Goddard

History

In 1883, Ezekiel Wilder purchased farmland on the planned railway of the Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railway south of Blendon, Kansas, approximately west of Wichita. There, he established the town of Goddard in honor of J. F. Goddard, former third vice-president of the ATSF Railway. The railroad reached Goddard in 1884, and a post office was established there the same year. Several buildings were relocated from Blendon, including the town hall and the planned Methodist church. Goddard was officially incorporated in 1910. On June 23, 1969, an F4 tornado struck Goddard. No fatalities occurred, but six people were injured. In recent decades as Wichita has expanded westward, a growing number of commuters have settled in Goddard, transforming it from a rural agricultural community into a suburb.

Geography

Goddard is located at (37.659706, -97.574271) According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which is land and is water.

Race & ethnicity

Most-observed species

• Northern Cardinal

  Cardinalis cardinalis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  5,663
• American Robin

  Turdus migratorius Linnaeus, 1766 · Aves
  5,178
• European Starling

  Sturnus vulgaris Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  4,960
• Canada Goose (canadensis Group)

  Branta canadensis (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  4,909
• Blue Jay

  Cyanocitta cristata (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  4,328
• Mallard

  Anas platyrhynchos Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  4,145
• Mourning Dove

  Zenaida macroura (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  3,825
• Black-capped Chickadee

  Poecile atricapillus (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  3,615