Tell Me: What Does the State of Kansas Look Like? (Wichita: wages, living)

[GraniteStater]

Originally Posted by Tom Lennox 70

I travelled across Kansas this summer, mostly along I-70 west from Kansas City to Oakley, and then on US 40 into Colorado. Eastern Kansas has a lot more woods especially around the Kansas City area and the geography there to me seemed similar to Missouri. The trees thin out going west but most of Kansas was not flat. The Flint Hills were gently rolling, lush green hills with few trees but with a unique kind of beauty. There are a lot of unused grasslands, some of it protected, as well as ranching activites though I saw less crop farming in Kansas than Missouri or Illinois.

It was also very windy on the plains, hence the wind farm industry setting shop there....there was a huge wind farm around Ellsworth, KS. (we made that a stop on our trip since Rascal Flatts sang about it....the locals were surprised their town got randomly chosen and the lyrics about it are actually not accurate and the band has never been there.) Western Kansas gets a lot more flat. Once you get pass I'd say Salinas or Abilene, the towns get very far apart compared to other parts of the Midwest like eastern Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, or Ohio and more typical of the large distances in the true western states. Eastern Colorado is actually a lot like Kansas......only a third of CO is mountainous which surprises a lot of folks. I think the midwest ends abruptly when you hit Colorado Springs and Denver.

However the most striking thing is the elevation rise going west. We never felt we were climbing any hills or mountains between Kansas City and Colorado Springs but in between we bascially climbed a mile in elevation....the gentle slopes definitely were misleading.

The Midwest only encompasses the eastern part of Kansas. West of there is the Great Plains, which really does not have much in common with the core of the Midwest even though they grow Midwest style crops via massive amounts of irrigation.

[darrylvk]

Originally Posted by lilred0005

I've always been a geography nut, in fact it's one of the things I love about America, there's so much variety. Now, I always thought Kansas was flat with miles of corn and wheat until I saw a pic of Gove Co. and the Monument Rocks. I was very surprised to see land that resembled Colorado or Utah. So, please tell me about Kansas' geography. Is there a stark difference between Western and Eastern KS or Northern or Southern KS. Are there hills, ect? Any thick forests in KS? Thank you very much as I am curious and am also looking across the US for a place to relocate, my family is from the Midwest and we are looking closely at those states as we really miss the people.

I grew up in eastern kansas near the flint hills. (the Indians used the flint for arrowheads and axe heads.) I was ecstatic to find one of the arrowheads as a child. Eastern Kansas to central Kansas has rolling hills, pastureland, and farmland. Western Kansas is a semi arrid region. Lots of farming of sorgum, corn, wheat. The Monument rocks mentioned above are in an area of a valley going through the area south of Oakley and Gove Ks. In western and southwest Kansas it is mostly flat and dry. Usually very low humidity. I even saw it get up to almost 70 degrees near Christmas once. As a semi-arrid region it occassionally gets a real warming day or so in the winter.

Eastern Kansas can get humid at times. Those who live in Western Kansas will complain about the humidity when in the East. I like things about both areas. It is hard to raise a garden in Western Kansas due to the dry winds. Dodge City area is windier than Chicago! Gardening is eastern Kansas is pretty easy.

[Tennessee Jed]

When I think of what Kansas looks like, I go to my mind's eye and think of places there I've been: Topeka, Salina, Goodland, Russell, Abilene, Kansas City, Kansas. I see storybook towns that harken back to what appeals to me most about America...treelined streets of sturdy houses from the first half of the 20th century; families at parks on Saturdays; brick downtowns with old movie houses and Mom and Pop cafes; spreading farmlands and picturesque, somehow reassuring grain elevators and silos, skies as far as the eye can see; bits of Old West, big parts Midwest, even a little of The South in the southeast corner (and a sliver of Route 66 to boot.) From the air I see big squares of green and brown and circles of grey and blue. I see America.

[popcorn247]

Originally Posted by Tennessee Jed

When I think of what Kansas looks like, I go to my mind's eye and think of places there I've been: Topeka, Salina, Goodland, Russell, Abilene, Kansas City, Kansas. I see storybook towns that harken back to what appeals to me most about America...treelined streets of sturdy houses from the first half of the 20th century; families at parks on Saturdays; brick downtowns with old movie houses and Mom and Pop cafes; spreading farmlands and picturesque, somehow reassuring grain elevators and silos, skies as far as the eye can see; bits of Old West, big parts Midwest, even a little of The South in the southeast corner (and a sliver of Route 66 to boot.) From the air I see big squares of green and brown and circles of grey and blue. I see America.

