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WICHITA
Ted
Oct 17, 2024 06:20AM
Originally acquired by the United States in 1803 as part of the Louisiana Purchase, the area which now the city of Wichita became an inclusion in the Kansas Territory - in 1854 - as part of the Kansas-Nebraska Act. The subsequent establishment of an endearing late nineteenth-century 'Cowtown' nickname for Wichita, the ascension of Wichita as an important rail hub, and the establishment of Wichita as a logistical necessity for Texas cattlemen, all took place over the two decades following the establishment of the Kansas Territory, in 1854.
In the year 1868, one of the original founders of the city of Wichita - J.R. Mead - opened the first Wichita trading post within the Kansas Territory. Mead, together with a group of investors, established what became the Wichita Town Company. A land surveyor, Darius Munger, built the first structure for the Wichita Town Company. That structure in turn, also served as Wichita’s first post office, first community center, and Wichita’s first hotel too.
Business opportunities attracted traders - along with cattlemen - to a newly minted Wichita. Wichita was a newly formed, western-most settlement. And an economic outpost. Wichita played an important role in the new Kansas Territory.
In 1870, Darius Munger - together with William "Dutch Bill" Greiffenstein - filed plats laying out Wichita’s first city streets. Wichita formally incorporated as a city on July 21, 1870.
J.R. Mead’s trading post functioned as a precursor to the ascension of Wichita as a regional center for commerce. Wichita economically matured, with the help of J.R. Mead. In fact, J.R. Mead personally wrote a hand-written letter to the then-head of the Santa Fe Railroad, encouraging the Santa Fe to consider ways to get the Santa Fe - and rail - into Wichita.
On June 22, 1871, an integral step to the process of establishing trusted methods to transport cattle out of Wichita, occurred. The Wichita and Southwestern Railroad Company was incorporated on June 22, 1871. Two months later, J.R. Mead led a bond issuance in Sedgwick County. Mead’s bond issuance efforts were ultimately approved by Sedgwick County voters. That took place on August 11, 1871.
Through the Mead-led issuance of bonds in Sedgwick County, at a total expenditure of $200,000, Wichita had its aforementioned rail line - connecting Wichita to Newton. This was a necessary rail connection for Texas cattlemen who were eager to benefit from the expanding rail service to their north…as they could now ship their heads of cattle north to Wichita, and on through Newton. Off to eager markets in the eastern sections, of the United States.
On May 16, 1872, the first train pulled into Wichita. That same year, Wichita, together with the Southwestern Railroad, completed their integration, connecting Wichita to the Santa Fe Railway, in Newton.
With connection-by-rail now established for Texas cattlemen, Wichita became a regionally important railhead destination for Texas cattle drives. The railroad coming to Wichita also served as the vehicle needed to further entrench the Chisholm Trail as the chosen by-way Texas ranchers relied upon to transport their cattle north to Wichita...and onward, beyond Wichita - to those important eastern markets of the United States.
The Chisholm Trail was a north-south by-way formed by a Cherokee merchant hailing from Tennessee, Jesse Chisholm. Chisholm’s Trail ran along the east side of Wichita between the years 1867 and 1871. The Chisholm Trail served as a vehicle for Texas ranchers to ship their cattle north, overland, to the Kansas railheads. Yet the Chisholm Trail would not be recognized today as a typical "trail", so-to-speak. The Chisholm Trail, in some areas, was up to two to three miles wide.
Jesse Chisholm’s Wichita trading post - situated alongside the Arkansas River in Wichita - was one of several trading posts one would find by following the Chisholm Trail south, from Wichita, into Texas, in the late nineteenth century.
In 1873, one year after the first train arrived in Wichita, 66,000 head of cattle were shipped out of Wichita, by rail. After Wichita's first year as a railhead, the city received 70,000 head of cattle - valued at an estimated $2 million. Between the years 1872 and 1876, late nineteenth century traders - and railmen - commonly referred to Wichita as 'Cowtown'.
In 1873, one year after the first train arrived in Wichita, 66,000 head of cattle were shipped out of Wichita, by rail. After Wichita's first year as a railhead, the city received 70,000 head of cattle - valued at an estimated $2 million. Between the years 1872 and 1876, late nineteenth century traders - and railmen - commonly referred to Wichita as 'Cowtown'.’
A second stockyard fire tragically destroyed the second Stock Yards - on June 2, 1904. The second fire destroyed the Stock Yards, the Stockyards Hotel, and the Exchange Building as well.
By 1906, the rebuilt Stock Yards in Wichita gave the Cudahy Packing Company one-sixth of all outstanding stock in the Exchange. This was done for a promise. That promise being, that the Cudahy Packing Company would commit to operate the packing plant in the city of Wichita, for at least 10 years.
Cudahy Packing Company continued to increase its ownership stake in Wichita’s Stock Yards. By 1917 Cudahy Packing Company owned one-third of the $1.4 million in outstanding StockYards shares.
By 1909, the Union Stock Yards Company built a new Exchange Building on the yards. The older exchange building - along with the hotel - were joined together, opening as the new Stockyards Hotel. The Stockyards Hotel operated until the 1960’s.
