Date

Event

Mid 1870's

Small western towns such as Catherine, Munjor, Pfeifer, Schoenchen and Liebenthal were founded in the middle 1870's by Volga Germans, German Catholics who emigrated from Russia.

1875

The Kansas State Historical Society was organized.

Most of the buffalo in Kansas have been destroyed.

 Wyatt Earp appointed to Wichita Police, later to Dodge City.

1876

State legislature abolishes color distinction from Kansas law.

1877

The first telephone in Kansas was installed in Lawrence.

February 27,  1877

Nicodemus, the first all-black town in Kansas, is founded by African-American migrants from Kentucky.

1878

Robert Layton took advantage of the available fuel at Pittsburg, Crawford County and established a zinc smelter. Pittsburg became the center of the leading zinc-smelting area in the United States.

Prag, a Czech Community in Rawlins County is mentioned in a report submitted by Captain William G. Wedemeyer of the 16th Infantry, regarding losses suffered by settlers during the 1878 Cheyenne raid in Northwestern Kansas.

September 27, 1878

Chiefs Dull Knife and Little Wolf of the Northern Cheyenne led their people in a rebellion and flight from confinement and starvation on the reservation in Oklahoma to their home lands in Yellowstone. The trek climaxed on September 27, 1878, when 284 braves, women and children made their final stand on the bluffs of Ladder Creek, now Beaver Creek, just south of Scott County State Park. This encounter with the U.S. Cavalry was the last Indian battle in Kansas. The site - Squaws Den Battleground - drew its name from the pit in which the women and children were placed after helping to dig rifle pits for the warriors.

1878-1879

A colony of several hundred (Susquehanna) River Brethren from Pennsylvania arrived in the old-time corrupt cowtown of Abilene, Dickinson County, Kansas to organize homes and fields on virgin land purchased from the Kansas Pacific Railroad.

1879

The prominent issue of the Kansas legislature was prohibition and an amendment is passed by the Kansas Legislature.

A large number of former slaves move from Southern states to Kansas.

The first telephone switchboard was used in Topeka. 

1880

An amendment to the Kansas Constitution approved by Kansas voters prohibited the manufacture, sale, or gift of all forms of intoxicating liquor. Kansas became the first state in the United States to pass this controversial amendment.

1880's

Carry A. Nation lived at Medicine Lodge before she began her crusade against liquor that took her to all parts of the United States and England.

All 105 Kansas counties organized.

1881

The first long distance connection was established between Wathena, Kansas and St. Joseph, Missouri.

February 19, 1881

Kansas becomes the first U.S. state to adopt a Constitutional amendment prohibiting all alcoholic beverages.

1881 -1882

Most of the trail herds headed for Dodge City, another shipping point on the Santa Fe Railroad line.

1882

Dodge City was the "Cowboy Capital" of the West.

E.P. McCabe of Graham County becomes a state auditor -- he is the first African-American elected to statewide office.

Fort Dodge is abandoned.

1884

Haskell Institute, a college school for Indians, is established at Lawrence by the U.S. Government.

April 30, 1884

Several cowboys, including Henry Brown (later Caldwell City Marshall), attempted to rob a Medicine Lodge bank.

July 4, 1884

The first bullfight in United States is held at Dodge City.

1884-1885

The era of the great cattle drives ended when the Kansas Legislature, alarmed by the increase of the cattle disease called "Texas Fever" brought into the state by the Texas tick, passed legislation forbidding the importation of Texas cattle between March 1 and December 1, the season for the long drives.

1885

Last Texas cattle drive to Dodge City.

1887

Kansas women are granted right to vote in municipal affairs, though not state and federal.

Susanna Medora Salter of Argonia was the first woman mayor in the United States to be elected in southeastern Kansas.

While drilling a well, Sam Blanchard struck salt at 300 feet. Hutchinson has been built on top of one of the world's greatest salt deposits.

February 27, 1887

Shoot-out with boosters -- some would say hired gunmen -- from nearby Leoti leaves several people dead and wounded.

1888

Almost a dozen salt plants were in operation at Hutchinson.

The first all-women council was elected  in Oskaloosa.

1889

Alfred Fairfax is first African-American elected to state legislature.

Oil is first produced in Kansas.

October 5, 1892

The notorious Dalton Gang rode into Coffeyville and attempted to rob two banks, the Condon Bank and the First National Bank. They took about $25,000 in 12 minutes. A shootout followed which claimed the lives of eight men: the outlaws, Grat and Bob Dalton, Dick Broadwell and Bill Powers; and four Coffeyville residents, Charles T. Connelly, Coffeyville city marshal (killed by Grat Dalton in "Death Alley"), Lucius M. Baldwin, George B. Cubine and Charles Brown. Three other townsmen were wounded.

