Published in 1946 by McCormick-Armstrong Co., Wichita, Kansas, “Hutchinson, a Prairie City in Kansas” is an important historical resource that captures the quintessence of a small city transitioning through time. The author, Willard Welsh, has painstakingly collected stories, facts, and photographs—albeit photocopies of poor quality—to compose a narrative that preserves the memory of Hutchinson’s development from its early days to an expanding city center.
Welsh organizes the city’s extensive history into chronological chapters, starting with the early interactions with Native Americans and Spanish explorers and moving through the city’s struggles and triumphs. Key areas of focus include the growth of industry, education, religion, and governance, and how these have shaped the community and its identity.
Note: The photographs which originally appeared in this book were poorly photocopied and then placed onto microfilm. This resulted in barely visible photographs within the manuscript. We have found another copy of the book and retrieved those images. While we cannot incorporate these new images in the book, we can provide them to you for your genealogical research. You’ll find them at the bottom of the page in the gallery. They are named by page number.
The Auxiliary Police, The Big Brothers, Boy Scouts – Girl Scouts, p. 122
Manufacturing and Other Industries, p. 127
Conclusion, p. 165
Gallery of Photos
page vipage 4 – Coronado Expeditionpage 7 – C C Hutchinson Real Estate Officepage 12 – Main Street in 1876page 15 – George Ward Blacksmith Shoppage 19 – Hutchinson Foundry and Blacksmith Shoppage 22 – corner of Sherman and Main Street in 1880page 25 – First group of students at Allen Schoolpage 27 – Grandview Grade Schoolpage 31 – Hutchinson Junior Collegepage 34 – Trinity Methodist Churchpage 36 – Zion Lutheran Churchpage 40 – Reno county Bar Association 1885page 43 – Hutchinson Post Officepage 47 – W Y Morganpage 52 – Lysle Rishelpage 54 Guy LeonidaPage 56 – C D Wagoner HomePage 56 – Harold Pennington HomePage 56 – Homer Jennings Homepage 56 – Robert Krantz Home and Mrs E E Yaggy Homepage 56 – Walter Justice Homepage 58 – Barton Salt Companypage 59 – C H Humphreyspage 60 – Howard J Careypage 60 – Modern Salt Mining Methodspage 61 – W D P Carypage 62 – Emerson Carey, Jrpage 65page 68 – Houston Whitesidepage 84 – Emerson Careypage 100 – the YMCApage 103 – Hutchinson Board of Trade in 1919page 104 – Phil M Clarkepage 106 – Charles Summerspage 106 – The Security Elevator Companypage 107 – Geo E Ganopage 109 – Hutchinson Pow Wow Grouppage 111 – Police beauty queen at Carey Parkpage 113 – Holidays Military Band, 1894page 114 – The Municipal Bandpage 115 – Carl Hipplepage 123 – The Auxiliary Policepage 127 – Chas E Careypage 128 – Central Fibre Products Copage 130 – Western Food Products Co and Hutchinson Cider and Vinegar Workspage 132 – Betts Baking Copage 132 – The Fleming Copage 132 – The Guymon-Petro Mercantile Copage 134 – Hutchinson Coca Cola Bottling Copage 134 – Hutchinson Foundry and Steel Copage 134 – Model Laundry and Dry Cleanerspage 136 – Charles Hillpage 136 – Lee Hillpage 136page 138 – Graber Furniture Copage 138 – The Richards-Scheble Candy Companypage 138 – Woodwork Mfg Copage 143 – Krause Manufacturing Companypage 145 – William Wysepage 146 – American National Bankpage 146 – First National Bankpage 146 – Hutchinson State Bankpage 149 – Harry Tiddpage 151 – Hotel Leonpage 151 – Wolcott Buildingpage 152 – A D Raylpage 154 – Hutchinson Motor Car Copage 156 – J S Dillon, Srpage 156 – One of 24 present day Dillon Food Centers in Kansaspage 156 – Original J S Dillon and Sons Storepage 156 – Ray E Dillonpage 157 – The Hotel Stameypage 157 – The Wiley Bldgpage 158 – V M Wileypage 159 – Colladay Hardware Copage 159 – Pegues-Wright Dry Goods Copage 160 – R H Goldbergpage 161 – Geo E Hipplepage 162 – C L Burtpage 164 – Elliott and Gard Funeral Home
