Catch a glimpse of Wichita from the 1930s in this video of boat racing on the river
A rare opportunity to observe the excitement and life of Wichita in the mid-1930s made the rounds on local social media this week.
With a slight blueish tint, images of men in life preservers racing atop the Little Arkansas River in speedboats play over lively trumpet-infused jazz. Men and women in hats and the dress of the mid-1930s gather on the banks, perching on lawn chairs as they watch the speedboat race excitement.
Jeff Roth, who edited the video, shared it on a private Facebook page called “Wichita history from my perspective.”
The video features iconic Wichita sites such as Riverside Park, the Wichita Boathouse and the Little Arkansas River. It was shot on 8mm film by former resident Carl Johnson.
This story was originally published September 3, 2021 at 5:10 AM.
