El Dorado, KS Homes for Rent

First settled in the 1850s, El Dorado earned its Spanish name, meaning “The golden land,” for its beautiful scenery in the Kansas Flint Hills. The significance of that name was reinforced when the community struck “black gold” in 1915 with the discovery of oil. At one point, 9% of the country’s petroleum products came from El Dorado at HollyFrontier Sinclair Corporation’s oil refinery. Today, the refinery stands as the economic backbone of the community, employing around 400 people in a city where the population has fluctuated between 10,000 and 13,000 since the refinery opened. While oil plays a significant factor in keeping El Dorado running, the city is also known for its downtown Main Street and events that create a close community bond. “It’s a business-friendly community with welcoming and neighborly people who look out for each other,” says Greg Mudd, executive director of El Dorado Chamber of Commerce. “It’s no Podunk. It’s not like we’re riding around on horse and buggies. But you really sink into that small town, old-time feel very quickly.” The cost of living in El Dorado, the county seat of Butler County, is 15% lower than the national average. That reason alone makes