| Wichita is a city in the southern part of the state of Kansas. With a population of 370,000 Wichita ranks as the fiftieth largest United States city. Officially, the city of Wichita was established in 1870. It is located in Sedgwick County, Kansas, at an elevation of about thirteen hundred feet. It is within the Central Standard Time Zone and the Wichita area code 316. Wichita weather ranges from winter month average low temperatures of 20 degrees to summer highs in the low 90s. About 2.5 inches of rain fall on Wichita each month. Median family income is around $40,000. Wichita major jobs providers include manufacturing and healthcare. Nearly 30,000 jobs are provided by the healthcare industry. Large companies and corporations that have a presence in the area include Raytheon Aircraft Company, Boeing, Bombardier Learjet Inc, and Hawker Beechcraft, as well as Koch Industries, Coleman Company, and Cessna. Nearly 60,000 local workers are employed in the manufacturing industry. Local main highways include Interstate I-235, I-35, and I-135. Amtrak provides railroad service to the Wichita area. Higher educational facilities in the area include Newman University, Friends University, Bethel College, Wichita State University, University of Kansas School of Medicine, ITT Technical Institute, Tabor College, Wichita Area Technical College, and Webster University. Favorite Wichita shopping areas include Towne West Square and Towne East Square shopping malls. Wichita things to do include local attractions such as the Wichita Art Museum, Museum of World Treasures, Exploration Place, and the Sedgewick County Zoo. Wichita entertainment includes productions at The Music Theater of Wichita, The Orpheum Theater, and the Wichita Symphony Orchestra. The Wichita Eagle is the area's newspaper. Sports teams in the Wichita area include baseball's Wichita Wingnuts, Friends University Falcons, indoor football's Wichita Wild, hockey's Wichita Thunder, and the Wichita State Shockers. Famous people with ties to the area include Barry Sanders, Kirstie Alley, Arlen Spector, and Joe Walsh. |
