History:

Although Bentley, located in Eagle Township in northwest Sedgwick County, was established as a town in 1888, It wasn't incorporated until November 12, 1959 when it became a third class city of the State of Kansas.

Bentley was named for its founder, Orsemus Hills Bentley, who was a well-known lawyer, historian, author, and leader in Wichita in the 1880's. He also served on the board of the Kansas Midland Railway which used to run through town.

At one time, the Bentley area supported two grain elevators, one of which now sits, restored and renamed as the "Arkansas Valley Elevator," in Cowtown Museum in Wichita. While many of the older businesses are no longer in Bentley, the town continues to grow in size and population, and improvements continue to take place.

A city-wide sewer system was constructed in 1978. After several attempts to obtain a community improvement grant from the government to help build a municipal water system, Bentley was finally awarded the funds in 1991, and construction began. The first water customers hooked up in June of 1992 and now less than one-third of the residents use private wells for water.

In 1996, city officials learned that Bentley was again the recipient of a Community Development Block Grant, this time to help fund street improvements throughout the town. Additionally, three new housing developments underway now promise to possibly double the population of the community over the next decade.