# Ford County Historical Society, Inc., All rights reserved > Preserving Our History Since 1931 ## Posts - [Historic Cemetery Tour](https://fordcountyhistory.org/historic-cemetery-tour-2/): Mark your calendars for the Fifth Annual Historic Cemetery Tour October 11 at Maple Grove Cemetery. This year, we are covering the west side of Division 3 with a brief jaunt into Division 1 to celebrate the “Souls of Prairie Grove.” Guides will share stories about the Kirby, Nevins, and States families, plus many more. Tours start at 1pm, 2pm, 3pm, & 4pm on the Dodge City Trolley. Tickets are $20 and available at the Visitors Center (by the Matt Dillon statue) – cash or check only. The trolley will depart from the Ford County Legacy Center at 310 Gunsmoke... - [Landmark Arts Project Reception](https://fordcountyhistory.org/landmark-arts-project-reception-2/): The public is invited to celebrate student artists at the third annual Landmark Arts Project reception located in the Mariah Gallery at Boot Hill Museum. Boot Hill Museum will host a reception for the exhibiting artists in partnership with the Ford County Historical Society on Thursday, May 8 from 5:00 to 6:30 p.m. at 500 W. Wyatt Earp Blvd. Area students were provided with historical information and tours of the location to educate and inspire the production of artwork. Participating classes will receive $500 for art supplies and three $500 scholarships will be awarded to Ford County students attending Dodge... - [Landmark Arts Project Kickoff](https://fordcountyhistory.org/landmark-arts-project-kickoff-2/): Boot Hill Museum has been selected for the third annual Landmark Arts Project. Each year, a historic landmark in Ford County will be selected as the focus for the project. Area youth will be provided with historical information and tours of the location to inspire the creation of artwork related to the landmark. Pieces created by students will provide an avenue for developing a connection with local history and art in the community as well as the opportunity to showcase their work. The story of Boot Hill began with a cemetery in 1872, followed by two Third Ward School buildings.... - [Book Signing Cancelled](https://fordcountyhistory.org/book-signing-cancelled/): We are disappointed to announce that tomorrow’s book signing has been cancelled due to the extreme weather. We are working to reschedule this event for June so be on the lookout for the new date! - [Ford County Historical Society 2025 Kickoff Celebration](https://fordcountyhistory.org/ford-county-historical-society-2025-kickoff-celebration/): A Year of Historical Accomplishments Since 1931 By Michael D. King Mark your calendars for an unforgettable night of inspiration and history! Join us at the Ford County Historical Society’s grand kickoff event, “A New Year of Historical Accomplishments: A 2025 Kickoff Celebration,” on Wednesday, February 26, 2025. Dive into an evening that promises to be filled with community spirit and captivating stories at the Ford County Legacy Center, located at 310 Gunsmoke Street in Dodge City. Don’t miss out on this chance to celebrate our past and look forward to what lies ahead! The Ford County Historical Society kickstarts... - [Award-Winning Author Dennis R. Garcia Hosts Book Signing Event at Ford County Legacy Center](https://fordcountyhistory.org/award-winning-author-dennis-r-garcia-hosts-book-signing-event-at-ford-county-legacy-center/): Dennis R. Garcia, recipient of the prestigious International Latino Book Awards Author Award, and acclaimed author of the award-winning Marine, Public Servant, Kansan and the recently released Las Madres: Latinas in the Heartland Who Led Their Family to Success, is bringing his inspiring stories to the Ford County Legacy Center for an exclusive book signing event on February 19, 2025. The event celebrates the release of Las Madres, a powerful tribute to the courage, resilience, and love of Latina women whose stories embody the American spirit. Through three generations of women—Candelaria, Rafaela, and Irene—Garcia chronicles the triumphs and sacrifices of... - [Home of Stone Ornaments](https://fordcountyhistory.org/home-of-stone-ornaments/): Just in time for Christmas! Ford County Historical Society has Home of Stone ornaments available for $25 each including tax this holiday season. Ornaments can be purchased at the Home of Stone at 112 E Vine St (when open for special tours/events), Dodge City CVB Visitor Information Center at 3rd and Wyatt Earp, and the Ford County Legacy Center at 310 Gunsmoke. These ornaments include intricate details and will look beautiful on your tree. They also make great stocking stuffers for everyone on your list! - [Historic Cemetery Tour](https://fordcountyhistory.org/historic-cemetery-tour/): Mark your calendars for the Fourth Annual Historic Cemetery Tour October 12 and 13 at Maple Grove Cemetery. This year, we are returning to the oldest areas of the cemetery in Divisions 4 and 5. Guides will share stories about the Stubbs, Theis, and Hulpieu families, plus many more. Tours start at 2pm, 3pm, & 4pm each day on the Dodge City Trolley. Tickets are $20 and available at the Visitors Center (by the Matt Dillon statue) – cash or check only. Due to construction on Gunsmoke, we will announce the departure location as more information becomes available. Join us... - [Summer Exhibits at the Ford County Legacy Center](https://fordcountyhistory.org/summer-exhibits-at-the-ford-county-legacy-center/): Dodge City Motorsports Hall of Fame and Museum has returned with their Motorsports Legends exhibit, which will be on display until Labor Day at 310 Gunsmoke Street in Dodge City. Admission is free. Ford County Historical Society also has artifacts from around the county on display, including photographer Troy Robinson’s camera collection, several items from Ford and Bucklin schools, and a saddle belonging to the legendary horseman, Gus Crump. Hours The Ford County Legacy Center is open Tues – Sat 10 am – 4 pm and Sun 1 – 4 pm. Parking Due to construction, Gunsmoke Street is currently closed... - [Landmark Arts Project Reception](https://fordcountyhistory.org/landmark-arts-project-reception/): The public is invited to celebrate student artists at the second annual Landmark Arts Project reception located in the former City Hall building at the top of Boot Hill. Boot Hill Distillery will host a reception for the exhibiting artists in partnership with the Ford County Historical Society on Thursday, May 9 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at 501 W Spruce Street. Area youth were provided with historical information and tours of the location to educate and inspire the production of artwork. Participating schools will each receive $500 for art supplies. Awards will be presented at the reception. Families are... - [Landmark Arts Project Kickoff](https://fordcountyhistory.org/landmark-arts-project-kickoff/): The former City Hall building at the top of Boot Hill in Dodge City has been selected for the second annual Landmark Arts Project. Each year, a historic landmark in Ford County will be selected as the focus for the project. Area youth will be provided with historical information and tours of the location to educate and inspire the production of artwork. Artwork created by students will provide an avenue for developing a connection with local history and art in