Wichita, Kansas

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City of Wichita
—  City  —
File:Wichita-ks.jpg
Flag of City of Wichita Flag Official seal of City of Wichita Seal
Nickname(s): The Air Capital Of The World
Location in the state of Kansas Location in the state of Kansas
Coordinates: 37°41′20″N 97°20′10″W / 37.68889°N 97.33611°W / 37.68889; -97.33611Coordinates: 37°41′20″N 97°20′10″W / 37.68889°N 97.33611°W / 37.68889; -97.33611
Country	United States
State	Kansas
County	Sedgwick
Founded	1863
Incorporated	1870
Government
- Mayor	Carl Brewer (D)
Area
- Total	138.9 sq mi (359.8 km2)
- Land	135.8 sq mi (351.6 km2)
- Water	3.2 sq mi (8.2 km2)
Elevation	1,299 ft (396 m)
Population (2006)
- Total	366,382
- Density	2,602/sq mi (1,004.6/km2)
Time zone	CST (UTC-6)
- Summer (DST)	CDT (UTC-5)
ZIP Codes	67201-67221, 67223, 67226-67228, 67230, 67232, 67235, 67260, 67275-67278
Area code(s)	316
FIPS code	20-79000<ref name="GR2">"American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31. </ref>
GNIS feature ID	0473862<ref name="GR3">"US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. 2007-10-25. http://geonames.usgs.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31. </ref>
Website	www.wichita.gov

Wichita (pronounced /ˈwɪtʃɨtɑː/ WICH-i-tah) is the county seat of Sedgwick County, Kansas, United States.<ref name="GR6">"Find a County". National Association of Counties. http://www.naco.org/Template.cfm?Section=Find_a_County&Template=/cffiles/counties/usamap.cfm. Retrieved 2008-01-31. </ref> As of the 2000 census its population was 344,284. The 2008 estimated population of 366,046 made it the 51st largest city in the country and the most populous city in Kansas.<ref name=PopEstBigCities>"Table 1: Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Incorporated Places Over 100,000, Ranked by July 1, 2008 Population: April 1, 2000 to July 1, 2008" (CSV). 2008 Population Estimates. United States Census Bureau, Population Division. 2009-07-01. http://www.census.gov/popest/cities/tables/SUB-EST2008-01.csv. Retrieved 2010-02-20. </ref> Wichita is located in south central Kansas on the Arkansas River.

The city was incorporated in 1870, based on the success of businessmen who came to hunt and trade with native populations. Its position on the Chisholm Trail made it a destination for cattle drives headed north to access railroads to eastern markets. In the 20th century, aircraft pioneers such as Clyde Cessna, Walter Beech and Bill Lear began projects that would lead to Wichita's nicknaming as the Air Capital of the World. The aircraft corporations Stearman Aircraft, Cessna, Mooney and Beechcraft were all founded in Wichita in the late 1920s and early 1930s. Cessna and Hawker Beechcraft remain based in Wichita today, along with Learjet and Spirit AeroSystems, and both Airbus and Boeing maintain a workforce in Wichita. The city was also at one time the headquarters of the former Derby Oil Company, which was purchased by Coastal Corporation in 1988.

An area cultural center, Wichita hosts Intrust Bank Arena as well as numerous nightclubs, restaurants, shopping centers, museums and parks. Several universities are in Wichita, the largest being Wichita State University with an enrollment of 15,000 students. In July 2006, CNN/Money and Money magazine ranked Wichita 9th on its list of the 10 best U.S. big cities in which to live.<ref>"Best Places to Live 2006". Money Magazine. 2006. http://money.cnn.com/magazines/moneymag/bplive/2006/top100/bigcities.html. Retrieved 2008-08-05. </ref> In 2008, MSN Real Estate ranked Wichita 1st on its list of most affordable cities.<ref>"2008 MSN Real Estate best bargain markets". MSN Real Estate. 2008. http://realestate.msn.com/buying/article2.aspx?cp-documentid=3863709. Retrieved 2008-08-26. </ref> Wichita was also named most "Uniquely American" city by Newsmax Magazine.<ref>"Most Uniquely American Cities and Towns". Newsmax Magazine. 2008. http://www.newsmax.com/cities/wichita.html. Retrieved 2009-09-25. ^{[dead link]}</ref>

The Wichita Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA), which encompasses Sedgwick, Butler, Harvey, and Sumner counties, has a 2007 estimated population of 596,452 residing in 245,159 households, making it the 84th largest MSA in the United States.<ref>http://www.census.gov/popest/metro/tables/2008/CBSA-EST2008-01.csv</ref> The Wichita-Winfield Combined Statistical Area also includes Cowley County and has an estimated population of 630,703.

Contents 1 History 2 Geography 2.1 Climate 3 Cityscape 4 Demographics 4.1 Demographic history 4.2 Metropolitan area 5 Economy 6 Culture 6.1 Sports 6.2 In popular culture and the arts 7 Media 8 Education 8.1 Colleges and universities 8.2 Libraries 9 Transportation 10 Sister cities 11 See also 12 WSU Gallery 13 References 14 External links

[edit] History

The site on the two rivers has served as a trading center for nomadic peoples for 11,000 years. The area was visited by Francisco Vásquez de Coronado in 1541, while he was in search of the fabulous "cities of gold." While there, he encountered a group of Indians whom he called Quiviras and who have been identified by archeological and historical studies as Wichita Indians. By 1719 these people had moved south to Oklahoma, where they met French traders. The first permanent settlement in Wichita was a collection of grass houses inhabited by the Wichita Indians in 1863. They had moved back to Wichita from Oklahoma during the American Civil War because of their pro-Union sentiments.

The city was officially incorporated in 1870. Its position on the Chisholm Trail made it a destination for cattle drives headed north to access railroads to eastern markets. As a result, it became a railhead destination for cattle drives from Texas and other south-western points, from whence it has derived its nickname "Cowtown." It quickly gained a wild reputation, and had numerous well-known lawmen pass through, employed to help keep the rowdy cowboys in line. Among those was Wyatt Earp.

Following the incorporation of the city in 1870, rapid immigration resulted in a land boom involving speculation into the late 1880s. By 1890 Wichita had become the third largest city in the state (behind Kansas City and Topeka), with a population of nearly 24,000. After the boom the city suffered from 15 years of comparative depression and slow growth.

Wichita reached national fame in 1900 when Woman's Christian Temperance Union (WCTU) member Carrie Nation decided to carry her crusade against alcohol to Wichita. On December 27 of that year she entered the Carey House bar in downtown Wichita and smashed the place with a rock and a pool ball. She had visited all the bars in Wichita the night before and demanded that they close their doors. However, the painting by John Noble of Cleopatra at the Roman Bath in the Carey House had drawn her particular wrath.

In the 20th century, aircraft pioneers such as Clyde Cessna and Walter Beech began projects that led to Wichita's establishment as the "Air Capital of the World". The aircraft corporations Stearman, Cessna, Mooney and Beech were all founded in Wichita in the late 1920s and early 1930s.

