Emporia

Established in February 1857, Emporia’s founding fathers named their new business venture Emporia after a flourishing market center in Ancient Carthage. Located in the east-central part of Kansas, Emporia is known as the Front Porch to the Flint Hills. William Allen White, publisher and editor of the Emporia Gazette, brought national attention to Emporia in the early 1900s. Known for his fiery political essays, White became an advisor to many US presidents, five of whom visited his home, Red Rocks. Emporia is home to Emporia State University, the state’s first normal school, founded in 1863. Located on the university campus are the National Teachers Hall of Fame and the Memorial to Fallen Educators, honoring those who lost their lives teaching and working in America’s schools. Honoring fallen heroes is a long-standing tradition in Emporia, as it is also the founding city of Veterans Day.