the community and the potential to showcase their work. The story of Boot Hill began with a cemetery in 1872,... - [FCHS Annual Meeting to feature Hannes Zacharias](https://fordcountyhistory.org/fchs-annual-meeting-to-feature-hannes-zacharias/): Presentation Examines Impact of the Arkansas River Ford County Historical Society in Dodge City will host “Rediscovering the Arkansas River,” a presentation and discussion by Hannes Zacharias on January 19, 2024 at 4:00 PM at Dodge City Public Library – Lois Flanagan Room located at 1001 N 2nd Ave. Members of the community are invited to attend the free program. Contact the Ford County Historical Society at 620-789-3247 for more information. The program is made possible by Humanities Kansas. Appetizers and beverages will be served. Business meeting begins at 4:00 PM and the program begins at 4:30 PM. The Arkansas... - [FCHS Announces Everlasting Endowment](https://fordcountyhistory.org/fchs-announces-everlasting-endowment/): Welcome to the Ford County Historical Society’s Everlasting Endowment Ford County Historical Society is committed to preserving the rich heritage and history of our beloved community for generations to come. Our Everlasting Endowment is a testament to this commitment, offering an opportunity for individuals like you to contribute to our legacy while reaping the benefits of tax-deductible contributions. Why Contribute to Our Everlasting Endowment? How to Contribute Supporting our Everlasting Endowment is easy: Join Us in Preserving History By contributing to our Everlasting Endowment, you join a community of passionate individuals dedicated to the preservation of our cherished history. Your... - [Welcome!](https://fordcountyhistory.org/welcome/): Welcome to the new Ford County Historical Society website! We are working on digitizing our archives so they can be enjoyed online. In addition to historical FCHS newsletters and books, we have extensive photo collections and original records which can help with your research projects. Please check back often as this will be an ongoing process. Thanks so much for visiting! ## Pages - [Ford County Legacy Center](https://fordcountyhistory.org/projects/ford-county-legacy-center/): 310 Gunsmoke Street – Dodge City, Kansas 620-789-3247 The Ford County Legacy Center is the county museum for Ford County, Kansas. Winter Hours – By appointment only – Call 620-338-5950 Summer Hours – Memorial Day Weekend through Labor Day Weekend Wed – Sat 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Sun 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Mon – Tues Closed September Hours Sat – Sun 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. October – November Hours Thurs – Sat 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Ongoing Exhibits! Western Kansas Motorsports Museum has indefinitely extended their Motorsports Legends exhibit. New vintage racecars will be added soon.... - [Internships](https://fordcountyhistory.org/about-us/internships/): Internships at Ford County Historical Society are diverse. Placements are made based on the interests and skills of the applicant and the availability of supervision and projects. Applicants should send resume and letter of interest to media@fordcountyhistory.org. Project areas include: Collections Management: Exhibition Support: Educational Programs: Research and Documentation: Visitor Services: Skills and Qualifications: Physical Demands: Must be able to: Frequently use a keyboard and computer for long periods of time while remaining in a stationary position; frequently move about the building to access office equipment and files; and occasionally move about, sometimes on uneven ground, during programs for setup... - [Volunteers](https://fordcountyhistory.org/about-us/volunteers/): FCHS is in need of volunteers. If you are interested in history and artifacts, we want you! To sign up, complete the form below. Help is needed in the following areas: – 2 to 4 hours a week – (We’re flexible…You decide when you can help!) Whatever you can do will be a momentous gift in establishing the Ford County Legacy Center at 310 Gunsmoke in Historic Downtown Dodge City. For more information, please contact media@fordcountyhistory.org or call 620-789-3247. Sign Up to Volunteer - [Landmark Arts Project](https://fordcountyhistory.org/projects/landmark-arts-project/): The purpose of the Landmark Arts Project is to bring awareness to the historical significance of the buildings in Ford County. Each year, a historic landmark in Ford County is selected as the focus of the project. Area youth are provided with historical information and tours of the location to educate and inspire the production of artwork. Artwork created by students provides an avenue for developing a connection with local history and art in the community and the potential to showcase their work. Participating schools each receive $500 for art supplies. In addition, FCHS has created a scholarship fund for... - [Permission for Use](https://fordcountyhistory.org/about-us/permission-for-use/): FCHS Permission for Educational UseWebsite Citation for Students Permission for use of the Ford County Historical Society website material is granted for classroom use. Permission for other nonprofit use may be granted upon receipt of an email request to the FCHS at media@fordcountyhistory.org explaining the proposed use. A reply with the permission will be forthcoming. Credits to FCHS in the form: (Courtesy: Ford County Historical Soc., Dodge City, KS: www.fordcountyhistory.org) should accompany any materials used. Requests for permissions for the commercial use of FCHS website material should be e­mailed to FCHS.Use of FCHS photographs will be granted on the same... - [Ben Hodges](https://fordcountyhistory.org/people/ben-hodges/): SELF-STYLED DESPERADO [Excerpt from Dodge City and Ford County, Kansas 1870-1920 Pioneer Histories and Stories. Copyright Ford County Historical Society, Inc. All Rights reserved.] The more articles a person reads about one unforgettable character, the more confused that reader may become. One very colorful fellow who came up the Texas cattle trails to Dodge City in the days when the long horns were driven to the Kansas railheads was Ben­jamin F. Hodges. The local historian, Heinie Schmidt, remarked that “Ben occupied a pedestal by himself. There was not a single other character in his class.” One of the most undisputed facts is... - [Dodge City Trail of Fame](https://fordcountyhistory.org/projects/dodge-city-trail-of-fame/): The Dodge City Trail of Fame is a walking tour of the Old Dodge City National Historic District. The trail is marked with bronze sidewalk medallions and statuary to commemorate the many famous and infamous denizens of historic Dodge City. Additionally, many medallions are dedicated to notable movie and television stars who have portrayed famous Dodge Citians. Start your walking tour at the Dodge City Convention and Visitors Bureau Visitor Information Center at 400 W Wyatt Earp Boulevard. Trail maps are available at the Visitor Information Center or you can download a PDF of the map here. - [Fort Dodge](https://fordcountyhistory.org/projects/fort-dodge/): Historical information about Fort Dodge and the Kansas Soldiers’ Home can be found on the Communities page. FCHS is committed to preserving the buildings and stories of the historic fort as well as the soldiers’ home. Fort Dodge is the only Kansas fort not included on a historic register and we are working to change that! You can follow our progress on the Preserve Fort Dodge KS Facebook Page. FCHS President Kent Stehlik recently provided an update about the status of Walt Hall in our newsletter. Please send a message to media@fordcountyhistory.org if you would like to be added to... - [FCHS Newsletters](https://fordcountyhistory.org/about-us/fchs-newsletters/): Our Legacy newsletters can be downloaded here. Please check back regularly as we upload our archives. 