Delano in Wichita in Sedgwick County, Kansas — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)
Delano Township
Photographed By Bill Kirchner, October 4, 2014
1. Delano Township Marker
Inscription.
Delano Township. . Delano, the town located west of the Arkansas River was a colorful locale. Although the violence in this area was over-dramatized, it remained as a place of drunkenness, gambling, gunplay, and prostitution. The most popular and dramatized gun battle was between Rowdy Joe and Red Beard, rival saloon owners, which ended in Red Beard’s death. Wichita did not object to Delano because cowboys needed an outlet after a long cattle drive and this was a way of confining the rowdiness. (In Wichita, men were required to check their guns.) A total separation of Wichita and Delano was not possible. When Delano’s dance hall girls decided to create their own river run and race nude to the river amidst cheers and wagers, it was impossible to obstruct this view from Wichita citizens. In 1876, Delano’s post office was phased out and the area was officially incorporated with Wichita. This explains the slight jog in Douglas Ave. then known as Chicago Ave. in 1880. A grand promotion brought a building boom to this western section, creating hotels, retail stores, and offices.
Delano, the town located west of the Arkansas River was a colorful locale. Although the violence in this area was over-dramatized, it remained as a place of drunkenness, gambling, gunplay, and prostitution. The most popular and dramatized gun battle was between Rowdy Joe and Red Beard, rival saloon owners, which ended in Red Beard’s death. Wichita did not object to Delano because cowboys needed an outlet after a long cattle drive and this was a way of confining the rowdiness. (In Wichita, men were required to check their guns.) A total separation of Wichita and Delano was not possible. When Delano’s dance hall girls decided to create their own river run and race nude to the river amidst cheers and wagers, it was impossible to obstruct this view from Wichita citizens. In 1876, Delano’s post office was phased out and the area was officially incorporated with Wichita. This explains the slight jog in Douglas Ave. then known as Chicago Ave. in 1880. A grand promotion brought a building boom to this western section, creating hotels, retail stores, and offices.
Erected 1993 by Wichita’s Historic Preservation Board.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical year for this entry is 1876.
Location. 37° 41.128′ N, 97°
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20.678′ W. Marker is in Wichita, Kansas, in Sedgwick County. It is in Delano. Marker is at the intersection of McLean Boulevard and West Douglas Avenue, on the right when traveling north on McLean Boulevard. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Wichita KS 67203, United States of America. Touch for directions.
The marker can be seen here in its new location, on the reverse of the nearby Chisolm Trail Marker.
Credits. This page was last revised on February 10, 2023. It was originally submitted on November 10, 2014, by Bill Kirchner of Tucson, Arizona. This page has been viewed 543 times since then and 45 times this year. Photos:1. submitted on November 10, 2014, by Bill Kirchner of Tucson, Arizona. 2. submitted on December 3, 2018, by J. Makali Bruton of Accra, Ghana. 3, 4. submitted on November 10, 2014, by Bill Kirchner of Tucson, Arizona. 5. submitted on December 3, 2018, by J. Makali Bruton of Accra, Ghana. • Al Wolf was the editor who published this page.
