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Cities on the Plains: The Evolution of Urban Kansas
From Abilene to Wichita and beyond, a constellation of cities glitters across the fertile plains of Kansas. Their history is entwined with that of the state as a whole, and their size and status are rarely questioned. Yet as James Shortridge reveals, the evolution of urban Kansas remains a largely untold story of competition, rivalry, and metropolitan dreams.
Cities on the Plains relates the history of Kansas's larger communities from the 1850s to the present. The first book to provide a comprehensive, comparative account of an entire state's urban development, it shows how Kansas's current hierarchy of cities and urban development emerged from a complex and ongoing series of promotional strategies. Railroads, the mining industry, the cattle trade-all exercised their influence over where and when these settlements were originally established.
Drawing on rich historical research filtered through cultural geography, Shortridge looks at the 118 communities that ever achieved a population of 2,500, and unravels the many factors that influenced the growth of urban Kansas. He tells how mercantilism dominated urban thinking in territorial days until after statehood, when cities competed for the capital, prisons, universities, and other institutions. He also shows how geography and size were employed by entrepreneurs and government officials to prepare strategies for economic development. And he describes how the railroads especially promoted the founding of cities in the nineteenth century—and how this system has fared since 1950 in the face of globalization and the growth of interstate highways.
Throughout the book, Shortridge demonstrates how cities competed for dominance within their regions, and he solves mysteries of growth and stagnation by evaluating them according to their abilities to respond to change. Sharing anecdotes along with insights, he tells why Wichita is "the unexpected metropolis," why the citizens of Leavenworth thought a prison was a better urban asset than a college, and how Garden City grew despite the plans of the Santa Fe Railroad.
Cities on the Plains provides an incisive new look not only at Kansas history but also at how American cities in general have evolved over the last century and a half.
Cities on the Plains relates the history of Kansas's larger communities from the 1850s to the present. The first book to provide a comprehensive, comparative account of an entire state's urban development, it shows how Kansas's current hierarchy of cities and urban development emerged from a complex and ongoing series of promotional strategies. Railroads, the mining industry, the cattle trade-all exercised their influence over where and when these settlements were originally established.
Drawing on rich historical research filtered through cultural geography, Shortridge looks at the 118 communities that ever achieved a population of 2,500, and unravels the many factors that influenced the growth of urban Kansas. He tells how mercantilism dominated urban thinking in territorial days until after statehood, when cities competed for the capital, prisons, universities, and other institutions. He also shows how geography and size were employed by entrepreneurs and government officials to prepare strategies for economic development. And he describes how the railroads especially promoted the founding of cities in the nineteenth century—and how this system has fared since 1950 in the face of globalization and the growth of interstate highways.
Throughout the book, Shortridge demonstrates how cities competed for dominance within their regions, and he solves mysteries of growth and stagnation by evaluating them according to their abilities to respond to change. Sharing anecdotes along with insights, he tells why Wichita is "the unexpected metropolis," why the citizens of Leavenworth thought a prison was a better urban asset than a college, and how Garden City grew despite the plans of the Santa Fe Railroad.
Cities on the Plains provides an incisive new look not only at Kansas history but also at how American cities in general have evolved over the last century and a half.
- GenresNonfiction
494 pages, Hardcover
First published April 1, 2004
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
October 18, 2025
Great scholarship. Great writing. Great guy.
April 14, 2011
This is an interesting study of how the cities of Kansas became as large (and as small) as they are as of 2000. Shortridge puts the pieces of each puzzle together. Some grew because they had several railroads; others because of one railroad. Some adapted to changes in economics and technology; others are clearly struggling and their futures don't appear promising. The book isn't a particularly dense read, but details do abound.
The book does have two problems, one within the author's control and one not. Shortridge's references to the "Union Pacific" railroad confuse Kansas railroad history. He implies that the "Union Pacific, Eastern Division," the "Kansas Pacific," and the UP were always one company. The UPED became the KP; the KP was bought up by the UP. There are two companies, not one.
The other problem is the price. Even at Amazon it's only discounted $5 (to $40). That puts it out of reach to many of the readers who would find the book a good addition to their Kansas history library. This is too bad, because it is the only resource of its kind in the field of Kansas history.
The book does have two problems, one within the author's control and one not. Shortridge's references to the "Union Pacific" railroad confuse Kansas railroad history. He implies that the "Union Pacific, Eastern Division," the "Kansas Pacific," and the UP were always one company. The UPED became the KP; the KP was bought up by the UP. There are two companies, not one.
The other problem is the price. Even at Amazon it's only discounted $5 (to $40). That puts it out of reach to many of the readers who would find the book a good addition to their Kansas history library. This is too bad, because it is the only resource of its kind in the field of Kansas history.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews