Timeline of Wichita, Kansas

Timeline of the history of Wichita, Kansas

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

Prior to 20th century

1864 - Jesse Chisholm establishes a 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]
1889 - Albert Hyde invents Mentholatum
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 and Municipal Forum built.^[2]
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]
- Autopilot invented by David D. Blanton
1958
- July: Dockum Drug Store sit-in for civil rights.
- Pizza Hut in business.^[1]
1964 - Wichita State University established.
1965 - The Wichita State University Shockers men's basketball team makes its first ever appearance in the Final Four.
1967 - Central Wichita Public Library building dedicated.[1]
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]
1971 - Sedgwick County Zoo founded.
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.[2]
1987 - Botanica, The Wichita Gardens open.
1989 - Epic Center hi-rise built.
1990 - Population: 304,011
1991 - The Wichita-Andover, KS F5 tornado strikes
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
- March: The Wichita State University Shockers men's basketball team makes its second run in school history to the Final Four.
- December 13: Alleged 2013 Wichita bombing plot thwarted.
2015 - Jeff Longwell becomes mayor.
2018 - Mike Pompeo becomes United States Secretary of State; he remains in this position until 2021.
2020
- Brandon Whipple becomes mayor.
- Population: 397,532 at the 2020 United States Census

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e Wishart 2004.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m Federal Writers’ Project 1939, "Wichita".
^ ^a ^b "US Newspaper Directory". Chronicling America. Washington DC: Library of Congress. Retrieved May 30, 2015.
^ Wichita : Illustrated History 1868 to 1880; Eunice S. Chapter; 52 pages; 1914.
^ "Chronology of Catholic Dioceses: USA". Norway: Oslo katolske bispedømme (Oslo Catholic Diocese). Retrieved May 30, 2015.
^ "Wichita Children's Home hosts open house at new campus", The Wichita Eagle
^ "A Cooking Club That's 124 Years Old and Counting", New York Times, April 21, 2015
^ Federal Writers’ Project 1939, "Chronology".
^ "Temperance Timeline". Carry Nation. Exhibits. Kansas Historical Society. Retrieved May 30, 2015.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Harland Bartholomew & Associates (1946). Comprehensive Plan, City of Wichita, Kansas – via Hathi Trust. (fulltext)
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d "Major Wichita Employers". Wichita State University. Retrieved May 30, 2015.
^ American Library Annual, 1917-1918. New York: R.R. Bowker Co. 1918. hdl:2027/mdp.39015013751220.
^ ^a ^b ^c Population of the 100 Largest Cities and Other Urban Places in the United States: 1790 to 1990, US Census Bureau, 1998
^ "History Timeline". Wichita: Orpheum. Retrieved May 30, 2015.
^ "Movie Theaters in Wichita, KS". CinemaTreasures.org. Los Angeles: Cinema Treasures LLC. Retrieved May 30, 2015.
^ "Lawrence-Dumont Stadium". Ball Parks of the Minor Leagues. Retrieved 2012-07-23.
^ J. Walker Butin. "Timeline for Wichita Audubon Society (1954–2004)". Wichita Audubon Society. Retrieved May 30, 2015.
^ American Association for State and Local History (2002). Directory of Historical Organizations in the United States and Canada (15th ed.). ISBN 0759100020.
^ Pluralism Project. "Wichita, KS". Directory of Religious Centers. Harvard University. Retrieved May 30, 2015.
^ "Cities Create On-ramps to Information Superhighway", Wichita Eagle, January 30, 1997
^ "Wichita City Hall". Archived from the original on 1998-11-11 – via Internet Archive, Wayback Machine.
^ "Wichita (city), Kansas". State & County QuickFacts. U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved May 30, 2015.
^ 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). Kansas: a Guide to the Sunflower State. American Guide Series. New York: Viking Press – via Hathi Trust.
- . "Chronology". In Federal Writers’ Project (1939). harvc: no authors in contributor list. (help)
- . "Wichita". In Federal Writers’ Project (1939). harvc: no authors in contributor list. (help)
David J. Wishart, ed. (2004). "Cities and Towns: Wichita, Kansas". Encyclopedia of the Great Plains. University of Nebraska Press. ISBN 0-8032-4787-7.