Celebrating Wichita’s Birthday

July 25, 2016

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Wichita, home of the Museum of World Treasures, became an official city on July 21, 1870. This past Thursday marked Wichita's 146th birthday. Though Wichita is presently the largest city in the state of Kansas and the 48th largest city in the United States, according the United States Census Bureau, Wichita had humble beginnings. 
 

 

As a trading post on the Chisholm Trail in the 1860s, Wichita later became a cattle drive destination, thus earning the nickname "Cowtown". The city's hardworking reputation later morphed into something more industrious as aeronautical engineers and businesses settled in. The city once known as Cowtown quickly transformed into the "The Air Capital of the World". 

 

Wichita's rich history extends far beyond airplane innovation and manufacturing, however. Businesses of all kinds have flourished and have helped shape the city as we know it today. Notable businesses to come out of Wichita are Pizza Hut, Mentholatum, and Pioneer Balloon Company. 
 

Old Town, a section of Downtown Wichita where the Museum of World Treasures is located, was converted in the 1990s from a warehouse district to a mix of restaurants, bars, shops, and apartments. The Museum's current location was once home to the Farm & Art Market and originally a paper warehouse. 

Visit the Museum of World Treasures to learn more about the building's history and to see the rest of our historical artifacts from abroad! The Museum is located at 835 E. 1st Street in Old Town. Please contact us for more information at 316.263.1311 or visit our website.