Discover the Charm: Top 7 Fun and Surprising Facts About Wichita, Kansas

1. Pizza Hut's Humble Beginnings

Hold onto your pepperonis, pizza pilgrims: The original Pizza Hut building has found a cozy new abode at Wichita State University in Kansas, gloriously preserved as a museum for future generations to marvel at the delicious history of this pie powerhouse. Founded in 1958 by pizza prodigies Frank and Dan Carney, the building that once sat at the junction of Bluff and Kellogg stands testament to their doughy dreams, which ultimately stretched across 11,000 locations in 90 countries like the cheesiest mozzarella. And if you're lucky, you may even catch a selfie with the legendary Pizza Pete mascot while you're there.
Source => wichita.edu

2. Sneezing Capital of America

Bless you, Wichita: In 2023, the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America dubbed Wichita, Kansas as the sneeziest, wheeziest city in the nation. Brace yourself for tree and grass pollen attacks, fields getting fired up by farmer flamethrowers, and an epic allergy saga worthy of the big screen. But seriously, folks - if allergies make you sniffly and miserable, you better refill that prescription before heading to this sneeze-tastic destination!
Source => en.wikipedia.org

Did you know that in the late '80s, Kansas City was once a paradise for underage drinkers due to differing legal drinking ages across state lines? Discover this wild story and more! 🍻💃🕺

=> Fun Facts about Kansas-City

3. Airplanes Galore: Air Capital of the World

If birds of a feather flock together, then Wichita is the ultimate aviary for airplane aficionados: Once the world's largest producer of aircraft, Wichita earned its title as the "Air Capital of the World," with icons such as Lloyd Stearman, Walter Beech, and Clyde Cessna soaring through local skies and companies like Cessna, Bombardier Aerospace Learjet, Raytheon, and Boeing producing over half of the globe's general aviation and military planes, and Boeing alone crafting two-thirds of the world's commercial airliners.
Source => wichitachamber.org

4. Free Art Extravaganza at Ulrich Museum

Are the masterpieces of Monet a monetarily moot point? Worry not, frugal art enthusiasts: Wichita, Kansas houses the Ulrich Museum of Art, a delightful trove of over 6,000 art pieces - all free to peruse on the Wichita State University campus Monday-Saturday, 11am-5pm.
Source => ulrich.wichita.edu

5. Kirstie Alley: From Cheerleader to Cheers

Where everybody knows her name: Born and raised in Wichita, Kansas is none other than Kirstie Alley, the actress who charmed our hearts on the hit TV show Cheers. Funnily enough, she shook her pom-poms as a cheerleader at Wichita Southeast High School before becoming a Hollywood sensation, winning two Emmy Awards, and earning a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Source => walkoffame.com

6. Wichita Wind Surge’s Baseball Identity Swap

In a twist worthy of a Shakespearean comedy, Wichita swapped partners and changed status before ever hitting the stage: Wichita, Kansas is home to the Wichita Wind Surge, a Minor League Baseball team that debuted in 2021 as the Double-A affiliate of the Minnesota Twins, playing at the $75 million Riverfront Stadium. They were originally set to kick off in 2020 as a Triple-A team affiliated with the Miami Marlins, but fate, a pandemic, and a baseball realignment brought them to their current Double-A glory without even experiencing a moment in the Triple-A limelight.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

7. The Unstoppable Shocker Basketball Team

When the going gets tough, the Shockers get going: The Wichita State University's men's basketball team boasts of 16 NCAA appearances, 2 in the Final Four, and 4 in the Elite Eight, even starting the 2013-2014 season with a 35-0 record - an unbeatable feat in NCAA Division I history.
Source => en.wikipedia.org