Fast Facts
Population Data
- Manhattan Population: 52,898
- Riley County Population: 71,341
Location
Located in the heart of the northeast Kansas’ scenic Flint Hills, 125 miles west of Kansas City, just nine miles north of Interstate I-70.
Locate Manhattan using the following:
History
 History of Manhattan
In 1855, settlers ran aground in a steamboat as they traveled up the Kansas River. New York investors insisted the settlers call their new community “Manhattan."
With Manhattan, New York, known as the “Big Apple,” it was natural for Manhattan, Kansas to become known as The Little Apple®. We began using the tag "The Little Apple®" in 1977, and the rest is history! For more information visit the Riley County Historical Museum.
Kansas State University History
Bluemont College, the forerunner of Kansas State University, opened its doors in 1859. In 1862, Congress granted Kansas 90,000 acres to establish an agricultural college. The next year, Kansas State University became the nation's first land grant university. Today K-State is home to over 22,000 students, nine colleges, and is a leader in bio-security research. Make plans to visit Kansas State University.
Weather Data
- Annual Average Temperatures: High – 66.8, Low – 43.9
- Average Annual Precipitation: 33.71 inches
- Average Annual Snowfall: 17.4 inches
Hotel/Motel Information
Additional Institutions of Higher Education
 Manhattan offers a variety of higher educational opportunities. Take a look for yourself:
Great Information about The Little Apple®
- Aggieville, the oldest shopping district in Kansas, is located next to K-State, at the intersection of Manhattan and Bluemont Avenues.
- Colbert Hills Golf Course is a PGA licensed collegiate facility featuring 18 holes of Flint Hills landscaping highlighted by native Kansas limestone and vistas up to 12 miles.
- The state’s second largest body of water, Tuttle Creek Lake is located five miles north of Manhattan with the dam and reservoir situated on the northern edge of the Flint Hills.
- The lake area offers 12,000 acres of water with 100 miles of irregular, wooded shoreline.
- Guns&Gear Magazine named Tuttle Creek and Milford Lake one of the top five hot spots in the nation to hunt whitetail deer.
- Men’s Journal magazine, Manhattan was named one of “The 50 Best Places to Live.”
- The last full weekend in June, Manhattan hosts the Affiliated Foods Midwest Country Stampede. Country music’s hottest stars arrive in Manhattan to entertain fans from across the United States for this four day weekend of country music and camping. Attendance exceeds 100,000 over the four day event. The American Bus Association named Country Stampede one of the Top 100 Events in North America.
- The Konza Prairie Biological Station is an 8,600-acre tallgrass prairie preserve owned by The Nature Conservancy and Kansas State University. This research park offers three different hiking trails for you to enjoy the Flint Hills.
- Eight miles west of Manhattan on K-18 is America’s Army - Fort Riley. Founded in 1852, Fort Riley Army Post was originally established to protect settlers on the Oregon and Santa Fe Trails. Fort Riley is home to brigades of the 1st Infantry Division (Mechanized), the 1st Armored Division and the 937th Engineer Groups (Combat). The reservation covers more than 101,000 acres, spanning both Riley and Geary counties.
- Manhattan and Riley County turned 150 years old in 2005.
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