From the Archives

80 Years of Stories from KANSAS!

For eight decades, KANSAS! has captured the spirit of the Sunflower State—one story at a time. From timeless travel features and historic moments to profiles of everyday Kansans doing extraordinary things, our archives are filled with the voices, images, and places that have shaped who we are.

This page is your window into that legacy. Whether you're a longtime reader revisiting your favorite stories or a new visitor curious about Kansas through the years, you'll find something to inspire, inform, or simply take you back. Explore the moments that made history, the people who defined a place, and the enduring beauty of Kansas through the lens of its past.

Monthly Features

From the Archives

The President Visits Home

In this "From the Archives" article, we look back to when President Dwight Eisenhower returned to Abilene for the dedication of…

From the Archives

From the Archives: Prairie Preserved

Photography, Kansas Tourism The 10,894-acre Z Bar Ranch in the Flint Hills of Chase County - purchased in 1993 by the National Park Trust…

From the Archives: Kansas Outlaws

The Sunflower State is known for its famous lawmen—but its infamous villains are legendary as well This article was originally…

MORE FROM OUR ARCHIVES

From the Archives

From the Archives: A Rainforest in Kansas?

  • 5 minutes

Photography by Don Richards Journey into the Tropics: Topeka Zoo's Tropical Rainforest Adventure Editor's Note: In 2024, the Topeka Zoo's Tropical Rainforest celebrated 50 years. To honor the moment…

  • 5 minutes

Editor's Note: This article was originally published in the winter of 1992 by Don Lambert. It's been lightly edited. A look back to 1992, when the Kansas Legislature took action to recognize one…

From the Archives

From the Archives: Birth of the Helicopter

  • 6 minutes

Editor’s Note This article was originally featured in the winter issue of 1983 by Joan L. Istas. You can still visit America’s first patented helicopter at the High Plains Museum in Goodland. "If…