8 Quirky And Unusual Things No One Tells You About Living In Kansas

1. The World’s Largest Ball of Twine Is a Community Project

In Cawker City, the world’s largest ball of twine isn’t just a roadside oddity—it’s a living, growing project. Locals and visitors alike are encouraged to add their own twine, making it a quirky symbol of community pride and ongoing collaboration.

2. Outhouse Festivals and Cow Chip Throwing Contests

Kansas towns embrace their rural roots with eccentric festivals. Elk Falls hosts an annual Outhouse Festival, celebrating creative outdoor privies, while Russell Springs is known for its Cow Chip Festival, where participants compete to throw dried cow patties the farthest.

3. You Might Spot a 24-Foot-Tall Wheat Farmer

In Manhattan’s City Park, a towering statue of Johnny Kaw, the mythical Kansas wheat farmer, stands 24 feet tall. He’s a local legend and a favorite for quirky photo ops.

4. Gorilla Mania in Pittsburg

Pittsburg, Kansas, is the only place in the U.S. where a college mascot is a gorilla. The town is dotted with gorilla statues and murals, each painted to match the business or location, creating a fun scavenger hunt for residents and visitors.

5. The World’s Largest Hairball Exists—and It’s Not What You Think

Garden City claims the world’s largest hairball, a smooth, cow-hair sphere the size of a beach ball, discovered in a meatpacking plant. It’s a bizarre but beloved local attraction.

6. Monumental Machines and Oddball Art

Big Brutus, the world’s largest electric coal shovel, is so massive it has office space inside. In Lucas, the Garden of Eden is a surreal sculpture park made from over 100 tons of concrete, built by a Civil War veteran as his personal vision of paradise.

7. The State’s Love for “World’s Largest” Titles

Kansas towns compete for the quirkiest “world’s largest” claims, from the World’s Largest Prairie Dog (a giant statue) to the World’s Largest Hand-Dug Well and even a micro-museum of miniature “world’s largest” replicas in Lucas.

8. Unusual Pronunciations and Local Lore

The Arkansas River is pronounced “ahr-KAN-zuhs” in Kansas, unlike the “Arkansaw” used elsewhere. And in White Cloud, you can stand in one spot and see four states at once—a little-known local bragging right.

These offbeat facts and traditions reveal a side of Kansas that’s full of humor, creativity, and community spirit—quirks that make living there a truly unique experience.

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