Timeline of Wichita, Kansas

The following is a timeline of the history of the city of Wichita, Kansas, USA.

This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by expanding it with reliably sourced entries.

Prior to 20th century

• 1864 - Jesse Chisholm establishes trading post
• 1865 - Treaty of Little Arkansas
• 1868 - James R. Mead established another trading post
• 1870 - City of Wichita incorporated in Sedgwick County, Kansas.[1]
• 1872
  • Santa Fe Railway built.[2]
  • The Wichita Eagle and The Wichita Daily Beacon newspapers begins publication.[3][4]
• 1880 - Wichita annexed the Delano community on the west side of the river, which then became locally known as "West Wichita".
• 1885 - Topeka State Journal newspaper in publication.
• 1887
  • Women enfranchised.[1]
  • Roman Catholic Diocese of Wichita established.[5]
• 1888
  • Wichita Children's Home founded [6]
  • All Hallows Academy established.[2]
• 1890 - Sedgwick County Courthouse built.[2]
• 1891 - Thursday Afternoon Cooking Club founded.[7]
• 1892 - Fairmount Institute opens, later becomes Wichita State University.[8]
• 1898 - Garfield University established, later becomes Friends University.[2]
• 1900 - December 27: Temperance activist "Carry Nation smashes the Hotel Carey saloon."[9]

20th century

• 1905 - Waco Elementary School built.[10]
• 1909
  • City commission form of government adopted.[1]
  • Wichita Union Stockyards Exchange Building constructed.[2]
• 1910 - First Presbyterian Church[2] and Municipal Forum[2] built.
• 1911
  • Henry's (clothiers) in business.
  • Central Intermediate School built.[10]
• 1912 - Wesley Medical Center established.[11]
• 1915 - Wichita City Library built.[12]
• 1917 - Office of city manager established.[1]
• 1918
  • Fountain installed at Union Station Plaza.[2]
  • Exposition Building constructed.[2]
• 1919 - The Negro Star newspaper in publication.[3]
• 1920 - Population: 72,217.[13]
• 1921 - White Castle (restaurant) in business.
• 1922 - Orpheum Theatre[14] and Miller Theater[15] open.
• 1924 - Wichita East High School built.[10]
• 1926 - Municipal University of Wichita established, later becomes Wichita State University.[2]
• 1927 - Cessna Aircraft Company in business.[11]
• 1929
  • Wichita Municipal Airport construction begins, later becomes McConnell Air Force Base.
  • Wichita North High School built.[10]
• 1931 - McKnight memorial statue erected.[2]
• 1932
  • Beech Aircraft Corp. in business.[11]
  • United States Post Office and Federal Building constructed.[2]
  • Minisa Bridge dedicated.[2]
• 1934 - Lawrence Athletic Field opened, later becomes Lawrence–Dumont Stadium.[16]
• 1935 - Wichita Art Museum built.[2]
• 1950 - Population: 168,279.[13]
• 1952 - Old Cowtown Museum established.
• 1953
  • Wichita Mid-Continent Airport built, later becomes Wichita Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport.
  • US military Wichita Air Force Base in use.
  • Field House at University of Wichita built, later becomes Charles Koch Arena.
• 1954 - Wichita Audubon Society founded.[17]
• 1958
  • July: Dockum Drug Store sit-in for civil rights.
  • Pizza Hut in business.[1]
• 1964 - Wichita State University established.
• 1967 - Central Wichita Public Library building dedicated.
• 1969
  • Century II opened, after razing blocks of warehouse district south of Douglas Street.
  • Cessna Stadium expansion of Veteran Field at Wichita State University built.
  • 250 Douglas Place hi-rise built.
• 1970 - Population: 276,554.[13]
• 1972 - Kansas African American Museum founded.[18]
• 1975 - Towne East Square shopping mall in business.
• 1976 - Mid-America All-Indian Center established.
• 1977 - Kansas Coliseum opens.
• 1979 - April 15: Herman Hill riot.
• 1980 - Towne West Square shopping mall in business.
• 1984 - Kansas Food Bank established.
• 1987 - Botanica, The Wichita Gardens open.
• 1989 - Epic Center hi-rise built.
• 1990 - Population: 304,011.[13]
• 1992 - Wichita Thunder ice hockey team formed.
• 1993 - Southwind Sangha Sōtō Zen Association founded.[19]
• 1997 - City website online (approximate date).[20][21]

