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Website. wichita.gov. Wichita ( / ˈwɪtʃɪtɔː / WITCH-ih-taw) [10] is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Kansas and the county seat of Sedgwick County. [3] As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 397,532. [5] [6] The Wichita metro area had a population of 647,610 in 2020. [8]
Find vacation planning information about Wichita including hotels, restaurants, things to do, and events. Enjoy festivals & attractions year round. 2025 Prevagen U.S. Figure Skating Championships
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Wichita, city, seat (1870) of Sedgwick county, south-central Kansas, U.S. It lies on the Arkansas River near the mouth of the Little Arkansas, about 140 miles (225 km) southwest of Topeka. The city site is a gently rolling plain at an elevation of about 1,300 feet (400 metres). Summers are hot and winters cool; precipitation is moderate and falls mainly during the warm months.
Wichita, the largest city in the state, is at the heart of a three-county metropolitan area. Nearby communities include Park City (north), Andover (east), and Derby and Haysville (south). Inc. city, 1871. Area city, 139 square miles (360 square km). Pop. (2010) 382,368; Wichita Metro Area, 623,061; (2020) 397,532; Wichita Metro Area, 647,610.
Wichita was founded in 1864 as a trading post on the site of a village of the Wichita Indians. It owed its early development to the Texas cattle trade along the Chisholm Trail and to the rapid spread of agricultural settlement along the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway, then under construction. In its early years Wichita was a stopover on cattle drives to Abilene (Kansas) and other points as the railroad moved west; in 1872 the line reached Wichita, and the city became a major cattle-shipping centre. By 1875 farmers’ fences were obstructing the movement of beef herds, but grain became an important commodity.
Growth was continuous and rapid after 1900, with the population surpassing 100,000 in the 1920s and 250,000 in the 1950s. Meatpacking was a major industrial activity at the beginning of the 20th century, but aircraft manufacturing, begun in the 1920s, soon dominated Wichita’s economy. The discovery of oil there added to the city’s wealth. People of European ancestry have for long constituted the great majority of the population. African Americans, roughly one-tenth of the total, constitute the largest minority group, and there are small but growing communities of Hispanics and Asians.
Wichita’s economy has become much more diversified since the heyday of aviation manufacturing. Aircraft and aerospace industries continue to be leading economic activities, although they remain susceptible to market fluctuations (such as the downturn in the airline industry following the September 11 attacks in 2001). Other manufactures include machinery, computer and precision equipment, and chemicals and petrochemicals. Services (including wholesale and retail trade, government, and health care) are increasingly important, as is the economic input of McConnell Air Force Base, which adjoins the city on the southeast.
Wichita is the seat of Friends University (1898), Newman University (1933), and Wichita State University (1895). The city has a symphony orchestra and a ballet company. The Museum of World Treasures houses an extensive collection of ancient arts; the Wichita Art Museum contains works by American artists; and the Mid-America All-Indian Center traces the culture and history of Native American peoples.
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- The Keeper of the Plains. One of the most breathtaking and memorable tourist attractions in Wichita is the Keeper of the Plains, a 44-foot-tall steel sculpture that is most impressive at night.
- Stroll in the Gardens at Botanica Wichita. Spring and summer are popular times to visit Botanica Wichita, when more than 150,000 tulips and daffodils color the gardens.
- Sedgwick County Zoo. The Sedgwick County Zoo is one of the top things to do in Wichita. It is home to more than 3,000 animals. Exploring the zoo is easy, as the animals are grouped together in regions that are laid out geographically on the grounds.
- Uncover New Discoveries at the Museum of World Treasures. You can go on a scavenger hunt through history at the unique Museum of World Treasures. It is a vast collection of artifacts and information from ancient civilizations and countries around the world.
Visit the Kansas Aviation Museum to learn about the early aviators and how more than half of all U.S. aircraft are now built in Wichita. The city’s diverse heritage is reflected in the Keeper of the Plains Plaza, Kansas African American Museum and the Mid-American All-Indian Center.
Things to Do in Wichita, Kansas: See Tripadvisor's 58,721 traveler reviews and photos of Wichita tourist attractions. Find what to do today, this weekend, or in July. We have reviews of the best places to see in Wichita. Visit top-rated & must-see attractions.
Wichita is the largest city in the state of Kansas and the 48th-largest city in the United States, with a population of more than 389,000. The estimated population of the Wichita metropolitan area is 650,000. The Wild West gave birth to a new era as cowboys and Indians roamed across the Plains, many establishing towns west of the Mississippi.
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