Wellington is a city in and the county seat of Sumner County, Kansas, United States.
History
19th century
thumb|left|1915 Railroad Map of Sumner County
Wellington was platted in 1871 and named for the Duke of Wellington. It was designated as the Sumner County seat in 1872, winning out over Sumner City according to the Wellington library.<!-- A "Sumner" Post Office existed from 1871 to 1882, according to Kansas Historical Society records. --> Cattle herders coming up the Chisholm Trail helped to build the early town's economy.
The first post office in Wellington was established in July 1871.
In 1887, the Chicago, Kansas and Nebraska Railway built a north–south branch line from Herington through Wellington to Caldwell. Creditors foreclosed on it 1891 and the railroad was taken over by Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad, which shut down in 1980 and reorganized as Oklahoma, Kansas and Texas Railroad, merged in 1988 with Missouri Pacific Railroad, merged in 1997 with Union Pacific Railroad. Most locals still refer to this railroad as the "Rock Island".
On May 27, 1892, an estimated F4 tornado struck Wellington, destroying 100 homes and 30 businesses, and killing 12 people in town.
21st century
In 2020, Wellington opened a flag design contest. After several rounds of committee and public input, Shayna Templeton's design with wheat stalks on a red, silver, and white flag was selected and revealed in 2021.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which is land and is water.
Climate
The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Wellington has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.