The Center City Neighborhood has been near the heart of downtown Wichita's action. Three railroads were combined in Union Station between Washington and St. Francis Streets. This area become very important for warehousing after Union Station was completed in 1914. The area adjacent to the southern edge of the neighborhood between Santa Fe Avenue and Washington Street was an important location for agricultural warehouses and brokerage buildings. Many of these buildings along the railroad are still there. Coleman Lamp and Stove Company, Hockaday Paint Company, and Simmons Hardware Company were some of the larger companies locating near the Center City Neighborhood and the railroad.
The Great Depression did not hit Wichita with the force it hit many other cities. This, in large part, was due to the petroleum industry. Although, the influx of farmers fleeing the Dust Bowl placed a large burden on the city. These new residents constructed shacks in the area southwest of Friends University. World War II brought renewed prosperity to Wichita. The aviation industry became the dominant industry in the city during the war. Boeing and Cessna both had major wartime factories in Wichita. By 1950, Wichita become the largest city in Kansas with almost 200,000 residents.
The population of Wichita has continued to increase. Today approximately 330,000 people reside in the City while Sedgwick County has a population of 450,000 residents. The City now covers an area of 139 square miles.