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The Potawatomi Trail of Death ends in Kansas.
Because of the Indian Removal Act, 859 Potawatomi Indians were forced at gunpoint to make a two month journey when they were “relocated.” Although some escaped, at least 42 of them died on the journey, many of them children. This image shows many Potawatomi Indians at St. Mary’s Mission in Pottawatomie County, Kansas. -
Kansas-Nebraska Act was signed into law .
Kansas-Nebraska Act was signed into law by President Franklin Pierce. This law made both areas territories for settlement. Since the people could determine if Kansas was a free state, lots of people moved to Kansas and fought over slavery. This is called “Bleeding Kansas.” -
The Santa Fe Railway was created.
The Santa Fe Railway was created by the Kansas Territorial Legislature. Building the railroads would take time because of the Civil War, but this allowed railroads to help with travel and trade through Kansas. The railroad track finally reached the western end of the state on December 28, 1872. This photograph shows Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway Company workmen on a section of the railroad. -
Kansas enters the Union.
Kansas enters the Union as a free state (against slavery) and becomes the 34th state. -
The Kansas Legislature formed the Kansas Agricultural Society.
The Kansas Legislature formed the Kansas Agricultural Society. There were many gatherings to exchange farming ideas and provide entertainment in the form of county fairs. However, this new state society tried to do the same thing but be more organized and include the whole state. They helped farmers learn to plant wheat in the fall where it could grow and be harvested in the spring to avoid heat of the summer. This helped promote growing wheat and making Kansas the “bread basket of the world.” -
Farmers fished with pitchforks.
The Smoky Hill River is so low because of drought that farmers fished with pitchforks. -
Wichita becomes the air capital of the world.
The “air capital of the world” began in Wichita, Kansas, when Clyde Cessna, Walter Beech, Olive Ann Mellor, and Lloyd Stearman formed the Travel Air Manufacturing Company. This picture shows a Travel Air OX-5 and was probably taken near Wichita, Kansas. -
Black Sunday in the Dust Bowl.
On Black Sunday, huge dust clouds covered the midwest. Four years of drought had let crops dry up leaving a lot of dirt to create large clouds of dust which traveled across the Dust Bowl at speeds of over 60 miles per hour. Kansans were devastated by loss of life and damage to their farms. The government was able to help farmers learn contour farming and strip farming and plant lines of trees to break the gusts of wind so that this wouldn’t happen again. -
Electricity!
People in rural Kansas began to get electricity. -
Flooding causes Black Friday.
Flooding in Kansas caused over $700 million in damage in Kansas alone and killed 19 people. The Kansas River peaked at 40.8 feet (14.8 feet above flood stage). This day is sometimes called “Black Friday.” -
Brown v. Board of Education Ruling by Supreme Court
The U.S. Supreme Court announces its unanimous ruling on Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka. This removed “separate but equal” to start the Civil Rights Movement for true equality. This is a picture of Monroe Elementary, the segregated school that Linda Brown attended. -
Tornado destroys Kansas Town
The Udall Tornado destroyed the town and became one of the deadliest tornadoes in Kansas history. This F5 tornado injured 200 people and killed 87 (20 percent of the town’s population). This is only one of many tornadoes that have hit Kansas. -
Kansas Snow in October
An unexpected snowstorm brought over 8 inches of snow to the Kansas City area, the largest snowfall recorded for the month of October. -
Worst Prairie Wildfire in Kansas History
Although controlled fires are used to keep the prairie healthy, sometimes drought can make conditions good for an uncontrolled prairie fire. In 2017, a huge fire burned across 2300 square miles in Kansas, Texas, and Oklahoma. It scorched the land, destroyed property, and killed many animals and people.