Wichita Falls

Wichita Falls was probably settled in the 1870's, but the town did not grow until the arrival of the railroad in 1882. Originally it was a shipping point for wheat and cattle from nearby ranches, but the city boomed when oil was discovered in the region in 1919 and in 1937. Nowadays, Wichita Falls is home to the headquarters of numerous oil companies and oil-field machinery is a leading manufacture. Electrical supplies, glass-fiber products, clothing and electronic components are also manufactured there, but agriculture and ranching still remain important to the city's economy.

Wichita Falls is the seat of Midwestern State University. Nearby is Sheppard Air Force Base. The city's name comes from the Wichitas and from the falls that have since been reduced to an area of rapidly flowing water in the Wichita River.

Accommodation and restaurants are available in town. Wichita Falls is on the Wichita River in the north of Texas, about 200 km northwest from Dallas and 2000 km southwest from Washington D.C.