1st Quarter 2025 4th Quarter 2024 3rd Quarter 2024 2nd Quarter 2024 1st Quarter 2024 1st Quarter 2022 - [Home of Stone Museum - Mueller-Schmidt House](https://fordcountyhistory.org/projects/home-of-stone-museum-mueller-schmidt-house/): 112 E Vine Street – Dodge City, Kansas 620-227-6791 Read about the history of the Mueller-Schmidt House by clicking here. Spring Hours April Saturday 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. May Saturday 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Summer Hours – May 24 to July 31 Mon – Sat 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Sunday 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. August Hours Tues – Sun 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. September Hours Sat – Sun 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. October – November Hours Thurs – Sat 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. December – March by appointment only – call 620-789-3247 - [West Hopewell District 54](https://fordcountyhistory.org/ford-county/rural-schools/west-hopewell-district-54/): [Excerpt from Dodge City and Ford County, Kansas 1870-1920 Pioneer Histories and Stories. Copyright Ford County Historical Society, Inc. All Rights reserved.] The West Hopewell School, nine and one-half miles south of Dodge City, was typical of the rural schools of Ford County in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Good Old Golden Rule Days, compiled by the book committee of the communities south of Dodge City, says that School District No. 54 was organized in 1887. There are no records, however, to indicate any teachers were hired or any pupils attended classes there until 1894. According to Adams family records –... - [Prairie View District 20](https://fordcountyhistory.org/ford-county/rural-schools/prairie-view-district-20/): [Excerpt from Dodge City and Ford County, Kansas 1870-1920 Pioneer Histories and Stories. Copyright Ford County Historical Society, Inc. All Rights reserved.] The headline on the front page of the Dodge City Journal dated January 13, 1955, was surrounded by pictures of the country school north of Dodge City. It read: “Modern Rural School has Link with Past.” The accompanying article written by Heinie Schmidt told the history of that school district that dates back to 1884. Much of his article is quoted in this rural school story. “Many of the old customs, landmarks and people who represented the frontier in Southwest... - [Rural Schools](https://fordcountyhistory.org/ford-county/rural-schools/): [Excerpt from Dodge City and Ford County, Kansas 1870-1920 Pioneer Histories and Stories. Copyright Ford County Historical Society, Inc. All Rights reserved.] Rural schools were of prime importance in Ford County. In 1877, Baldwin was the first rural district to be organized. District #62, the Riney school in 1926, was the first rural district to elect to send its students to the Dodge City schools instead of maintaining its own school. Between 1877 and 1926, more than 50 school districts had been established. Several of these districts had more than one school. In fact, Grandview, a district north of Wright, maintained five... - [The Harvey House and The Harvey Girls](https://fordcountyhistory.org/dodge-city/the-harvey-house-and-the-harvey-girls/): [Excerpt from Dodge City and Ford County, Kansas 1870-1920 Pioneer Histories and Stories. Copyright Ford County Historical Society, Inc. All Rights reserved.] Harvey Houses, don’t you savvy;clean across the old Mojave,On the Santa Fe they’ve strung ’emlike a string of Indian beadsWe all couldn’t eat without ’em butthe slickest thing about ’emIs the Harvey skirts thathustle up the feeds-J.C. Davis Dodge City has an intimate history with the railroad. After all, it was the railroad arriving here in 1872 on its way to Colorado, that enabled Dodge City to really get going, shipping first buffalo hides and bones and then the cattle... - [The Mexican Village](https://fordcountyhistory.org/dodge-city/the-mexican-village/): [Excerpt from Dodge City and Ford County, Kansas 1870-1920 Pioneer Histories and Stories. Copyright Ford County Historical Society, Inc. All Rights reserved.] Looking back at the very early history of Dodge City, it is easy to see that the coming of the railroad was one of the most important reasons for Dodge City being built in 1872, five miles west of Fort Dodge. Those who were stationed at the fort, or were civilian workers there, knew that the fort’s facilities could not take care of the needs of the large group of workmen who would soon be arriving. The rails that were... - [Living in the Mexican Village, As Seen Through the Eyes of a Small Child](https://fordcountyhistory.org/dodge-city/living-in-the-mexican-village-as-seen-through-the-eyes-of-a-small-child/): [Excerpt from Dodge City and Ford County, Kansas 1870-1920 Pioneer Histories and Stories. Copyright Ford County Historical Society, Inc. All Rights reserved.] My father was one of about 100 men from his part of Mexico that were recruited by the Santa Fe Railroad to come and work at maintaining the railroad tracks. He worked at several locations, living in railroad box cars and he transferred wherever they needed extra help to insure [sic] the safety of the freight and passenger trains. He first came to the U.S.A. in 1901, as a bachelor and then he returned to Mexico, to marry my mother... - [Fort Dodge Provides Reason for Dodge City's Founding](https://fordcountyhistory.org/ford-county/communities/fort-dodge-2/fort-dodge-provides-reason-for-dodge-citys-founding/): [Adapted from Sentinel to the Cimarron by Dr. David Kay Strate] In the beginning, there was Fort Dodge. This military post not only provided Dodge City with its name, but also its reason for being. Inglorious as it may seem to its present day citizens, the town once known as “The wickedest little city in the West,” started out as the Babylon that provided the gambling and whiskey dens and the houses of prostitution as close to the post as the law would allow. Eventually, the town and its trail herd citizens became so tough that even the military wrote... - [Spearville, Kansas - City of Windmills](https://fordcountyhistory.org/ford-county/cities/spearville/spearville-kansas-city-of-windmills/): [Excerpt from Dodge City and Ford County, Kansas 1870-1920 Pioneer Histories and Stories. Copyright Ford County Historical Society, Inc. All Rights reserved.] The town of Spearville was platted in March 1873, and named after Alden Speare, railroad director and president of the Santa Fe land company. The town company was formed by W.F. Johnston, E.D. Sauer, M. Soloman, David Williams and W.S. Marshall who bought the property from the railroad, dividing it up in lots. Located 16 miles east of Dodge City, on the Santa Fe line, Spearville