Landon made a fortune as an independent petroleum producer, but eschewed the luxurious lifestyle he could have had for one of public service.  Elected governor in 1932, he was the only Republican chief executive to be re-elected in 1934 during the depths of the Great Depression.  In 1936, Landon was the Republican nominee for the presidency against incumbent Franklin D. Roosevelt.

Even though he lost the election, Landon became a revered statesman whose counsel was sought by leaders throughout the nation.  President and Mrs. Ronald Reagan visited Landon's home in Topeka to celebrate his 100th birthday and to honor his legacy.

Kassebaum was the first woman elected to the United States Senate who did not assume the seat vacated by her husband.  As a Senator, she distinguished herself by displaying those same qualities that her father, Alf Landon, had championed: common honesty, character and devotion to principle.

Kassebaum's independence and willingness to stand up for her convictions-even when they differed from her party-led some to label her as a "maverick."  But her level-headedness earned the respect of colleagues in both political parties, as well as her constituents, who re-elected her by overwhelming majorities. 

She is now married to former Tennessee Senator Howard Baker.

No other individual is as responsible for the growth of Kansas as Holliday.  When this young, energetic Pennsylvanian arrived in the Kansas Territory, he envisioned a Statehouse where there were only rocks and prairie; he envisioned a community that would offer opportunity to people of all races and nationalities.

Then Holliday acted on his vision.  He founded Topeka, where he served as Major and state legislator.  He wored tirelessly to ensure that Topeka would be the State Capital.  He founded the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway, where he served as a Director for the remainder of his life.  He served as teh state's Adjutant General during the Civil War.

Whatever the task, Holliday was willing, and more than capable, to serve his fellow Kansans.

The Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway is an iconic Kansas company, romanticized in song and film and recognized throughout the nation.  Chartered in Atchison in 1859, with headquarters and shops in Topeka, the Santa Fe brought Native American art and culture to the world.  Its Super Chief and El Capitan were household names, synonymous with luxury and first-class service.

Kansas and the AT&SF grew up together.  Beginning in 1869, the tracks advanced rapidly across the state, creating numerous towns along the way and reaching 100 of the state's 105 counties.  It eventually grew into a 13,000-mile system, stretching from Chicago to Texas to California.  In 1995, the Sante Fe merged with the Burlington Northern to form today's BNSF Railway, which operates 32,000 route-miles of track in the western two-thirds of the U.S. By any measure, it's a remarkable success story.

Carver's legacy as a scientist touches virtually every life in America in some way.  Born a slave in Missouri, Carver would find freedom and an education in Kansas.  After attending school in Fort Scott, Carver earned his high school diploma in Minneapolis.  His homestead at Beeler became his first laboratory as he plowed and planted crops, experimenting and sketching along the way.  Encouraged to study botany rather than art, Carver excelled.  He was the first black student and later the first black faculty member at Iowa State Agricultural College.

Booker T. Washington recruited Carver to head the Agriculture Department of the Tuskegee institute in Alabama.  Carver transformed the department into a leading research facility which advocated crop rotation and other innovations and developed hundreds of new products from sweet potatoes, peanuts, cotton and soybeans.

From his desk at the Emporia Gazette, White became the spokesperson for middle America. The University of Kansas named its School of Journalism for White, and a B-29 Bomber and a Liberty Ship were named for him during World War II. "Red Rocks," the White family home in Emporia, is now a State Historic Site. The William Allen White Foundation annually bestows a Children's Book Award.