21st century

• 2006 - Spirit AeroSystems Inc. in business.[11]
• 2009 - May 31: Assassination of George Tiller, abortion doctor.
• 2010
  • Intrust Bank Arena opens.
  • Population: 382,368.[22]
• 2011 - Mike Pompeo becomes U.S. representative for Kansas's 4th congressional district.[23]
• 2012 - Tornado outbreak of April 13–16, 2012.
• 2013 - Alleged 2013 Wichita bombing plot thwarted.
• 2015 - Jeff Longwell becomes mayor.

See also

• History of Wichita, Kansas
• Timeline of Kansas
• Timeline of Topeka, Kansas

References

1. Wishart 2004.
2. Federal Writers’ Project 1939: "Wichita" sfn error: multiple targets (2×): CITEREFFederal_Writers’_Project1939 (help)
3. "US Newspaper Directory". Chronicling America. Washington DC: Library of Congress. Retrieved May 30, 2015.
4. Wichita : Illustrated History 1868 to 1880; Eunice S. Chapter; 52 pages; 1914.
5. "Chronology of Catholic Dioceses: USA". Norway: Oslo katolske bispedømme (Oslo Catholic Diocese). Retrieved May 30, 2015.
6. "Wichita Children's Home hosts open house at new campus", The Wichita Eagle
7. "A Cooking Club That's 124 Years Old and Counting", New York Times, April 21, 2015
8. Federal Writers’ Project (1939). "Chronology". Kansas: a Guide to the Sunflower State. American Guide Series. New York: Viking Press – via Hathi Trust.
9. "Temperance Timeline". Carry Nation. Exhibits. Kansas Historical Society. Retrieved May 30, 2015.
10. Harland Bartholomew & Associates (1946). Comprehensive Plan, City of Wichita, Kansas – via Hathi Trust. (fulltext)
11. "Major Wichita Employers". Wichita State University. Retrieved May 30, 2015.
12. American Library Annual, 1917-1918. New York: R.R. Bowker Co. 1918.
13. Population of the 100 Largest Cities and Other Urban Places in the United States: 1790 to 1990, US Census Bureau, 1998
14. "History Timeline". Wichita: Orpheum. Retrieved May 30, 2015.
15. "Movie Theaters in Wichita, KS". CinemaTreasures.org. Los Angeles: Cinema Treasures LLC. Retrieved May 30, 2015.
16. "Lawrence-Dumont Stadium". Ball Parks of the Minor Leagues. Retrieved 2012-07-23.
17. J. Walker Butin. "Timeline for Wichita Audubon Society (1954–2004)". Wichita Audubon Society. Retrieved May 30, 2015.
18. American Association for State and Local History (2002). Directory of Historical Organizations in the United States and Canada (15th ed.). ISBN 0759100020.
19. Pluralism Project. "Wichita, KS". Directory of Religious Centers. Harvard University. Retrieved May 30, 2015.
20. "Cities Create On-ramps to Information Superhighway", Wichita Eagle, January 30, 1997
21. "Wichita City Hall". Archived from the original on November 1998 – via Internet Archive, Wayback Machine.
22. "Wichita (city), Kansas". State & County QuickFacts. U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved May 30, 2015.
23. Civic Impulse, LLC. "Members of Congress". GovTrack. Washington, D.C. Retrieved May 30, 2015.

Bibliography

• Wichita City Directory. 1878 – via Open Library.
• "Wichita", Kansas State Gazetteer and Business Directory, R. L. Polk & Co., 1904 – via Google Books
• Harland Bartholomew; et al. (1923). Comprehensive city plan for Wichita, Kansas. City Plan Commission – via Hathi Trust. (fulltext)
• Federal Writers’ Project (1939). "Wichita". Kansas: a Guide to the Sunflower State. American Guide Series. New York: Viking Press – via Hathi Trust.
• David J. Wishart, ed. (2004). "Cities and Towns: Wichita, Kansas". Encyclopedia of the Great Plains. University of Nebraska Press. ISBN 0-8032-4787-7.

External links

• Digital Public Library of America. Items related to Wichita, various dates