Top 10 True Western Towns of 2009
By: 01/01/2009
Given to towns that have made an important contribution to preserving their pasts. We hope this award will encourage federal, state and local governments to continue funding such efforts, as well as inspire Western towns to reward its citizens and visitors alike by showcasing the buildings, sites and artifacts that reveal each town’s historical relevance to our nation.
10. WICHITA, KS
When a town is known today as the “Air Capital of the World”—Wichita is the home of airplane manufacturers Boeing, Cessna, Raytheon and Bombardier Aerospace’s Learjet—you might think that it would have cast aside its heritage. Not so with this major cowtown—pop. 589,000—located on the historic Chisholm Trail.
The Old Cowtown Museum re-creates the town in its 1865-1880 time period, featuring the city’s first log home, the home of the founder of the city’s newspaper (which is still printed today) and a Presbyterian church. It also hosts special events re-enacting cattle drives and shoot-outs, and even a frontier Christmas celebration.
The World’s largest Western store, Sheplers, first opened here in 1899, and the city is still home to its headquarters. William Coleman’s gas-powered lanterns was the impetus for his business in Wichita in 1902, and the Coleman Co. today remains known for its camping products.
These time-honored businesses are included among the more than 100 historic sites that can be seen on the city’s self-guided walking tour.
Locals are staying on top of maintaining these treasures. The 1922 Orpheum Theatre is currently being restored; it’s the nation’s first atmospheric theatre—a 19th-century design that focuses on making patrons feel as if they inhabited a landscape setting.
Even that oh-so-not-Old West part of Wichita still pays tribute to the heritage that has come before it. The Kansas Aviation Museum is housed in a 1935 Art Deco building that was restored in 2005.
The shining beacon of Wichita’s preservation efforts is its recently-completed “Keeper of the Plains Plaza,” part of a $20.6 million investment to beautify the Big and Little Arkansas Rivers. The land between this junction is sacred to the city’s namesake Indians. The project dates back to Blackbear Bosin’s donation of his 44-foot Indian warrior sculpture in 1974. Today, a “ring of fire” burns during scheduled times throughout the year.
On those same grounds, the Mid-America All-Indian Center is undergoing a $700,000 renovation to preserve its artifacts and will have a grand reopening in 2009. But the museum would not dream of shutting down completely. All community night events are being held at, where else, the Old Cowtown Museum. This town stops at nothing to pull together and keep its heritage alive.
Now that you’re ready to discover Wichita, go ahead and pack your bags. We have a feeling that you won’t have a problem catching a plane to take you to this burg.
Comments (2)
The city should make the downtown historic district more western all year long, that is what the tourists want to come and enjoy, just like Jackson Hole area. Wood sidewalks, old storefronts renewed, take down the horrible siding on all those old building and make it historic and western as much as possible. Pull all the businesses together and make a true western downtown. You don't have to all sell western items, just make the buildings western. You have a GREAT start with the Train Depot and surrounding areas!! Keep up the PLAN!! or MAKE A PLAN!! Cheyenne could be a truly great small city and as the State Capital SHOULD have a GREAT DOWNTOWN!!
Sir:
My Son is coming home from Iraq in, about one year. BUT in early July he is coming on leave to look your area over for a possible place to live, get married and raise a family. We will be in WYOMING in the 1st few days of July. Have you got any info that might help him
He has been Special Forces and, I suppose Police work is what he wants.
I am in California but I am not a
"Californian". 707-259-0949 or
wes.mac@comcast.net or P O Box 294.
Yountville, California 94599. WES MAC
Mc Girr
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