Wanderlust World Wanderlust World Kansas has no nationally recognized "explorers" in the traditional sense—no Lewis & Clark, no Pike, no Fremont launched from here. The state's history is settlement, not discovery.
| Name | Field | Connection |
|---|---|---|
| Dwight D. Eisenhower | President, General | Born Denison TX, raised Abilene KS |
| Amelia Earhart | Aviator | Born Atchison KS |
| Langston Hughes | Poet, Harlem Renaissance | Childhood in Lawrence |
| Gordon Parks | Photographer, filmmaker | Born Fort Scott |
| Kirstie Alley | Actress | Born Wichita |
| Martina McBride | Country singer | Born Sharon |
| Joe Engle | Astronaut (X-15, Shuttle) | Born Chapman |
| William S. Burroughs | Beat writer | Born Kansas City (MO side) |
Kansas wasn't explored—it was traversed, settled, farmed, and flown over. Its famous sons and daughters reached outward from here.