soon prospered as a center for land development and immigration in eastern Ford County.... - [Kingsdown](https://fordcountyhistory.org/ford-county/communities/kingsdown/): [Excerpt from Dodge City and Ford County, Kansas 1870-1920 Pioneer Histories and Stories. Copyright Ford County Historical Society, Inc. All Rights reserved.] James E. Fishback was the original owner of the northeast quarter of Section 18, Range 22, Township 29 of Ford County, Kansas, where the town of Kingsdown is located. The townsite is in the northeast [corner] of the northeast quarter of Section 18. Fishback deeded a strip of that land to the Rock Island Railroad, April 13, 1887. On May 13 of the same year, he sold land to the South Ark (Arkansas) Valley Town Company. It was on this... - [The Town of Ford, Kansas](https://fordcountyhistory.org/ford-county/cities/the-town-of-ford-kansas/): [Excerpt from Dodge City and Ford County, Kansas 1870-1920 Pioneer Histories and Stories. Copyright Ford County Historical Society, Inc. All Rights reserved.] In 1884, Andrew Russell visited eastern Ford County and said it appeared a “good place for a town site.” He organized the Ford Town Company with Reuben Small, William Shaw, and Russell as Treasurer. Appraisers named were G.W. Milton, Judge Whitelaw, and Chalk Beeson of Dodge City. Ford got its name apparently as the site of the only ford on the Arkansas River in eastern Ford County. The plat was filed at the Garden City land office on May 15,... - [Bloom](https://fordcountyhistory.org/ford-county/communities/bloom/): [Excerpt from Dodge City and Ford County, Kansas 1870-1920 Pioneer Histories and Stories. Copyright Ford County Historical Society, Inc. All Rights reserved.] The first white settlements in America’s Central Plains were forts built for protection against Indians. Because the forts could not supply the needs of the buffalo hide hunters of the 1860s and early 1870s, small towns sprang up, usually near the forts. When the railroads brought shipping points for Texas cattle into Kansas, supply camps were needed approximately every 10 or 15 miles. This was about the distance that a herd could travel in a day. Many of these stopping... - [Wright, Kansas, Its Past and Present](https://fordcountyhistory.org/ford-county/communities/wright-kansas-its-past-and-present/): [Excerpt from Dodge City and Ford County, Kansas 1870-1920 Pioneer Histories and Stories. Copyright Ford County Historical Society, Inc. All Rights reserved.] Just 107 years ago, the community of Wright was chartered by a group of entrepreneurs who looked forward to founding a prosperous town on the old Stage Coach Line stop, seven miles northeast of the county capital, Dodge City. Today’s industrious little community may have failed to live up to the dreams of William Hunt and his co-founders. Hunt foresaw an agricultural marketplace to rival the county seat with its location on the Santa Fe Railroad, the stage coach stop... - [The Story of Windthorst, Kansas](https://fordcountyhistory.org/ford-county/communities/windthorst/): [Excerpt from Dodge City and Ford County, Kansas 1870-1920 Pioneer Histories and Stories. Copyright Ford County Historical Society, Inc. All Rights reserved.] The creation of Windthorst took place in 1876, when a number of men met at the Arbeiter Hall in Cincinnati, Ohio. These men were from various trades: cobblers, tailors, carpenters, foundry workers, tanners, blacksmiths and common laborers. They were attempting to better their conditions in this land of opportunity. Several meetings were held by these German men and the German Catholic Aurora Homestead Association was formed with Henry Macke named President and John Luzins named Secretary. Correspondence was carried on... - [A History of Bucklin, Kansas](https://fordcountyhistory.org/ford-county/cities/a-history-of-bucklin-kansas/): [Excerpt from Dodge City and Ford County, Kansas 1870-1920 Pioneer Histories and Stories. Copyright Ford County Historical Society, Inc. All Rights reserved.] By 1884, early settlers had begun a migration to vast prairies of mid-America to stake claims and prove up land of their own. Many came by emigrant trains to Dodge City and then rented or bought wagons to haul supplies to their claims. Sod houses or dugouts generally were the first living quarters. Among early settlers in the Bucklin area were four Gresham brothers, Frank, George, John and Tom; Mr. and Mrs. James Dellinger, James and George Emmons, Thomas Blankenbaker,... - [The Bellefont Community](https://fordcountyhistory.org/ford-county/communities/the-bellefont-community/): [Excerpt from Dodge City and Ford County, Kansas 1870-1920 Pioneer Histories and Stories. Copyright Ford County Historical Society, Inc. All Rights reserved.] The land on which Bellefont, Kansas, stands was deeded by the State of Kansas to the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad Company on May 19, 1873. The railroad deeded the SW 1/ 4 of S17 T25 R21 to J. A. Cline on July 17, 1885, for $832. Mr. Cline platted the portion of the quarter lying south of the railroad into Cline’s Addition to Bellefont and deeded the part north of the railroad to George M. Hoover... - [The Dodge City Cowboy Band](https://fordcountyhistory.org/dodge-city/the-dodge-city-cowboy-band/): by Clifford P. WestermeierFebruary 1951 (Vol. 19, No. 1), pages 1 to 11Transcription and HTML composition by Tod Roberts;digitized with permission of the Kansas State Historical Society. WHILE its early history was being painted against the canvas of the frontier, Dodge City acquired more lurid and flaming titles than any other city. “The most wicked town in existence,” “The Beautiful, Bibulous Babylon of the Frontier,” “The Wickedest City in America,” “The Deadwood of Kansas,” the “‘rip-roaring burg of the West” were but a few of the scarlet sobriquets. [1] It was a city of violent contrasts — brave men and... - [First Dodge City AAA 150-mile Auto Race, 1916](https://fordcountyhistory.org/dodge-city/first-dodge-city-aaa-150-mile-auto-race-1916/): Russell “Bus” Armstrong, Winner Hudson Super-Six, 71.86 MPH Average Over 4,000 attend race Letter from J.P. McCollum requesting race: April 6, 1916 American Automobile Association, Att: Mr. Kennerdell.437 5th Ave.New York City. Gentlemen:As president of the Dodge City Motor Speedway Corp., I am asking you for information relative to A.A.A. sanctioned races. We have a two mile oblong speedway, dirt, which we laid out and graded in 1913 and each year since we have regraded and increased the bank on the curves. On July 4th, 1914, and July 3rd, 1915, we held International Championship Motorcycle Races with the sanction and... - [Mueller-Schmidt House History](https://fordcountyhistory.org/projects/home-of-stone-museum-mueller-schmidt-house/mueller-schmidt-house-history/): The John and Karoline Mueller family on Emelia Mueller’s wedding day, June 12, 1889, Dodge City. John and son Henry on balcony; Emelia on lower step; Karoline and groom, John Chambliss, on porch. Courtesy: FCHS. In an 1882 bird’s-eye view of Dodge City, the Mueller-Schmidt House is proudly perched atop a hill northeast of town, alone in its new splendor and surrounded by a yard planted with trees. Built to be one of the most splendid homes in Dodge City, Ford County’s “Home of Stone” lives up to this, even today. It remains the lone limestone house in Dodge