Wichita History Facts and Timeline

(Wichita, Kansas - KS, USA)

Hunting, trapping, Indian trading, cattle and aircraft all have their place in the history of Wichita, Kansas state's principal city. Compared with many other US conurbations, this is a young city, having been established on the Chisholm Trail and incorporated as late as 1870.

Situated at the meeting place of the two Arkansas rivers, the region was known to Native American Indian nomadic tribes as a temporary settlement and trading place for at least 10,000 years, with permanent settlement taking place from 3,000 years ago.

A Spanish explorer, Francisco Vasquez de Coronado, passed through the region and met with Wichita Indians in 1541, on his way to search for the legendary Cities of Gold farther to the south. By 1863, Wichita Indians were permanently settled in the area, having fled from Oklahoma's Confederate leanings during the American Civil War.

Cattle, Cowboys and Chaos

The Chisholm Trail was one of America's most famous cattle routes, with Wichita perfectly placed to take commercial advantage of the millions of cows being driven from Texas and other ranching regions to the railheads, for transportation to eastern markets. The town soon became the epitome of the Wild West, complete with rowdy cowboys and trigger-happy lawmen, including Wyatt Earp. Vastly increased immigration fuelled speculative land grabs and by 1890, Wichita's population had soared to 24,000, making it the state's third-largest city.

Boom to Bust and a Temperance Tigress

As in many other American cities during the early years of the 20th century, Wichita saw boom turn to bust. This was followed by 15 years of comparative recession and minimal growth, with the only notable event in this era of Wichita history being the arrival of Carrie Nation, a feisty member of the Women's Christian Temperance Union.

Determined to bring her crusade to the bars and taverns of Wichita, she stormed into a notorious bar armed with a pool cue and a cache of rocks, and caused a great deal of damage, much to the amazement of its customers. Nation was a formidable figure in the temperance movement, often photographed wielding a hatchet and claiming a divine right to destroy drinking dens of iniquity, thus becoming the topic of many articles, books and even a musical.

Birth of the 'Air Capital'

The decline of the city was halted in 1914 with the discovery of local oil, with the resultant riches gained by local entrepreneurs sparking the creation of the city's famous aircraft industry. Aviation pioneers Clyde Cessna and Walter Beech were at the forefront, with the Cessna Comet being the first aircraft manufactured in the city, and the Swallow going into full production shortly afterwards.

New companies split off around 1930, with the founding of Cessna, Stearman, Mooney and Beech justifying the city's new nickname of 'Air Capital of the USA'. A number of the innovative aircraft built at this time in the history of Wichita are still airworthy and in private collections.

Modern Days

The 'Air City' benefited hugely from WWII as the hub for the manufacture of war planes, drawing workers to the factories in droves. Post-war, the Lear Jet Corporation made the city its home in 1963, and Wichita remains an important aircraft manufacturing hub in the present day.

Airbus, Boeing, Cessna, Hawker Beechcraft and others in the sector have a strong presence in the city today, employing many Wichita workers and continuing to contribute greatly to the local economy.