WICHITA, a city of Kansas, the county-seat of Sedgwick co., on the Ar kansas river and on the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe, the Missouri Pacific, the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific, and other railroads. It is the center of an important agricultural region and the milling of flour is one of the most im portant industries. Wichita is an attrac tive city and has many fine public build ings. There are 90 miles of paved streets, an excellent fire department, over 300 miles of sewer, 37 miles of street rail way, and 145 miles of water mains. The park system comprises nearly 400 acres. Boating and bathing •facilities are pro vided in Riverside Park, on the Little Arkansas river. There are 31 public school buildings, in which are enrolled over 13,000 pupils. There are 370 teach ers. Two magnificent intermediate high schools, bearing the names of Mark Twain and Theodore Roosevelt, were erected in 1920. The institutions of higher learning include Fairmount Col lege and Friends' University. There are also an academy, a commercial college, several conservatories of music, and five parochial schools. There are 67 church
edifices, Y. M. C. A. and Y. W. C. A. buildings, a Masonic Home, and Mount St. Mary's Convent and Orphanage.
Wichita is an important industrial center. Almost without exception fuel oil produced in local refineries is used by the manufacturing establishments. In addi tion to flour milling the chief industries are the manufacture of automobiles, beef and pork products, bridges, candy, ele vators, furniture, harness, men's cloth ing, paper boxes, tractors, trunks, and wagons.
Wichita is an important live stock market. Two large packing plants are located here. The Kansas National Live Stock Show is one of the important yearly events. There are four National banks, 21 State banks, and 12 Federal farm loan banks. There is also a Guar antee Stock Land Bank. The total bank clearings in 1919 amounted to $604, 202,200. Wichita was settled in 1870. Pop. (1910) 52,450; (1920) 72,217.