In 1914-1915, oil was discovered nearby and Wichita became a major oil center. The money derived from oil allowed local entrepreneurs to invest in a nascent airplane industry. In 1917, the first plane, the Cessna Comet, was manufactured in Wichita. Forty-three Swallows, the first airplanes made specifically for production, were built in Wichita between 1920 and 1923. This industry, coinciding with Wichita becoming a test center for new aviation, established Wichita as the "Air Capital." Lloyd Stearman and Walter Beech were employees of the Swallow Airplane Company, but in January 1925 they left Swallow and teamed up with Clyde Cessna to form Travel Air. Stearman left the company in 1926 to start Stearman Aircraft in Venice, California, and Cessna quit in January 1927 to start Cessna. Stearman would only be gone from Wichita for a year before returning.

Travel Air, with Walter Beech at the helm, grew to over 600 employees and operated from a huge factory complex constructed from 1927 to 1929. Owing to employing so many workers at such a large complex and being a few miles outside the city limits, it was tagged "Travel Air City" by Wichita residents. The company merged with the huge Curtis Wright Corporation in the Roaring Twenties' heyday of company buyouts and takeovers just two months before the Stock Market crash in 1929. Workers were laid off by the hundreds during 1930 and more so in 1931. By the fall of 1932 all workers of Travel Air in Wichita were let go, the equipment was sold and the entire Travel Air plant sat empty.

In March 1932, Beech quit Curtis Wright to form Beech Aircraft with his wife Olive Ann and hired Ted Wells as his chief engineer. The first four or five "Beechcraft" were built in the vacant Cessna Aircraft plant which was also closed during the depression. Beech later leased and then bought the Travel Air plant from Curtis Wright and men, machinery, and an airplane or two were moved from the Cessna plant. The first aircraft was the Model 17, later dubbed the "Staggerwing", which was first flown on November 5, 1932. The aircraft that would propel the small company into a huge corporation was the Model 18 "Twin Beech", of which thousands were built from 1937 to 1969. The Staggerwing production ended in 1946 with approximately 750 built, and a few more were assembled from parts in 1947. The Staggerwing production was replaced by the Beechcraft Bonanza, although there are still nearly 100 Staggerwings in existence, most in usable condition.

In October 1932 orchestra leader Gage Brewer introduced the electric guitar to the world from Wichita using an instrument developed by what would later become known as the Rickenbacker Guitar Company.

The city experienced a population explosion during World War II when it became a major manufacturing center for airplanes needed in the war effort. By 1945, 4.2 bombers were being produced daily in Wichita. Stearman Aircraft, later purchased by the Boeing Company, was founded in Wichita, as were Beech Aircraft (now called Hawker Beechcraft), Cessna Aircraft, and LearJet (now Bombardier). The city remains a major manufacturing center for the aircraft industry today, with all of these and Airbus still having major centers there, hence its nickname: "Air Capital of the World.<ref>"Wichita, Kansas (KS) History: Kansas Heritage Group". www.kansastowns.us. http://www.kansastowns.us/wichist.html. Retrieved 2009-09-12. </ref>"

Wichita was also a significant entrepreneurial business center during the pre and post-war period, with Coleman, Mentholatum, Pizza Hut, White Castle, Taco Tico and Koch Industries having all been founded in Wichita. (Ironically, White Castle closed all of their restaurants in Wichita in 1938 and has not operated in the state of Kansas after a failed revival attempt in the Kansas City area in the early 1990s.) The entrepreneurial spirit of Wichita led to the creation of one of the first academic centers to study and support entrepreneurship at the Wichita State University Center for Entrepreneurship.

The Dockum Drug Store sit-in was one of the first organized lunch-counter sit-ins for the purpose of integrating segregated establishments in the United States. The protest began in July 1958 in Wichita at the Dockum Drug Store, a store in the old Rexall chain, in which protesters would sit at the counter all day until the store closed, ignoring taunts from counterprotesters. The sit-in ended three weeks later when the owner relented and agreed to serve black patrons, taking place 18 months before the more widely publicized Greensboro sit-ins in January 1960.<ref>Hevesi, Dennis. "Ronald Walters, Rights Leader and Scholar, Dies at 72", The New York Times, September 14, 2010.</ref> A 20-foot (6.1 m)-long bronze sculpture first announced in 1998 at a cost of $3 million marks the site of the successful sit-in, with a lunch counter and patrons depicting the protest.<ref>"Bronze Sculpture of Lunch Counter for Downtown Park is Tribute to Civil Rights Activists", The Wichita Eagle, February 4, 1998. Accessed September 15, 2010.</ref>

Recent history has seen increased development in downtown and to the east and west sides of Wichita. Sedgwick County voters recently^[when?] approved a sales tax raise to build a new arena downtown to replace the aging Kansas Coliseum, located north of the city. This is considered by some as a stepping stone to launch new development downtown.

[edit] Geography

Downtown Wichita is located at 37°41′20″N 97°20′10″W / 37.68889°N 97.33611°W / 37.68889; -97.33611 (37.688888, -97.336111) at an elevation of 1,299 feet (396 m).<ref name="GR1">"US Gazetteer files: 2000 and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2005-05-03. http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/gazette.html. Retrieved 2008-01-31. </ref> The city lies on the Arkansas River near the western edge of the Flint Hills in the Wellington-McPherson Lowlands region of the Great Plains.<ref name=EPA>"Ecoregions of Nebraska and Kansas". Environmental Protection Agency. 2001. ftp://ftp.epa.gov/wed/ecoregions/ks/ksne_front.pdf. Retrieved 2011-01-01. </ref> The broad, flat alluvial plain of the Arkansas River valley and the gently rolling slopes which rise to the higher lands on either side of the valley characterize the topography of the area.<ref>"Arkansas River and Wellington-McPherson Lowlands - Introduction". Kansas Geological Survey. 2005-05-03. http://www.kgs.ku.edu/Extension/lowlands/lowlands.html. Retrieved 2011-01-01. </ref><ref>"Sedgwick County Geohydrology - Geography". Kansas Geological Survey. Dec 1965. http://www.kgs.ku.edu/General/Geology/Sedgwick/geog01.html. Retrieved 2011-01-01. </ref>

The Arkansas flows windingly south-southeast through Wichita, roughly bisecting the city, and is joined along the way by several of its tributaries. The largest of these is the Little Arkansas River which enters the city from the north and flows south to its confluence with the Arkansas immediately west of downtown.<ref name=CityMap>"City of Wichita". Kansas Department of Transportation. June 2010. http://www.ksdot.org/burtransplan/maps/city-pdf/wichita.pdf. Retrieved 2011-01-01. </ref> Chisholm Creek, formed by the confluence of its West and Middle Forks in extreme north-central Wichita, flows south through the city, diverted for most of its length into a drainage canal between the lanes of Interstate 135.<ref name=CityMap/><ref name=USACE>"Wichita and Valley Center Local Protection Project". United States Army Corps of Engineers. http://www.swt.usace.army.mil/PROJECTS/civil/civil_projects.cfm?number=48. Retrieved 2011-01-01. </ref> The creek's East Fork flows south and west through far northeast Wichita, joining the creek just north of its diversion into the canal. Gypsum Creek and its tributary Dry Creek flow south then southwest through east Wichita, joining Chisholm Creek just north of its confluence with the Arkansas River in the south-central part of the city.<ref name=CityMap/> West of the river lies the Wichita-Valley Center Floodway, known locally as "The Big Ditch."<ref name=CityMap/><ref>"Storm Water Management". City of Wichita. http://www.wichita.gov/CityOffices/PublicWorks/StormWater/. Retrieved 2011-01-01. </ref> The Floodway splits from the river and flows south through west Wichita, then turns southeast, wrapping around the city's southern fringe, before emptying back into the river. Further west are Big Slough Creek and Cowskin Creek, two more tributaries of the Arkansas River which both run south through west Wichita and, at separate points, join the Floodway, then split off to continue along their courses toward the river. Fourmile Creek, a tributary of the Walnut River, flows south through the far eastern part of the city.<ref name=CityMap/>

