Wichita, Kansas

Wichita (pronounced /ˈwɪtʃɨtɔː/), also known as the Air Capital of the World, is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kansas, as well as a major aircraft manufacturing hub and cultural center. In July of 2006, CNN/Money and Money magazine ranked Wichita ninth on its list of the 10 best big cities to live in the United States. The city is home to six major aircraft manufacturing companies and McConnell Air Force Base. Wichita is located in South Central Kansas on the Arkansas River, and is the county seat of Sedgwick County. It is also the home of a National Weather Service Forecast Office which serves portions of central, south-central, and southeast Kansas.

The city's population was 344,284 at the 2000 census, and it was estimated to be 357,698 in the year 2006,^[3] making it the 50th largest in the United States. The Wichita Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA), which encompasses Sedgwick, Butler, Harvey, and Sumner counties, has a 2007 estimated population of 596,452 persons 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.

[edit] Geography

Wichita is located at 37°41′20″N, 97°20′10″W (37.688848, -97.336226).^[4]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 138.9 square miles and 3.2 sq mi (8.2 km²), or 2.29%, is water.^[1]

[edit] Climate

Wichita has a humid continental climate (Koppen Dfa) with hot, humid summers and cool to cold, dry winters. Over the course of a year, temperatures range from an average low of about 20°F (-8°C) in January to an average high of nearly 93°F (34°C) in July. The maximum temperature reaches 90°F (32°C) an average of 64 days per year and reaches 100°F (38°C) an average of 14 days per year. The minimum temperature falls below 32°F (0°C) an average of 108 days per year. Typically the first fall freeze occurs between the second week of October and mid-November, and the last spring freeze occurs between the end of March and the final week of April.

The area receives over 30 inches (760 mm) of precipitation during an average year with the largest share being received in May and June—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 1,020 mm). There are on average 88 days of measurable precipitation per year. Winter snowfall averages almost 17 inches (44 cm), but the median is less than 8 inches (25 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.

The area is vulnerable to severe weather, with often violent thunderstorms occurring mainly during the spring and summer months of March-June. 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, tracking then north and hitting the southwest edge of Wichita.

*Source*: Monthly Station Climate Summaries, 1971-2000, U.S. National Climatic Data Center
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Temperatures (°F)
Mean high	40.1	47.2	57.3	66.9	76.0	87.1	92.9	91.6	82.2	70.2	54.5	43.1	67.4
Mean low	20.3	25.3	34.4	43.7	54.0	63.9	69.1	67.9	59.3	46.9	33.9	24.0	45.2
Highest recorded	75 (1967)	87 (1996)	89 (1989)	96 (1972)	100 (1996)	110 (1980)	113 (1954)	110 (1984)	108 (2000)	95 (1979)	85 (1980)	83 (1955)	113 (1954)
Lowest recorded	−21 (1982)	−21 (1982)	−2 (1960)	15 (1975)	31 (1976)	43 (1969)	51 (1975)	48 (1967)	31 (1984)	18 (1993)	1 (1975)	−16 (1989)	−21 (1982)
Precipitation (inches)
Median	0.63	0.62	2.13	2.32	3.25	3.72	3.76	2.16	2.09	1.95	1.81	1.01	29.62
Mean number of 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
Highest monthly	2.73 (1973)	3.33 (1987)	9.17 (1973)	6.02 (1999)	9.62 (1993)	8.90 (1995)	6.65 (1971)	7.69 (1987)	10.69 (1999)	9.42 (1998)	4.91 (1992)	4.71 (1984)
Snowfall (inches)
Median	2.8	2.2	0.2	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.3	2.2	7.7
Mean number of days	3.6	2.5	1.1	0.2	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.1	0.8	2.7	11.0
Highest monthly	19.7 (1987)	16.7 (1971)	13.6 (1998)	4.6 (1979)	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	1.5 (1991)	7.1 (1972)	13.8 (1983)
Notes: Temperatures are in degrees Fahrenheit. Precipitation includes rain and melted snow or sleet in inches; median values are provided for precipitation and snowfall because mean averages may be misleading. Mean and median values are for the 30-year period 1971–2000; temperature extremes are for the station's period of record (1954–2001). The station is located at Wichita Mid-Continent Airport at 37°39′N 97°26′W, elevation 1,321 feet (401 m).

