During half of the twentieth century, Potwin enjoyed the prosperity of oil fields in the Mid-Continent oil province.
 In 1920, John (Jack) Vickers (1891-1940) built the Vickers Oil Refinery in Potwin.
 He got his start in oil fields in Butler County, commencing with the lease on the Parris Farm 10 miles north of Potwin, production reached 16,000 barrels a day during the 1950s.
 In 1964, distressed economic conditions shut down the oil processing facilities.
 The company was sold to Swift & Company and the remaining operations were closed in 1970, and later demolished.
 In 1934, Vickers built a large mansion (named "Vickridge") east of Wichita (now in the city limits), which his estate later become the current site of Kapaun Mt. Carmel High School.

In 1961, Frederic Remington High School was built immediately north of Brainerd.
 Leading up to this new school, Whitewater, Potwin, Brainerd, Elbing, Furley, Countryside, and Golden Gate schools merged to form a joint rural high school.
Heated opposition between Whitewater and Potwin occurred during the discussion for the location of the new high school.
 Rural voters pushed for a centralized location in neither town.
 A public vote was passed to build the new school near Brainerd.

From 1960s to 1980s, a Titan II intercontinental ballistic missile site was located north of Potwin.
 The site was one of eighteen overseen by the 381st Strategic Missile Wing at McConnell Air Force Base in Wichita, Kansas.
 The Titan II near Potwin likely contained a 9 megaton W-53 nuclear warhead.
During half of the twentieth century, Potwin enjoyed the prosperity of oil fields in the Mid-Continent oil province.  In 1920, John (Jack) Vickers (1891-1940) built the Vickers Oil Refinery in Potwin.  He got his start in oil fields in Butler County, commencing with the lease on the Parris Farm 10 miles north of Potwin, production reached 16,000 barrels a day during the 1950s.  In 1964, distressed economic conditions shut down the oil processing facilities.  The company was sold to Swift & Company and the remaining operations were closed in 1970, and later demolished.  In 1934, Vickers built a large mansion (named "Vickridge") east of Wichita (now in the city limits), which his estate later become the current site of Kapaun Mt. Carmel High School.
In 1961, Frederic Remington High School was built immediately north of Brainerd.  Leading up to this new school, Whitewater, Potwin, Brainerd, Elbing, Furley, Countryside, and Golden Gate schools merged to form a joint rural high school. Heated opposition between Whitewater and Potwin occurred during the discussion for the location of the new high school.  Rural voters pushed for a centralized location in neither town.  A public vote was passed to build the new school near Brainerd.
From 1960s to 1980s, a Titan II intercontinental ballistic missile site was located north of Potwin.  The site was one of eighteen overseen by the 381st Strategic Missile Wing at McConnell Air Force Base in Wichita, Kansas.  The Titan II near Potwin likely contained a 9 megaton W-53 nuclear warhead.
Potwin, Kansas