Hutchinson and Reno County celebrated 150 years during Third Thursday in August. In honor of this celebration, we will release one decade each afternoon from The Decades, which were originally featured from September to November of 2021.
As we celebrate the 150th birthday of Hutchinson and Reno County, we want to go through the years, decade by decade, to see how things have changed and — remarkably — how they have stayed the same. This would not be possible without the efforts of Steve Harmon, the Reno County Museum, and the Hutchinson Public Library, who have made a great effort to supply us with the information and photos that you’ll see in this 15-part series. We hope you enjoy it.
A combination of holding your breath and wild celebration is a part of the rollover to Y2K. Police guard banks and many watch to see if their computers will function. Once everything settled down, there was a lot of news in the 2000s, including 9/11, the Hutchinson gas explosions, and a scandal in the sheriff’s department. Efforts begin to save one of the city’s historic buildings, HutchCC and HHS get a beautiful new home for football and track, and one of the more high-profile trials begins when Max Ary is indicted. There's a new home for Eagle Communications and a major highway project begins. That, plus Siemens and more as we begin the new millennium on this edition of The Decades.
2000: Y2K comes and goes with little trouble. Hutchinson police stand by at banks just in case.
Shareese Teanan is the first baby born in Hutchinson in the new millennium.
The Hutchinson City Council and Reno County Commission discuss holding prayer before meetings. The tradition continues.
The Hutchinson police chief offers up his support for the new state seat belt law that allows officers to cite motorists for not wearing a seat belt.
Efforts continue to try to find a way to relocate Midwest Iron and Metal from the Lincoln School neighborhood. It is still there today.
Midwest Iron and Metal. Photo by Rod Zook.
Reno County Sheriff Larry Leslie is caught up in a money kickback scheme connected to the new jail annex along with Gerald Hertach. Leslie resigns and is convicted.
The City Council avoids controversy when it votes down a $20,000 expenditure for new chairs for the council.
The Salt City Splash opens after several delays to start the inaugural season.
The County Commission rejects a proposal by union to go back to collective bargaining for county employees.
The city approves widening 17th Avenue from Lorraine to Waldron.
2001: The world stands still as terrorists attack the United States on 9/11. Not to bow down to terrorists, the Kansas State Fair stays open.
The World Trade Center burns in the background of New York City’s Empire State Building, Sept. 11, 2001. Both World Trade Center towers were attacked as a result of a highly-coordinated al-Qaida plot. Photo courtesy of the U.S. Department of Defense.
City residents are held in fear as a series of gas explosions tear through parts of the city, killing two people and destroying the Decor retail store downtown.
January 2001 gas explosion. Photo from the Hutchinson Fire Department.
Photo from the Kansas Geological Survey Powerpoint Presentation.
Over the objections of County Commissioner Fran Garcia, County Commission pay is increased to $28,980. It's now 18,000.
The Walmart Supercenter opens.
Randy Henderson becomes the new Reno County sheriff.
The City of Hutchinson annexes 84 tracts of land north of the city along 43rd and Halstead.
Longtime area artist Marvel Senti dies at the age of 77. Her work can still be found in the permanent collection at the Hutchinson Art Gallery.
2000 Marvel Senti. Courtesy of Hutchinson Art Gallery.
2000 Marvel Senti. Courtesy of Hutchinson Art Gallery.
Garland Lundry is arrested and convicted for solicitation to commit first-degree murder of a Hutchinson police officer.
Law enforcement begin to see increased problems in dealing with meth.
The City of Haven takes entries for a new logo for the city.
2002: Work continues to plug gas wells and mitigation continues to rid the area of gas that was being stored underground. The gas migrated to the area of the city, causing the 2001 gas explosions.
Golfer Julie Inkster put it all together to win the 2002 U.S. Women’s Open Golf Championship at Prairie Dunes over Anika Sorenstam by two strokes.
Work begins for plans to expand K-61 Highway to four lanes from Hutchinson to McPherson.
The county begins talk of jail expansion due to overcrowding and aging facilities.
The Chamber begins Spirit of Success fund drive to help fund the business attraction program.
The city begins private trash service.
Stanley Hill files an $800,000 lawsuit against Larry Leslie and Gerald Hertach to recover lost funds from the jail annex scandal.
The Family Motorcoach Association brings more than 4,700 campers to the Kansas State Fairgrounds.
Kansas State Fair GM Bill Ogg resigns under pressure.
2003: Efforts begin to address the falling population in Reno County by setting a goal to increase the population by the year 2020.
Job outlook is bright as 27% of local businesses and industries say they will increase their workforce while more than 70% say they will keep their workforce where it is.
The city goes to work with the Hutchinson Correctional Facility to help build a new city animal shelter.
Trevor Corbett is sentenced to life in prison for the murder of Crystal Casey.
A civil trial continues against Oneok in connection with the 2001 gas explosions.
The Reno County Health Department is denied a grant to help ban smoking in area restaurants.
The Hutchinson City Council approves $1.8 million support for the building of an indoor water park at the former Holidome, which was then known as the Hutchinson Plaza Convention Center.
The Hutch High track team wins the class 6A state title. They repeat in 2004.
