Q: This southeast Kansas community calls itself the "Pecan Capital of Kansas." Can you name it? 
(Flickr Photo by Joey Rozier) |
A: Chetopa
Cherokee County leads all other Kansas counties in pecan production. However, it is the town of Chetopa, in neighboring LaBette County, which claims the moniker “Pecan Capital of Kansas.” Chetopa is also known as the “Catfish Capital” of the state.
Catfish and pecans? Life in Chetopa is mmm, mmm good!
A stand of pecan trees in Chetopa, Kan. (Photo Courtesy of William Reed)This town was named after the Osage Indian Chief Chetopah, whose name literally means "Four Houses" in the Osage language. The chief (unlike the town) included the letter “H” at the end of his name. Chetopa was founded along the Neosho River in 1857 and has a population of roughly 1,200 people.
Fun Factoid: Saying the name of the town out loud - correctly (Shuh-TOE-puh / rhymes with Europa) and repeatedly – is challenging and fun. Try it for yourself! (You did, didn’t you?)
Special thanks to nut expert William Reid, the Pecan Research & Extension Specialist for Kansas and Missouri. Here’s a mere glimpse into the knowledge of pecans this man possesses: http://northernpecans.blogspot.com/ |