[edit] Demographics

Historical populations
Census	Pop.	%±
1880	4,911	—
1890	23,853	385.7%
1900	24,671	3.4%
1910	52,450	112.6%
1920	72,217	37.7%
1930	111,110	53.9%
1940	114,966	3.5%
1950	168,279	46.4%
1960	254,698	51.4%
1970	276,554	8.6%
1980	279,272	1.0%
1990	304,011	8.9%
2000	344,284	13.2%

Wichita's population was estimated to be 357,698 in the year 2006, an increase of 6188, or +1.8%, over the previous six years.^[3] In 2007 the Wichita Metropolitan Statistical Area had an estimated population of 596,492.

[edit] Census of 2000

As of the U.S. Census in 2000,^[1] there were 344,284 people, 139,087 households, and 87,763 families residing in the city. 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, 11.42% 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.

There were 139,087 households out of which 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.

[edit] Historical trends

The City of Wichita's logo.

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

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 brought slow 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 and the 51st largest city in the country by 1960.

The period between 1950 and 1970 saw a major shift in the city's racial makeup, 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, a 230% increase. This also marked the beginning of the decline of the white majority. 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%.

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

[edit] Transportation

Most residents of Wichita travel around the region by car. The Kansas Turnpike (Interstate 35), Interstates 135 and 235, U.S. Route 54/400, and K-96 run through and near the city. Currently the idea of a Northwest Corridor is under discussion, to run from K-96 south from Maize to US-54/400.

The Wichita Transit Authority operates 51 buses on 18 fixed bus routes within the city.^[5]

The nearest Amtrak station is in Newton (20 miles/32 km to the north), offering service on the Southwest Chief route between Los Angeles and Chicago.

Wichita is home to Wichita Mid-Continent Airport, the largest airport in the state of Kansas (the larger Kansas City International Airport is in Missouri). Flights from Wichita's airport travel to many U.S. airport hubs via 9 commercial carriers. Mid-Continent is currently experiencing a period of growth, and served a record 1.6 million passengers in 2007.

Colonel James Jabara Airport is a general aviation facility located on the city's northeast side.

[edit] Cityscape

Downtown Wichita & Century II Convention Center

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, 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.^[6] 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. ^[7]

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, each on the opposite end of town, and each managed by Simon Property Group. Each mall is home to five anchor stores, and more than 100 tenants apiece. The oldest mall, Wichita Mall, is largely a dead mall.

[edit] Culture

The City of Wichita is home to Botanica, The Wichita Gardens, which boasts 24 themed gardens including the popular Butterfly Garden and the award-winning Sally Stone Sensory Garden. Sedgwick County Extension Arboretum is also located in the city.

The first complete recording made by jazz musician Charlie "Bird" Parker occurred in 1940 at the Trocadero Ballroom in Wichita. During the 1950s and early 1960s, Wichita had a significant Beat movement.^[8] The Wichita Jazz Festival remains a significant annual event on the national jazz calendar.

Wichita is also home to the Wichita River Festival, 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 party, food court, fireworks and souvenirs for the roughly 370,000+ patrons who attend each year.^[9]

Blackbear Bosin's The Keeper of the Plains at the confluence of the Arkansas and Little Arkansas Rivers by the Wichita Mid-America All Indian Center

Other major attractions of the city include the Sedgwick County Zoo, home to more than 2,500 animals of nearly 500 different species; the Old Cowtown Museum; McConnell Air Force Base; Exploration Place, a science and discovery center for all ages; the Old Town historical and entertainment district; the Mid-America All-Indian Center and Museum; and the Wichita Art Museum.

Other museums and attractions in the metro area:

Music Theatre of Wichita
City Repertory Theatre of Wichita, Wichita
Wichita Symphony Orchestra [1]
Great Plains Transportation Museum
Kauffman Museum, Bethel College, North Newton
Lowell D. Holmes Museum of Anthropology, Wichita
Mid-America All-Indian Center and The Keeper of the Plains statue, Wichita
Museum of World Treasures
Sedgwick County Fair, Cheney
Ulrich Museum of Art at Wichita State University, Wichita
Warren Theaters
Wichita Art Museum
Wichita Public Library
Wichita-Sedgwick County Historical Museum [2]

Wichita is also home to Kansas' tallest building, the Epic Center

Disc golf is a popular activity in Wichita. There are two eighteen hole disc golf courses (with alternate pads) in the city and several in the surrounding area. These courses include:

Oak Park, Riverside Area Wichita
Herman Hill Park, Pawnee and Broadway, Wichita
Other parks in metro cities listed http://www.kansasdiscgolf.com/coursemap.html

[edit] History

First Pizza Hut building at Wichita State University Campus

A thorough history can be found at the external site City of Wichita-History.

