During the latter part of the 19th Century, at the Kansas-end of the Texas-to-Kansas Chisholm Trail, an unruly establishment sprang up. Located just outside of Wichita. This new establishment, a cowtown. Laden with gambling. A place where saloons and brothels far outnumbered any churches. At the Kansas end of the Chisholm Trail, this raucous establishment was a place where cowboys – weary from cattle drives – could rest up. Enjoy bourbon. Play cards. Before heading back out on the road. This congregation-of-cowboys along the Chisholm Trail became, Delano.

Delano in the 1870’s became an unruly cowtown on the Chisholm Trail. So let’s look at how this Kansas cowtown came to be.

The emergence of Delano as a Kansas cowtown had been foundationally based upon, a convergence. Our convergence being, an over-abundance of cattle during the 1870’s in Texas. Coupled to a shortage of cattle during the 1870’s on the East Coast.

As one part of the country – Texas – had an abundance of cattle, and one part of the country – the East Coast – had a shortage of cattle, a business opportunity presented itself. Hence, our Chisholm Trail. Hence, Jesse Chisholm. And within the circumstances of this need – cattle to be shipped to the East Coast – we have our catslyst, for Delano.

To optimize this opportunity in the cattle business, Jessse Chisholm figured out that an establishment of a trail, starting out in Texas, and ending in Wichita, would enable cattle to be transported from where there had been an abundance of cattle – Texas – to where there had been a shortage of cattle – the EastCoast. As the Chiron Trail formed, Wichita was the perfect endpoint. Cattle transported from Texas (the Chisholm Trail began in San Antonio) to Wichita could then be shipped off to where there had been demand. With limited supply. The East Coast.

Cattle were shipped north…along Jesse’s Trsil. Delano. To Wichita. Located right next to Wichita, had been Delano. 

Delano was built upon the cattle-shipping industry. Delano’s growth, made possible through Jesse Chisolm’s 500-plus mile trail. From San Antonio to Wichita.

Along with the growth of the cattle shipping industry in Wichita, you had cowboys. And while Wichita was the established city, just next door to Delano – as Wichita had rules, and a sheriff…and laws, with a jail – Delano had no such checkpoints. 

During the 1870’s, there was no sheriff in Delano. During the 1870’s there was no law enforcement in Delano. No jail. Just across the Arkansas River from Wichita, to west. No rules in Delano. And right across the river from Delano, in Wichita, lots of trail-weary cowboys. That’s how Delano grew. 

The growth of Delano accompanied Wichita’s growth as a cattle shipping hub. Thanks yo the Chiron Trail.

Cattle drives from Texas – where there had been an abundance of cattle in the 1870’s – ending up in Wichita. Once the cattle got to Wichita from Texas, Wichita railroads transported cattle from Wichita to the East Coast. A major industry took hold – and grew -in Wichita. Facilitating Wichita’s cattle shipping industry, the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad was extended to Wichita in 1872. With the cattle industry in place, with the arrival of the railroad, Wichita became “Cowtown.” 

And just across the river from Cowtown, cowboys enjoyed their bourbon. And gambling. With no sheriff. With no jail. Hence, we have Delano. 

Delano. The perfect “wild west city” – with no law enforcement, with no sheriff, with saloons and with brothels – for Wichita’s cattle industry cowboys.

Today, Delano is a neighborhood in Wichita. Wichita annexed Delano in 1880. So, by the end of the 1870’s, Delano as an independent town, frequented by raucous cowboys, was no more. Integrated into Wichita – then locally becoming known as West Wichita – Delano adopted the rules of its city, just across the river. 

By 1880, Delano’s existence as a playground for cowboys – with no sheriff, with no jail – was no more.