Know Your Local History!

Historical Newspaper Articles

Early Registers of Deeds - Articles and endorsements about some of the first elected Registers in Sedgwick County.

The Way We Were - Amusing and interesting short articles and news items about early life and times around Sedgwick County and the Register of Deeds Office.

Women in the Register of Deeds - Early articles and items referencing Kansas women in Registers of Deeds offices.

Working Out Our Democracy - Articles and items about local government issues of the day.

The Billy the Kid Connection - Information and Sedgwick County recorded instruments related to Catherine McCarty, the mother of Billy the Kid.

The Sixth Principal Meridian - The 1855 instructions to the Surveyor General of Nebraska and Kansas to establish the point at which all Kansas land surveys began.

Historical Resources Around the County

Wichita-Sedgwick County Historical Museum

204 S. Main
Wichita, KS 67202
316-265-9314
Call for hours, admissions, and other information.

Wichita Genealogical Society

General inquiries may be sent to:
Wichita Genealogical Society
PO Box 3705
Wichita, KS 67201

OR via email: info@wichitagensoc.org

Kansas Historical Society

6425 SW 6th Avenue
Topeka, KS 66615-1099
785-272-8681

Click “Research” to see online collections and access the Kansas Digital Newspaper Program, a free collection of over 10 million historic newspaper pages with more added each year.

A large online-only collection of historic photographs provided by the Wichita Public Library, the Wichita-Sedgwick County Historical Museum, and Wichita State University Libraries’ Department of Special Collections.

Wichita Public Library Local History

Advanced Learning Library
711 W 2nd
Wichita, KS 67203
316-261-8500

The local history department contains numerous photographs, books by local authors, short-lived newspapers, original and reproduction maps and atlases, and a wealth of other information.

Sedgwick County Register of Deeds

100 N Broadway, Ste 105
Wichita, KS 67202
316-660-9400

The office contains records of real estate transactions going back to 1870. Current digital records are available from 1969. Researchers will need a party’s name and location of the property.