#4 Schweiter Park – 900 S. Chautauqua
Background: Acquired in 1946, this park is named after Swiss immigrant Henry Schweiter.
He owned a farm on a large tract of land in southeast Wichita between Lincoln and Harry, and Hillside and the drainage canal.
Schweiter along with John Davidson were the owners of the city’s first lumberyard.
In 1886, he opened a steam-powered railway called Schweiter’s Rapid Transit Line, it followed a diagonal line which is now George Washington Boulevard.
What we did: we walked around the park and played on the equipment I thought I would relive my childhood by spinning on this spinning thing. I was nauseous the rest of the day. Just like in childhood.
I also posed like Rodin’s thinker. I think therefore I are.
Schweiter is connected to at least one more city park that was once the home to a buffalo herd.