Mexican Americans of Wichita’s North End

Abstract

While the North End has long been the beginning of the American dream for many peoples including African Americans, Southeast Asians, and Anglo Americans, it is perhaps the Mexican American community that best embodies the hopes and struggles in this part of the city. The first wave worked in the packing houses and communities with names such as El Huarache, La Topeka, and El Rock Island emerged nearby. As the twentieth century unfolded, their children and grandchildren established a vibrant neighborhood along 21st and Broadway. In recent years, the old industries of the area have faded while a new wave of immigrants from Latin America has been able to redefine an area. Today, the Mexican American heritage in the North End has become one of its most defining features, an example of a broader diversity that has always made this part of the city special.