Salina / Saline Co.

The county seat of Saline County, Salina, was first settled in 1856 along the Saline and Smoky Hill Rivers. It was founded by William A. Phillips in 1858 and today is situated at the intersection of Interstate Highways I-70 and I-135 in central Kansas.

In 1860, Salina, the westernmost post on the Smoky Hill Trail, began to establish itself as a staging point for prospectors traveling to Pikes Peak, as well as a trading post between local native tribes and Fort Leavenworth. After the Civil War, Phillips, then a colonel, used his influence to extend the Union Pacific Railroad to Salina in 1867. Starting in 1872, Salina began transporting meat shipped in refrigerated cars down the rails. During the 1870s, wheat became the dominant crop in Salina and a steam-powered flour mill was built. At the same time Dr. E. R. Switzer, of Salina, introduced alfalfa to Kansas farmers.

Agriculture is still a predominant industry in Salina, and its grain elevators are visible from miles away. This agrarian emphasis is even reflected in a local Catholic Church, Sacred Heart Cathedral, which is built in white cylindrical shapes intriguingly like grain silos.

During World War II, Smoky Hill Army Airfield, located southwest of Salina, was one of several notable B-29 training bases. The rapid growth of Salina in the 1950s was related largely to the re-opening of the base, later renamed Schilling Air Force Base, home to the Strategic Air Command's 40th and 310th Bomb Wings of the 802nd Air Division between 1952 and 1960, flying B-47 Stratojets and KC-97 Stratotankers; to the 310th Strategic Aerospace Wing between 1960 and 1962; and between 1962 and 1965, to the 22nd Strategic Aerospace Division, controlling the 310th SAW and the Atlas ICBM missile silos of the 550th Strategic Missile Squadron. Schilling Air Force Base was closed in 1965 by the Department of Defense.

But Salina still holds a place in aviation history. On February 28, 2005, the city was home to the "Last Great Aviation Record" when Steve Fossett took off from the Salina Airport in the Virgin Atlantic GlobalFlyer, to attempt the first solo, non-stop, non-refueled aerial circumnavigation of the globe by airplane. Fossett completed the record-breaking flight on March 3, 2005 when he landed back in Salina after 67 hours, 1 minute and 10 seconds.

Helpful websites: expand

Lodging expand

Dining expand

Transportation expand

 

The information listed above has been supplied by other entities. It has not been verified by the website developers, Manhattan Regional Airport, the City of Manhattan, or the Manhattan Chamber of Commerce. This information is provided as a service to the website users. Manhattan Regional Airport, the City of Manhattan, the Manhattan Chamber of Commerce, and the developers of this site cannot be held liable for any inaccuracies found on this site.

 

 

Receive news and special offers
Terms & Conditions

www.flyMHK.com was created by:

ImagemakersS&N DesignManhattan Advertising