Wichita in Sedgwick County, Kansas — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)
Pizza Hut Number One
First Opened at Bluff and Kellogg Streets
| | June 15, 1958 | |
Photographed by Ian Lefkowitz, June 27, 2023
1. Pizza Hut Number One Marker
Two former WSU students, Dan and Frank Carney, borrowed $600 to open this first Pizza Hut. Their corporation grew to become the world's largest pizza chain and was sold to PepsiCo in 1977 for $300,000,000.
The building was moved to this site to serve as a symbol and reminder to our students how young individuals through hard work and initiative can still rise from modest beginnings to positions of leadership and success. To future young entrepreneurs this building is dedicated.
Assisting the Carney brothers in preserving and restoring this structure during 1984 were:
Buck Alley Lakeview Electric Corp. BFI Waste Systems Linder & Associates, Inc. Coleman Company, Inc. M-K Plumbing Co. The Cramer Co. Masscon, Inc. Gas Service Company Price Bros. Equipment Hacker Construction Reeves-Wiedeman Co. Halsey-Tevis, Inc. Rupe Oil Company Harold Jackson Schammerhorn Inc. Johnson Trucks Shelley Electric, Inc. Kansas Gas & Electric Wichita Insulation
This plaque was donated by Professor Fran Jabara, Founder and Director of the Center for Entrepreneurship, to honor my former
this page online
Erected by Fran Jabara.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Education • Industry & Commerce. A significant historical date for this entry is June 15, 1958.
Location. 37° 43.262′ N, 97° 17.195′ W. Marker is in Wichita, Kansas, in Sedgwick County. It is on Perimeter Road 0.1 miles east of Harvard Avenue, on the right when traveling east. The marker and building are now on the Wichita State University campus. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 3728 Perimeter Rd, Wichita KS 67208, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in the American Midwest, in the Corn Belt, on the prairies, and on the Southern Plains. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Louisiana Purchase.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Pizza Hut Museum (here, next to this marker); Gene Stephenson's Wichita State University All Americans (about 700 feet away, measured in a direct line); Wichita State University Shockers 1989 NCAA National Champion
Photographed by William Fischer, Jr., September 4, 2011
2. Pizza Hut Number One Marker
Also see . . .
1. Original Pizza Hut, at Wichita State University. University website entry (Submitted on June 11, 2012, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio.)
2. Early Pizza Hut Papers of Dan Carney. WSU Library Special Collections website entry (Submitted on June 11, 2012, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio.)
3. WSU Center for Entrepreneurship History. University website entry (Submitted on June 11, 2012, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio.)
4. Dan and Frank Carney. Wikipedia entry:
Dan and Frank remained with the company for a time, watching Pizza Hut grow with thousands of locations. However, the two went different ways in later years. Frank became a franchisee for Papa John's in the 1990s, even doing a television commercial showing his loyalty
Photographed by William Fischer, Jr., September 4, 2011
3. Pizza Hut Number One and Marker.
Additional commentary.
1. Original Pizza Hut Building Moved to WSU
The original Pizza Hut building was moved to the Wichita State University Campus on September 18th, 2017. It was turned into a museum dedicated to the history of the world-famous pizza chain.
— Submitted May 21, 2023, by Mark Hilton of Montgomery, Alabama.
Photographed by William Fischer, Jr., September 4, 2011
4. Pizza Hut Number One
Photographed by Ian Lefkowitz, June 27, 2023
5. Pizza Hut Museum
The Pizza Hut Museum, seen in its new location on Wichita State's campus. The Pizza Hut Number One historical marker is on the left-hand side of the door, along with a new historical marker on the right.
Credits. This page was last revised on February 24, 2026. It was originally submitted on June 11, 2012, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio. This page has been viewed 1,768 times since then and 154 times this year. Last updated on April 23, 2025, by Ian Lefkowitz of New York, New York. Photos: 1. submitted on March 26, 2025, by Ian Lefkowitz of New York, New York. 2, 3, 4. submitted on June 11, 2012, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio. 5. submitted on March 26, 2025, by Ian Lefkowitz of New York, New York. • J. Makali Bruton was the editor who published this page.
Editor’s want-list for this marker. Photo of Pizza Hut plaque, located within the Longview Neighborhood Park (3914 E Longview Ln), site of original building. • Can you help?