Wichita is located in south-central Kansas at the intersection of Interstate 135 and U.S. Route 54. In addition, Interstate 35 enters the city from the south, then runs northeast along the city's southeastern fringe.<ref name=KDOT>"2003-2004 Official Transportation Map". Kansas Department of Transportation. 2003. http://www.ksdot.org/burtransplan/maps/HistoricStateMaps/2003-04Mapside.pdf. Retrieved 2011-01-01. </ref> Located in the Central United States, Wichita is approximately 157 miles (252 km) north of Oklahoma City, 181 miles (292 km) southwest of Kansas City, and 439 miles (706 km) east-southeast of Denver.<ref>"City Distance Tool". Geobytes. http://www.geobytes.com/citydistancetool.htm. Retrieved 2011-01-01. </ref>

As the core of the Wichita metropolitan area, the city is surrounded on all sides by suburbs. Bordering Wichita on the north are, from west to east, Valley Center, Park City, Kechi, and Bel Aire. Enclosed within east-central Wichita is Eastborough. Adjacent to the city's east side is Andover. McConnell Air Force Base lies immediately southeast of the city. To the south, from east to west, are Derby and Haysville. Goddard and Maize border Wichita to the west and northwest, respectively.<ref name=CountyMap>"General Highway Map - Sedgwick County, Kansas". Kansas Department of Transportation. June 2009. http://www.ksdot.org/burtransplan/maps/county-pdf/sedgwick.PDF. Retrieved 2011-01-01. </ref>

According to the United States Census Bureau, Wichita has a total area of 138.9 square miles (360 km²), 3.2 square miles (8.3 km²) of which is water.<ref name="GR2">"American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31. </ref>

[edit] Climate

Located on the Great Plains far from any large moderating influences such as mountains or large bodies of water, Wichita lies between a humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa) and a humid continental climate (Köppen Dfa) with hot, humid summers and cold, dry winters. Over the course of a year, the city experiences temperatures that range from an average low of 20 °F (−7 °C) in January to an average high of nearly 93 °F (34 °C) in July.<ref>"Climate in Wichita, Kansas". Rssweather.com. 2007-11-02. http://www.rssweather.com/climate/Kansas/Wichita/. Retrieved 2009-09-12. </ref> Temperatures reach 90 °F (32 °C) an average of 64 days per year and reach 100 °F (38 °C) an average of 14 days per year; conversely, temperatures fall below 0 °F (−17.8 °C) an average of 3.6 nights per year.<ref name = NCDC />

The area receives over 30 inches (760 mm) of precipitation during an average year. May and June receive the highest amount with a combined 21 days of measurable precipitation. During a typical year, the total amount of precipitation may be anywhere from 22 to 40 inches (560 to 1,000 mm). There are on average 88 days of measurable precipitation per year. Winter snowfall averages almost 17 inches (43 cm), but the median is less than 8 inches (20 cm). Measurable snowfall occurs an average of 11 days per year with at least an inch of snow being received on five of those days. Snow depth of at least an inch occurs an average of 18 days per year.<ref>"Snowfall - Average Total In Inches". Lwf.ncdc.noaa.gov. 2008-08-20. http://lwf.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/climate/online/ccd/snowfall.html. Retrieved 2009-09-12. </ref>

The area is vulnerable to severe weather with frequent thunderstorms occurring during the spring and summer months. These occasionally bring large hail as well as frequent lightning. Sometimes tornadoes occur. The outskirts of Wichita were affected during the Andover, Kansas Tornado Outbreak on April 26, 1991, which spawned an F5 tornado—the most violent of its kind. During the 1999 Oklahoma tornado outbreak, on May 3, 1999, an F4 tornado hit the town of Haysville, which then tracked north and hit the southwest edge of Wichita.<ref>"Kansas Tornado History - Historical Tornado Facts". Tornadochaser.com. http://www.tornadochaser.com/torhist3.htm. Retrieved 2009-09-12. </ref>

Climate data for Wichita, Kansas, USA
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Record high °F (°C)	75 (23.9)	87 (30.6)	92 (33.3)	98 (36.7)	100 (37.8)	110 (43.3)	113 (45)	114 (45.6)	108 (42.2)	97 (36.1)	86 (30)	83 (28.3)	114 (45.6)
Average high °F (°C)	40.1 (4.5)	47.2 (8.44)	57.3 (14.06)	66.9 (19.39)	76.0 (24.44)	87.1 (30.61)	92.9 (33.83)	91.6 (33.11)	82.2 (27.89)	70.2 (21.22)	54.5 (12.5)	43.1 (6.17)	67.4 (19.67)
Daily mean °F (°C)	30.2 (-1)	36.3 (2.39)	45.9 (7.72)	55.3 (12.94)	65.0 (18.33)	75.5 (24.17)	81.0 (27.22)	79.8 (26.56)	70.8 (21.56)	58.6 (14.78)	44.2 (6.78)	33.6 (0.89)	56.35 (13.528)
Average low °F (°C)	20.3 (-6.5)	25.3 (-3.72)	34.4 (1.33)	43.7 (6.5)	54.0 (12.22)	63.9 (17.72)	69.1 (20.61)	67.9 (19.94)	59.3 (15.17)	46.9 (8.28)	33.9 (1.06)	24.0 (-4.44)	45.2 (7.33)
Record low °F (°C)	-15 (-26.1)	-22 (-30)	-3 (-19.4)	15 (-9.4)	27 (-2.8)	43 (6.1)	51 (10.6)	45 (7.2)	31 (-0.6)	14 (-10)	1 (-17.2)	-16 (-26.7)	-22 (-30)
Precipitation inches (mm)	0.84 (21.3)	1.02 (25.9)	2.71 (68.8)	2.57 (65.3)	4.16 (105.7)	4.25 (108)	3.31 (84.1)	2.94 (74.7)	2.96 (75.2)	2.45 (62.2)	1.82 (46.2)	1.35 (34.3)	30.38 (771.7)
Snowfall inches (cm)	4.9 (12.4)	4.3 (10.9)	1.9 (4.8)	0.4 (1)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	1.7 (4.3)	3.4 (8.6)	16.7 (42.4)
Avg. precipitation days	5.4	5.4	8.1	8.5	11.2	9.7	7.2	7.6	7.2	6.4	5.8	5.7	88.2
Avg. snowy days	3.6	2.5	1.1	0.2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0.8	2.7	10.9
Sunshine hours	192.2	189.3	229.4	258.0	288.3	306.0	341.0	310.0	246.0	226.3	171.0	167.4	2,924.9
Source #1: NOAA (normals, 1971-2000)<ref name= NCDC > "Climatography of the United States No. 20 (1971–2000)" (PDF). National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. 2004. http://cdo.ncdc.noaa.gov/climatenormals/clim20/ks/148830.pdf. Retrieved 2010-03-13. </ref>
Source #2: HKO,<ref name= HKO > "Climatological Normals of Wichita". Hong Kong Observatory. http://www.weather.gov.hk/wxinfo/climat/world/eng/n_america/us/Wichita_e.htm. Retrieved 2010-06-07. </ref> The Weather Channel (records) <ref name= Weather.com > "Monthly Averages for Wichita, KS – Temperature and Precipitation". The Weather Channel. http://www.weather.com/outlook/homeandgarden/garden/wxclimatology/monthly/graph/USKS0620. Retrieved 2010-06-07. </ref>

[edit] Cityscape

Wichita has several recognized areas and neighborhoods. The downtown area is generally considered to be east of the Arkansas River, west of Washington Street, north of Kellogg and south of 13th Street. The downtown area contains landmarks such as Century II, the Garvey Center, and the Epic Center. Old Town is also part of downtown; this 2-3 square mile area is home to a cluster of night clubs, bars, restaurants, a movie theater, shops, and apartments and condominiums, many of which make use of historical warehouse-type spaces.

