Hutchinson, Kansas (population 34,000 in 1955; 40,787 in 2000), is the county seat of Reno County. The earliest settlements of Mennonites near Hutchinson took place between 1874 and 1883 when groups of the Amish came from Pennsylvania and Illinois and settled south and west of the city near the present village of Yoder. In 1955 these Amish settlements constituted three groups: the Old Order Amish, the Conservative Amish, and the Mennonite Church (MC). The Conservative Amish had a meetinghouse at Partridge, Kansas; the group that has become affiliated with the Mennonite Church (MC) has its church one mile (1.6 kilometers) north of Yoder, Kansas. This latter church has a membership of 280 in 1955 and 240 in 2007.

Throughout the years, many Mennonites (General Conference Mennonite Church (GCM), Krimmer Mennonite Brethren (KMB), Mennonite Brethren (MB), Church of God in Christ, Mennonite (CGC), Evangelical Mennonite Church, and Mennonite Church) have moved into Hutchinson from surrounding communities such as Pretty Prairie, Burrton, Buhler, Inman, and Sterling. Many of these relinquished their Mennonite affiliation; still others continued to worship in their home churches. Four Mennonite churches had been established in the city of Hutchinson by 1955 to minister to Mennonites in the city; viz., the Mennonite Mission Church (MC; 1955 membership 125), the First Mennonite Church (GCM; 1955 membership 200), the Orchard Park Church (KMB; with 31), and an Evangelical Mennonite Brethren church (with 26). An inter-Mennonite Bible academy named the Central Kansas Bible Academy is also located in the city of Hutchinson.

Adapted by permission of Herald Press, Scottdale, Pennsylvania, and Waterloo, Ontario, from Mennonite Encyclopedia, Vol. 2, p. 850. All rights reserved. For information on ordering the encyclopedia visit the Herald Press website.

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