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Wichita , California
Wichita
, Kansas is located on the Arkansas River and is in the south
central area of the state. Because it sat on the Chisholm Trail, it
was a destination for the cattle drives going north, and is
considered the Air capital of the world. Clyde Cessna and Walter
Beech started their businesses in the city, during the depression
era, and the companies remain in the city today, along with Learjet,
Spirit Aerosystems, Airbus and Boeing. The city has grown into a
entertainment and cultural center, with numerous parks, nightclubs,
museums, shopping centers and restaurants located throughout the
city. CNN/Money and Money Magazine listed it 9th on the top ten
cities to live in in the nation, and MSN Real Estate said it was
first on the list for most affordable cities.
Situated on
two rivers, the area has been a trading center for over 11,000 years. In
1541, Francisco de Coronado arrived looking for the fabled cities of gold,
but instead met the Wichita Indians. In 1719, these tribes went south to
Oklahoma, but came back when their sympathies were with the northern
states. Incorporated in 1870, and since it was on the Chisholm Trail, it
soon became the railhead where the cattle coming up from the south and west
were gathered to ship east. Because of these cattle drives and the wild
cowboys with them, the city was a wide open place, with much lawlessness.
Wyatt Earp was hired to keep the peace. During the late 1880s, the area
experienced a immigration increase, and by the year 1890, it had become the
third biggest city in Kansas.
It became
nationally famous in 1900, as Carrie Nation of the Women's Christian
Temperance Union brought her campaign against the evils of alcohol to
Wichita. Cessna, Beech, Mooney and Stearman were all started in Wichita in
the late 1920s and early 1930s. Oil was discovered in 1915, and Wichita
became a big oil center. The money afforded local entrepreneurs to invest
in the fledgling aircraft business and in 1917, the Cessna Comet was made.
The first planes made for mass production were the Swallows, and 43 were
manufactured between 1920 and 1930. In 1932, Gage Brewer introduced the
first electric guitar in Wichita, developed by the Rickenbacker Guitar
Company. Wichita grew incredibly during the second World War, since so many
planes were needed and being built there. By 1945, over 4 bombers were
being made each day. The city seemed to be a magnet for upcoming
entrepreneurs, and many businesses were started there including; Pizza Hut,
Coleman, Koch Industries, White Castle, Taco Tico and Mentolatum. The city
has one of the first academic centers to study and support entrepreneurship
at the Wichita State University Center for Entrepreneurship.
Most traveling in the city is done by car, although
there are 51 buses running 17 routes through the city and an Amtrak station
is 20 miles away. The Mid-Continent Airport, is the biggest in the state
and takes people to all the major cities in the area. There are 16 colleges
and universities in the city, with two major libraries. The city is the
cultural center for the entire state of Kansas, with numerous art and
history museums, as well as some performing arts groups. A symphony
performs regularly and a county zoo is located here.
When
renting a car in Wichita,
visitors save some of their traveling expenses to put towards other
costs. Renting a car also adds flexibility to their vacation. Most
people pick up their rental cars at or near the Wichita Airport because they have more of a selection to
choose from. We can also pick you up at or near the Wichita
Airport from all the major rental car companies.
Whether you need a luxury car, compact car, mid-size, full-size, SUV
or even a minivan. Let us help you rent your next car in Wichita.
Dollar Rental Car Specials
Dollar Rental Car - Wichita International
Airport
The Kansas Aviation Museum contains many of the early
aircraft built in this nation, with an emphasis on the Boeing company. A
B-29 superfortress, B-47 stratojet and KC-135 Stratotanker are part of this
fabulous collection. The final stop before crossing the Rocky Mountains on
your way to Denver or LA, the airport was needed for refueling and weather
updates. Landing for these pit stops, many famous people would head to the
restaurant for a quick bite and bathroom facilities. Among these were;
Howard Hughes, Bob Hope, Fred Astaire and many more of the film industry.
During the second World War, it became the fifth busiest airport in the
country.
Thrifty Rental
Car Specials
Thrifty Rental Car - Wichita Airport
The Museum of World Treasures is a repository of unique and interesting
artifacts from the years gone past, filled with collections of David
Karpeles of the Karpeles Manuscript Library and retired doctor and founder,
Dr. Jon Kardatzke. With exciting memorabilia from actors, presidents,
public figures and athletes, this extensive exhibit is amazing. Going back
hundreds of years, you will be astounded at some of the relics that are here
which include; the scalp of George Custer's nephew, from the Little Big Horn, a
lock of George Washington's hair, a rare draft of the Bill of Rights,
autographs of all 43 presidents, weapons, statues, jewelry, minerals,
meteorites, dinosaur skeletons and Egyptian sarcophagi and mummies. Some
people say that it is haunted, which makes for a very interesting trip to
the museum. |