Old Town (Wichita) Travel Guide - Free

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Old Town Wichita blends brick warehouses, the Museum of World Treasures, local restaurants, nightlife, markets and historic streets near downtown Kansas.

Warehouse District by the Arkansas River

Old Town occupies a compact historic district just east of Wichita’s central business area, where red-brick warehouses, former commercial buildings and broad streets recall the city’s late-nineteenth-century expansion. The district developed alongside rail lines and the commercial activity that helped Wichita grow as a cattle, grain and manufacturing centre. Many of its surviving buildings now contain restaurants, bars, offices, shops and cultural attractions, giving the area a noticeably different texture from the glass-and-concrete blocks farther south.

History in Reused Buildings

The Museum of World Treasures is the district’s principal cultural attraction, housed in a former warehouse and presenting collections ranging from fossils and military history to popular culture. Around it, Old Town Square acts as a useful orientation point, with seating, public events and a changing programme of markets and community gatherings. Walking between the square and the surrounding brick-fronted buildings is the best way to appreciate the district’s architectural continuity.

Dining, Music and Evening Streets

Old Town is one of Wichita’s most concentrated areas for restaurants, breweries, pubs and evening entertainment. Activity centres on East Douglas Avenue and the streets around Old Town Square, although the atmosphere changes considerably between event nights and quieter weekday afternoons. Visitors will find independent dining, regional beer, live-music possibilities and late-opening venues rather than a single defined nightlife style. The neighbourhood is also close to the Arkansas River and downtown attractions, making it practical to combine with a wider central Wichita walk without confusing those nearby places with Old Town itself.

Best landmarks in Old Town

Old Town’s most significant landmark is not a single monument but its surviving concentration of brick warehouses and commercial buildings, which preserve the physical character of Wichita’s railway-era trading district. Their tall façades, substantial masonry and large former storage spaces reveal how the area was built for wholesale commerce, distribution and industry before being adapted for public, cultural and hospitality uses. The Museum of World Treasures is especially notable because its present cultural role occupies one of these reused warehouse structures. Old Town Square provides the neighbourhood’s principal civic reference point, marking the shift from private commercial premises to a public gathering space. Railway traces and the district’s street pattern add further historical context, even where the original industrial functions have disappeared. The nearby Arkansas River is an important Wichita landmark, but it should be understood as a neighbouring riverfront setting rather than an Old Town landmark itself.

Museum 4.7 (232 reviews)

Wichita-Sedgwick County Historical Museum

Discover Wichita's history and culture at the Wichita-Sedgwick County Historical Museum, a captivating journey through time in the heart of Kansas.

2 min walk · 0.2 km from neighbourhood centre

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Explore Old Town on the map

A handpicked selection of must-see spots in Old Town, mapped for you.

Old Town essentials

Getting There

Old Town lies immediately east of central Wichita and is straightforward to reach from downtown by car, taxi, rideshare or on foot. East Douglas Avenue is the principal approach, while nearby streets connect with the wider central road network. Wichita Transit buses serve the downtown and Douglas Avenue corridor, although visitors should check current routes and stop locations before setting out. From Wichita Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport, the practical options are a hired car, taxi or rideshare; there is no need to treat Old Town as a separate airport district.

Getting Around

The core of Old Town is compact and best explored on foot, particularly around Old Town Square, East Douglas Avenue and the Museum of World Treasures. Pavements are generally level, but brick surfaces, kerbs and older building entrances can create uneven sections or limited step-free access. Driving is useful for reaching the district from elsewhere in Wichita, while walking is more rewarding once there. The nearby Arkansas River and downtown are accessible on foot, though visitors should allow for larger roads and changing streetscapes between those areas.

Safety

Use ordinary urban precautions in Old Town: keep valuables secure in crowded venues, stay aware of traffic when crossing the wider roads and take care around cyclists, scooters and uneven pavements. Evening activity can make the entertainment blocks busy, while quieter streets may feel different after venues close, so groups should remain aware of their surroundings and use well-lit routes. Check venue arrangements and transport home in advance if staying late. Neighbourhood conditions vary with events and time of day, so practical awareness is more useful than assumptions about the district.

Emergency Situations

Call 911 in Wichita for police, fire or urgent medical assistance, and state clearly that you are in Old Town Wichita, giving the nearest street, venue or building name. For a non-emergency matter, use the relevant local police or medical service rather than occupying the emergency line. International visitors should keep identification, travel insurance details and any essential medication information accessible. If an emergency occurs inside a restaurant, bar or museum, alert staff first so they can guide responders to the correct entrance.

Do's and Don'ts

Respect the district’s mixed residential, commercial and entertainment character by keeping noise down when leaving venues and avoiding blocked doorways or private entrances. Ask before photographing people, performers or market stalls, and treat the historic brick buildings as working properties rather than climbing frames or backdrops for disruptive behaviour. Queue patiently at busy restaurants and bars, follow staff instructions, and remember that American dining customs generally include tipping for table service. Do not assume that a seasonal market or event is operating simply because it has taken place there previously.

Local Tips

Old Town rewards a two-part visit: arrive in daylight to see the warehouse architecture and museum, then return after dark for its restaurants and entertainment. East Douglas Avenue provides a useful east-west reference, while Old Town Square helps orient first-time visitors. Look beyond the most prominent venues for smaller businesses occupying converted commercial buildings, and check current cultural or market listings before travelling. If combining the district with downtown or the riverfront, plan the route rather than relying on Old Town’s compactness to represent all of central Wichita.

