On U.S. 54 at Bloom Road, on the right when traveling west on U.S. 54.
The Fort Dodge - Camp Supply Military Road passed several hundred feet west of this marker. The route was established in 1868 during General Phillip H. Sheridan's winter campaign against Indians in Texas and the Indian Territory. This ungraded . . . — — Map (db m78809) HM
This hill was not a pleasant place during the 1870’s. It was covered with buffalo grass, prickly pear and soapweed and was used as a burying ground for drifters, troublemakers, and unknowns from 1872 until 1879. As early as 1879 newspapers were . . . — — Map (db m62003) HM
On 2nd Avenue at Spruce Street, on the left when traveling north on 2nd Avenue.
This building was constructed in 1907 with the financial assistance of Andrew Carnegie, Steel Magnate and nationally known philanthropist.
Architect: C.W. Squires, Emporia
Builder: William Foley, Dodge City
City Library: 1907 - 1969 . . . — — Map (db m65354) HM
On Wyatt Earp Boulevard west of 3rd Avenue, on the right when traveling west.
The Santa Fe Trail was a busy overland route for fifty years before Dodge City was founded. The heavy freight wagons rumbled along where you are now standing. In 1865, Fort Dodge was established to provide protection for wagon trains and to . . . — — Map (db m65270) HM
On Central Avenue at Front Street, on the left when traveling north on Central Avenue.
For decades, Dodge City's existence was tied to the railroad. When the first train arrived on the newly-laid Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad tracks in September 1872, stacks of buffalo hides were already waiting to be transported to eastern . . . — — Map (db m65283) HM
On Front Street at 2nd Avenue, on the left when traveling west on Front Street.
The first structure built on the future site of Dodge City was a three-room sod house. Constructed by Henry L. Sitler, it was near the dusty ruts of the Santa Fe Trail, approximately 500 feet southwest of where you now stand. The "soddie" was . . . — — Map (db m65273) HM
On Wyatt Earp Boulevard (Business U.S. 50) 0.1 miles east of Matt Down Road, on the right when traveling east.
"If you stood on the hill above Dodge City, there was traffic as far as you could see, 24-hours a day; seven days a week on the Santa Fe Trail." —Henry L. Sitler, early settler Fort Dodge was established on the Santa Fe Trail in 1859 to protect . . . — — Map (db m204346) HM
On Wyatt Earp Boulevard at 2nd Avenue, on the right when traveling west on Wyatt Earp Boulevard.
This statue commemorates the Texas Longhorn that gave Dodge City its place in history as "Queen of the Cowtowns." The Longhorns are descendants of Spanish cattle brought to Mexico in the 16th century. Between 1875 and 1886, over 4 million head . . . — — Map (db m65271) HM
On 2nd Avenue at Spruce Street, on the left when traveling north on 2nd Avenue.
In the mid 1880s, economic factors contributed to a change in Dodge City's character. The cowtown era ended with the last Texas cattle drives in 1885. Two severe blizzards in that period destroyed the local range cattle industry. At the same . . . — — Map (db m65356) HM
On Spruce Street at 4th Avenue, on the left when traveling west on Spruce Street.
Dodge City's most famous early settler started Dodge City's first business on Front Street in 1871. Was mayor four terms. He also hired Wyatt Earp to come and get law and order established and put the city on a very sound basis. He organized . . . — — Map (db m65387) HM
On Front Street at 2nd Avenue, on the left when traveling west on Front Street.
Dodge City became the buffalo-hunting capital of the world soon after it was founded in 1872. Within three years, however, the buffalo herds were depleted to the point that Dodge needed a new source of income. Longhorn cattle filled that need. . . . — — Map (db m65274) HM
On Spruce Street at 4th Avenue, on the left when traveling west on Spruce Street.
Modeled by O.H. Simpson, D.D.S.
Pioneer Dentist
The model for this statue was
Joe Sughrue
A Cowboy and later Dodge City
Chief of Police
from 1933 to 1936 — — Map (db m65384) HM
On Central Avenue at Front Street, on the right when traveling north on Central Avenue.