The two most notable residential areas of Wichita are Riverside and College Hill. Riverside is northwest of the downtown area, across the Arkansas River, and surrounds the 120-acre (0.49 km²) Riverside Park.<ref>City of Wichita - Park and Recreation Parks, Greenways, and Recreation Corridors</ref> College Hill is east of the downtown area, south of Wichita State University. College Hill is one of the more historic neighborhoods, along with Delano on the west side and Midtown in the north-central city.<ref>City of Wichita - Historic Preservation Main</ref>

The town of Eastborough, Kansas is east of College Hill, entirely engulfed by the city of Wichita.

Wichita is also home to two major shopping malls: Towne East Square and Towne West Square, on opposite ends of town, and each managed by Simon Property Group. Each mall is home to four anchor stores, and has more than 100 tenants apiece. The oldest mall, Wichita Mall, is largely a dead mall. There is also a large outdoor shopping center on the city's north-east and north west sides. Bradley Fair and NewMarket Square (respectively) are large outdoor malls with over 50 stores each spread out on several acres.

[edit] Demographics

Historical populations
Census	Pop.		%± <tr><td style="text-align:center">1870</td><td style="padding-left:8px">689</td><td></td><td style="padding-left:8px">—</td></tr><tr><td style="text-align:center">1880</td><td style="padding-left:8px">4,911</td><td></td><td style="padding-left:8px">612.8%</td></tr><tr><td style="text-align:center">1890</td><td style="padding-left:8px">23,853</td><td></td><td style="padding-left:8px">385.7%</td></tr><tr><td style="text-align:center">1900</td><td style="padding-left:8px">24,671</td><td></td><td style="padding-left:8px">3.4%</td></tr><tr><td style="text-align:center">1910</td><td style="padding-left:8px">52,450</td><td></td><td style="padding-left:8px">112.6%</td></tr><tr><td style="text-align:center">1920</td><td style="padding-left:8px">72,217</td><td></td><td style="padding-left:8px">37.7%</td></tr><tr><td style="text-align:center">1930</td><td style="padding-left:8px">111,110</td><td></td><td style="padding-left:8px">53.9%</td></tr><tr><td style="text-align:center">1940</td><td style="padding-left:8px">114,966</td><td></td><td style="padding-left:8px">3.5%</td></tr><tr><td style="text-align:center">1950</td><td style="padding-left:8px">168,279</td><td></td><td style="padding-left:8px">46.4%</td></tr><tr><td style="text-align:center">1960</td><td style="padding-left:8px">254,698</td><td></td><td style="padding-left:8px">51.4%</td></tr><tr><td style="text-align:center">1970</td><td style="padding-left:8px">276,554</td><td></td><td style="padding-left:8px">8.6%</td></tr><tr><td style="text-align:center">1980</td><td style="padding-left:8px">279,272</td><td></td><td style="padding-left:8px">1.0%</td></tr><tr><td style="text-align:center">1990</td><td style="padding-left:8px">304,011</td><td></td><td style="padding-left:8px">8.9%</td></tr><tr><td style="text-align:center">2000</td><td style="padding-left:8px">344,284</td><td></td><td style="padding-left:8px">13.2%</td></tr><tr><td style="text-align:center">Est. 2009</td><td style="padding-left:8px">372,186</td><td></td><td style="padding-left:8px">8.1%</td></tr><tr><td colspan=4 style="border-top:1px solid black; font-size:85%; text-align:left">U.S. Decennial Census</td></tr>

As of the 2000 United States Census, there were 344,284 people, 139,087 households, and 87,763 families residing in the city.<ref name="GR2">"American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31. </ref><ref>http://webs.wichita.edu/depttools/depttoolsmemberfiles/cedbr/citypopw.PDF</ref> The population density was 2,536.1/sq mi (979.2/km²). There were 152,119 housing units at an average density of 1,120.6/sq mi (432.7/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 75.20% White, 15.62% Black or African American, 3.96% Asian, 1.16% Native American, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 5.10% from other races, and 3.10% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 9.62% of the population.<ref>http://webs.wichita.edu/depttools/depttoolsmemberfiles/cedbr/Pop_Hisp_S.pdf</ref>

Of the 139,087 households, 32.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.3% were married couples living together, 11.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.9% were non-families. 31.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 3.10.

In the city the population was spread out, with 27.1% under the age of 18, 10.1% from 18 to 24, 30.7% from 25 to 44, 20.2% from 45 to 64, and 11.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females there were 97.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.6 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $39,939, and the median income for a family was $49,247. Males had a median income of $36,457 versus $25,844 for females. The per capita income for the city was $20,647. About 8.4% of families and 11.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.4% of those under age 18 and 7.6% of those age 65 or over.<ref>"BEA : BEARFACTS 1997–2007". Bea.gov. 2009-04-23. http://www.bea.gov/regional/bearfacts/action.cfm?FIPS=20173. Retrieved 2009-09-12. </ref>

According to the 2006-2008 American Community Survey, Wichita had a population of 359,306, of which 49.4% were males and 50.6% were females. The median age was 34.5. Approximately 73.2% of the population was 18 and over, and 11.7% were over 65 years of age. According to the survey, White Americans made up 73.5% of Wichita's population, of which 68.6% were non-Hispanic whites. Black Americans made up 10.9% of Wichita's population. Native Americans represented 0.7% of the population; Asian Americans formed 4.5% of the population. Multiracial Americans made up 4.1% of the populace. Hispanics and Latinos made up 12.2% of Wichita's population.<ref>http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/ADPTable?_bm=y&-geo_id=16000US2079000&-qr_name=ACS_2008_3YR_G00_DP3YR5&-ds_name=ACS_2008_3YR_G00_&-_lang=en&-_sse=on</ref>

[edit] Demographic history

The early 20th century saw a resurgence in growth from the nascent aircraft industry (see below) with the population increasing by 350% between 1900 and 1930. By 1920 Wichita had entered the top 100 largest cities in the United States and by 1930 reached 77th in rank. The depression of the 1930s again slowed growth, with total population only increasing by 3% between 1930 and 1940. The decades during and after World War II saw a growth spurt as the city's population increased by more than 120% between 1940 and 1960. Wichita had become the largest city in the state by 1950^{[citation needed]} and the 51st largest city in the country by 1960.<ref>"1960 Census of Population and Housing". United States Census Bureau. 1960. http://www.census.gov/prod/www/abs/decennial/1960.htm. Retrieved 2010-01-01. </ref>

