In 1858, settlers from Lawrence founded the Salina Town Company with a wagon circle, under constant threat of High Plains tribal attacks from the west.

As the westernmost town on the Smoky Hill Trail, Salina boomed until the Civil War by establishing itself as a trading post for westbound immigrants, gold prospectors bound for Pikes Peak, and area American Indian tribes.

It boomed again from the 1940s-1950s when the Smoky Hill Army Airfield was built for World War II strategic bombers.

Shortly prior to European colonization of the area in the early 1700s, the site that would become Salina was located within the western territory of the Kansa people.

[8][9] The French traders who mapped the forks of les Grande Riviere des Cansez, located the western village of les Cansez at the general confluence of the Smoky Hill, Saline, and Solomon Rivers with villages of the Paducas tribe just to the west on heads of those streams.

[citation needed] By the time of the first tentative settlements by United States citizens, the site was claimed as hunting grounds by the High Plains tribes of Cheyenne, Arapaho, and Sioux, which had expanded into the area, driving out the Pawnee.

At Spring Creek, 20 miles west of what became Salina, they made a surprise attack on a hunting party of the "friendly" Eastern tribes.

Big Chief forced them to flee further to a butte in a bend of the Smoky Hill River, where they were joined by the Kaw reinforcements with rifles.

Firing rifles from the cover of large sandstone boulders atop the butte, the defenders killed Big Chief on the first of five offensive charge attempts.

His attacking bow and arrow force was devastated, leaving bodies strewn, and effectively ending the local raids.

It was a two-story dwelling and Campbell's store, at what is now the southwest corner of 5th St and Iron Ave near Founders Park.

[18][16][17] The westernmost town on the Smoky Hill Trail, Salina established itself as a trading post for westbound immigrants, gold prospectors bound for Pikes Peak, and area American Indian tribes.

[18] The town's growth halted with the outbreak of the American Civil War when much of the male population left to join the Union Army.

[citation needed] The building inside the stockade was remodeled and in September 1864 was opened as Salina's first public school.

[20][21] Growth resumed with returning war veterans, and the town expanded rapidly with the arrival of the Kansas Pacific Railway in 1867.

[24] During the 1870s, wheat became the dominant crop in the area, steam-powered flour mills were built, and agriculture became the engine of the local economy.

By 1880, the city had become an area industrial center with several mills, a carriage and wagon factory, and a farm implement works.

[27] This led to substantial industrial development, attracted firms such as Beechcraft, and made manufacturing a primary driver of the local economy.

On June 21, 1969, an F3 tornado struck the southern part of the city, severely damaging or destroying more than 100 homes and businesses and injuring 60 people.

[36] On September 25, 1973, a second F3 tornado passed through the southeast part of town, injuring six people and destroying two houses and a trailer park.

The three industries employing the largest percentages of the working civilian labor force were: educational services, health care, and social assistance (21.2%); manufacturing (17.8%); and retail trade (13.1%).

Greyhound Lines provides bus service westward toward Denver, Colorado and eastward toward Kansas City, Missouri.

[71] Bus service is provided daily southward toward Wichita, Kansas by BeeLine Express (subcontractor of Greyhound Lines).

[72] It is primarily for general aviation, and hosts commercial airline United Express with flights to Chicago O'Hare and Denver International Airport.

Originally held as a downtown street parade in 1976 to celebrate the United States Bicentennial, the festival proved popular enough for the city to hold it every year.

[85] The Smoky Hill Museum Street Fair in September includes a parade, a chili cook-off, and historic demonstrations.

[86] In November, downtown Salina hosts the Christmas festival which includes a 5k run, a mile walk, live music, dance performances, children's entertainment, and the Parade of Lights.

[90] Indian Rock Park is the tallest point in the area, mainly featuring a hill within the vast Wellington Formation stretching from Nebraska to Oklahoma.

It has a panoramic view of the city, a river fishing pier, a pond from the former brick factory, and hiking trails.

[99] Notable individuals who were born in or have lived in Salina include former White House press secretary Marlin Fitzwater, dancer and war correspondent Betty Knox of the variety act Wilson, Keppel and Betty,[107] astronaut Steven Hawley,[108] former Governors of Kansas John W. Carlin[109] and Bill Graves,[108] radio broadcaster Paul Harvey,[110] inventor of Lee Jeans Harry Lee, and US Women's National Soccer Team goalkeeper Adrianna Franch.