Wichita Kansas

trading post industrial hub and regional center of culture media and trade

Wichita lies on the Arkansas River in south-central Kansas, 157 mi (253 km) north of Oklahoma City, 181 mi (291 km) southwest of Kansas City, and 439 mi (707 km) east-southeast of Denver. The Arkansas follows a winding course, south-southeast through Wichita, roughly bisecting the city.

A Trading Post on the Chisholm Trail in the 1860s, it became a destination for cattle drives traveling north from Texas to Kansas railroads, earning it the nickname Cowtown.

Business opportunities attracted area hunters and traders, and a new settlement was organized as the Wichita Town Company, naming the settlement after the Wichita tribe. In the early 20^th century, oil and natural gas deposits were discovered nearby triggering an economic boom in Wichita as producers established refineries, fueling stations, and headquarters in the city. Resources generated by the oil boom enabled local entrepreneurs to invest in airplane manufacturing. Except for a slow period in the 1970s, Wichita has continued to grow steadily into the 21^st century as the city government and local organizations began collaborating to re-develop downtown Wichita and older neighborhoods in the city.

Neighborhoods include Old Town, a 50-acre area home to nightclubs, bars, restaurants, a movie theater, shops, apartments and condominiums, many of which make use of historical warehouse-type spaces. The two most notable residential areas of Wichita are Riverside and College Hill, along with Delano on the west side of the Arkansas River and Midtown in the north-central part of the city.

The Arts Wichita is a cultural center for Kansas and home to several art museums and performing arts groups. The Wichita Art Museum is the largest art museum in the state of Kansas with 7,000 works in permanent collections and the Ulrich Museum of Art at Wichita State University is a modern and contemporary art museum with over 6,300 works. Small art galleries are scattered around the city with some clustered in the districts of Old Town, Delano and south Commerce street. The music hub of central Kansas draws major acts from around the world, performing at concert halls, arenas and stadiums around the area.

Wichita Transit operates 53 buses on 18 fixed bus routes within the city providing over 2 million trips per year as well as a demand response paratransit service with 320,800 passenger trips annually. Intercity bus services connect Wichita with other Kansas towns, Oklahoma and Colorado. Wichita's Bikeways cover 115 miles of which one third were added between 201 and 2018

Dodge City Kansas

frontier town gunfights saloons cows and western trails

History Fort Mann was the first settlement of non-indigenous people in the area that became Dodge City. It was built by civilians in 1847 to provide protection for travelers on the Santa Fe Trail. In 1865, the army constructed Fort Dodge which remained in operation until 1882. The town of Dodge City can trace its origins to 1871, when rancher Henry J. Sitler built a sod house west of Fort Dodge to oversee his cattle operations located near the Santa Fe Trail and the Arkansas River.

Dodge City was staked out in 1872 on the 100th meridian and the legal western boundary of the Fort Dodge reservation. The early settlers traded in buffalo bones and hides; with the arrival of the railroad, Dodge City soon became involved in the cattle trade. The queen of the cow towns resulted from the new Western Trail that branched off from the Chisholm Trail.

Frontier town Dodge City had more gunfighters working at one time or another than any other town in the West as well as saloons, gambling halls, and brothels, led by the Long Branch Saloon and the China Doll brothel. By 1886, the cowboys, saloon keepers, gamblers, and brothel owners moved west to greener pastures, and Dodge City became a sleepy little town in western Kansas.

Dodge City sits above one of the world's largest underground water systems

Culture Starting in the 1870s, the early city history fueled public perceptions of frontier turmoil in the public consciousness. Gunfighters and lawmen such as Wyatt Earp became celebrities, and sensationalized versions of their activities entered period popular culture as the subject of dime novels. This trend continued into the 20th century, as the rowdy Old West frontier town was the setting for many films and television series such as Gunsmoke, the longest-running prime-time TV drama in American history. In the Smallville TV series, Clark Kent’s hometown is 200 miles (320 km) west of Wichita and Metropolis is southwest of Dodge City.