The period between 1950 and 1970 saw a major shift in the city's racial make-up, as the proportion of blacks in the population increased significantly. Until 1950, blacks had made up about 5% of the population, with little variation. The black population increased from 8,082 (4.8%) in 1950 to 26,841 (9.7%) in 1970. Even as the white population has increased from 160,000 in 1950 to about 260,000 in 2000, the percentage of the population has dropped from 95% to 75%.^{[citation needed]}

During the 1970s, the city's population grew by only 1%, but the growth rate accelerated in the following two decades to more than 13% in the 1990s. The growth among minorities is still strong. The black population has grown by a more modest 14% per decade, but the proportion of other races, including indigenous Americans and immigrants from Asia and the Pacific Rim, has risen from 1% to over 10% of the population.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Metropolitan area

The Wichita Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses Sedgwick, Butler, Harvey, and Sumner counties, has an estimated population of 596,452 residing in 245,159 households, making it the 84th largest MSA in the United States. The Wichita-Winfield Combined Statistical Area also includes Cowley County, and has an estimated population of 630,703. Nearby Reno County is not a part of the Wichita MSA or CSA, but the Census reported a population estimate of 63,832 in Reno County in 2003.<ref>"Reno County, Kansas detailed profile - houses, real estate, cost of living, wages, work, agriculture, ancestries, and more". City-data.com. http://www.city-data.com/county/Reno_County-KS.html. Retrieved 2009-09-12. </ref>

[edit] Economy

Wichita's principal industrial sector is manufacturing, which accounted for 21.6 percent of area employment in 2003. Aircraft manufacturing has long dominated the local economy, and plays such an important role that it has the ability to influence the economic health of the entire region; the state offers tax breaks and other incentives to aircraft manufacturers.<ref>"Hawker Beechcraft secures $40 million incentive package to remain in Wichita". http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2010/12/22/351204/hawker-beechcraft-secures-40-million-incentive-package-to-remain-in.html. Retrieved 2011-01-02. </ref> In the early 2000s a national and international recession combined with the after effects of the terrorist attacks on September 11 to depress the aviation sub-sector in and around Wichita. Orders for new aircraft plummeted, prompting Wichita's five largest aircraft manufacturers—Boeing Co., Cessna Aircraft Co., Bombardier Learjet Inc., Hawker Beechcraft and Raytheon Aircraft Co.—to slash a combined 15,000 jobs between 2001 and 2004. In response, these companies began developing small- and mid-sized airplanes to appeal to business and corporate users.<ref name="wichitakansas.org">http://www.wichitakansas.org/</ref>

Healthcare is Wichita's second-largest industry, employing approximately 28,000 people in the local area. Since health-care needs remain fairly consistent regardless of the economy, this field was not subject to the same pressures that affected other industries in the early 2000s. The Kansas Spine Hospital opened in 2004, as did a critical care tower at Wesley Medical Center.<ref name="wichitakansas.org"/> In July 2010, Via Christi Health, which is the largest provider of health care services in Kansas, is ready to open a hospital that will serve the northwest area of Wichita. Via Christi Hospital on St. Teresa will be the system's fifth hospital to serve the Wichita community.<ref>"Hospital ready for visitors", Wichita Eagle and Kansas.com, July 18, 2010.</ref>

Bombardier Learjet, Cessna, and Hawker Beechcraft are based in Wichita, along with Spirit AeroSystems, and both Airbus and Boeing maintain a large work force in Wichita.<ref>"Wichita Kansas Businesses Directory: manufacturing". Wichitalinks.com. http://www.wichitalinks.com/business_dir05a.html. Retrieved 2009-09-12. </ref>

The Coleman Company, a company that produces camping supplies, is based in Wichita.

Wichita is home to the headquarters of Koch Industries, the second largest privately held company in the United States.

Renewable energy company Alternative Energy Solutions is based in Wichita.

Chance Morgan, a manufacturer of roller coasters, is based in Wichita.

Prior to its dissolution Air Midwest, a regional airline, was headquartered in Wichita.<ref>"uipl_3002c2a3.html." United States Department of Labor. Retrieved on May 26, 2009.</ref>

The following is a summary of data regarding the Wichita metropolitan area labor force, 2004 annual average:

• Size of nonagricultural labor force: 282,800

Number of workers employed in:

• construction and mining: 16,100
• manufacturing: 58,400
• trade, transportation and utilities: 49,500
• information: 6,100
• financial activities: 12,200
• professional and business services: 26,300
• educational and health services: 38,400
• leisure and hospitality: 25,200
• other services: 12,100
• government: 38,500

Average hourly earnings of production workers employed in manufacturing: $19.45 (2004)

Unemployment rate: 6.3% (February 2005)<ref>http://www.city-data.com/us-cities/The-Midwest/Wichita-Economy.html</ref>

[edit] Culture

The City of Wichita is a cultural center for Kansas, home to several art and history museums and performing arts groups. The Music Theatre of Wichita and Wichita Symphony Orchestra perform regularly at the Century II Convention Hall downtown. The Orpheum Theatre, built in 1922, serves as a downtown venue for smaller shows.

Intrust Bank Arena features 22 suites, 2 party suites, 40 loge boxes and over 300 premium seats with a total potential capacity of over 15,000.<ref>www.intrustbankarena.com/general.asp?id=178</ref> This arena in the middle of Wichita opened in January 2010.<ref>Intrust Bank Arena Announces Grand Opening Activities</ref>

The Tallgrass Film Festival was founded in Wichita by the late Timothy Gruver in 2003. The festival draws an estimated 100 independent feature and short films from all over the world for three days each October. MPAA president Dan Glickman and legendary actor Seymour Cassel have attended.

Small art galleries are scattered around the city with some clustered in the districts of Old Town, Delano and south Commerce street. These galleries started the Final Friday Gallery crawl event, where visitors tour attractions for free in the evening on the last Friday of each month. Larger museums began participating and staying open late on Final Fridays shortly after its beginning.

The Wichita Art Museum is the largest art museum in the state of Kansas,<ref>"Wichita Art Museum Visitor Information". Wichitaartmuseum.org. http://wichitaartmuseum.org/visitorInfo.html. Retrieved 2009-09-12. </ref> and contains 7,000 works in permanent collections. This museum is a hub of the city's museums along the Arkansas River: the Mid-America All-Indian Center, Old Cowtown living history museum, Exploration Place science and discovery center, The Keeper of the Plains statue, and Botanica, The Wichita Gardens. Botanica boasts 24 themed gardens including the popular Butterfly Garden and the award-winning Sally Stone Sensory Garden.

The Sedgwick County Zoo[1] in the northwest part of Wichita is the most popular outdoor tourist attraction in the state of Kansas, and is home to more than 2,500 animals representing 500 different species.<ref>"Wichita Kansas Attractions". Wichitalinks.com. http://www.wichitalinks.com/attractions.html. Retrieved 2009-09-12. </ref> The zoo is next to Sedgwick county park and Sedgwick County Extension Arboretum.

