About Wichita Kansas

Wichita, the Air Capital, is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kansas, as well as a major aircraft manufacturing hub and cultural center. It is located in South Central Kansas, and is the county seat of Sedgwick County.

As of the 2003 Census, the city had a total population of 360,715. The Wichita Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) which encompasses Sedgwick, Butler, Harvey, and Sumner counties has a 2003 population of 582,781 persons residing in 245,159 households.

The median income for a household in the city is $39,939, and the median income for a family is $49,247. Males have a median income of $36,457 versus $25,844 for females. The per capita income for the city is $20,647.

Founded in 1864 as a trading post on the site of a village of the Wichita Indians, Wichita 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 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 obstructed the movement of beef herds, but grain became an important commodity.

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.

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 160,000 patrons who attend each year.

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.