I was born and raised in Kansas and have lived here my whole life. From Kansas City to now Lawrence for college, my home has always been Kansas.
I love it here, that is for sure! My whole family lives in Kansas, so I’ve never been split on where to go for holidays either. So many memories have been created throughout the city and state, and I continue to make more as I now discover Lawrence at college.
Kansas is known as being the state that is in the middle of the country, which is pretty cool in my opinion. Specifically, Lebanon, Kansas is the centermost spot, which is just north of Lawrence. Kansas City spreads across Missouri and Kansas, but Kansas City features some amazing sports teams that are making our state’s name more widely known, including the Chiefs and Royals. Our music, arts and vibe are great as well!
So while Kansas is pretty well known for many great features and attractions, some things bother me. There are so many misconceptions and assumptions that many non-Kansans have about the state and its people. I’ve encountered many instances where people assumed many things about me because of where I live, including that we all live on farms which is not true. So here I’m going to talk about a few things I wish people would stop assuming about Kansas, coming from a person who’s lived here her whole life.
Everyone lives on a farm
As I mentioned above, not everyone who lives in Kansas is on a farm. I live in the city, and the closest farm near me is about a 30-minute drive. Kansas is known for some amazing, beautiful cities like Kansas City, Lawrence and our state capital Topeka. The cities are packed with rich culture and tons of people!
The most recent data shows that in 2019 the population of Kansas City was about 150,000 people. That does not include the people who live in Kansas City, Missouri either. This shows that it’s a fairly large city, and a fairly large suburb as well.
However, just because I’m from the city doesn’t mean I’m not experienced with mud and farms as well. I have family who own property out in the country, so I can get down and dirty if need be. I can deal with bugs and snakes too. And corn is a common sight driving around outside Lawrence. Overall, living in Kansas is the best of both worlds concerning city versus farm life!
Kansas is a fly-over state
Growing up my father used to tell me every time a plane flew overhead that Kansas is a fly-over state. That meant people never purposely came to Kansas besides for work or family, which might be true. However, I think that notion should change since there is so much to do and see in Kansas!
If you are in the city, visiting the downtown area can be a cool experience at night with the Power and Light District. Our Crossroads near downtown features amazing restaurants and beautiful art. There are many shopping districts and delicious foods to try all over the city and state. Not to forget our world-class barbeque, especially at Kansas City Joe’s!
Besides the city, we have gorgeous features like our wheat fields and sunflowers, which are fun to take pictures in for an Instagram-worthy post. The Flint Hills are absolutely breathtaking to drive through as well! There are cool rock features and colorful sunsets to greet you as you travel west through Kansas.
I’ve had friends from out of state tell me they were shocked at how flat Kansas really is. Sure, Kansas is flat, I’ll admit that. But that does not take away anything from this amazing state! The people who were shocked about how flat Kansas actually is had this preconception that Kansas was just boring. This is not true at all!
There is a lot to do here, and it’s not a bad place to live either! Kansas should stop being known as the state with nothing to do, or just a fly-over state, as there is so much to experience here. I have another article on my page about what you can do in Kansas City (crosses over into Kansas and Missouri though), which everyone should check out!
Wizard of Oz
I’ve been to multiple places around the world where I’ve mentioned I’m from Kansas, and people immediately say, “So like The Wizard of Oz?”
Every single time that is the exact response I get, and it does get old very quickly. Now, I love the movie as much as anyone: the wonderful tale of Dorothy experiencing an adventure on the Yellow Brick Road, and the iconic quote, “Toto, I have a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore,” from Dorothy in the 1939 movie The Wizard of Oz. Even I use the quote when I’m in a situation where it doesn’t feel normal or I’m in an unfamiliar place.
But when that is all people can think of when it comes to Kansas when I bring up my home, it is annoying. The gift shops in Kansas featuring many The Wizard of Oz items really don’t help. The movie is a classic but haunted, though that is another story altogether. It’s cool to have a fun, iconic staple to represent your state, but it’s not all Kansas should be known for.
Food
Finally, there is also the perception that Kansas doesn’t have any good food. I’ve had friends outside Kansas tell me that, which is just absolutely not true!
First off, our barbeque is some of the best in the world. It’s smokey and delicious, the best barbeque anyone will ever try. Kansas City Joe’s does it the best in my opinion, followed by Q39 or Jack Stack. Our barbeque is so amazing, just the smell will get anyone’s mouth watering. From ribs to pulled pork to beef, Kansas barbeque beats all competition.
But besides barbeque, Kansas does have a wide range of restaurants and diverse cultural foods to try. I know some amazing Greek places and authentic Mexican food as well! While I will admit that seafood isn’t the freshest here compared to coastal states, you can find fresh seafood at some restaurants if you are willing to pay a little more money.
My list includes only a few assumptions that I felt needed to be addressed immediately. Others from here might have a different opinion, but my list is what I feel should be clarified to the world about Kansas. There are so many other things I could have mentioned too, like sports, arts and music, but these were at the top of my list! Kansas and its people are pretty amazing, and I’m so happy I was raised here and that I can continue to experience college in Kansas too!