Fort Worth Texas Cowboys Cowgirls and Culture

Cultural Heritage Museums Water Resources and the Environment Local Food Wine and Beer Public Transport Initiatives

Originally settled in 1849 as an army outpost along the Trinity River, Fort Worth was one of eight forts assigned to protect settlers on the advancing frontier. The cattle industry was king for a generation of people working the Fort Worth leg of the historic Chisholm Trail, which ran from the 1860s to the 1870s when the Texas & Pacific Railway arrived. In the years that followed, oil and aviation brought new wealth throughout the region.

The post-war years found Fort Worth capitalizing on its strengths as a transport, business and military center. Cultural pursuits included the development of the city's internationally acclaimed museum district. The mid-1980s saw the start of a major revitalization of that city's downtown and the introduction of Sundance Square, a 35-block commercial, residential, entertainment and retail district. Fort Worth's red brick buildings and its Western heritage live on as visitors can experience the Old West beautifully preserved through the Stockyards National Historic District.

Food Brews and Spirits experience cowboy cuisine, trendy farm-to-table, authentic Mexican and bayou fare. Highlights include beef briskets, pork ribs and locally grown, organic artisan cheeses, alongside nicely paired wines. Artisanal distilleries offer straight bourbon, premium blended whiskey and vodka made from black-eyed peas. Also handcrafted beers, some brewed with milk, honey and sugar, accompanied by live music and local food trucks.

The Outdoors the Trinity Trails extend through Fort Worth for over 40 miles along the Trinity River with amenities for hikers, bikers, runners, and horseback riders with connections to the Stockyards, Downtown, the Zoo and the Cultural District. The Fort Worth Nature Center and Refuge is a 3621-acre preserved natural area designated by the Department of the Interior as a National Natural Landmark Site in 1980. Established in 1964 as the Greer Island Nature Center, it has small, genetically pure bison herd, a resident prairie dog town, and the prairie upon which they live. It is one of the largest urban parks of its type in the United States.

Museums renowned for their architecture and the quality of their collections, the Cultural District is home to six museums; Fort Worth is also home to museums devoted to Western heritage and the city’s colorful past. 

The National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame is dedicated to honoring trailblazing women of the American West. Its multimedia exhibits and historic photographs, papers, clothing, spurs and saddles tell the stories of women pioneers, ranchers, performers and rodeo stars.

Log Cabin Village 19^th century Texas nestled on three acres and nine historic structures, Texas history is portrayed through authentic log homes, a blacksmith shop, a one-room schoolhouse, smokehouse, water-powered gristmill and herb garden. Experience frontier chores, including candle making, spinning and weaving.

The Modern Art Museum maintains one of the foremost collections of international modern and contemporary art in the United States with works by Andy Warhol, Jackson Pollock, and Mark Rothko are displayed in a concrete and glass building surrounded by a reflecting pond.

The Kimbell Art Museum is a permanent collection with major works by Fra Angelico, Velazquez, Bernini, Rembrandt, Goya, Monet, Cezanne, Picasso, Mondrian and Matisse. It is also home to Michelangelo's first known painting. The collection comprises Asian and non-Western as well as European art as well as traveling exhibits on display throughout the year.

The American Airlines Museum is dedicated to commercial aviation and the world of flight. Exhibits include hundreds of historical artifacts, photographs, full-scale aircraft engines and a rare Douglas DC-3 airliner.

Transportation it is easy to get around Fort Worth or travel to nearby and Dallas and Grapevine. 

Bus the T – Fort Worth Transport Authority – provides extensive service throughout the city and its cultural attractions.

Rail the TRE - Trinity Rail Express - connects Fort Worth and Dallas with transfer access to DFW International Airport.

Air DFW is only 17.5 miles from downtown Fort Worth via bus, rail or taxi service. From here, you can reach any major city in the U.S. in less than four hours.

Walking is a wonderful way to experience the city’ entertainment districts and the Trinity Trails.

Bike Sharing: Bike sharing is an inexpensive, healthy and environmentally friendly way to get around Fort Worth. Pick up a bike at any of the 40 docking stations.

Planning Your Fort Worth and Texas 
Business Trip or Vacation