IN 1871, WILLIAM "DUTCH BILL" GREIFFENSTEIN BUILT HIS
2-STORY HOME ON SOUTH WATER STREET, AT THE SITE WHERE CENTURY II
NOW STANDS. FOR MANY YEARS IT WAS THE LARGEST RESIDENCE IN WICHITA.
DUTCH BILL WAS AN INDIAN TRADER AND ESTABLISHED HIS FIRST TRADING
POST IN 1865 ALONG THE COWSKIN CREEK. (THE SITE IS NOW EBERLY FARMS
AT 13111 W. 21ST.) DUTCH BILL EARNED THE TITLE "FATHER OF WICHITA"
AND AS ONE OF THE FOUNDERS, HE WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN FINANCING THE
DEVELOPMENT OF DOUGLAS AVENUE AS WICHITA'S COMMERCIAL CENTER. HE
HAD STIFF OPPOSITION FROM DARIUS MUNGER, WHO BUILT WICHITA'S FIRST
HOUSE AT 9TH AND WACO. IN 1870, THEY AGREED TO COMBINE THEIR PLATS
TO CREATE A SINGLE TOWNSHIP. DUTCH BILL GAVE AWAY ALTERNATE PLOTS
ON MAIN STREET TO STIMULATE RETAIL GROWTH TOWARD DOUGLAS AVENUE. HE
ALSO FINANCED THE DOUGLAS AVENUE BRIDGE WHICH ALLOWED EASY ACCESS
TO DOUGLAS AVENUE MAKING IT THE MAJOR BUSINESS THOROUGHFARE.
GREIFFENSTEIN SERVED AS MAYOR FROM 1878 TO 1884 AND WILLIAM STREET
IS NAMED IN HIS HONOR.
Wichita's Historic Preservation Board
1993
|
Visit the Home Page for Kansas