Wichita Street Numbering (college, live, area)

[aeroguru]

Does anyone know the history of why the street numbers in Wichita Ks are 16 per mile east and west and 8 per mile north and south. Example 21st street is 1 mile north of 13th street. Any links to a history would be appreciated.

[knrstz]

And maybe someone could explain why 1 block north of first street N, starts the 200 block north and not the 100 block. I'm not the most well traveled person, but most cities have it a little bit different. It's not rocket science to figure out, but has always seemed odd to me.

[brandanr]

Actually most cities that have numbers in side are all like this. 8 blocks north and south make a mile in most cities in the US. I grew up in Wichita, and go to college in buffalo. If you get far enough out in NY the numbers are the same!

[minneha]

Originally Posted by aeroguru

Does anyone know the history of why the street numbers in Wichita Ks are 16 per mile east and west and 8 per mile north and south. Example 21st street is 1 mile north of 13th street. Any links to a history would be appreciated.

Look closely at a map of Wichita and you will see that the city blocks are rectangular-shaped. They are longer north-south than they are east-west. In fact, they are exactly twice as long (north-south) as they are wide (east-west). Therefore, in each one square mile area of the city, there are twice as many blocks going east-west as there are going north-south.

There are eight blocks going north-south and sixteen blocks going east-west. So when you're driving north-south, there will be eight blocks every mile (i.e. 13th St. North is one mile from 21st St. North). When you're driving east-west, there will be sixteen blocks every mile (i.e. 111th St. East is one mile from 127th St. East).

[minneha]

Originally Posted by knrstz

And maybe someone could explain why 1 block north of first street N, starts the 200 block north and not the 100 block. I'm not the most well traveled person, but most cities have it a little bit different. It's not rocket science to figure out, but has always seemed odd to me.

It's because there is no zero block (a block numbered 1-99). The numbering system for the city starts at the corner of Douglas and Main. The first block north of Douglas is the 100 block north and the first block south of Douglas is the 100 block south. Likewise, the first block east of Main is the 100 block east and the first block west of Main is the 100 block west.

So when you're going north of Douglas, all the addresses on the first block (between Douglas and 1st St. North) are between 100 and 199. Once you get to 1st St. North, that begins the 200 block. All the addresses between 1st St. North and 2nd St. North are between 200 and 299. It's the same south, east, or west. The first block is the 100 block, so each block after that is numbered consecutively, 200, 300, 400, etc.

[knrstz]

Originally Posted by minneha

It's because there is no zero block (a block numbered 1-99). The numbering system for the city starts at the corner of Douglas and Main. The first block north of Douglas is the 100 block north and the first block south of Douglas is the 100 block south. Likewise, the first block east of Main is the 100 block east and the first block west of Main is the 100 block west.

So when you're going north of Douglas, all the addresses on the first block (between Douglas and 1st St. North) are between 100 and 199. Once you get to 1st St. North, that begins the 200 block. All the addresses between 1st St. North and 2nd St. North are between 200 and 299. It's the same south, east, or west. The first block is the 100 block, so each block after that is numbered consecutively, 200, 300, 400, etc.

I get how it works. What I think is odd is that when many cities use numbered streets, 1st street will be the dividing line between north and south. So 2nd street starts the 200 block 3rd the 300 block. Like I said its not hard to figure out, just odd to me. I delivered for FedEx for 7 years and I think its a Kansas thing. I didn't notice it as often in Oklahoma.

[ictdco]

Originally Posted by aeroguru

Does anyone know the history of why the street numbers in Wichita Ks are 16 per mile east and west and 8 per mile north and south. Example 21st street is 1 mile north of 13th street. Any links to a history would be appreciated.

I was taught that Wichita east west streets are 10 between. This may be more true in old Wichita, e.g., from West St to Oliver and the outer edges may then incorporate 16 blocks between two grid streets, e.g., Rock Rd to Webb. North south streets have 12 blocks between grids, e.g., 13th to 21st. All are supposedly one mile between the grids.

[ictdco]

Streets north of Douglas count from the bottom of a block and go up, south of douglas county from the top of a block and go down.

For instance, 1st street, which is north of Douglas, number begins with 100 to 199. South of Douglas, they go 199 to 100. However, there are few numbered streets south of Douglas. One is more likely to find a numbered street south of Wichita and outside the city limits. There is a 27th St S, 31st St S, 32nd St S, 33rd St S, 34th St S, 47th St S, 55th St S. By the time one gets to 55th on the westside of town, they are out of the city limits of Wichita.

Keep in mind, originally the Arkansas River was the west side of town. Originally the city was divided by Douglas and Main. As Wichita has grown, developers have built more towards the east which is why Wichita is very lopsided. My dad use to say west Wichita (now known and accepted as Delano) was the wrong side of the tracks, and only white trash lived west of the River. He grew up in early Wichita. Wichita was barely 50 years old when my dad was born.

[Jerry O'Neal]

How many blocks East is rock road and how many blocks West is West street ?

[Jerry O'Neal]

How many blocks East is rock road and how many blocks West is West street ? Will I see an answer here or where and could you email it to me as I am not up on this yet and getting up there in age. Thank you!