Americans By Choice: The Story of Immigration & Citizenship in Kansas

The United States District Court for the District of Kansas celebrated its 150th anniversary celebration in 2011, and it commissioned this exhibit to celebrate its role in the naturalization process. This exhibit illustrates the paths to citizenship taken by Kansas settlers from around the world by helping visitors connect this story with their personal experience by providing context, and personalizing the facts and figures. It features photographs, documents, quotes, interactive elements and a documentary video of citizens describing what it means to be an American. This exhibit personalizes the story of immigration to our state over the past 150 years—who came, where they came from, and why they came to Kansas. From 1931 to 2010, more than 75,000 new people became naturalized citizens in Kansas, an average of 2,400 annually. This exhibit is on display at the Stauth Memorial Museum of Montezuma, Kansas. Museum hours: Tue-Sat 9:00-12:00, 1:00-4:30, Sun 1:30-4:30. Closed Mondays & major holidays.