The site on the two rivers has served as a trading center for nomadic peoples for the last 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 Civil War due to their pro-Union sentiments. The city was officially incorporated in 1870. Shortly thereafter it became a railhead destination for cattle drives from Texas and other southwestern points, from whence it has derived its nickname of "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 lawmen was Wyatt Earp.

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 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 as a test center for new aviation, established Wichita as the "Air Capital." Lloyd Stearman and Walter Beech were employees of the Swallow company, but in January 1925 they left Swallow Aircraft and teamed up with Clyde Cessna to form Travel Air. Lloyd Stearman left the company in 1926 to start Stearman Aircraft in Venice, California. 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 the point of employing over 600 workers and working in a huge factory complex constructed from 1927 to 1929. 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 were let go in Wichita, equipment was sold and the entire Travel Air plant sat empty.

In March 1932 Walter 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 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.

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: "The Air Capital."

Wichita was also a significant entrepreneurial business center during the pre and post-war period, with Coleman, Mentholatum, Pizza Hut, Spangles, 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 one of the first academic centers to study and support entrepreneurship at The Wichita State University, Center for Entrepreneurship.

Recent history has seen development downtown and the East and West sides. Sedgwick County Voters recently approved a sales tax raise to build a new arena downtown to replace the aging Kansas Coliseum. This is considered by many a stepping stone to launch new development downtown.

An informative collection of historical photographs of the city can be found at Wichita Photo Archives.

Cartoon character Dennis the Menace lived in the outskirts of Wichita, Kansas, on a supposedly fictional, quiet neighborhood on a street named Elm Street.

[edit] Sister cities

Cancún, Mexico - 25 November 1975
Kaifeng, China - 3 December 1985
Orléans, France - 16 August 1944 through Sister Cities International
Tlalnepantla, Mexico - 16 October 1973
Evanston, Illinois - 17 September 1984

[edit] Metro cities

[edit] Education

The majority of Wichita's students are served by Wichita Public Schools (USD 259), although portions of Wichita are served by the Derby (USD 260), Haysville (USD 261), Maize (USD 266), Valley Center (USD 262), Goddard (USD 265) and Circle (USD 375) school districts.

[edit] USD 259 High Schools (USD 259)

[edit] USD 259 Middle Schools

Allison Middle School
Blackbear Bosin Academy
Brooks Middle School
Coleman Middle School
Curtis Middle School
Gordon Parks Middle School
Hadley Middle School
Hamilton Middle School
Horace Mann Middle School

Jardine Middle School
Marshall Middle School
Mead Middle School
Pleasant Valley Middle School
Robinson Middle School
Stucky Middle School
Truesdale Middle School
Wilbur Middle School

[edit] Mayberry School

Mayberry School, a junior high school in Wichita, Kansas, opened September 6, 1955 with an enrollment of 750 students and a staff of 35 teachers. The principal is Timothy Seguine, and the vice principal is Victoria Manning.

The new structure was built at a cost of $1,259,300 by the Clarence Vollmer Construction Company. Hibbs, Robinson and Pettit were the architects. The school was named in honor of L.W. Mayberry, who had been superintendent of the Wichita Public Schools from 1912 to 1943. Dedication ceremonies were held November 6, 1955.

On opening day students and staff entered an incomplete building, but one with which they were already familiar. Under the encouragement of Mayberry's first principal, Mr. Alden Salser, community parents, prospective students and staff members had made several trips to the structure and had been involved in meetings aimed at making the first day of school in the new building as smooth as possible.

Another of the organizational meetings was attended by a group of selected students from the four contributing junior high schools. The students toured the building and prepared to serve as tour guides for other students on the opening day of school. This was the beginning of an introduction procedure which was continued in subsequent years.