1894

Many companies organized to develop oil and gas fields in Kansas.

A brigade of "Coxey's Army" met its waterloo at Scott City when a train commandeered by miners at Cripple Creek, Colo. was halted in the area by a U.S. Marshal and his deputies - bring to a close the "last invasion of Kansas soil by anybody's army."

1895

Wichita State University in Wichita was founded as Fairmount College.

1898

Kansas enlists four regiments for service in the Spanish-American War.

1899

Nick Chiles founds the Plaindealer, the first African-American newspaper of United States.

First automobile driven in Kansas is at the Emporia State fair.

1900

The last ethnic group to enter Kansas in large numbers was Spanish-speaking Mexicans, brought to the state as laborers for various Railroad companies. Numbering only 71 in 1900, their totals reached 13,570 in 1920 and 19,042 in 1930. Their primary population concentrations were in Railroad centers.

The population of the state is 1,470,495.

Carry Nation starts crusades against saloons in Kansas.

"The Wizard of Oz" by Frank Baum is associated with Kansas.

Early 1900's

Lilla Day Monroe was the president of the Kansas Equal Suffrage Association.

1901

Fort Hays State University at Hays was established as the Western Branch of the State Normal School at Emporia.

Carry Nation, who launched her saloon smashing campaign in Medicine Lodge and Kiowa, brings her show to Topeka.

1903

First helium discovery in U.S. at Dexter, Kansas.

The Kansas State Capitol building in Topeka was completed. It was constructed over a period of 37 years from 1866 to 1903, cost a total of $3.2 million.

Pittsburg State University at Pittsburg was established as the Auxiliary Manual Training Normal School.

1905

Charles Melvin tried to solve the "wet-dry" problem in Allen County by dynamiting the saloons on the Square. Three buildings were gone but the "wet-dry" problem was not.

1906

The Federal Penitentiary in Leavenworth was completed.

1907-1908

The yellow brick road leads to Dorothy's House in Liberal, Kansas. It was built in 1907-1908 and given to the Seward County Historical Society.

1912

Kansas woman suffrage amendment ratified.

December 2, 1912

When the first all-women jury in Kansas entered the jury room at El Dorado, they paused, uncertain what to do. One said: "I believe we should pray." They bowed their heads in silent prayer, listened attentively to instructions, and returned a verdict in three hours.

1913

Kansas oil production was 24,083 barrels. Of 2,174 holes drilled, only 483 were dry.

1914

President Wilson sent army units, including troops from Kansas, to aid in the protection of U.S. property and treaty rights concerning Mexico.

Arthur Capper becomes first native Kansan elected to the office of Governor.

1916

Kansas National Guard sent to the Mexican border.

1917

The Anti-Saloon League was the name of the group established that proved integral in preventing the sale of intoxicating liquors.

Influenza epidemic.

World War I brought an unprecedented boom in agriculture because of the demand for food from the warring nations of Europe. Thousands of previously uncultivated acres were planted in wheat.

State Highway Commission created.

Kansas had produced 25,402,521,000 cubic feet of natural gas in the past year, and 112 gas wells had been drilled.

1918

End of World War I - 80,261 in war service from Kansas.

Shortly after 1918 the population of Wichita nearly doubled when a great reservoir of oil was discovered nearby.

Minnie Grinstead is first woman elected to Kansas Legislature.

1920's

The business men of Wichita went to work attracting the aircraft industry.

1921

Amelia Earhart Putnam, a native of Atchison, made her first solo flight, she was nicknamed "Lady Lindy."

1922

The first radio station in Kansas is established -- KFH in Wichita.

1923

Amelia Earhart became the first woman to be granted a pilot's license by the National Aeronautic Association.

1924

The handkerchief-dress craze hit Kansas. At Atchison over 250 dozen red and blue bandanas were sold to women who made dresses of them.

1925

Forestry, Fish and Game Commission organized.

Walter P. Chrysler, son of Henry Chrysler, was born in Wamego and grew up in Ellis, Kansas. At Ellis Walter P. Chrysler received his public school education and learned his trade as a machinist. He was an industrialist who established the Chrysler Motors corporation in 1925.

Walter Anderson, Wichita, one of the founders of the White Castle eating houses and known as the "Hamburger King," operated 22 White Castles. He bought the first one in Wichita with a loan of $60.

