The Fascinating History of Wichita, Kansas
Wichita is the largest city in Kansas, with a population of more than half a million. The city stands at the site of a village that was earlier inhabited by Wichita Indians. The city was founded in the year 1864 as a trading post. The railway construction along the Santa Fe, Atchison, and Topeka during the time attracted agricultural settlement, which helped in the overall growth of the region. Moreover, the booming Texas cattle trade in the region helped in the early development of the city.
Open For Business
In 1868, the first white settler in the region, J.R. Mead, opened a trading post that became the base for the Chisholm Trail. Due to its cattle drives, the city was incorporated and named “Cowtown” in 1970. The only woman to sign the document of incorporation was Catherine McCarty. One African American by the name of Richard Robinson also signed the incorporation document.
Beginning of Industrialization
In 1916, Clyde Cessna signed the contract to manufacture planes in Kansas, which marked the beginning of an era that led to the city pioneering aviation and manufacturing in the time to come. Soon after, oil reserves were discovered in 1918, which led to a major population explosion in the city, and many new businesses started to open up. Many entrepreneurs from across the country started to invest in the region, especially in the aviation industry.
Air Capital of The World
Wichita is also known as the “Air Capital of the World” as the city has produced more aircraft than any other cities in the world and continues to be a dominating player in the aviation industry. In the last 100 years, the city is estimated to have manufactured over 250,000 aircraft. Presently, Wichita produces one-fifth of the total civilian aircraft produced in the United States and also manufactures commercial, business, and military aircraft.
Some of the well-known aircraft manufacturers such as Cessna, Mooney, Laird, Beechcraft, Stearman, Travel Air, and Swallow were all founded in Wichita. By 1929, Wichita became the highest producer of air crafts by volume. The first-ever aircraft built in Wichita was Cessna Comet in the year 1917. By the late 1960s, Wichita outproduced all other cities globally in terms of aircraft production by volume.
The Kansas Aviation Museum of today was earlier the first airport of Wichita, considered one of the busiest airports in the country. At its peak, it handled a takeoff or landing every 90 seconds. The city is also known for housing the first-ever Pizza Hut in the world, and the original building is now a museum that’s open for visitors.