Soon after the beginning of school, the Student Council was organized using a system of representation from each home room. The first president was Keith Mitchell.

Feeder elementary schools for Mayberry included Lawrence, Eureka, Field, Meridian, Dodge, Payne and Martin. The enrollment reached a peak of approximately 1,000 from 1969 to 1971, and since that time there has been a gradual decrease to about 700.

In the fall of 1988, all ninth graders were moved to high schools leaving seventh and eighth graders. In the fall of 1989, all junior high schools became middle schools (6-8). During the 1991-92 school year, Mayberry and Brooks became global education magnet middle schools with different emphasis on curriculum.

[edit] USD 259 Elementary Schools

A.A. Hyde Elementary School
Adams Elementary School
Allen Elementary Schhol
Anderson Elementary School
Beech Elementary School
Benton Grade School
Black Traditional Magnet Elementary School
Bryant Elementary School
Buckner Performing Arts Magnet Elementary School
Caldwell Elementary School
Cessna Elementary School
Chisholm Trail Elementary School
Clark Elementary School
Cleaveland Traditional Magnet Elementary School
Cloud Elementary School
College Hill Elementary School
Colvin Elementary School
Earhart Environmental Magnet Elementary School
Emerson Magnet Elementary School
Enterprise Elementary School
Franklin Elementary School
Funston Elementary School
Gammon Elementary School
Gardiner Elementary School
Greiffenstein SpecialEd Center
Griffith Elementary School
Harry Street Elementary School
Horace Mann Dual Language Magnet
Hyde International Studies and Communication Elementary Magnet
Irving Elementary School
Isely Traditional Magnet

Jefferson Elementary School
Kelly Liberal Arts Academy
Kensler Elementary School
L'Ouverture Computer Technology Elementary School
Lawrence Elementary School
Lewis Open Magnet Elementary School
Lincoln Elementary School
Linwood Elementary School
McCollom Elementary School
McLean Science Technology Magnet
Minneha Elementary School
Mueller Elementary School
OK Elementrary School
Oaklawn Elementary School
Oatville Elementary School
Park Elementary School
Paul B Cooper Elementary School
Payne Elementary School
Peterson Elementary School
Pleasant Valley Elementary School
Price-Harris Communications Magnet
Rea Woodman Elementary School
Riverside Elementary School
Seltzer Elementary School
Spaght Accelerated Magnet Academy
Stanley Elementary School
Washington Elementary School
White Elementary School
Wineteer Elementary School
Woodland Magnet Elementary School
Woodman Elementary School

[edit] Private Schools

Bishop Carroll Catholic High School
Central Christian Academy Wichita
Classical School of Wichita
Holy Cross Lutheran School
The Independent School
Kapaun Mt. Carmel High School
Sunrise Christian Academy
Trinity Academy Wichita
Wichita Collegiate School
Word Of Life Traditional School
ST. Jude Catholic School AND Church
Topeka Muslim School, Wichita district

[edit] Colleges and universities

Baker University
Butler Community College (formerly Butler County Community College)
Cowley County Community College
Friends University
Newman University
Southwestern College - Winfield Kansas
Tabor College
Wichita Area Technical College
Wichita State University
Wichita Technical Institute
University of Kansas School of Medicine - Wichita
University of Phoenix-Wichita Campus

Several McConnell AFB based colleges and universities

Most Community Colleges and State Universities offer online/distance learning options.

