Old Town in Wichita in Sedgwick County, Kansas — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)
Riding the Rails
1872
Photographed By William Fischer, Jr., September 4, 2011
1. Riding the Rails Marker
For a prairie town to grow and prosper, railroads were a necessity. They would bring more people and business. More opportunity for commerce and trade. Before long, Wichita was a bustling city with several railroad lines connecting it to the rest of the country.
1872
Wichita's first railway, Wichita and Southwestern Railroad Co., provided a much-needed link to Kansas City. The line's success soon prompted its purchase by the Santa Fe Railway.
1880
The second line, the Frisco Railroad, entered Wichita and connected the community to St. Louis.
1887
The Rock Island Railroad arrived. Offering a main line from Chicago to the Gulf, it spurred trade and opened new markets. Its depot served as a passenger terminal until 1914.
1974
The Rock Island depot earned a place on the National Register of Historic Places. Of the three old railroad stations on East Douglas, it was the only one to survive.
[Inset photo caption reads]
When the Frisco Railroad opened in May 1880, the city proudly boasted it brought St. Louis within only a day and a night's travel from Wichita.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Industry & Commerce • Railroads & Streetcars • Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical month for this entry is May 1880.
Location.
this page online
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Oldtown Marketplace (here, next to this marker); Warehouse District (here, next to this marker); Simmons Hardware Company (here, next to this marker); Simmons Hardware Company / Hockaday Paint Company (here, next to this marker); Coleman Company (here, next to this marker); Union Station and the Santa Fe (here, next to this marker); Johnson-Frazier Building / Cox Produce Company (here, next to this marker); Innes Wholesale Furniture / City Ice Delivery (here, next to this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Wichita.
Also see . . .
1. A Glance at 150 Years of Wichita History. Visit Wichita website entry (Submitted on February 5, 2022, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York.)
2. Great Plains Transportation Museum, Wichita KS. 360 Wichita website entry (Submitted on June 18, 2012, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.)
Photographed By Unknown, circa 1920s
2. Photo on Riding the Rails Marker
Photographed By Unknown, undated
3. Rock Island Depot Photo on Riding the Rails Marker
Photographed By William Fischer, Jr., September 4, 2011
4. Riding the Rails Marker
Photographed By William Fischer, Jr., September 4, 2011
5. Riding the Rails Marker
Photographed By William Fischer, Jr.
6. Oldtown Markers at Museum of World Treasures Plaza
Credits. This page was last revised on February 10, 2023. It was originally submitted on June 18, 2012, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania. This page has been viewed 431 times since then and 10 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on June 18, 2012, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania. 6. submitted on June 17, 2012, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.