I grew up in Indiana. Majored in agriculture at Purdue. For the past 36 years I have lived in south Florida. I feel like a square peg, trying to fit in a round hole. Your description of Kansas sounds wonderful. Are Kansans accepting of people from outside the state?

[Tennessee Jed]

I'm a wannabe Kansan, been so since seeing The Wizard of Oz on our Zenith black & white TV set, never realizing until I was grown that Oz was emerald green nor Kansas a movie set on a sound stage; been so since visiting my uncle when he was stationed at Forbes Air Force Base in Topeka in 1968; since seeing downtown Goodland still had its Studebaker dealership (no cars, of course) in 1988 and little children happily skipping to the art deco Municipal Pool at the public park on a summer day; since gobbling down a sack of little Cozy Burgers and seeing the proud downtown of Salina and mix of town and country on its outskirts; since seeing the All-American middle-American residential streets of Topeka 20 years later and the handsome State Capitol; since seeing the honored hall of the Eisenhower Presidential Library in Abilene; since seeing Kansas City, Kansas spread out westerly from confluence of the Kansas and Missouri Rivers. Yes, I believe Kansans are welcoming--Kansans are good, decent, caring, and hard working, like our country.

[popcorn247]

Originally Posted by tennessee jed

i'm a wannabe kansan, been so since seeing the wizard of oz on our zenith black & white tv set, never realizing until i was grown that oz was emerald green nor kansas a movie set on a sound stage; been so since visiting my uncle when he was stationed at forbes air force base in topeka in 1968; since seeing downtown goodland still had its studebaker dealership (no cars, of course) in 1988 and little children happily skipping to the art deco municipal pool at the public park on a summer day; since gobbling down a sack of little cozy burgers and seeing the proud downtown of salina and mix of town and country on its outskirts; since seeing the all-american middle-american residential streets of topeka 20 years later and the handsome state capitol; since seeing the honored hall of the eisenhower presidential library in abilene; since seeing kansas city, kansas spread out westerly from confluence of the kansas and missouri rivers. Yes, i believe kansans are welcoming--kansans are good, decent, caring, and hard working, like our country.

[raleighgurl2586]

I have only been in Kansas to visit family, but recently I have done a book report on this historic and rural state. There are many major farms and open areas. With only about one major city, Kansas is more of a quiet place to live, despite the natural disasters.

[GraniteStater]

Kansas is not even remotely like Indiana. I have lived in both states. Major differences to say the least...

Originally Posted by popcorn247

I grew up in Indiana. Majored in agriculture at Purdue. For the past 36 years I have lived in south Florida. I feel like a square peg, trying to fit in a round hole. Your description of Kansas sounds wonderful. Are Kansans accepting of people from outside the state?

[GraniteStater]

That idyllic view is just not reality as most small towns on the Plains are quickly vanishing. KS has all its economic eggs in the JOCO basket with decline and stagnation being the norm everywhere else.

Originally Posted by Tennessee Jed

I'm a wannabe Kansan, been so since seeing The Wizard of Oz on our Zenith black & white TV set, never realizing until I was grown that Oz was emerald green nor Kansas a movie set on a sound stage; been so since visiting my uncle when he was stationed at Forbes Air Force Base in Topeka in 1968; since seeing downtown Goodland still had its Studebaker dealership (no cars, of course) in 1988 and little children happily skipping to the art deco Municipal Pool at the public park on a summer day; since gobbling down a sack of little Cozy Burgers and seeing the proud downtown of Salina and mix of town and country on its outskirts; since seeing the All-American middle-American residential streets of Topeka 20 years later and the handsome State Capitol; since seeing the honored hall of the Eisenhower Presidential Library in Abilene; since seeing Kansas City, Kansas spread out westerly from confluence of the Kansas and Missouri Rivers. Yes, I believe Kansans are welcoming--Kansans are good, decent, caring, and hard working, like our country.

[raleighgurl2586]

You cannot start wanting to live in Kansas from just watching a movie. Its a movie, not every person living in Kansas is nice and welcoming- its stereotypical. Trust me, I've been there and most people are welcoming, but don't expect everyone person to be. Not to mention all the economic problems that are going on there.. but other than that, its a beautiful place, but that doesn't mean that the people there are beautiful...