1. In 1918, Fort Scott National Cemetery was established. The cemetery was originally created to bury Civil War soldiers and currently serves as the final resting place for veterans of all military conflicts.

2. The famous abolitionist, John Brown, held a meeting in Osawatomie on December 11, 1857. Brown was planning his attack on the federal arsenal at Harpers Ferry, which would eventually become a catalyst for the Civil War.

3. On December 11, 2014, Wichita State University received a $1.5 million donation from philanthropist Charles Koch. The money was used to create a new program called the "Center for Entrepreneurship."

4. In 1884, John J. Ingalls was elected to his third term as a U.S. Senator from Kansas. Ingalls was known for his eloquent speeches and for being an advocate of women's suffrage.

5. In 1866, Topeka was officially declared the capital city of Kansas. The previous capital, Lecompton, had been deemed too small to serve as the state's seat of government. Today, Topeka is the fifth largest city in Kansas and is home to a number of state agencies and institutions.