The Wichita-Sedgwick County Historical Museum[2] in downtown Wichita occupies the original Wichita city hall, built in 1892. The museum contains artifacts that tell the story of Wichita and Sedgwick County starting from 1865 and continuing to the present day.

Slightly east of downtown, Old Town was transformed in the early 1990s from an old warehouse district to a mixed-zone neighborhood with residential space, nightclubs, restaurants, hotels and museums, including the Great Plains Transportation Museum and Museum of World Treasures.

The Coleman Factory Outlet and Museum on 235 N St. Francis street is the home of the Coleman Lantern and offers free admission [3].

Moody's Skidrow Beanery, 625 E. Douglas in what was to become Old Town, was one of the more famous places in Wichita in the 1960s. It was the scene of a nationally followed First Amendment struggle [4] and was visited by Allen Ginsberg in 1966 (the name had been changed to the Magic Theatre Vortex Art Gallery) where he first read his long poem "Wichita Vortex Sutra."

The Ulrich Museum of Art and Lowell D. Holmes Museum of Anthropology are part of Wichita State University.

There is also The Kansas Aviation Museum in the Terminal and Administration building of the former Municipal Airport in South Wichita tucked away near Boeing and McConnell Air Force Base

The Wichita River Festival is held each May in the Downtown and Old Town areas of the city. It is one of the longest continuous running festivals in the state of Kansas and features over 70 events, including musical entertainment, sporting events, traveling exhibits, cultural and historical activities, plays, interactive children's events, a flea market, river events, a parade, block parties, a food court, fireworks and souvenirs for the roughly 370,000+ patrons who attend each year.<ref>River Festival estimates record attendance - Wichita Business Journal</ref>

The River Run, a 10 km race held on the first Saturday of the festival, is the largest road race in Kansas.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Sports

Sports teams in Wichita are:

• ICT Roller Girls, Roller Derby
• Friends University Falcons: Football, Volleyball, Soccer, Cross Country, Basketball, Tennis, Track and Field, and Golf
• Newman Jets:Baseball, Basketball, Bowling, Cross Country, Golf, Soccer, Tennis, Wrestling, Volleyball, Cheer/Dance
• Wichita Wingnuts, Baseball
• Wichita Thunder, ice hockey
• Wichita Wild, Indoor Football
• Wichita Barbarians, Rugby Union
• Wichita World 11, Cricket
• Wichita State Shockers men's basketball, Division I College Basketball
• Wichita State Shockers Baseball, Division I College Baseball
• Wichita State Shockers Athletics, Other WSU Sports including Nationally Ranked Volleyball, Track and Field, Tennis, Women's Basketball, and more.

[edit] In popular culture and the arts

Wichita is mentioned in the song, "Seven Nation Army", by The White Stripes. Wichita is mentioned in the Negro spiritual, "Brother, Why Are You Here" by local musician Jerry Hahn. Philip Glass uses Wichita in the title of "Wichita Sutra Vortex," a solo piano piece.

There is a character who used the pseudonym Wichita in the Film Zombieland.

Glen Campbell's "Wichita Lineman," written by Jimmy Webb, peaked at #1 on Billboard's country singles chart and at #3 on the pop chart in 1968.

[edit] Media

The Wichita Eagle, which began publication in 1872, is the city's major daily newspaper.<ref>"Wichita Eagle". Mondo Times. http://www.mondotimes.com/1/world/us/16/949/2445. Retrieved 2011-01-15. </ref> With a daily circulation exceeding 70,000, it has the highest circulation of any newspaper published in Kansas.<ref>"Highest Circulation Kansas Newspapers". Mondo Newspapers. http://www.mondonewspapers.com/usa/circulation/kansas.html. Retrieved 2011-01-15. </ref> The Wichita Business Journal is a weekly newspaper that covers local business events and developments.<ref>"Wichita Business Journal". Mondo Times. http://www.mondotimes.com/1/world/us/16/949/2443. Retrieved 2011-01-15. </ref> Several other newspapers and magazines, including lifestyle and neighborhood publications aimed at various segments of the local population, are also published in the city.<ref>"Wichita Kansas Newspapers". Mondo Newspapers. http://www.mondotimes.com/1/world/us/16/949/2443. Retrieved 2011-01-15. </ref>

Six AM and more than a dozen FM radio stations are licensed to or broadcast from Wichita.<ref>"Radio Stations in Wichita, Kansas". Radio-Locator. http://www.radio-locator.com/cgi-bin/locate?select=city&city=Wichita&x=0&y=0&sid=. Retrieved 2011-01-09. </ref>

Wichita is the principal city of the Wichita-Hutchinson, Kansas television market which consists of the western two-thirds of the state.<ref>"TV Market Maps - Kansas". EchoStar Knowledge Base. http://dishuser.org/TVMarkets/Maps/kansas.gif. Retrieved 2011-01-09. </ref> All of the market's network affiliates broadcast from Wichita with the ABC, CBS, Fox, and NBC affiliates serving the wider market through state networks of satellite and translator stations.<ref>"Contact Us". KAKE. http://www.kake.com/station/misc/7013297.html. Retrieved 2011-01-09. </ref><ref>"About Us - kwch.com". KWCH. http://www.kwch.com/about/kwch-about-us,0,4740020.story. Retrieved 2011-01-09. </ref><ref>"About KSCW". KSCW. http://www.kansascw.com/kscw/about/kscw_about_us,0,4618522.story. Retrieved 2011-01-09. </ref><ref>"Contact Us - Fox Kansas". KSAS. http://www.foxkansas.com/content/about_us/contact_us/default.aspx. Retrieved 2011-01-09. </ref><ref>"Contact Us - myTVwichita". KMTW. http://www.mytvwichita.com/content/about_us/contact_us/default.aspx. Retrieved 2011-01-09. </ref><ref>"Contact Us - KSN TV". KSN. http://www.ksn.com/content/about/contact.aspx. Retrieved 2011-01-09. </ref> The city also hosts a PBS member station, a Univision affiliate, and several low-power stations.<ref>"Contact Us". KPTS. http://www.kpts.org/contact.php. Retrieved 2011-01-09. </ref><ref>"Wichita-Hutchinson Television Stations". Station Index. http://www.stationindex.com/tv/markets/Wichita-Hutchinson. Retrieved 2011-01-09. </ref> Cable television service for Wichita and the surrounding area is provided by Cox Communications and AT&T.<ref>"Telephone & Utilities". Wichita Metro Chamber of Commerce. http://www.wichitakansas.org/experience_wichita-moving_here-telephone_utilities.php. Retrieved 2011-01-09. </ref>

[edit] Education

The majority of Wichita's students are served by Wichita Public Schools (USD 259), although portions of Wichita are served by the Andover (USD 385), Derby (USD 260), Haysville (USD 261), Maize (USD 266), Valley Center (USD 262), Goddard (USD 265) and Circle (USD 375) school districts. The largest private schools are Bishop Carroll Catholic High School, The Independent School, Kapaun Mt. Carmel High School, Trinity Academy and Wichita Collegiate School. Classical education is offered at the Classical School of Wichita.