Sierra Petroleum Company purchased the Wichita StockYards in 1972. Livestock auctions continued for a while in Wichita. Each year, to a lesser extent - as less head of cattle was sold every year in Wichita.
Sierra Petroleum shut down the stockyards for good on August 1, 1980.
In the year 1868, one of the original founders of the city of Wichita - J.R. Mead - opened the first Wichita trading post within the Kansas Territory. Mead, together with a group of investors, established what became the Wichita Town Company. A land surveyor, Darius Munger, built the first structure for the Wichita Town Company. That structure in turn, also served as Wichita’s first post office, first community center, and Wichita’s first hotel too.
Business opportunities attracted traders - along with cattlemen - to a newly minted Wichita. Wichita was a newly formed, western-most settlement. And an economic outpost. Wichita played an important role in the new Kansas Territory.
In 1870, Darius Munger - together with William "Dutch Bill" Greiffenstein - filed plats laying out Wichita’s first city streets. Wichita formally incorporated as a city on July 21, 1870.
J.R. Mead’s trading post functioned as a precursor to the ascension of Wichita as a regional center for commerce. Wichita economically matured, with the help of J.R. Mead. In fact, J.R. Mead personally wrote a hand-written letter to the then-head of the Santa Fe Railroad, encouraging the Santa Fe to consider ways to get the Santa Fe - and rail - into Wichita.
On June 22, 1871, an integral step to the process of establishing trusted methods to transport cattle out of Wichita, occurred. The Wichita and Southwestern Railroad Company was incorporated on June 22, 1871. Two months later, J.R. Mead led a bond issuance in Sedgwick County. Mead’s bond issuance efforts were ultimately approved by Sedgwick County voters. That took place on August 11, 1871.
Through the Mead-led issuance of bonds in Sedgwick County, at a total expenditure of $200,000, Wichita had its aforementioned rail line - connecting Wichita to Newton. This was a necessary rail connection for Texas cattlemen who were eager to benefit from the expanding rail service to their north…as they could now ship their heads of cattle north to Wichita, and on through Newton. Off to eager markets in the eastern sections, of the United States.
On May 16, 1872, the first train pulled into Wichita. That same year, Wichita, together with the Southwestern Railroad, completed their integration, connecting Wichita to the Santa Fe Railway, in Newton.
With connection-by-rail now established for Texas cattlemen, Wichita became a regionally important railhead destination for Texas cattle drives. The railroad coming to Wichita also served as the vehicle needed to further entrench the Chisholm Trail as the chosen by-way Texas ranchers relied upon to transport their cattle north to Wichita...and onward, beyond Wichita - to those important eastern markets of the United States.
The Chisholm Trail was a north-south by-way formed by a Cherokee merchant hailing from Tennessee, Jesse Chisholm. Chisholm’s Trail ran along the east side of Wichita between the years 1867 and 1871. The Chisholm Trail served as a vehicle for Texas ranchers to ship their cattle north, overland, to the Kansas railheads. Yet the Chisholm Trail would not be recognized today as a typical "trail", so-to-speak. The Chisholm Trail, in some areas, was up to two to three miles wide.
Jesse Chisholm’s Wichita trading post - situated alongside the Arkansas River in Wichita - was one of several trading posts one would find by following the Chisholm Trail south, from Wichita, into Texas, in the late nineteenth century.
In 1873, one year after the first train arrived in Wichita, 66,000 head of cattle were shipped out of Wichita, by rail. After Wichita's first year as a railhead, the city received 70,000 head of cattle - valued at an estimated $2 million. Between the years 1872 and 1876, late nineteenth century traders - and railmen - commonly referred to Wichita as 'Cowtown'.
In 1873, one year after the first train arrived in Wichita, 66,000 head of cattle were shipped out of Wichita, by rail. After Wichita's first year as a railhead, the city received 70,000 head of cattle - valued at an estimated $2 million. Between the years 1872 and 1876, late nineteenth century traders - and railmen - commonly referred to Wichita as 'Cowtown'.’
A second stockyard fire tragically destroyed the second Stock Yards - on June 2, 1904. The second fire destroyed the Stock Yards, the Stockyards Hotel, and the Exchange Building as well.
By 1906, the rebuilt Stock Yards in Wichita gave the Cudahy Packing Company one-sixth of all outstanding stock in the Exchange. This was done for a promise. That promise being, that the Cudahy Packing Company would commit to operate the packing plant in the city of Wichita, for at least 10 years.
Cudahy Packing Company continued to increase its ownership stake in Wichita’s Stock Yards. By 1917 Cudahy Packing Company owned one-third of the $1.4 million in outstanding StockYards shares.
By 1909, the Union Stock Yards Company built a new Exchange Building on the yards. The older exchange building - along with the hotel - were joined together, opening as the new Stockyards Hotel. The Stockyards Hotel operated until the 1960’s.
Sierra Petroleum Company purchased the Wichita StockYards in 1972. Livestock auctions continued for a while in Wichita. Each year, to a lesser extent - as less head of cattle was sold every year in Wichita.
Sierra Petroleum shut down the stockyards for good on August 1, 1980.
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