Bonner Springs]]<ref name="autogenerated1">{{cite book |last1 = Miller |first1 = Rober B. |title = Bonner Springs (Images of America) |date = 2013 |publisher = Arcadia Publishing |page = 7 |isbn = 978-1-4671-1043-3 }}</ref> is home to several national and regional attractions including the [[Cricket Wireless Amphitheater (Bonner Springs, Kansas)|Providence Medical Center Amphitheater]], the [[National Agricultural Center and Hall of Fame]], and the annual [[Kansas City Renaissance Festival]]. Further up the [[Missouri River]], the city of [[Lansing, Kansas|Lansing]] is the home of the state's first maximum-security prison. Historic [[Leavenworth, Kansas|Leavenworth]], founded in 1854, was the first incorporated city in Kansas. North of the city, [[Fort Leavenworth]] is the oldest active Army post west of the [[Mississippi River]]. The city of [[Atchison, Kansas|Atchison]] was an early commercial center in the state and is well known as the birthplace of [[Amelia Earhart]].

[[File:Kansas State Capitol in summer 2024.jpg|thumb|The [[Kansas Statehouse]].]]

To the west, nearly a quarter million people reside in the Topeka metropolitan area. [[Topeka, Kansas|Topeka]] is the state capital and home to [[Washburn University]] and [[Washburn Institute of Technology]]. Built at a [[Kansas River]] crossing along the old [[Oregon Trail]], this historic city has several nationally registered historic places. Further westward along [[Interstate 70 (Kansas)|Interstate 70]] and the Kansas River is [[Junction City, Kansas|Junction City]] with its historic limestone and brick buildings and nearby [[Fort Riley]], well known as the home to the [[United States Army|U.S. Army]]'s [[1st Infantry Division (United States)|1st Infantry Division]] (nicknamed "the Big Red One"). A short distance away, the city of [[Manhattan, Kansas|Manhattan]] is home to [[Kansas State University]], the second-largest public university in the state and the nation's oldest land-grant university, dating back to 1863. South of the campus, [[Aggieville]] dates back to 1889 and is the state's oldest shopping district of its kind.

====South Central Kansas====
[[File:Wichita, Kansas skyline aerial view.jpg|thumb|Downtown Wichita in the winter.]]
In south-central Kansas, the [[Wichita metropolitan area, Kansas|Wichita metropolitan area]] is home to more than 600,000 people.<ref>{{cite web |last1 = N/A |title = Wichita (city), Kansas |url = http://census.gov/ |access-date = September 5, 2018 |archive-date = July 3, 2019 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20190703162107/http://www.census.gov/ |url-status = live }}</ref> [[Wichita, Kansas|Wichita]] is the largest city in the state in terms of both land area and population. 'The Air Capital' is a major manufacturing center for the aircraft industry and the home of [[Wichita State University]]. Before Wichita was 'The Air Capital' it was a Cowtown.<ref name="gowichita1">{{cite web |url = http://www.gowichita.com/contact/who-we-are/from-cowtown-to-air-capital/ |title = Go Wichita Convention and Visitors Bureau |publisher = Gowichita.com |access-date = September 28, 2013 |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130719203353/http://www.gowichita.com/contact/who-we-are/from-cowtown-to-air-capital/ |archive-date = July 19, 2013}}</ref> With a number of nationally registered historic places, museums, and other entertainment destinations, it has a desire to become a cultural mecca in the Midwest. Wichita's population growth has grown by double digits and the surrounding suburbs are among the fastest growing cities in the state. The population of [[Goddard, Kansas|Goddard]] has grown by more than 11% per year since 2000.<ref name="2006SubEst">{{cite web |url = https://www.census.gov/popest/estimates.php |website = Population Estimates |publisher = Census Bureau, Population Division |title = Annual estimates of the population through July 1, 2006 |date = June 28, 2007 |url-status = dead |archive-url = http://webarchive.loc.gov/all/20061206215954/http://www.census.gov/popest/estimates.php |archive-date = December 6, 2006}}</ref> Other fast-growing cities include [[Andover, Kansas|Andover]], [[Maize, Kansas|Maize]], [[Park City, Kansas|Park City]], [[Derby, Kansas|Derby]], and [[Haysville, Kansas|Haysville]].

Wichita was one of the first cities to add the city commissioner and city manager in their form of government.<ref name="gowichita1" /> Wichita is also home of the nationally recognized Sedgwick County Zoo.<ref name="gowichita1" />
[[File: Full Scale Mercury Redstone (2831280402).jpg|thumb|right|The [[Cosmosphere]], the world-renowned space museum in Hutchinson.]]
Up river (the [[Arkansas River]]) from Wichita is the city of [[Hutchinson, Kansas|Hutchinson]]. The city was built on one of the world's largest salt deposits (of what would form [[Strataca]]), and it has the world's largest and longest wheat elevator. It is also the home of [[Kansas Cosmosphere and Space Center]], Prairie Dunes Country Club and the [[Kansas State Fair]]. North of Wichita along [[Interstate 135 (Kansas)|Interstate 135]] is the city of [[Newton, Kansas|Newton]], the former western terminal of the [[Santa Fe Railroad]] and trailhead for the famed [[Chisholm Trail]]. To the southeast of Wichita are the cities of [[Winfield, Kansas|Winfield]] and [[Arkansas City, Kansas|Arkansas City]] with historic architecture and the [[Cherokee Strip (Kansas)|Cherokee Strip]] Museum (in Ark City). The city of [[Udall, Kansas|Udall]] was the site of the deadliest [[tornado]] in Kansas on May 25, 1955; it killed 80 people in and near the city.<ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.srh.noaa.gov/oun/wxevents/19550525/ |title = The Blackwell Tornado of 25 May 1955 |publisher = NWS Norman, Oklahoma |date = June 13, 2006 |access-date = January 28, 2007 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20061008140031/http://www.srh.noaa.gov/oun/wxevents/19550525/ |archive-date = October 8, 2006 }}</ref>