1927

The state flag of Kansas was first displayed at Fort Riley by Governor Ben Paulen in the presence of troops from Fort Riley and the Kansas National Guard. The official state flag of Kansas was adopted by Legislature in 1927 and revised in 1961 with Great Seal and Crest symbolizing Kansas history.

1928

One-seventh of the world's wheat crop, 12,400,000 acres, was grown in Kansas.

1929

Mrs. T.T. Solander was the first woman to become a Kansas State Senator.

1930s

The previously uncultivated land (thousands of acres), planted to supply warring nations of Europe during World War I, was allowed to lay fallow during the recession of the 1920s, and became part of the "dust bowl" of the 1930s.

1931

Record KS wheat crop of 240 million bushels.

1932

Kathryn O'Laughlin, first congresswoman elected to represent Kansas.

1934

Drought and dust storms throughout Great Plains gives rise to "Dust Bowl" epithet

1936

New oil fields developed in western Kansas.

1937

"Prohibition" continues in Kansas but legislature allows sale of 3.2 beer; sales tax initiated.

Amelia Earhart, a native of Atchison, disappears on around the world flight.

1939

World War II creates demand for food and prices for Kansas farm products begin to rise.

"The Wizard of Oz," a movie starring Judy Garland, makes its debut.

1943

A German prisoner of War (POW) camp was built in Peabody during World War II.

July, 1943

A German prisoner of war (POW) camp was built in Concordia during World War II.

1948

Kansas voters repeal prohibition amendment, which had been part of the state constitution for 69 years.

1950

There are over 30,000 producing oil wells in Kansas.

Population of state is 1,905,000.

1950s and 1960s

Intercontinental ballistic missiles, designed to carry a single nuclear warhead, are stationed throughout Kansas facilities, ready to launch from hardened underground silos.

1952-1953

Dwight D. Eisenhower becomes first Kansan to be elected as President of the United States.

1953

First commercial television station in Kansas, KTVH in Hutchinson.

1954

The U.S. Supreme Court orders the desegregation of public schools across the country after hearing Brown vs.Topeka Board of Education.

June 10, 1958

A tornado that hits El Dorado, Kansas causing 15 deaths and 50 injuries.

1959

Murder of four members of Clutter family near Holcomb shocks state. It becomes the basis of the the book and movie entitled “In Cold Blood.”

1961

Wichita, Kansas is known as the "Air Capital of America."

The world's largest and longest wheat elevator is located at Hutchinson.

1963

Big Brutus was built at a plant near Hallowell, Cherokee County, Kansas in 1963. West Mineral, Cherokee County, Kansas home of Big Brutus. Costs and the fact that the EPA declared that the strip mine coal had too much sulphur and therefore stopped its use. Big Brutus was retired in 1974 and became a museum.

June 8, 1966

Topeka, Kansas was struck by an F5 rated tornado, which hit various landmarks, including Washburn University. Total damage was estimated at $100 million. 17 people were killed and 550 injured.

1970

Anti-war protests disturb several college campuses; student union fire at Kansas University linked to these activities.

1978

Nancy Landon Kassebaum was the first Kansas woman to be elected to the U.S. Senate for a full term.

1980s

Kansas intercontinental ballistic missile facilities are deactivated.

1985

Wolf Creek nuclear power plant finally begins commercial operation.

November 4, 1886

A State Constitutional amendment was approved that allowed Kansans to place legal bets on dog and horse races; allowed for the State lottery, and gave Kansas the right to order liquor by the glass in public places for first time since Prohibition.

1988

Two native Kansans seek presidency--Bob Dole of Russell and Gary Hart of  Ottawa.

March 13, 1990

A tornado went through Hesston and Harvey Counties, staying on the ground for more than two hours. At times, it was over a half-mile wide. It caused millions of dollars of damage and two deaths.

April 26, 1990

A number of tornados occurred near Wichita, destroying 1,120 homes, damaging 571 more, injuring more than 200 people and left 20 dead.

June 15, 1990

The Hoch Auditorium burned at Kansas University.

1991

Kansans elect their first woman Governor, Joan Finney.

June-July, 1993

The Great Flood of 1993 affects several states, including Kansas. The waters flooded 4.6 million acres of farmland -- nearly one-fifth of the state's total farm acreage -- and crop losses totaled more than $434 million. There was more than $19 million in damages to state, county and city roads, and bridges. One person died and 46 counties were declared federal disaster areas.

1996

Bob Dole, a U.S. Senator, ran for President of the United States.

May 3, 1999

An F4 tornado hits Haysville then Wichita in Sedgwick County causing five deaths and many injuries.

May 4, 2007

An F5 tornado travels through the Greensburg area, leveling at least 95% of the city and killing eleven people.