Downtown Wichita Falls Houses for Sale

In Downtown Wichita Falls, some vintage brick buildings lie vacant, while others have been filled with gastropubs in the past decade. Unlike in a booming metropolis, a wide-open feeling and less light pollution make the stars shine clearer at night, and traffic is minimal. The story of Wichita Falls begins here, at a river and a poker table. Back when the land was pure prairie, traveling Comanche sent a woman into a river to test its depth. "Wi Chi Ta," she called out, meaning waist deep in their language. Local lore says the land was later won in a poker game by a man from Mississippi in 1837. The city grew around a major oil boom but lost some of its shimmer after refineries closed in the 1960s and a major tornado struck in the '70s, causing over $400 million in damages. The current economy is bolstered by several hospitals, Midwestern State University, and Sheppard Air Force Base — a NATO training facility 5 miles north. Streetscapes are being renewed downtown with added artistic crosswalk installations, bike racks and pole banners. At the same time, downtown celebrates its storied history by carefully preserving its landmarks, including "the world's littlest skyscraper." An