In Wichita’s early years, as the city was booming, lavish mansions were built in what is now Historic Midtown.
Some have been torn down or fallen into disrepair. But you can still find homes that have been maintained or restored to their former beauty.
And if you’re lucky enough, you can visit some of them during the Historic Midtown House Tour, which takes place every few years.
That’s where we found ourselves on a brisk, windy Saturday in November. Volunteer Kevin Boese welcomed people onto the deep, wrap-around porch of the Vermillion House, one of the homes featured in this year’s tour.
“Welcome to the Vermilion home,” Boese said. “Lonna is going to give a brief history of the home, and then we'll get you inside …”
The house is a lavish Queen Anne built by attorney R.R. Vermillion in 1887. There are six houses on display this year, all in the 11- and 12-hundred blocks of North Topeka.
We’re ushered through the door and the next guide, Becky Boese, leads us into the front parlor.
“Oh my gosh. Look at that entranceway,” people in the crowd said. “Look at that door. It’s beautiful.”
That it is. From the woodwork to the beveled-glass French doors and windows, and the original fireplace.
Becky Boese showed us one of the house's rooms.
“This would have been the place where the men would have met men-only,” she said, “and they would have discussed the business and politics of the day after dinner.”
Just to the north of this mansion is the J. Arch Butts house, built by one of Wichita’s early automobile dealers. It’s a Revival Craftsman house built in the early 1900s.
The house is built in the Arts and Crafts style: a four-square with an open floor plan, But it features both Victorian and Craftsman elements.
“They wanted a little bit of everything,” said tour guide Rachel Schober. “They couldn't decide.
“We've got Victorian hardware and a Victorian doorbell. And over here, we've got Arts and Crafts with the really cool granite fireplace …”
We continue into the library, where nearly everything is original, and then on to the second floor. There's a wide center hall with spacious bedrooms and a second, back staircase leading to the kitchen.
The historic house tours have taken place in Midtown since 1973. Proceeds from the tours help the organization acquire and restore houses in the area. The group also provides a $1,000 scholarship for a Midtown student to attend Wichita State University.
Historic Midtown works to protect and restore the area, which isn’t easy. Restoration of these houses is a labor of love – and money.
Midtown covers roughly the area between 21st Street and Central and the Little Arkansas River and the BNSF-Union Pacific rail corridor.
Makayla Nasser-Welch is the president of Historic Midtown. She said the tours offer people a look into the glory days of Wichita’s past – and a look at a neighborhood many might not have seen.
“It brings in people who maybe don't spend time in Midtown, and shows them what we really are about,” she said. “But also, it encourages the neighborhood to get spruced up a little bit when we have people walking through.”