City,... - [CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE Dodge City Today Yesteryear](https://fordcountyhistory.org/books/early-ford-county/chapter-twenty-three-dodge-city-today-yesteryear/): STATISTICAL INFORMATION ON DODGE CITY, BY DALE HARMON, Secretary-Manager, Dodge City Chamber of Commerce: Dodge City’s illustrious history has been spread around the world through the means of movies, television, radio, and numerous stories appearing in newspapers, magazines, and novels. Some accounts have been “stretched” a bit, but by and large most stories about the Cowboy Capital’s rip-roaring past are a matter of record, and well worth repeating. Daily inquiries about the Dodge City of “yesterday and today” come from all over the United States as well as foreign countries. Although the days of Dodge City’s famous Long Branch Saloon,... - [CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO Tales of Early Day Youth](https://fordcountyhistory.org/books/early-ford-county/chapter-twenty-two-tales-of-early-day-youth/): IN EARLY DAYS AS IT IS NOW, ALMOST ANY BOY WAS AT “HOME on a bike,” and he spent long hours practicing to see how fast he could race. Robert Rath reported that he was out of bed early and into the kitchen where he quickly cracked an egg and let the contents slide down into his stomach so he could race on his bike to the fort and back, a matter of about nine miles, and be back by the time his mother had breakfast on the table. As names of many early day racers enter into the lime-light,... - [CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE Along the Sawlog](https://fordcountyhistory.org/books/early-ford-county/chapter-twenty-one-along-the-sawlog/): IN THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE, SONG IN HIS HEART, BY HEINIE Schmidt, High Plains Journal, Thursday, July 21, 1949, he tells about the arrival of the John Mueller family. “In the spring of 1873, a few years after his discharge from the Union army, John Mueller, his wife Caroline and his daughter Amelia, arrived in Ellsworth, Kansas, then the capital of the cattle drives. Mueller, a boot and shoemaker by trade, opened a shop on that city’s main street. “Two years later, in 1874, the cattle business having drifted farther west, Mueller and his family, with a new son, Henry, came to... - [CHAPTER TWENTY Herder Wagonmaster Lose Lives](https://fordcountyhistory.org/books/early-ford-county/chapter-twenty-herder-wagonmaster-lose-lives/): Chalkley M. Beeson was an indefatigable worker at whatever he undertook and never went after anything that he did not succeed in it. It was greatly through his efforts that the Masonic Hall was built. In the Masons he reached a high mark. He was known as a great mixer and was widely known throughout the state. He twice represented Ford County in the legislature and was sheriff of the county several times. He was one of the celebrated scouts who accompanied the Grand Duke Alexis of Russia on the great buffalo hunt. He was the originator, leader, and owner... - [CHAPTER NINETEEN A Good Place to Get a Start](https://fordcountyhistory.org/books/early-ford-county/chapter-nineteen-a-good-place-to-get-a-start/):  IN THIS ARTICLE, COUNTY SEAT WAR, A YOUTH COMES TO THE West and engages in a different kind of work that takes him into Mexico and brings him back riding the Western Trail, driving a herd of horses. While the horse trade was not so well publicized as the cattle and buffalo trade, it was also a thriving business. William M. Heirgood, La Junta, Colorado, engineer for the Santa Fe, recuperating from a recent illness in the Santa Fe Hospital at La junta, recalls the times when he was a night horse-wrangler and a hired “rooter” for Hartland during the... - [CHAPTER EIGHTEEN Court House His Monument](https://fordcountyhistory.org/books/early-ford-county/chapter-eighteen-court-house-his-monument/): IN AN INTERVIEW WITH IDA ELLEN (Cox) RATH IN JULY, 1937, Sarah Gibson, recalls the hardship of early days when she lived on a pre-emption near Greensburg, and later in the Pennington house on Avenue C. Mrs. T. S. Gibson is 81 years old and lives at 704 Avenue C., where she owns and rents properties. She is a charter member of the Relief Corps, a Rebekah, Gold Star, and Degree of Honor. Her report of early experiences follows: Gibson’s father was at Belle Plaine, Kansas, and we had a letter from him asking Pa to come out there and... - [CHAPTER SEVENTEEN Dodge City a Sporting Town](https://fordcountyhistory.org/books/early-ford-county/chapter-seventeen-dodge-city-a-sporting-town/): AMONG THE MANY THINGS THAT YOUNG DODGE CITY TOOK great pride in and excelled in was one pertaining to her great game resources and the chase, and that was her dogs. They were known far and wide; everyone was singing the praises of Dodge City’s dogs and justly too for they were the best bred of their kind in the world and there were several packs of these hounds. Perhaps the greatest pack and the largest one was owned by Mayor James H. Kelly and for that reason the “gang” christened him “Dog” Kelly. Ham Bell, among others, had a... - [CHAPTER SIXTEEN Early Day Men and a Diary](https://fordcountyhistory.org/books/early-ford-county/chapter-sixteen-early-day-men-and-a-diary/): HAMILTON B. BELL HAD THE BLUEST OF BLUE EYES AND BROWN hair, was spare of build but broad shouldered. He had a decided Roman nose and a very determined chin. He was born July 31, 1853, in Pleasant Valley, Maryland, and later lived at Hagerstown. He died April 4, 1947, almost ninety-four years of age. Mr. Bell lost his parents when he was very young and when he was a mere youth he came west to try his luck. His first stop was at Lawrence, Kansas, then Abilene, and Ellsworth, in the middle of the night. The following morning he... - [CHAPTER FIFTEEN Business and Professional Men](https://fordcountyhistory.org/books/early-ford-county/chapter-fifteen-business-and-professional-men/): The following stories bring to light that a doctor suffered privations, did what he could, often without pay, and went when he was called. Dr. G. W. Hollenbeak’s story as told to Ida Ellen (Cox) Rath and published in the Dodge City Daily Globe, December 24, 1935. Dr. Hollenbeak was a member of the State Board of Health for a number of years and president one year. He was Santa Fe doctor for Gray County and county doctor for a good many years, a representative in the state legislature, 1895 to 1897. He was a member of the Woodmen, Knights of... - [CHAPTER FOURTEEN Newspapers in Ford County](https://fordcountyhistory.org/books/early-ford-county/chapter-fourteen-newspapers-in-ford-county/):  Jay B. Baugh, well known Kansas newspaperman, did quite a bit of research on early day newspapers in Dodge City, which he used in an article published in the Dodge City Daily Globe, Tuesday, October 22, 1935, titled, “Bricks, Top Hats, Guns, Figure in Early History of Dodge Journalism.” He has given the author permission to use the article which follows: Christmas day, 1877, was the birthdate of The Globe. (Ford County Globe). It was a lusty youngster, and like all healthy babies it came into the world with a loud voice to take its stand in the southwest, but unlike probably... - [CHAPTER THIRTEEN Dodge City Represented Ford County](https://fordcountyhistory.org/books/early-ford-county/chapter-thirteen-dodge-city-represented-ford-county/): BY 1874, DODGE