Founding & Incorporation

Founded largely by Russian Mennonite immigrants, the City of Halstead was incorporated in 1877 and named in honor of journalist Murat Halstead.

Farming Community

With the hard red winter wheat (Turkey Red) they brought from Russia, the Mennonites established Halstead as a farming community, and built the Bernard Warkentine Mill at the confluence of the Little Arkansas River and Black Kettle Creek. A famous "pow wow" between the frontiersman Kit Carson and the Native American Chief Black Kettle had taken place some years earlier at this same confluence.

Sports & Figures

For many years, Halstead was home to a semi-pro baseball team, the Halstead Cowboys, and produced many fine ball players, including Larry Gura.

Adolph Rupp

Halstead is the boyhood home of the late Adolph Rupp, legendary basketball coach of the Kentucky Wildcats. Halstead High School (HHS) has hosted the annual Rupp Tournament since 1976.

Conrad Nightingale

Conrad Nightingale, a HHS graduate, competed in the 1968 Olympics. Since 1971,  HHS has hosted the Conrad Nightingale Invitational Track Meet. 

Bobby Berger

Bobby Berger, was born and raised on a farm just outside of Halstead, Kansas.  He had a successful rodeo career in both bull riding and saddle bronc riding.  In August of 1990 he was inducted into the PRCA Hall of Fame.  In February of 2013 he was inducted into the Halstead High School Athletic Hall of Fame.