Hutchinson, KS (HUT)

Ticket Revenue

FY 2011

$497,715

Station Ridership

FY 2011

5,185

Note: Fiscal year is from
October through September.

The current Amtrak stop in Hutchinson is a modern one-story brick structure built in 1954 and shared with the local transit agency.

In 1871, Indian Agent and Baptist preacher C.C. Hutchison contracted with the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad (now BNSF Railway) to create a town at the railroad bridge over the Arkansas River. The community was called “Temperance City” at first, because of its strict prohibitions against the sale or consumption of alcohol as stipulations upon the sale of land in the town.

The town incorporated on August 15, 1872 as Hutchinson, Kansas, and became the county seat. The first railroad depot opened in Hutchinson in 1872 as well. The town was eventually served by the Santa Fe, Rock Island, Missouri Pacific and several smaller railroads. This access to rail traffic allowed Hutchinson to succeed as a center of trade for farmers who homesteaded and cultivated the surrounding land as well as for industries established there.

Salt has also played a major part in Hutchinson’s history. While prospecting for oil in 1887, Benjamin Blanchard inadvertently discovered underground salt in Reno County, 400 feet beneath the surface. His discovery gave rise to the first salt-processing plants west of the Mississippi River, as 26 companies came to cash in on the “white gold.” In 1923, the Carey Salt Company opened the first and only salt mine to produce rock salt in Hutchison. The Carey mine is still in use today as operated by the Hutchinson Salt Company. Today, commercial giants Cargill and Morton still maintain evaporative salt plants in Hutchison.

Excavated portions of the Carey mine are used today for archival storage of all sorts, such as movie and television masters, data tapes, and permanent business records. Gone with the Wind and Star Wars are among the many films archived there. The mine hosted tours in its early days, and eventually, with the urging of county residents and the Reno County Historical Society, the Kansas Underground Salt Museum was created so that the mine may still be toured.

Other industries also made their homes in Hutchinson. Both the storage and milling of wheat are important to the region and the world’s longest grain elevator was built in Hutchison in 1961. Dillon’s Grocery, later bought out by Kroger, Co., was established in Hutchison in the 1920s; Dillon’s eventually grew to over 200 stores nationwide. The company still operates a distribution center and headquarters in town. And, during World War II and since, Hutchinson has been home to a Naval Air training station.

Amtrak does not provide ticketing or baggage services at this facility.

The station is served by two daily trains.