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Vol 42 • No. 11
Inside
October 2021
Icelandic voyage
The real deal
New Deal's impact still felt in Wichita
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By Joe Stumpe As politicians in Washington debate massive new infrastructure spending, it’s interesting to recall how the New Deal programs of nearly a century ago affected Wichita. The impact of those projects spearheaded by President Franklin Roosevelt can hardly be overstated. They are still a big part of the city’s life in areas ranging from its riverfront and water supply to industry, education, transportation, recreation and the arts. Iconic structures such as the city’s original, Art Deco-style airport terminal — now home of the Kansas Aviation Museum — picturesque Campbell Street bridge and Spanishstyle College Hill bathhouse are a few examples. Less known are projects like
National Archives photo
New Deal era workers remove Ackerman Island from the Arkansas River, creating the west bank where Exploration Place, right, sits today. Wichita's first airport terminal, left, was another project. the Water Treatment Plant, which upgraded the city’s drinking water. “We take all this stuff for granted but it’s continued to bless us for nearly
a hundred years,” architect Dean Bradley said. “There’s some cool stuff out there,” agreed Larry Hoetmer, principal
planner for the city. The New Deal was an umbrella term for several different programs — including the Civilian Works Administration, Public Works Administration and Works Progress Administration — started by Roosevelt to try to pull the United States out of the Great Depression. Although the New Deal is primarily associated with federal spending, local and state governments often had to pay portions of the cost. One of the biggest and earliest New Deal projects here was the removal of Ackerman Island from the Arkansas River. The island, which at one time held Wonderland amusement park, nearly filled the Arkansas River from the Douglas See New Deal, page 6
Help wanted
Volunteer shortage
worries organizations By Debbi Elmore
When Mark Mohesky retired, he quickly started volunteering with Meals on Wheels. Mohesky, who spent 33 years in the Wichita school district’s media production department, said he derives a great deal of satisfaction taking nutritious meals to people who might not otherwise have them. “Getting out into the community to deliver the lunches and looking into the eyes of people who have maybe had some bad days but put that behind them to visit with you for a few minutes — when they might not have any human contact other than me that day — that’s a blessing for them and a blessing for us as volunteers,” Mohesky said. But volunteers such as Mohesky are in shorter supply these Gwendolyn Starks, better known as Grandma days, with nonprofit organizations across the region reporting Gwen, reads to children at the TOP Early a drop in their numbers due to the coronavirus pandemic and Learning Center Northwest as part of the Foster See Volunteers, page 10
Questions about services?
Central Plains Area Agency on Aging/Sedgwick County Department on Aging: 1-855-200-2372
Grandparent Program.
Butler County: (316) 775-0500 or 1-800-279-3655 Harvey County: (316) 284-6880 or 1-800-279-3655