Böcker av Professor of History Jay M (Wichita State University) Price

Wichita, a city of entrepreneurs, offered an ideal home for Middle Eastern Christians who started arriving in the 1890s. Initially identifying themselves as Syrians, they operated as peddlers across southern Kansas and northern Oklahoma. Peddling rapidly gave way to wholesale, grocery, and dry goods companies. Patriarchs such as N. F. Farha and E. G. Stevens established themselves in local business and civic circles. Primarily Eastern Orthodox, the Lebanese established two churches, St. George Orthodox Church and St. Mary Orthodox Christian Church, that became focal points of community life. After World War II, entrepreneurs responded to new opportunities, from real estate to supermarkets to the professions. In recent decades, an additional wave of immigrants from war-torn Lebanon has continued the entrepreneurial tradition.

Situated in the heart of the Great Plains, Wichita has been a city of energy and change. The Great Depression and World War II brought both challenges and opportunities. During the postwar years, commercial and business activities downtown thrived, while shopping malls and drive-ins appeared in new suburbs. Meanwhile, African Americans, countercultural figures, and other groups struggled to reshape local affairs. Urban renewal transformed whole sections of the city, while redevelopment brought new life into older structures. Events such as Riverfest and a host of museums have improved the quality of life. A strong entrepreneurial tradition has remained, and populations from Asia and Latin America have brought new perspectives. Aviation has remained the economy's heart, although health care, higher education, and other ventures have made their mark as well. Through it all, the rhythms of everyday life have continued, creating a vibrant, complex community facing the dawn of the 21st century.