Park Township Sedgwick County Kansas Genealogy Trails

Park

The first township settled was Park. It really seems to claim most of the earlier incidents narrated in an authentic history of Sedgwick County. It was in Park Township that Clint Arnold and his hunting party located. It was here the first farm settler, John Ross, built his cabin and where he met his tragic death. J. H. Dunlap settled there in February, 1868. Besides, Park city was organized by a town company before Wichita was named, and it was designed not only for the county seat town, but for the metropolis of the valley. It was not organized as a township until May 2nd, 1871, and then by W. W. Turner. Park is watered by both the Big and the Little Arkansas rivers - an island almost. It is thoroughly irrigated by the undertow of both rivers, hence never fails of a crop, averaging some years seventy-five to eighty bushels of corn to the acre. All the other cereals, fruits and vegetables, grow abundantly and profitably. Population, 418. Total valuation of property, $124,908. (William G. Cutler's History of the State of Kansas, Sedgwick County, Part 2, Township Sketches)