"Experience teaches that it is not wise to depend upon rainfall where the amount is less than 20 inches annually. The isohyetal or mean rainfall line of 20 inches…in a general way…may be represented by the 100th meridian. [In this . . . — — Map (db m65287) HM
On Spruce Street at 4th Avenue, on the left when traveling west on Spruce Street.
This site became known as Boot Hill due to the custom of burying gunfighters with their boots on or behind their heads. It is estimated that 32 men and one woman were buried on this site. The names of many of these are unknown as they died . . . — — Map (db m65388) HM
Near 5th Avenue just north of West Wyatt Earp Boulevard, on the right when traveling north.
The railroad played a significant role in the prosperity of early Dodge City. When the railhead was established here in 1872, Dodge City became the ideal location for shipping buffalo hides to points east on the Atchinson, Topeka and Santa Fe . . . — — Map (db m230435) HM
On Spruce Street west of 2nd Avenue, on the right when traveling west.
This garden stands as a tribute to J. C. Denious and his family, who owned and operated the "Dodge City Daily Globe" from 1910 to 1988. The newspaper has a history dating back to 1878 as a weekly publication, but Denious is credited as the Father . . . — — Map (db m65330) HM
On 14th Avenue at Division Street, on the right when traveling north on 14th Avenue.
[Honor Roll of Veterans]
Almighty God, we ask
Thy blessings upon
these our comrades
That Others May Live in Freedom
To the American Soldiers,
veterans who served, fought
and died for our freedom.
Kenneth L. Gladden . . . — — Map (db m65390) WM
On Front Street at 2nd Avenue, on the left when traveling west on Front Street.
This map depicts businesses known to have existed along Dodge City's Front Street between 1878 and 1882. As the town grew, other establishments were located farther north of Front Street, as well as south of the railroad tracks. Modern street . . . — — Map (db m65272) HM
On Wyatt Earp Boulevard at Central Avenue, on the left when traveling east on Wyatt Earp Boulevard.
Buffalo Hunter
Deputy Sheriff of Ford County - 1876
Assistant Marshal of Dodge City - 1877
Deputy Marshal of Dodge City - 1876-1879 — — Map (db m65279) HM
On Spruce Street at 4th Avenue, on the left when traveling west on Spruce Street.
Called to Dodge City in 1876 and established law and order in a few years. He did the same thing for other cities and became known as the best law officer in the West. He was a quiet and decent man and caused considerable publicity for Dodge . . . — — Map (db m65386) HM
On U.S. 400, 0.2 miles east of Sheridan Street, on the left when traveling east.
Between the opening of the post in April, 1865, until its closing in October, 1882, about 150 burials were made at this cemetery. One of the earliest was that of the sixteen-year-old son of Henderson Boggs, a freighter. The boy was shot and . . . — — Map (db m65438) HM
On Custer Street east of Garfield Street, on the left when traveling east.
The commanding officer's quarters was one of the last stone structures to be built. In the years before it was completed the officer and his family lived near the river in a four-room dugout, three feet below ground and four feet above.
The . . . — — Map (db m65436) HM
On Sheridan Street at Pershing Street, on the right when traveling south on Sheridan Street.
Three barracks were completed in 1867, two built of stone and one of adobe. For about eighteen months, until the permanent buildings were finished, the men lived in seventy dugouts at the river bank. Each dugout accommodated four men, had bunks . . . — — Map (db m65425) HM
On U.S. 400 at Sheridan Street, on the left when traveling west on U.S. 400.
In the fall of 1867, the Fort Hays-Fort Dodge Road was developed to transport merchandise, mail and passengers from the newly founded railhead at Hays City to Fort Dodge and on to Santa Fe via the established route of the Santa Fe Trail. Thus, . . . — — Map (db m65424) HM
On U.S. 400, 0.2 miles west of Sheridan Street, on the left when traveling west.
