Andover is a city in Butler County, Kansas, United States,[2] and a suburb of Wichita.

When the Kansas territory was first mapped, the original Andover area was called Minneha.

[6] The first Euro-American settlement in Bruno Township was in February 1869, when Vincent Smith arrived on Dry Creek (2 miles east of Andover Road on 21st Street).

Bonds totaling $18,000 were issued for the extension of the Frisco Railway through Bruno Township.

[citation needed] G. M. Pattison homesteaded the land that became the original plot on which Andover was built.

[7] The original post office was established at Minneha (an extinct town) in November 1877.

The name of the town was changed from Cloud City to Andover on June 7, 1880, when Mr.

[citation needed] A trading post which sold all types of merchandise was the first known business in Andover.

[7] Early businesses during the 1882–83 period were a hotel, a grocery and lumber company, a shoemaker, a business that handled livestock, coal and grain, a general store, a meat market, two other grocery stores, and the railway agent.

McClaren escaped and ran to the nearby Methodist Church—where an ice cream social was being held—to spread the alarm.

The class of four students to receive diplomas were Josie Boyer, Virgil Grier, Ola Peacock, and Perry Hiskin.

[citation needed] Andover did not incorporate into a third class city until February 4, 1957.

[citation needed] At the first city election on April 2, 1957, Hugo Epp won by one vote over Charles Clay for the position of mayor.

Councilmen elected were Roy Allison, Orland Wolf, Ual Baker, Roger Moore and Clair Mohler.

[citation needed] A major annexation in 1968 not only increased the area of the city, but the population grew from 500 to 2,000.

[citation needed] The first Greater Andover Days Celebration was held in 1967.

[12] On April 26, 1991, an F5 tornado left a trail of destruction through parts of Kansas, including south Wichita and Andover.

Widening to nearly one-half mile, with winds over 260 mph (420 km/h), the deadliest blow was to Andover.

The Golden Spur Mobile Home Park and the St. Vincent De Paul Catholic Church were leveled.

It was rated F5; had the tornado hit the heart of Wichita the death toll would likely have been higher.

In 2000, Andover passed a bond issue allowing the school system to double in size.

Both schools have outstanding athletic, academic, music, drama, and art programs.

[citation needed] Six schools; Cottonwood, Meadowlark, Robert Martin, Wheatland, Prairie Creek, and Sunflower have been the Elementary buildings serving the community.

In 2005, Andover residents approved in bond election to build three additional elementary schools.

The new Library was constructed at Andover's Central Park, ground breaking was in late summer 2007.

[citation needed] On the evening of April 29, 2022, an EF3 tornado caused major damage to a YMCA branch in Andover, tossed vehicles, destroyed numerous buildings.

The 2020 United States census counted 14,892 people, 5,009 households, and 3,973 families in Andover.

A branch campus of Butler Community College is located in Andover.