"The Little Apple" is the colloquial name for Manhattan, KS. Actually it's an "official" nickname too. The Manhattan Area Chamber of Commerce says "The Little Apple" on its literature. Many of the towns local businesses have prefaced their names with "The Little Apple" including a car dealer, a laundramat, and a brewery. The Little Apple also get national recognition for their New Year's Eve celebration that coincides with the ball dropping in the The Big Apple.
The Little Apple, nestled in the heart of the Flint Hills, is most widely known for being the home to the main campus of Kansas State University.
Check out www.manhattan.org for more information