[edit] Sports teams

[edit] Notable residents

Kirstie Alley, actress, attended Southeast High School
Robert Ballard, marine geologist
Tony Barker, former NFL football player
Walter Herschel Beech, industrialist, Beechcraft
Judy Bell, golfer
Mark and Mike Bell, Professional Football Players, Kansas City Chiefs and Seattle Seahawks
William Bonney, aka "Billy the Kid"
Louise Brooks, silent film actress
Caroline Bruce, Olympic swimmer
Dan and Frank Carney, founders of Pizza Hut
Antoine Carr, basketball star
Clyde Cessna, industrialist
Jonathan Coachman, WWE interim General Manager
Darren Dreifort, pitcher
Maurice Evans, basketball star
Kyle Farnsworth, Major League Baseball pitcher for the New York Yankees
Tamara Feldman, Actress
Robert M. Gates, former Director U.S. Central Intelligence Agency and current Secretary of Defense
Dan Glickman, former US Congressman, Secretary of Agriculture, and current President of the Motion Picture Association of America
Laurel Goodwin actress who played J. M. Colt in the Star Trek pilot The Cage.
Dennis Rader, serial killer convicted in 2005 for the deaths of 10 Wichita area residents between 1974 and 1991
Taj Gray, basketball player
Adrian Griffin, Professional Basketball player
Mike Hallacy, Professional Boxer, ranked as high as 12th in the World by Boxing Magazine.
Jessica Hughbanks, BB8 Contestant
Stan Kenton, jazz musician
Bill Koch, America's Cup winner
Charles Koch, industrialist
James Jabara, World War II flying ace
Don Johnson, actor
William Lear, industrialist, Learjet
Jim Lehrer, PBS network news anchor
Judith Ann Mayotte (Humanitarian), Peabody and Emmy award winning producer, author and refugee expert.
Hattie McDaniel, actress
Roger Mears, race car driver
Vera Miles, actress, attended North High School
Eric Moore, musician
Rich Mullins, Christian Pop/Folk Musician
Antonya Nelson, author
Roger Noriega, Ambassador to the Organization of American States
Gale Norton, Secretary of the Interior
Susan Page, journalist
Mike Pelfrey, Professional Baseball player
Lawrence Pete, former NFL football player
Brandon Polk, basketball player
Jeff Probst, TV host
Nate Robertson, Pitcher, Detroit Tigers, pitched in 2006 World Series
Danny Roew, film director
Jim Ryun, Olympic medalist and former U.S. Representative from Kansas
Barry Sanders, Pro Football Hall of Fame, played for the Detroit Lions
Gale Sayers, Pro Football Hall of Famer; born in Wichita, but raised in Omaha, Nebraska
Vernon L. Smith, Nobel Memorial Prize winner in economics
W. Eugene Smith, photojournalist
Arlen Specter Republican Senator (PA)
Lloyd Stearman, industrialist
John Cameron Swayze, announcer
Darnell Valentine, basketball star
Joe Walsh, musician, James Gang and The Eagles
Kamerion Wimbley, professional football player for the Cleveland Browns
Matthew Wiseman, musician and artist
Kevin Wildt, photographer, video director, musician
Lynette Woodard, Basketball Hall of Fame, Olympic Medalist

Millvina Dean, the last living survivor of the RMS Titanic sinking, was aboard the ship with her parents and brother en route to Wichita where her father was going to open a tobacco shop. Millvina's father died in the sinking, and the remaining members of the family returned to their native England

Mark Shelton, founder, guitarist and singer of the Epic Metal band Manilla Road
Greg Gamer, news anchor

[edit] Media

[edit] Print media

The Wichita Eagle is the daily newspaper in Wichita.
The Wichita Business Journal
Wichita magazine, a bi-monthly publication (changing to monthly next year).
The Urban News is a monthly newspaper.
The Chronicleis a monthly newspaper.

[edit] Broadcast media

See Broadcast Media in Wichita for the full list of local terrestrial television stations.

[edit] Cable media

Cable television service for Wichita and surrounding areas is provided by Cox Communications

