Dodge City in Ford County, Kansas — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)

Rosemary & Lewis Mock

— Dodge City Trail of Fame —

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, August 18, 2022

1. Rosemary & Lewis Mock Marker

Inscription. The original Doc and Kitty of the Long Branch Variety Show
The Best Saloon in the West
Down at the Long Branch Saloon

Erected by Dodge City Trail of Fame, Inc.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Arts, Letters, Music • Entertainment. In addition, it is included in the Kansas, Dodge City Trail of Fame series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1958.

Location. 37° 45.178′ N, 100° 1.282′ W. Marker is in Dodge City, Kansas, in Ford County. It is at the intersection of West Wyatt Earp Boulevard and 4th Avenue, on the right when traveling west on West Wyatt Earp Boulevard. The marker is embedded in the walkway on the south side of the Dodge City Visitor Information Center parking lot. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 400 West Wyatt Earp Boulevard, Dodge City KS 67801, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in the American Midwest,

in the Corn Belt,

on the prairies,

on the Great Plains,

on the Southern Plains,

on the High Plains,

and on the Santa Fe Trail Corridor.

Globally, it is in North America,

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the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Comanchería,

the Dust Bowl,

the Louisiana Purchase,

and the Republic of Texas.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Boot Hill Cemetery (a few steps from this marker); Dodge City, a frontier legend (within shouting distance of this marker); The Boot Hill Special (within shouting distance of this marker); Burt Reynolds (about 400 feet away, measured in a direct line); My Trails Have Become Your Highways (about 500 feet away); Ken Curtis (about 500 feet away); H.B. (Ham) Bell (about 500 feet away); Boot Hill (about 500 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Dodge City.

Also see . . .
1. Long Branch Variety Show (Wikipedia).

Excerpt: The Long Branch Variety Show is a western saloon show presented in the Long Branch Saloon located at Boot Hill Museum. The exterior of the new Long Branch Saloon was built in 1958 and modeled on period photographs of the original Long Branch Saloon building, which burned down in 1885 and was not rebuilt.
Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, August 18, 2022

2. Rosemary & Lewis Mock Marker
Looking southwest from the Dodge City Visitor Information Center parking lot. The West Wyatt Earp Boulevard & 4th Avenue intersection is in the background.
The interior is largely based on the Gunsmoke television show and is consistent with period saloons of the era. It is furnished with an 1881 bar and two Golden Eagles on top of the back bar that were once owned by Chalkley Beeson.
The Long Branch Variety Show features actors portraying characters including Miss Kitty, the “Queen of Dodge City” and Chalkley Beeson, the saloon owner. The show was initially presented during the summer of 1958 as a temporary offering over the 4th of July holiday. The show proved so popular that it continued. It has been presented seven nights a week during the summer months since then, making it one of the longest running seasonal shows of its type in the nation.
The original concept for the show was developed by Rosemary & Lewis Mock. Dr. Mock was a local Dodge City optometrist, and his wife was noted as a local entertainer and both were well-suited to form the show. The 1958 reconstruction of the first six buildings of Front Street in Dodge City, was built at the base of what had become known as Boot Hill where early inhabitants of Dodge City who met an unfortunate demise were “buried with their boots on.” One of those original six buildings was the new Long Branch Saloon. The Long Branch was known for its entertainment since an early owner was Chalkley Beeson who formed the original Dodge City Cowboy Band.

(Submitted on August 8, 2026, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)

2. Dodge City Trail of Fame (Visit Dodge City).

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Excerpt: The Dodge City Trail of Fame, Inc. is part of the Historic Dodge City Walking Tour. This portion of the trail is marked with sidewalk medallions and statuaries to commemorate the many famous and infamous denizens of historic Dodge City. Additionally, many medallions are dedicated to notable movie and television stars that have portrayed famous Dodge Citians.

(Submitted on August 8, 2026, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)

Credits. This page was last revised on August 8, 2026. It was originally submitted on August 8, 2026, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 8 times since then. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on August 8, 2026, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.