====Southeast Kansas====
[[File: Pittsburg Kansas Downtown Broadway Fall 2022.jpg|thumb|Pittsburg.]]
[[Southeast Kansas]] has a unique history with a number of nationally registered historic places in this coal-mining region. Located in [[Crawford County, Kansas|Crawford County]] (dubbed the Fried Chicken Capital of Kansas), [[Pittsburg, Kansas|Pittsburg]] is the largest city in the region and the home of [[Pittsburg State University]]. The neighboring city of [[Frontenac, Kansas|Frontenac]] in 1888 was the site of the worst mine disaster in the state in which an underground explosion killed 47 miners. "[[Big Brutus]]" is located {{convert|1.5|mi|km}} outside the city of [[West Mineral, Kansas|West Mineral]]. Along with the restored fort, historic [[Fort Scott, Kansas|Fort Scott]] has a national cemetery designated by President Lincoln in 1862. The region also shares a Media market with [[Joplin, Missouri]], a city in Southwest Missouri.

====Central and North-Central Kansas====
[[File: Cedar Point Mill in Cedar Point, Kansas.jpg|thumb|left|Cedar Point Mill, built in 1875 in Cedar Point, on the National Register of Historic Places.]]
[[Salina, Kansas|Salina]] is the largest city in central and north-central Kansas. South of Salina is the small city of [[Lindsborg, Kansas|Lindsborg]] with its numerous [[Dalecarlian horse|Dala horses]]. Much of the architecture and decor of this town has a distinctly Swedish style. To the east along [[Interstate 70 (Kansas)|Interstate 70]], the historic city of [[Abilene, Kansas|Abilene]] was formerly a trailhead for the [[Chisholm Trail]] and was the boyhood home of President [[Dwight D. Eisenhower]], and is the site of his [[Eisenhower Presidential Center|Presidential Library]] and the tombs of the former president, First Lady and son who died in infancy. To the west is [[Lucas, Kansas|Lucas]], the Grassroots Art Capital of Kansas.

====Northwest Kansas====
[[File:Milky Way over Monument Rocks, Kansas, USA.jpg|thumb|Kansas's [[Monument Rocks (Kansas)|Monument Rocks]] at night.|alt=Milky Way over Monument Rocks, Kansas, US|left]]
Westward along the Interstate, the city of [[Russell, Kansas|Russell]], traditionally the beginning of sparsely-populated northwest Kansas, was the base of former U.S. Senator [[Bob Dole]] and the boyhood home of U.S. Senator [[Arlen Specter]]. The city of [[Hays, Kansas|Hays]] is home to [[Fort Hays State University]] and the Sternberg Museum of Natural History, and is the largest city in the northwest with a population of around 20,001.

Two other landmarks are located in smaller towns in [[Ellis County, Kansas|Ellis County]]: the "Cathedral of the Plains" is located {{convert|10|mi|km}} east of Hays in [[Victoria, Kansas|Victoria]], and the boyhood home of [[Walter Chrysler]] is {{convert|15|mi|km}} west of Hays in [[Ellis, Kansas|Ellis]]. West of Hays, population drops dramatically, even in areas along I-70, and only two towns containing populations of more than 4,000: [[Colby, Kansas|Colby]] and [[Goodland, Kansas|Goodland]], which are located {{convert|35|mi|km}} apart along I-70.

====Southwest Kansas====
[[File: Chalk badlands (Niobrara Formation, Upper Cretaceous; chalk bluffs south of Castle Rock, Gove County, Kansas, USA) 82 (39145546602).jpg|thumb|The chalk rock badlands and cliffs in western Kansas, near Dighton.]]
{{see also|Golden Triangle of Meat-packing}}
[[Dodge City, Kansas|Dodge City]], famously known for the cattle drive days of the late 19th century, was built along the old [[Santa Fe Trail]] route. The city of [[Liberal, Kansas|Liberal]] is located along the southern Santa Fe Trail route. The first wind farm in the state was built east of [[Montezuma, Kansas|Montezuma]]. [[Garden City, Kansas|Garden City]] has the [[Lee Richardson Zoo]]. In 1992, a [[West Kansas|short-lived secessionist movement]] advocated the secession of several counties in southwest Kansas.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1993&context=greatplainsquarterly|title=THE 1992 SECESSION MOVEMENT IN SOUTHWEST KANSAS|last=McCORMICK|first=PETER J.|website=digitalcommons.unl.edu/|access-date=January 4, 2020|archive-date=February 4, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210204235835/https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1993&context=greatplainsquarterly|url-status=live}}</ref>

====Around the state====
[[File:Chalk badlands (Niobrara Formation, Upper Cretaceous; Castle Rock & nearby chalk bluffs, Gove County, Kansas, USA) 3 (38442722884).jpg|thumb|Gove County Badlands.]]
Located midway between Kansas City, Topeka, and Wichita in the heart of the Bluestem Region of the [[Flint Hills]], the city of [[Emporia, Kansas|Emporia]] has several nationally registered historic places and is the home of [[Emporia State University]], well known for its Teachers College. It was also the home of newspaper man [[William Allen White]].