[edit] Cultural references

Wichita is mentioned in the Dr. Seuss book Horton Hears A Who.
Wichita is mentioned in the song Michigan by Josh Rouse.
Wichita is mentioned in the song Shades of Gray by Robert Earl Keen.
Wichita is mentioned in the song Seven Nation Army by the White Stripes.
Wichita is mentioned in the song P.R. 2KI by Tech N9ne.
Wichita is mentioned in the song Open up the Border by Clutch.
Wichita is mentioned in the song Jack Straw by Grateful Dead.
Wichita is mentioned in the song True Dreams of Wichita by Soul Coughing.
Wichita is mentioned in the song The Citizens of Wichita by Emperor X.
Wichita is mentioned in the song Wichita by Gary Jules.
Wichita is mentioned in the song Have You Seen My Sister Evelyn? by Evelyn Evelyn.
Wichita is mentioned in the song The River by Rich Mullins (1991).
Wichita is mentioned in the film My Blue Heaven (1990).
Wichita is mentioned in the film Leap of Faith (1992).
Wichita is mentioned in the film A League of Their Own (1992).
Wichita is mentioned in the film Bullets Over Broadway (1994).
Wichita is mentioned in the film Forget Paris (1995).
Wichita is mentioned in the film Arlington Road (1999).
Wichita is mentioned in the film Rock Star (2001) by Zakk Wylde.
Wichita is mentioned in the film About Schmidt (2002).
Wichita is mentioned in the film Big Fish (2003).
Wichita is mentioned in the film Firewall (2006).
Wichita is mentioned in the film All the President's Men (1976)
Wichita is mentioned in the film Erin Brockovich (2000)
Wichita is the opening setting in the Western novel Cimarron by Edna Ferber
Wichita is the setting for the film The Big Kahuna (1999), adapted from the play "Hospitality Suite."
Wichita is the setting for the film The Ice Harvest (2005), adapted from the book of the same title.
Wichita is one of the settings for the film Planes, Trains & Automobiles (1987).
Wichita is one of the settings for the film Elizabethtown (2005) when Drew Baylor, Orlando Bloom's character, briefly drives through on his road trip.
Wichita is one of the settings for the film The Perfect Man (2005).
Wichita and its surroundings are one of the main settings for the book [[Mr Vertigo]], by Paul Auster.
Wichita is mentioned in a Super Bowl XLI (2007) commercial, for a Revlon colorist produce where singer, Sheryl Crow, is have thought to have stopped by for a show. But in truth never did.
It is also mentioned in the poem Wichita Vortex Sutra by beat poet Alan Ginsberg. Philip Glass has also composed a work by the same title.
Wichita Lineman was a popular song, written by Jimmy Webb and first performed by Glen Campbell. It has since been recorded by numerous other artists. However, this song is more likely a reference to a county named Wichita, of which there are two, since the song says "I am a lineman for the county... ...and the Wichita lineman is still on the line."
Country-Rock artist Shawn Colvin has a track entitled Wichita Skyline, which also mentions towns such as Salina and Independence.
Dennis Rader is mentioned in the song Teachers Suck by Tom Green.

"Wichita" is the title of a song on the Jayhawks' album, Hollywood Town Hall (1992)

Wichita is also the name of the army base in computer game Fahrenheit

Wichita is mentioned by Wilson in the TV show 'Tool Time.' Wilson said he was a writer in the 'Wichita Star'

[edit] See also

Information on this and other cities in Kansas

Other information for Kansas

Wichita is mentioned in the book Capote.

[edit] References

^ ^a ^b ^c American FactFinder. United States Census Bureau. Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
^ US Board on Geographic Names. United States Geological Survey (2007-10-25). Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
^ ^a ^b Population Estimates. U.S. Census Bureau, Population Division. Annual estimates of the population to 2006-07-01. Released 2007-06-28. Population change is from 2000-07-01 to 2006-07-01.
^ US Gazetteer files: 2000 and 1990. United States Census Bureau (2005-05-03). Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
^ City of Wichita - Transit Services Main
^ City of Wichita - Park and Recreation Parks, Greenways, and Recreation Corridors
^ City of Wichita - Historic Preservation Main
^ The Wichita Vortex Home Page
^ River Festival estimates record attendance - Wichita Business Journal:

[edit] External links

Official City of Wichita Web Site
Wichita Metro Chamber of Commerce
Greater Wichita Convention & Visitors Bureau
Wichita Mid-Continent Airport
The Wichita Eagle (local daily newspaper)
Local Historic Neighborhood Newspaper
360Wichita.com (directory of local business and entertainment)

Additional information

Wichita, Kansas is at coordinates 37°41′20″N 97°20′10″W / 37.688848, -97.336226 (Wichita, Kansas)Coordinates: 37°41′20″N 97°20′10″W / 37.688848, -97.336226 (Wichita, Kansas)

v • d • e Municipalities and communities of Sedgwick County, Kansas

County seat: Wichita

Cities	Andale \| Bel Aire \| Bentley \| Cheney \| Clearwater \| Colwich \| Derby \| Eastborough \| Garden Plain \| Goddard \| Haysville \| Kechi \| Maize \| Mount Hope \| Mulvane \| Park City \| Sedgwick \| Valley Center \| Viola \| Wichita

CDP	Oaklawn-Sunview

Unincorporated community	Peck