CITY WAS GETTING REALLY WELL ORGANIZED and at this time it pretty well represented Ford County. The county officers were Attorney, L. D. Henderson; Clerk, W. F. Sweeney; District Clerk, John McDonald; Sheriff, Charles E. Bassett; Probate Judge, Geo. B. Cox; Treasurer, A. B. Webster; Register of Deeds, M. J. Bruen; Superintendent of Schools, M. Collar. Again Charles Rath is listed as County Commissioner, along with A. J. Peacock and A. J. Anthony, and the station agent at the Santa Fe depot was J. H. Phillips. There was a good frame school house and fifteen pupils; superintendent,... - [CHAPTER TWELVE Men Who Made the West](https://fordcountyhistory.org/books/early-ford-county/chapter-twelve-men-who-made-the-west/): WHO MADE DODGE CITY FAMOUS? AT ONCE, MANY PEOPLE would mention famous gun fighters of the old West but it was the better element, the builders, men with a vision, who made the city what it is today. It was the old timers of yesteryear, many of them buffalo hunters who stayed after the hunt was over; surely not the people who followed after for the fame of Dodge City was already spread around the world by then. Among the mighty buffalo hunters one will find many of these high type men who never catered to the rough element, but... - [CHAPTER ELEVEN Cattle Men and Drives](https://fordcountyhistory.org/books/early-ford-county/chapter-eleven-cattle-men-and-drives/): H. B. (HAM) BELL ONCE TOLD THE AUTHOR, “YOU COULD HEAR more about `cutting’ and ’round-up’ and ’rounding-up’ in Dodge City in the old days in fifteen minutes than you could hear in Chicago or St. Louis in a lifetime.” The summer of 1867 saw the first herd of cattle on its way north from Texas to Abilene, over the Chisholm Trail. For the next two years this trail was the great cattle highway of the southwest. During the 1870’s Dodge City was the greatest cattle market in the world, hence the coined name, “Dodge City, Cowboy Capital of the... - [CHAPTER TEN The Buffalo Trade](https://fordcountyhistory.org/books/early-ford-county/chapter-ten-the-buffalo-trade/): BUFFALO KILLING WAS THE FIRST BIG BUSINESS THAT REACHED the plains. It drew men from near and far, a few who craved the notoriety of killing a buffalo, but mostly men who were able to make this their life work while it lasted. The latter were men who stayed when the buffalo were gone and helped to, prove up the West, many of them making their home in Ford County, especially in Dodge City. A market for the hides was already established. W. C. Lobenstein had called Charles Rath and Myers to supply him with 500 buffalo hides. What the... - [CHAPTER NINE Toll Bridge Gateway to the Southwest](https://fordcountyhistory.org/books/early-ford-county/chapter-nine-toll-bridge-gateway-to-the-southwest/): THE FOLLOWING IS AN ARTICLE, WRITTEN BY HEINIE SCHMIDT for his book, Ashes of My Campfire, and used by permission of the author as a beginning for the Toll Bridge story. The article, with the Chapter title, follows: Recently there came into the possession of the Beeson Museum a ticket granting passage over the old toll bridge for one two-horse team and wagon. The ticket was dated 1873, and signed by John Riney, first toll bridge keeper. It was presented to the museum by Mrs. Louise Zeigler Seiper of Larned, and has been in the possession of her family for... - [CHAPTER EIGHT Adobe Walls Fight](https://fordcountyhistory.org/books/early-ford-county/chapter-eight-adobe-walls-fight/): MENTION WAS MADE OF THE ADOBE WALLS FIGHT IN THE previous chapter and an article by the author will be used later in this chapter telling about it. While this fight was not in Dodge City, it involved buffalo hunters, skinners, aid freighters, also merchants and other business men–a considerable number and all from Dodge City. After the battle most of these hunters came back to headquarters in Dodge City and all of the merchants and business men returned. Buffalo hunting was Dodge City’s first big industry, a million dollar one. In the winters of 1873-1874, it has been said... - [CHAPTER SEVEN Indian Chief's Narrow Escape](https://fordcountyhistory.org/books/early-ford-county/chapter-seven-indian-chiefs-narrow-escape/): By Ida Ellen Rath, published in Dodge City Daily Globe, September 2, 1946. THE ADVENT OF SPOTTED TAIL, POWERFUL SIOUX CHIEF, brought about one of the most exciting episodes in the history of Dodge City. He arrived the later part of December, 1872, when water in the streams was frozen to a depth of 18 inches and powdery snow was banked against the rough stock lumber buildings in the newly organized town. At best there was a lawless element in Dodge City. Buffalo hunters and skinners, driven in by the storm, were ripe for any excitement. One of the hunters, Kirk... - [CHAPTER SIX Buffalo Gold](https://fordcountyhistory.org/books/early-ford-county/chapter-six-buffalo-gold/):  ON THE WIDE, WINDSWEPT PLAINS OF WESTERN KANSAS AND the Panhandle of Texas, hunters followed and shot the shaggy, humpbacked transient herds of bison. Their slaughter brought about a great industrial drama that culminated in the practical extinction of the buffalo, the end of Indian warfare, and the rush of settlers to populate the plains. Shoot them they did, courageous, adventuresome, expert marksmen to the tune of nearly two million a year and thereby lined their pockets with “buffalo gold.” Few of these old buffalo hunters survive today, but the fruits of their industry are still living monuments. But many... - [CHAPTER FIVE Organization of Ford County](https://fordcountyhistory.org/books/early-ford-county/chapter-five-organization-of-ford-county/): NOW THAT THE TOWN WAS WELL ON ITS WAY TO BECOMING a growing city, the “Occupants of the Townsite” turned their attention to the organization of Ford County. It had been named in honor of Col. James Ford, of the Second Colorado Cavalry, who had located at Fort Dodge in 1858. True Ford County existed on paper but the planners wanted to give the county more than a mere existence on paper and on maps. To organize the county required a census showing the names of six hundred bona fide inhabitants of the county. In an effort to bring this... - [CHAPTER FOUR Dodge City and Other Towns](https://fordcountyhistory.org/books/early-ford-county/chapter-four-dodge-city-and-other-towns/): BY SEPTEMBER 19, 1872, THE TRACK HAD BEEN LAID AS FAR as Dodge City. The first depot was a box car with the wheels removed. The first agent, J. H. Phillips went to Dennison, Texas, in 1878. An old buffalo hunter once told India Simmons, historian from Lakin, of the rejoicing when the first passenger train pulled into the one street town, all its buildings facing the railroad track. “It wasn’t much of a train, Boys,” he said, “but it sure caused a big celebration.” To be doubly sure the new town got the right start, another survey was made... - [CHAPTER THREE Dodge City Town Company](https://fordcountyhistory.org/books/early-ford-county/chapter-three-dodge-city-town-company/): H. L. SITLER, FROM FORT DODGE, HAD LAID STRIPS OF SOD FOR his shanty, all above ground, on the highest point around, Boot Hill, of today and yesteryear. From this high perch a man could keep an eye on his cattle and one peeled out for Indians, knowing his cattle were safer here than around Fort Dodge where the Indians congregated. From the doorway of his sod house shelter, Sitler could scan the