From Eve

Local phrases worth knowing

You don't need to get them perfect. A few words go a long way, and locals appreciate the effort.

6 phrase groups · English, local and pronunciation

Basics

English	Local	Say it
Hello	Howdy	[haw-dee]
Goodbye	See ya	[see yuh]
Yes	Yep	[yep]
No	Nah	[nuh]
Please/You're welcome	Please/No problem	[pleez/no praw-blem]
Thank you	Thanks	[thanks]
Excuse me/Sorry	Pardon me/My bad	[pahrd-n me/my bad]
How are you?	How y'all doin'?	[how y'all doin']
Fine. And you?	Fine. How 'bout you?	[fine. how 'bout yuh]
Do you speak English?	Ya speak English?	[ya speak english]
I don't understand	I ain't catchin' on	[I ain't catchin' on]

Eating & Drinking

English	Local	Say it
I'd like to see the menu, please	Can I see the menu?	[can i see the menu]
I don't eat meat	I don't eat meat	[I don't eat meat]
Cheers!	Cheers!	[cheers]
I would like to pay, please	I need to settle up, please	[I need to settle up, please]

Emergencies

English	Local	Say it
Help!	Help!	[Help!]
Go away!	Git!	[Git!]
Call the Police!	Call the Sheriff!	[Call the Sheriff!]
Call a doctor!	Call the doc!	[Call the doc!]
I'm lost	I'm turned around	[I'm turned around]
I'm ill	I'm feelin' poorly	[I'm feelin' poorly]

Shopping

English	Local	Say it
I'd like to buy...	I reckon I'll buy...	[I reckon I'll buy...]
I'm just looking	I'm just lookin'	[I'm just lookin']
How much is it?	How much fer it?	[how much fer it]
That's too expensive	That's too steep	[That's too steep]
Can you lower the price?	Can ya come down on the price?	[Can ya come down on the price]

Time & Numbers

English	Local	Say it
What time is it?	What time is it?	[What time is it]
It's one o'clock	It's one o'clock	[It's one o'clock]
Half past (10)	Half past (10)	[Half past (10)]
Morning	Mornin'	[Mornin']
Afternoon	Afternoon	[Afternoon]
Evening	Evenin'	[Evenin']
Yesterday	Yesterday	[Yesterday]
Today	Today	[Today]
Tomorrow	Tomorrow	[Tomorrow]
1	1	[1]
2	2	[2]
3	3	[3]
4	4	[4]
5	5	[5]
6	6	[6]
7	7	[7]
8	8	[8]
9	9	[9]
10	10	[10]

Transport & Directions

English	Local	Say it
Where's a/the...?	Where's a/the...?	[Where's a/the...?]
What's the address?	What's the address?	[What's the address?]
Can you show me (on the map)?	Can you show me (on the map)?	[Can you show me (on the map)?]
When's the next (bus)?	When's the next (bus)?	[When's the next (bus)?]
A ticket (to ....)	A ticket (to ....)	[A ticket (to ....)]

History of Old Town

A Commercial District Takes Shape

Old Town grew during Wichita’s nineteenth-century expansion as rail connections, livestock commerce and new industries increased demand for warehouses and business premises east of the Arkansas River. The area’s sturdy brick buildings were designed for storage, trade and manufacturing rather than tourism, and their scale reflects Wichita’s importance as a regional distribution centre. Rail infrastructure was particularly significant: it connected local businesses with wider markets and helped establish the concentrated commercial character that still distinguishes Old Town from nearby residential streets.

Railways, Warehouses and Industry

Through the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, the district functioned as a working commercial quarter, with warehouses, wholesalers, workshops and transport-related businesses occupying buildings close to the railway corridors. Wichita’s growth in aircraft manufacturing and other industries altered the wider city’s economy, while Old Town retained a more mixed collection of older commercial structures. The buildings were practical and repeatedly adapted, a pattern that later made them suitable for offices, cultural institutions, restaurants and entertainment venues.

Decline and Historic Recognition

As freight practices changed and commercial activity moved to newer parts of Wichita, some Old Town buildings lost their original uses and the district faced periods of underinvestment. Its concentration of surviving nineteenth- and early-twentieth-century structures nevertheless preserved an important record of the city’s trading past. Old Town’s historic identity became more clearly recognised during the late twentieth century, when preservation and redevelopment efforts encouraged the repair and adaptive reuse of warehouses rather than wholesale replacement.

Adaptive Reuse and a New Social Role

From the 1990s onwards, Old Town’s restored buildings attracted restaurants, bars, offices, shops and cultural uses, turning a former warehouse quarter into a mixed visitor and entertainment district. The Museum of World Treasures became a major cultural anchor, while Old Town Square provided a setting for public gatherings and seasonal events. This redevelopment brought new investment and evening activity, but the district’s defining character still rests on the retention of its historic building stock and the visible relationship between commerce, transport and architecture.

Old Town in Photos

Browse through our photo collection highlighting the charm and character of the destination.

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The closest neighbourhoods to Old Town, if you have time for more than one stop.

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