Ackerman Island

Ackerman Island, early 1900's

A long time ago, in a Galaxy far, far away...

Well, actually it all started in the 1870's in Wichita Kansas.

Floodwaters from Colorado formed this island in the Arkansas river in downtown Wichita, which ran from 2nd street to Douglas Avenue. Over the next few years, due in part to increased use of water in Colorado which reduced the normally robust streamflow to a mere trickle, the island became a semi-permanent part of the river. In 1890 Joseph Ackerman purchased and named the island. He built a business which provided sand, and in 1905 he sold the entire island. Shortly after, an amusement park named Wonderland was built there, which was home to the famous figure 8 "Great Thriller" roller coaster, at the time the longest in the country. Shortly after a baseball stadium was built, followed by 3 theatres, a bandstand and a dancehall.

There are uncomfirmed rumors that a tunnel was built connecting the Broadview hotel with the island in order to provide an escape route for imbibers during prohibition.

The "Great Thriller" at Wonderland Park, early 1900's

In the 1930's, due partly as an effort to relieve flooding downtown, the island was removed. Yes, removed! The PWP hired men for a few dollars a day to move the island by hand with shovels and wheelbarrows. The soil and sand was moved to the west bank, incorporating it with the western part of the island, which is part of Wichita's West Bank today.

Can you imagine if the island were still there? Downtown Wichita would be a much more interesting place, and if I had my way, the "Old Town" area would now be located on Ackerman Island.