countryside, barren plains that stretched away in every direction, with no habitation in sight. Oftentimes, a wagon master chose the site at the foot of old Boot... - [CHAPTER TWO Along the Santa Fe Trail](https://fordcountyhistory.org/books/early-ford-county/chapter-two-along-the-santa-fe-trail/):  KANSAS AND FORD COUNTY ARE REPLETE WITH HISTORIC appeal and romantic glamour for they lay in the geographical center of the United States and were crossed by nearly every trail that led to the great undeveloped West of the nineteenth century. Few states and countries can match it in either respect. Inextricably, woven into this background, are the early trails, especially, the Santa Fe Trail and the Pony Express. Just so, the story of the Santa Fe Trail is tied up with Dodge City and old Fort Dodge. In the early 1840’s, an almost endless trail of prairie schooners crossed... - [CHAPTER ONE Peketon County Later Ford](https://fordcountyhistory.org/books/early-ford-county/chapter-one-peketon-county-later-ford/): FORD COUNTY AS WE KNOW IT TODAY WAS NOT ORGANIZED IN a day. An inkling of the many changes that finally determine the boundaries of Ford is noted in an item from the Special Traveler’s Section, Dodge City Daily Globe, 1959. “February 27, 1883, Ford County now consists of old Ford, southeast two thirds of Gray, the east half of Medal and all of Clark, is sixty three miles long, forty-eight wide and is larger than the state of Rhode Island and Delaware together.” Dipping back farther into the annals of early day history, finding the facts essentially belonging in the... - [Acknowledgement](https://fordcountyhistory.org/books/early-ford-county/acknowledgement/): THE AUTHOR WISHES to give credit to the Ford County Historical Society members for graciously agreeing to publish the History of Ford County, to be paid for from donations and pre-sale of the book. Promotion Chairman, Lola Adams Harper. Roster of Members *Lola Adams Harper, President *James A. Barber Fred A. Swart Mrs. N. C. Bickel Lillian C. Swart Nellie Burns Victor Hull *Casterline Grain and Seed Co. James A. Williams *Evelyn Copas *R. Roy Taylor Robert E. Eagan Mrs. Roy Taylor *L. B. Hancock Chas. Wycoff C. R. Harner Ruby Liggett Ruth Harner *Jay S. Andrews *H. A. Hart... - [Foreword](https://fordcountyhistory.org/books/early-ford-county/foreword/): FROM PRAIRIE ANEMONES, Writers Guild, Dodge City, Kansas, written by J. C. Denious.“This little brochure, which presents the contributions of Southwestern Kansas poets, is worthy of a place in any library. Always the people of the Southwest have had the faculty of expressing in an impressive way, the things they desired to say. Now they are expressing their sentiments rhythmically, charmingly, beautifully. The influence of the Muse has been felt in the Southwest ever since the frontier days, but that influence has been broadened and strengthened with the march of years. The residents of the great plains area are observing... - [Preface](https://fordcountyhistory.org/books/early-ford-county/preface/): Dodge City Daily GlobeWednesday, Nov. 20, 1963-Page 8 HISTORY OF COUNTY IS INFORMATION MINEBy Jim Moran      Ida Ellen Rath’s History of Ford County, an as yet unpublished work, has been read in manuscript by this writer, and found to be a real treasure mine of information about the history of this county, early and later. While it does not ignore the violence of the older cowtown, which has brought so much fame or notoriety to Dodge City, the county seat, this history keeps it on a reasonable plane which is where it belongs, in a history at least. Mrs. Rath spends more... - [Table of Contents](https://fordcountyhistory.org/books/early-ford-county/table-of-contents/): Acknowledgment Preface Foreword 1. Peketon County Later Ford 2. Along the Santa Fe Trail 3. Dodge City Town Company 4. Dodge City and Other Towns 5. Organization of Ford County 6. Buffalo Gold 7. Indian Chief’s Narrow Escape 8. Adobe Walls Fight 9. Toll Bridge Gateway to the Southwest 10. The Buffalo Trade 11. Cattle Men and Drives 12. Men Who Made the West 13. Dodge City Represented Ford County 14. Newspapers in Ford County 15. Business and Professional Men 16. Early Day Men and a Diary 17. Dodge City a Sporting Town 18. Court House His Monument 19. A... - [Early Ford County](https://fordcountyhistory.org/books/early-ford-county/): Dedicated to James P. McCollom Joe Hulpieu N. O. Reese and H. F. (Heinie) Schmidt by Ida Ellen RathMennonite Press North Newton, Kansas1964 ©Ford County KS Historical Society, Dodge City, Kansas Second Edition, April 1964 Table of Contents - [Colonel Richard Dodge on Blizzards While at Fort Dodge, Kansas](https://fordcountyhistory.org/ford-county/communities/fort-dodge-2/colonel-richard-dodge-on-blizzards-while-at-fort-dodge-kansas/): (from The Deadliest Woman in the West: Mother Nature on the Prairies and Plains, 1800-1900, by Rod Beemer, 2006) Colonel Richard Dodge was stationed in the West before and after serving as a Union officer in the Civil War. Following Lee’s surrender at Appomattox, Colonel Dodge was dispatched to the West where he saw duty during the Indian Wars. While stationed at Fort Dodge, KS, he gathered a stockpile of experience with blizzards. Col. Dodge writes: “An exposure to the full force and fury of a violent “plains Norther” would be certain death to any indigenous animal. Buffalo and antelope fly... - [The History of The Ford County Historical Society 1931 - 1991](https://fordcountyhistory.org/about-us/the-history-of-the-ford-county-historical-society-1931-1991/): Written for the 60th anniversary by Daisy Lockman Plotner 1991 Introduction by the author: My family roots go deep in Ford County. I’m Daisy Lockman Plotner. I am of the fifth generation of my family who have lived in Ford County. Three sets of my great, great grandparents and two sets of my great grandparents came to Ford County during the 1880’s. Their surnames were Lockman, Devoe, Platz and Jones. I have always enjoyed history and my hobby since I was fourteen has been genealogy. I became a member of the Ford County Historical Society about three years ago. A... - [Wyatt Earp Family History](https://fordcountyhistory.org/people/wyatt-earp/wyatt-earp-family-history/): [“Wyatt EARP Family History.” Kansas Heritage Group, July 1, 2001, http://www.kansasheritage.org/families/earp.html. Retrieved from Wayback Machine, http://web.archive.org/web/20120228110829/http://www.kansasheritage.org/families/earp.html. Accessed November 3, 2023]  1 Jul 2001 Family Group Sheet Husband: Nicholas Porter EARP died at age: 94 Born: 6 Sep 1813 in LincolnCo, NC 1 Died: 12 Nov 1907 in Sawtelle, Los Angeles Co, CA Occupation: lawyer/farmer/cooper Father: Walter EARP Mother: Martha Ann EARLY 1850 They lived in an almost totally Dutch neighborhood in Lake Prairie Township, Marion County, IA; Wife: Abigail STORM died at age: 26 Married: 22 Dec 1836 in Hartford, Ohio Co, KY his age: 23 her age: 23 Born:... - [Wyatt Barry Staap Earp's Activities in Dodge City, KS](https://fordcountyhistory.org/people/wyatt-earp/wyatt-barry-staap-earps-activities-in-dodge-city-ks/): (Unless otherwise noted, the following is taken from Frederick Young’s book Dodge City: Up through a Century In Story and Pictures.) May 1876 – Arrived in Dodge from Wichita. Became Assistant Marshal May 16, 1875 under Marshal Larry Deger. A month later Ford