April 2024

Video by Levi Mann Videography (Lmannvideo27@gmail.com)

The community of Bentley, in northwestern Sedgwick County (just north of Colwich) was platted and founded in 1888 by railroad lawyer O.H. Bentley along the proposed Kansas Midland rail line.

Although the railroad through town is now long gone, the small town remains a vibrant place, in part due its prime location as nearly equidistant between Wichita, Hutchinson and Newton metro areas, and a thoroughfare between highways US 50 and K-96. The easy commute distance has helped the community grow from a population of 360 in the 1990s to the current census of 560, with new homes and families arriving each year.

The consolidated USD 440 Halstead-Bentley school district is top notch; with all district students grades K-3 attending the district’s Primary Center in Bentley; then higher grades traveling to Halstead for the rest of their school years.

The town sports two public parks, a metal fabrication company, a cooperative grain elevator, a senior center, a small grocery/convenience store, a bed & breakfast, and several home businesses. A new housing addition on the east end has ready-to-build lots available for those wanting to take advantage of the small-town life and schools less than 20 minutes outside of Wichita.

One long-held tradition in town is Santa Day in December. Historically, beginning in 1947 into the 60s, local farmer Charles Basore flew “Santa Claus” into town from the ‘North Pole’.  Crowds would gather downtown and as his plane flew low over Bentley, with Santa waving to the crowd.  Then landing just north of town,  Charles taxied the plane right into downtown, parking next to the Bentley Bank. Santa would disembark and hand out his treats for the kids, then climb back into Basore’s 1950 Piper Pacer airplane and taxi north to take off again.

Although the flight into downtown is no longer possible, the community keeps the spirit of Santa Day  yearly with treats and presents for the community children, and festivities for all.