[edit] Colleges and universities

Wichita is home to three universities: Wichita State University, Friends University and Newman University. There are also several community and technical colleges with a presence in Wichita. Wichita Area Technical College works with the National Institute for Aviation Research at WSU to help provide skilled workers for the many aircraft manufacturers in the area. In August 2010, a new National Center for Aviation Training will begin training students at its facility at Col. James Jabara Airport in north-east Wichita. .<ref>"New aviation training center prepares for classes to start", Wichita Eagle and Kansas.com, July 30, 2010.</ref>

• Bethel College (in North Newton Kansas)
• Butler Community College (formerly Butler County Community College)
• Cowley County Community College
• Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
• Friends University
• Heritage College
• ITT Technical Institute
• Newman University
• Southwestern College - (in Winfield, Kansas)
• Tabor College
• University of Kansas School of Medicine - Wichita
• University of Phoenix-Wichita Campus
• Vatterott College
• Wichita Area Technical College
• Wichita State University
• Wichita Technical Institute
• Webster University

[edit] Libraries

In 1915, a Carnegie Library opened in downtown Wichita. News reports of the time said this event brought the city in the "intellectual zone of civilization." The building went out of use as a library in 1967 and is now owned by Fidelity Bank, which restored the building and was recently awarded a Kansas Preservation Alliance Award for Excellence in Rehabilitation.<ref>"Brothers' preservation efforts bring honor to Wichita Carnegie Library", Wichita Eagle and Kansas.com, July 26, 2010.</ref>

• Wichita Public Library
• Wichita State University Library System

[edit] Transportation

Several federal and state highways pass through Wichita. Interstate 35, as the Kansas Turnpike, enters the city from the south and turns northeast, running along the city's southeastern edge and exiting through the eastern part of the city. Interstate 135 runs generally north-south through the city, its southern terminus lying at its interchange with I-35 in south-central Wichita. Interstate 235, a bypass route, passes through north-central, west, and south-central Wichita, traveling around the central parts of the city. Both its northern and southern termini are interchanges with I-135. U.S. Route 54 and U.S. Route 400 run concurrently through Wichita as Kellogg Avenue, the city's primary east-west artery, with interchanges, from west to east, with I-235, I-135, and I-35. U.S. Route 81, a north-south route, enters Wichita from the south as Broadway, turns east as 47th Street South for approximately half a mile, and then runs concurrently north with I-135 through the rest of the city. K-96, an east-west route, enters the city from the northwest, runs concurrently with I-135 through north-central Wichita, turns south for approximately a mile, running concurrently with I-135 before splitting off to the east and traveling around northeast Wichita, ultimately terminating at an interchange with U.S. 54/U.S. 400 in the eastern part of the city. K-254 begins at I-235's interchange with I-135 in north-central Wichita and exits the city to the northeast. K-15, a north-south route, enters the city from the south and joins I-135 and U.S. 81 in south-central Wichita, running concurrently with them through the rest of the city. K-42 enters the city from the southwest and terminates at its interchange with U.S. 54/U.S. 400 in west-central Wichita.<ref name=CityMap/>

Wichita Transit operates 53 buses on 18 fixed bus routes within the city. The organization reports over 2 million trips per year (5,400 trips per day) on its fixed routes. Wichita Transit also operates a demand response paratransit service with 320,800 passenger trips annually.<ref>"Wichita Transit". City of Wichita. http://www.wichita.gov/CityOffices/Transit/. Retrieved 2011-01-08. </ref> A 2005 study ranked Wichita near the bottom of the fifty largest American cities in terms of percentage of commuters using public transit. Only 0.5% used it to get to or from work.<ref>Christie, Les. "New Yorkers are top transit users". CNNmoney.com. http://money.cnn.com/2007/06/13/real_estate/public_transit_commutes/index.htm. Retrieved 2007-06-29. </ref> Greyhound Lines provides intercity bus service with a station in Wichita.<ref>"Locations : States : Kansas". Greyhound Lines. http://www.greyhound.com/en/locations/locations.aspx?state=ks. Retrieved 2011-01-08. </ref>

The Wichita Airport Authority manages the city's two main public airports, Wichita Mid-Continent Airport and Colonel James Jabara Airport.<ref name=WAA>"Mid-Continent Airport History". Wichita Airport Authority. http://www.flywichita.com/MCA-history.php. Retrieved 2011-01-09. </ref> Located in the western part of the city, Mid-Continent Airport is the city's primary airport as well as the largest airport in the state of Kansas.<ref name=CityMap/><ref name=WAA/> Ten commercial airlines serve Mid-Continent with daily flights to several U.S. airline hubs.<ref>"Airline Information". Wichita Airport Authority. http://www.flywichita.com/airline-information.php. Retrieved 2011-01-09. </ref> Wichita Transit provides hourly daytime bus service to and from the airport six days a week.<ref>"Wichita Transit - Westside Connectior". City of Wichita. http://www.wichita.gov/NR/rdonlyres/ADAA7C18-0559-4960-BF0D-469E46E8575F/0/WestsideConnectorREVISED41510.pdf. Retrieved 2011-01-09. </ref> Jabara Airport is a general aviation facility located on the city's northeast side.<ref>"KAAO - Colonel James Jabara Airport". AirNav.com. http://www.airnav.com/airport/KAAO. Retrieved 2011-01-09. </ref> In addition, there are several privately-owned airports located throughout the city. Cessna Aircraft Field and Beech Factory Airport, operated by manufacturers Cessna and Hawker Beechcraft, respectively, lie in east Wichita.<ref>"KCEA - Cessna Aircraft Field Airport". AirNav.com. http://www.airnav.com/airport/KCEA. Retrieved 2011-01-09. </ref><ref>"KBEC - Beech Factory Airport". AirNav.com. http://www.airnav.com/airport/KBEC. Retrieved 2011-01-09. </ref> Two smaller airports, Riverside Airport and Westport Airport, are located in west Wichita.<ref>"K32 - Riverside Airport". AirNav.com. http://www.airnav.com/airport/K32. Retrieved 2011-01-09. </ref><ref>"71K - Westport Airport". AirNav.com. http://www.airnav.com/airport/71K. Retrieved 2011-01-09. </ref>

Two Class I railroads, BNSF Railway and Union Pacific Railroad (UP), have lines which pass through Wichita.<ref name=Metro>"Getting Around the Metro Area". Wichita Metro Chamber of Commerce. http://www.wichitakansas.org/economic_development-wichita_metro_profile-transportation.php. Retrieved 2010-01-09. </ref> UP's OKT Line runs generally north-south through the city; north of downtown, the line consists of trackage leased to BNSF.<ref name=CityMap/><ref>"UPRR Common Line Names". Union Pacific Railroad. http://www.uprr.com/aboutup/maps/graphics/upcomnam2.gif. Retrieved 2011-01-09. </ref> An additional UP line enters the city from the northeast and terminates downtown.<ref name=CityMap/> BNSF's main line through the city enters from the north, passes through downtown, and exits to the southeast, paralleling highway K-15.<ref name=CityMap/><ref>"Kansas Operating Division". BNSF Railway. 2009-04-01. http://www.bnsf.com/customers/pdf/maps/div_ks.pdf. Retrieved 2011-01-09. </ref> The Wichita Terminal Association, a joint operation between BNSF and UP, provides switching service on three miles (5 km) of track downtown.<ref>"Rail Plan 2005-2006". Kansas Department of Transportation. pp. 66-67. http://www.ksdot.org/burrail/rail/publications/ksrailpln06.pdf. Retrieved 2011-01-09. </ref> In addition, two lines of the Kansas and Oklahoma Railroad enter the city, one from the northwest and the other from the southwest, both terminating at their junction in west-central Wichita.<ref name=CityMap/>