Fort Dodge, named for Maj. Gen. Grenville M. Dodge, was established here in 1865. It was a supply depot and base of operations against warring Plains Tribes. Custer, Sheridan, Miles, Hancock, "Wild Bill" Hickok and "Buffalo Bill" Cody are figures . . . — — Map (db m65406) HM
On Custer Street at Garfield Street, on the right when traveling west on Custer Street. Reported unreadable.
The first post hospital was built in 1865 of sod with a flat [illegible] and no floor. Poor drainage, damp conditions, and rodent infestation [illegible] the building unsatisfactory. This one-story stone building was begun [illegible] and was . . . — — Map (db m65430) HM
On Pershing Street at Garfield Street, on the left when traveling west on Pershing Street.
Twin storehouses, each 130 ft. by 30 ft., and a bakery were the first stone buildings to be completed in 1867. The second storehouse stood a few yards to the east. The north ends of each building were partitioned to provide offices for post . . . — — Map (db m65427) HM
On Sheridan Street south of U.S. 400, on the left when traveling south.
The Fort Dodge "sutler" store and buildings stood near this location. The civilian who kept a store in connection with a fort was known as the "sutler." He paid a fee for a monopoly to conduct all buying and selling on the military reservation. . . . — — Map (db m65409) HM
On U.S. 400, 0.2 miles west of Sheridan Street, on the left when traveling west.
This fountain was presented to
the Kansas Soldiers Home by
Elizabeth Jackson
in memory of her son,
James S. Wagnor,
who lost his life Oct. 8, 1942
while a Japanese prisoner of war. — — Map (db m65408) WM
"Long ago the Arapahoes had a fine country of their own. The white man came to see them, and the Indians gave him buffalo meat and a horse to ride on…the country was big enough for the white man and the Arapahoes, too…The government sent . . . — — Map (db m65508) HM
On US-50 (U.S. 50/400), on the right when traveling west.
Camping near this location Sept. 10, 1825, the survey team remained through September 21 waiting for a courier with information from the U.S. Government as to how to proceed further. West of the 100th meridian which surveyor Joseph Brown mistakingly . . . — — Map (db m65720) HM
has been designated a
Registered National
Historic Landmark
under the provisions of the
Historic Sites Act of August 21, 1935
This site possesses exceptional value
in commemorating or illustrating
the history of the United . . . — — Map (db m65494) HM
Unlike the emigrant trails that took travelers west to Utah, Oregon, and California, the Santa Fe Trail mainly handled commercial traffic moving east and west.
When Santa Fe became part of the United States in 1848 after the Mexican-American . . . — — Map (db m65519) HM
Pioneered by William Becknell in 1821, the Santa Fe Trail was a 900-mile overland road that connected Franklin, Missouri, with Santa Fe, New Mexico, and was an important commercial trade route. Near here, trail travelers had to decide which route . . . — — Map (db m65496) HM
Eighteen Miles a Day
Hundreds of freight wagons laden with trade items once lumbered by here, passing just uphill from where you are standing. Large caravans took six to ten weeks to travel the 900 miles between Mexico (present-day New . . . — — Map (db m65512) HM
Local men, boys, and animals sweated long and hard to build the Eureka Irrigation Canal between 1884 and 1887. The long line below the ridge is a remnant of this early effort to irrigate semi-arid lands using the only reliable water source then . . . — — Map (db m65493) HM
For 60 years, this prairie soil was torn by the hooves of mules, oxen, and horses, and compacted by the weight of the large freight wagons they pulled. The wagons of a caravan traveled four abreast to avoid dust and to quickly form defensive . . . — — Map (db m65440) HM
You are standing on a bluff above the Arkansas River, an international boundary between the United States and Mexico during the early years of the Santa Fe Trail. This area was prone to flooding and the ruts offer an excellent illustration of how . . . — — Map (db m65495) HM
The Santa Fe trail, extending 750 miles from the Kansas City area to the old Spanish settlement of Santa Fe, was the great overland trade route of the 1820's to 1870s. Its commercial use began in 1821, when William Becknell headed west with a pack . . . — — Map (db m55277) HM
