Tours depart from CityArts, located in Old Town Square at 334 N. Mead. The tours take approximately 1-½ hours tour to review the 30 significant historic buildings in downtown Wichita. Passengers can enjoy Wichita and relax on the replica-19th Century American Heritage Streetcar trolley that features more room and air-conditioning. Trips travel by some of Wichita’s most distinguished historic neighborhoods and establishments. All trolleys are ADA compliant, and wheel chair accessible.

Returning again this year will be the Frank Lloyd Wright/Allen Lamb Interior Tour. This includes a stop at the famous architect’s home and a full tour. That particular tour includes the museum’s admission in the price so the charge is $20 for adults. This themed tour is at noon every other Saturday (June 9 and 23, July 7 and 21, August 4 and 18 and September 1, 15 and 22).

Reservations are requested, but not required. Trolleys do fill up, as there is a 25-passenger capacity. Admission is $10 for adults; $8 for seniors and youth and children under 5 are free. Group tours are available. Group tours of 10 or more must pay in advance. For information or reservations, call 462-2787.

Some History Lessons Learned On the Tour

From past participants…

1. I can’t believe that there are homes in Wichita that were purchased from the Sears catalog! (Note: The home is located near Friends University)

2. Carrie Nation broke up the bar in Wichita? Yes, Carrie Nation, the famed prohibitionist busted up the drinking establishment at the Eaton Hotel.

3. Century II was designed by an architect that studied under Frank Lloyd Wright.

4. Lawrence-Dumont Stadium is one of the 15 oldest baseball stadiums still in use in professional baseball.

5. Finally, an explanation of why there is an “East side” vs. “West side” mentality in Wichita! (Delano was thought of us being rough, with prostitution, drinking and gambling. East side was where the civilized resided.)

6. Present-day College Hill stands on the original site of the Wichita Country Club.

7. The historic houses in north Wichita have a secret connecting tunnel underneath.

8. There was an impressive list of performers that came to Wichita to take the stage at the Orpheum Theatre, including Elvis Presley and “Gypsy” Rose Lee.

9. Wyatt Earp started his career in Wichita as a police officer.

10. Some of Wichita’s Aviation heroes started Travel Air in the Delano District.

11. There is a castle in Wichita? The only castle in the Midwest is located in Wichita. Burton Harvey Campbell built Campbell Castle in 1888. This architectural masterpiece was duplicated from architectural drawings of the "mother" castle which was originally constructed in the foothills of Scotland.

12. Wichita was one of the first cities to have trolleys! In 1881, Wichita became one of the first cities in the nation to have electric trolleys. It also was one of the first cities to remove them in the 1950s.

And that’s not all there is so much more! Take a tour to find out!

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