Wichita has not had passenger rail service since 1979.<ref>Wistrom, Brent (2010-01-11). "Proposed Amtrak line would mean millions for Wichita". USA Today. http://www.usatoday.com/travel/destinations/2010-01-11-amtrak-northern-flyer-wichita_N.htm. Retrieved 2011-01-09. </ref> The nearest Amtrak station is in Newton 25 miles (40 km) north, offering service on the Southwest Chief line between Los Angeles and Chicago.<ref name=Metro/> However, since 2008, Amtrak and the Kansas Department of Transportation have cooperated in studying the feasibility of restoring service via route options between Oklahoma City and Newton or Kansas City.<ref>"Passenger Rail". Kansas Department of Transportation. http://www.ksdot.org/passrail/. Retrieved 2011-01-09. </ref><ref>Hertneky, Dana (2010-09-02). "Kansas rail service expansion still on track". KSN. http://www.ksn.com/news/local/story/Kansas-rail-service-expansion-still-on-track/8Gy_KRwDO0Scdof0VcRi3Q.cspx. Retrieved 2011-01-09. </ref>

[edit] Sister cities

• 22x20px Cancún, Mexico - 25 November 1975
• 22x20px Kaifeng, China - 3 December 1985
• 22x20px Orléans, France - 16 August 1944 through Sister Cities International
• 22x20px Zacatecas, Mexico - 16 October 1973
• 22x20px Omaha, United States - 8 August 1993

[edit] See also

• List of people from Wichita, Kansas

Information on this and other cities in Kansas

• List of cities in Kansas
• Kansas locations by per capita income

Other information for Kansas

• List of counties in Kansas
• List of unified school districts in Kansas
• List of colleges and universities in Kansas

Historical

• Abilene Trail
• Chisholm Trail

[edit] WSU Gallery

Low shot 2 R.jpg Kansas Aviation Museum, formerly Wichita Municipal Airport from 1935 to 1951

KAM snow 1200.jpg Kansas Aviation Museum

Sedgwick county kansas courthouse 2009.jpg Old Sedgwick County Courthouse

Wichita, Kansas.JPG Charles Koch Arena at Wichita State University, is home to the Wichita State Shockers

[edit] References

[edit] External links

40x40px

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Wichita, Kansas

• City website
• Wichita Metro Chamber of Commerce
• Greater Wichita Convention & Visitors Bureau
• Cyberguide to Wichita Kansas
• Wichita Mid-Continent Airport
• Local Business Directory
• The Wichita Eagle, local daily newspaper
• Local Historic Neighborhood Newspaper

Additional information

• City of Wichita-History
• Wichita Photo Archives at WSU
• Wichita-Sedgwick County Historical Museum
• Wichita Area Sister Cities
• Vatterott College Wichita Campus

v · d · eMunicipalities and communities of Sedgwick County, Kansas County seat: Wichita Cities Andale | Andover‡ | Bel Aire | Bentley | Cheney | Clearwater | Colwich | Derby | Eastborough | Garden Plain | Goddard | Haysville | Kechi | Maize | Mount Hope | Mulvane‡ | Park City | Sedgwick‡ | Valley Center | Viola | Wichita Map of Kansas highlighting Sedgwick County CDP Oaklawn-Sunview Unincorporated communities Anness | Bayneville | Bellaire | Berwet | Clonmel | Furley | Greenwich | Greenwich Heights | Murray Gill | Peck | Prospect | St. Marks | St. Mary Aleppo | St. Paul | Schulte | Sunnydale | Waco | Wego Townships Afton | Attica | Delano | Eagle | Erie | Garden Plain | Grand River | Grant | Greeley | Gypsum | Illinois | Kechi | Lincoln | Minneha | Morton | Ninnescah | Ohio | Park | Payne | Riverside | Rockford | Salem | Sherman | Union | Valley Center | Viola | Waco Footnotes ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties

v · d · e23x16px State of Kansas Topeka (capital) Topics History · Governors · Delegations · Education · Landmarks · People · Places · Geography · Demographics · Economy · Visitor Attractions Regions Cherokee Strip · Cross Timbers · Dissected Till Plains · East Central · Four State Area · Flint Hills · High Plains · North Central · Osage Plains · The Ozarks · Red Hills · Santa Fe Trail Region · Smoky Hills · Southeast Largest cities Derby · Dodge City · Emporia · Garden City · Hays · Hutchinson · Kansas City · Lawrence · Leavenworth · Leawood · Lenexa · Liberal · Manhattan · Olathe · Overland Park · Prairie Village · Salina · Shawnee · Topeka · Wichita Counties Allen · Anderson · Atchison · Barber · Barton · Bourbon · Brown · Butler · Chase · Chautauqua · Cherokee · Cheyenne · Clark · Clay · Cloud · Coffey · Comanche · Cowley · Crawford · Decatur · Dickinson · Doniphan · Douglas · Edwards · Elk · Ellis · Ellsworth · Finney · Ford · Franklin · Geary · Gove · Graham · Grant · Gray · Greeley · Greenwood · Hamilton · Harper · Harvey · Haskell · Hodgeman · Jackson · Jefferson · Jewell · Johnson · Kearny · Kingman · Kiowa · Labette · Lane · Leavenworth · Lincoln · Linn · Logan · Lyon · Marion · Marshall · McPherson · Meade · Miami · Mitchell · Montgomery · Morris · Morton · Nemaha · Neosho · Ness · Norton · Osage · Osborne · Ottawa · Pawnee · Phillips · Pottawatomie · Pratt · Rawlins · Reno · Republic · Rice · Riley · Rooks · Rush · Russell · Saline · Scott · Sedgwick · Seward · Shawnee · Sheridan · Sherman · Smith · Stafford · Stanton · Stevens · Sumner · Thomas · Trego · Wabaunsee · Wallace · Washington · Wichita · Wilson · Woodson · Wyandotte </div></div></td></tr></table></td></tr></table>ast:Wichita zh-min-nan:Wichita, Kansas bg:Уичита ca:Wichita (Kansas) da:Wichita de:Wichita (Kansas) et:Wichita es:Wichita (Kansas) eo:Wichita (Kansaso) eu:Wichita fa:ویچیتا fo:Wichita fr:Wichita gd:Wichita ko:위치토 hsb:Wichita io:Wichita, Kansas id:Wichita, Kansas ia:Wichita, Kansas it:Wichita he:ויצ'יטה pam:Wichita, Kansas ka:უიჩიტა (კანზასი) sw:Wichita, Kansas ht:Wichita, Kansas lt:Vičita hu:Wichita mk:Вичита (Канзас) mr:विचिटा, कॅन्सस nl:Wichita (Kansas) ja:ウィチタ no:Wichita pl:Wichita pt:Wichita (Kansas) ro:Wichita, Kansas ru:Уичита simple:Wichita, Kansas sk:Wichita sr:Вичита fi:Wichita sv:Wichita, Kansas tl:Wichita, Kansas th:วิชิทอ tr:Wichita, Kansas uk:Вічита vi:Wichita, Kansas vo:Wichita war:Wichita, Kansas zh:威奇托 (堪萨斯州)