Some of the things that make the U.S. unique is the fact that it is made up of 50 individual States, all with their own laws, widely varying weather, scenery, and cultures.
As well as these intricate differences, each state has its own nickname that is typically derived from an event associated with their historical past, a notable landmark within the state, a cultural icon, or even the climate. Let’s consider the Kansas nickname.
What is Kansas’ nickname? The state’s official nickname is The Sunflower State.
The Sunflower State is located in the Midwestern region of the United States, its state capital is Topeka and its largest city is Wichita, with Kansas City being one of the more notable city’s. Kansas’s most populated county is Johnson County.
Kansas is bordered by Nebraska to the North, Missouri to the East, Oklahoma to the South, and Colorado to the West.
Many states have confusing nicknames that, in some cases have no real relevance to the state or even history of the state. Fortunately for Kansas, the Kansas nickname is one of the more appropriate state nicknames.
A cloud of confusion and wonder circulates around many US state nickname origins, but not the Kansas nickname. Out of all the 50 north American states, it couldn’t be more apparent as to why Kansas adopted this well-known nickname.
Kansas state nickname
The Kansas state nickname originates from the early 1900s, when, in 1903, the Sunflower was presented as Kansas’ state flower. Kansas has been known and referred to by a number of nicknames, the most common being the Sunflower State.
Kansas is home to a plethora of Sunflowers and always has been, gaining this reputation, and in turn, the Kansas state nickname. It is a gentle reminder of the wild sunflowers that have grown all across the state, the Sunflower, as well as being the state flower, makes an appearance on the Emblem of Kansas.
Kansas isn’t the holder of just one nickname, as time has progressed so has the adoption of nicknames, with all being official at one point in time.
Another nickname that is associated with Kansas is “the Jayhawker State”, which was adopted after the civil war. The word Jayhawker became very closely synonymous with the Kansan people, or anyone born in Kansas during this time period.
The Kansas state nickname isn’t the only thing people use to associate with Kansas, there is a state bird, flower, and motto. The Kansas motto is, “Ad Astra per Aspera”, this Latin phrase translates to “To the Stars through Difficulties”. This constitutes the history of this great state, and represents the people and their struggles over the years but, ultimately finding a way to seek happiness. The famous motto can also be seen on the official state seal.