Reno County and other area counties become concerned over the extra wear and tear on county roads due to the continued abandonment of rail lines in the area.
2004: Changes to the death penalty law does not impact Douglas Belt case in Reno County. Belt was one of the first suspects to have DNA evidence used in his rape trial in Reno County.
After several years of frustration and losing seasons, Hutchinson High School football begins its incredible run of state championships. The Salthawks would win the state titles again in 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2011.
Indoor water park Kansas Splashdown opens at what is now the Grand Prairie Hotel and Convention Center.
The city begins efforts to seize the Wiley Building from owner George Nerhan.
Photo by Rod Zook.
An outbreak of vandalism in Pretty Prairie prompts the city to purchase additional security cameras.
Gowans Stadium is expanded at a cost of $5.5 million, turning the dilapidated facility into one of the best high school and small college stadiums in the area.
Gowans Stadium. Photo courtesy of Hutchinson Community College.
Haven’s Ken Goertzen, who was a leader in wheat breeding research, dies.
John Deardoff, Sedgwick County Assistant City Manager Kathey Sexton and Arvada Colorado Assistant City Manager Bernice Duletski are all interviewed for the soon-to-be vacant Hutchinson City Manager position. Deardoff becomes the new city manager.
2006: Cosmosphere President and CEO Max Ary is indicted for selling artifacts from the space museum. His trial offers witnesses such as Apollo 16 astronaut Charlie Duke and Apollo 17 astronaut Gene Cernan. Ary is found guilty and sentenced to three years in federal prison.
The wonderful smell coming from the Betts Bakery ended when the facility closed for good.
The city begins efforts to save the old boathouse in Carey Park.
Carey Park Boathouse 1922, razed 2013. Photo courtesy of Steve Harmon.
NAACP holds the state conference in Hutchinson.
Eaton announces it will close the hydraulics plant in Hutchinson. Financial incentives keep the plant open another 10 years before it closes for good.
Two teenage boys are arrested after a crime spree running through three states after they walked away from the Bob Johnson Youth Center.
Cottonwood Hills opens its first nine holes of golf. The course closes a year later.
Jackson’s Dairy is picked by Kroger to produce organic and soy milk products.
Allen Doyle holds off Kansan Tom Watson to win the 2006 U.S. Senior Open at Prairie Dunes.
Superior Boiler asks for a $50,000 incentive package for an expansion project.
Photo by Rod Zook.
2007: Eagle Radio moves to its new location at 9th and Main.
Photo by Rod Zook.
Construction begins on the new RCAT facility at Avenue B and Washington.
USD 308 voters approve a $78.8 million bond issue to make major improvements to its facilities. The proposal is approved 77%.
Dave Kerr is named the new president of the Chamber of Commerce.
The Underground Salt Museum opens. It is now known as Strataca. The museum struggles initially and asks the county for help. The county is reluctant to help.
Photo Courtesy of the Reno County Museum.
The Reno County Commission approves $10,000 for a study on wind energy.
2008: The City of Haven is at odds with the county over a proposal to implement a tax break for a neighborhood revitalization program.
James Schlickau and Brad Dillon are elected to the County Commission.
The county is forced to take steps to curb the methane gas migration from the landfill.
Local Hitch native and 1959 Hutch High grad, Jerold (Jerry) Regier along with a car club friend Dean Brigman petitioned the City Council to allow a new Downtown Hutchinson special event: a 3 day-weekend car show. The Hutchinson Rod Run is born.
Rod Run. Photo courtesy Jerry Regier.
The city and county work together to make major improvements to Halstead Street between 4th Avenue and 11 Avenue.
In an effort to both remediate and find a useful purpose for the large amount of underground water pollution on the city’s east side, Hutchinson builds a $34.8 million reverse osmosis plant at 23rd and Severance. The plant uses 85% of the polluted water and 15% well water to service the city.
The ¼ cent sales tax approved in 1993 is approved again by voters.
The city passes an ordinance to allow just four cats in households.
Linda Harrison becomes president of Hutchinson Hospital and changes the name to Promise Regional Medical Center. That doesn’t last long.
2009: Hutchinson Community Foundation celebrates 20 years.
Napoleon Irving gains attention when he's jailed on a $10,000 bond after stealing $2 worth of chicken from a grocery store.
The city begins the accreditation process for the levee system protecting the city.
Residents along the east edge of Careyville are bought out and forced to move after concerns arise that the homes might fall victim to sink holes on a parcel of land once used for salt mining.
Longtime public servant and government watchdog Bill Bornholdt dies.
After a long battle with two other cities, Siemens announces that Hutchinson has won out on the proposal to build a $30 million wind nacelle facility.
2000 Siemens groundbreaking. Photo Courtesy of the Hutchinson Chamber of Commerce.
Gary Meaghr becomes the new Reno County Administrator.
Shaggy Bandit is suspected of holding up the Peoples Bank and Trust in Hutchinson and is suspected in 17 other robberies in four states.
The groundbreaking ceremony is held for the K-61 four-lane project.
K-61. Photo courtesy of the Kansas Department of Transportation.
A new law allows county prosecutors to be armed.
The Decades are brought to you by:
Hutchinson Funeral Chapel
Rothe Family Flooring
Hutchinson Public Library
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