Greensburg in Kiowa County, Kansas — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)
Cannonball Stage Line Highway
Flamboyant and colorful, Donald R. "Cannonball" Green (1839-1922) ran a stage line connecting the railroad to towns across southwestern Kansas. Green started his first stage service in Kingman in 1876. It ran through Pratt to Coldwater and later to Greensburg, a town he helped found in 1886.
Green's stage line served areas not reached by the railroad, and for a few years he also carried the mail from Wichita to Kingman. Known for their speed, Green's coaches were pulled by teams of six or eight horses which were changed every eight to ten miles. More than just a driver, Green was an advisor and teacher, sharing with passengers his knowledge of southwestern Kansas and the prairie landscape.
As the railroads advanced, Green moved his stage service west but stage demand soon dwindled. In 1898 he took a claim in Oklahoma Territory when the Cherokee Strip opened. Although Green also served in the Kansas legislature, he was best known for his stage route between Kingman and Greensburg, the Cannonball Highway, which became U.S. Highway 54.
Green died in Long Beach, California and is buried in Maple Grove Cemetery in Wichita.
Erected by Kansas State Historical Society, Kansas Department of Transportation, and in memory of Daniel L. Cheatum. (Marker Number 16.)
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Roads & Vehicles. In addition, it is included in the Kansas Historical Society series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1876.
Location. 37° 36.512′ N, 99° 16.527′ W. Marker is in Greensburg, Kansas, in Kiowa County. Marker is on U.S. 54/400 west of Ohio Avenue, on the left when traveling east. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Greensburg KS 67054, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 6 other markers are within 10 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Veterans of Foreign Wars Memorial (approx. 0.8 miles away); S. D. Robinett Building (approx. one mile away); Greensburg City Hall (approx. one mile away); 2007 Greensburg EF5 Tornado (approx. 1.1 miles away); Ball from Big Well of Greensburg (approx. 1.1 miles away); Buried Treasure in the Heartland (approx. 9.3 miles away).
More about this marker. Marker is in a roadside park.
Also see . . .
1. Cannonball Stage Route. (Submitted on May 11, 2013, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.)
2. "Cannon Ball Stage Coach Founder Dead". (The Wichita Beacon obituary; August 2, 1922) (Submitted on May 11, 2013, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.)
3. D. R. Green at Find A Grave. (Submitted on May 11, 2013, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.)
Credits. This page was last revised on December 31, 2020. It was originally submitted on May 11, 2013, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania. This page has been viewed 750 times since then and 66 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on May 11, 2013, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania. 4. submitted on November 11, 2014, by Bill Kirchner of Tucson, Arizona. 5. submitted on December 31, 2020, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York.