County District Court records show Wyatt Earp & Bat Masterson to be deputy sheriffs serving under Charlie Bassett, Sheriff. July 1876 – Arrested under Sheriff Edward O. Hougue for “fighting and disturbing the peace”. Sept. 1876 – Stuart Lake, Wyatt Earp’s biographer, writes of Wyatt leaving Dodge w/younger brother Morgan and went to Deadwood, South Dakota, but... - ["Wyatt Earp Back in Town"](https://fordcountyhistory.org/people/wyatt-earp/wyatt-earp-back-in-town/): “Wyatt Earp, who was on our city police force last summer, is in town again. We hope he will accept a position on the force once more. He had a quiet way of taking the most desperate characters into custody which invariably gave one the impression that the city was able to enforce her mandates and preserve her dignity. It wasn’t considered policy to draw a gun on Wyatt unless you got the drop and meant to burn powder without any preliminary talk.” - [Wyatt Earp Deposition](https://fordcountyhistory.org/people/wyatt-earp/wyatt-earp-deposition/): Concerning H. Gould (AKA, “Skunk Curley”) From court proceedings, Sept. 20, 1878 State of Kansas vs H Gould alias Skunk Curley Filed this 27th Day of Nov 1878 [signature indistinguishable] Clerk State of Kansas In Justice Court, before Lloyd Shinn County of Ford Justice of the Peace, in and for Dodge Township in the County aforesaid State of Kansas vs H Gould alias Skunk Cunley Personally appeared before me Wyatt Earp who being duly sworn deposes and says that on the 20th day of September 1878 one Skunk Curley in and upon the body of one Fred Cogan then and... - [Wyatt Earp: Frontier Marshal](https://fordcountyhistory.org/people/wyatt-earp/wyatt-earp-frontier-marshal/): Wyatt Earp (from Wyatt Earp: Frontier Marshal, by Stuart N. Lake,© 1931, Houghton Mifflin Company) [This Foreword by Stuart N. Lake is printed without corrections. With his book’s publication in 1931, Lake’s true belief in the Wyatt Earp he knew started an Old West revival that created decades of Western books, movies and television. His history is sometimes wrong, but his connection with Wyatt Earp was never off. No other writer that knew Earp succeeded more. The text is from a copy given by Lake to Dodge City pioneer Joe Hulpieu–he was secretary for the SW Kansas Pioneer Picnics starting in... - ["Calling the Turn"](https://fordcountyhistory.org/people/wyatt-earp/calling-the-turn/): from Wyatt Earp, by John H. Flood, Jr. [from the never published circa 1926 autobiographical attempt by Old West frontier pioneer lawman, Wyatt S. Earp, and mining engineer John Flood, Jr., family friend of both Josephine Earp and Wyatt. This chapter is on the Wyatt Earp and Clay Allison shoot-out in Dodge City, KS.] Original photograph of the ‘Dodge City Peace Commission’ in June 1883. Front, l-r; Chas. E. Basset, Wyatt S. Earp, Frank McLain, and Neil Brown. Back, l-r; W. H. Harris, Luke Short, W. B. Bat Masterson, and W. F. Petillon. This is the version with Petillon beside Masterson. All rights... - [Wyatt Earp](https://fordcountyhistory.org/people/wyatt-earp/): Below is a collection of materials about the legendary lawman. “Calling the Turn” from Wyatt Earp by John H Flood, Jr. “Chapter VIII. Populating Boot Hill” (Robert M Wright) “Chapter XI. Joking with Powder and Ball” (Robert M Wright) Dodge City, Kansas History Dodge City Shootout: The Deaths of Levi Richason and Frank Loving The True Story of Clay Allison and Wyatt Earp Wyatt Berry Staap Earp’s Activities in Dodge City, KS Wyatt Earp Back in Town Wyatt Earp Deposition Wyatt Earp Family History Wyatt Earp: Frontier Marshal - [Dodge House Hotel, 1873](https://fordcountyhistory.org/dodge-city/dodge-house-hotel-1873/): (from Reminiscences of a Soldier’s Wife, by Ellen McGowan Biddle, 1907) [During 1873, Captain James Biddle, his wife Ellen, and their two young sons Dave and Jack traveled from Fort Riley, Kansas to Fort Lyon, Colorado (about 5 miles from Las Animas), where Biddle was to assume command of the post. Of particular interest is Mrs. Biddle’s description of the Dodge House in Dodge City. Captain James Biddle was always called “Colonel” from having held that brevet rank during the Civil War. Captain Biddle later became the commander of Fort Grant, Arizona Territory and there played a minor role in Wyatt... - [Cowtown Courts](https://fordcountyhistory.org/collections/c-robert-haywood-collection/cowtown-courts/): Dodge City Courts, 1876-1886 The stereotype of frontier or cattletown justice as being “make shift as the towns that sprang up along the frontier’s far edges” does not hold for the District Court of the Ninth Judicial District in Dodge City, nor, for that matter, the city courts. Part of the misinterpretation can be blamed on the traditional image that all cattletowns adhered to quick, raw justice of the Judge Roy Bean vintage. The contemporary press gave a note of authenticity to these fanciful accounts by their own lurid stories printed at the time as jests and satire by journalists... - [HTML Site Map](https://fordcountyhistory.org/html-site-map/) - [John Mueller](https://fordcountyhistory.org/people/john-mueller/): Dodge City Boot Maker and Cattleman John Mueller (aka, Müller) was born in 1840 in Bavaria, Germany. coming to the United States in 1855. He married Karoline Koch in St. Louis early in 1862. He was already enlisted in the Union Army–serving from 1861 to 1865–and was wounded two-times. Karoline Koch was born in Berweiler, Germany (Alsace-Lorraine). She came to the United States with her parents in 1850, through the port of New Orleans and settled in St. Louis, Missouri. John and Karoline had eight children, but only two survived–Emelia and Henry. In St. Louis, John was a neighbor of... - [Dodge City Shootout: The Deaths of Levi Richason and Frank Loving](https://fordcountyhistory.org/dodge-city/dodge-city-shootout-the-deaths-of-levi-richason-and-frank-loving/): [NOTE: The spelling of Levi Richason’s name (from Richardson) has been corrected at the request of the family.] In March of 1879, Levi Richason and Frank Loving came face to face on Front Street in Dodge City, Kansas. An enmity existed between the two involving Mattie Loving, Frank’s wife. Richason struck Loving a blow to the face. Being unarmed, Frank walked away. Levi vowed then and there to eventually “blow the guts out of the cockeyed son-of-a-b…” “Cockeyed Frank” Loving, so called because “one of his optics bearing in a northeast direction to the other,” was a 19-year old cowhand... - [The True Story of Clay Allison and Wyatt Earp](https://fordcountyhistory.org/dodge-city/the-true-story-of-clay-allison-and-wyatt-earp/): Dodge City, KS Original photograph of the ‘Dodge City Peace Commission’ in June 1883. Front, l-r; Chas. E. Basset, Wyatt S. Earp, Frank McLain, and Neil Brown. Back, l-r; W. H. Harris, Luke Short, W. B. Bat Masterson, and W. F. Petillon. This is the version with Petillon beside Masterson. All rights reserved. FCHS. One of the most written about events of the Old West is the “showdown” between Wyatt Earp, assistant marshal of Dodge City, and Clay Allison, rancher and self-proclaimed “shootist” from New Mexico. The San Francisco Examiner of 1896 and nearly all biographies of Earp have featured it in... - ["Big Nose" Kate Elder](https://fordcountyhistory.org/people/big-nose-kate-elder/): November 7, 1850 – November 2, 1940 Mary Katharine Haroney, known as “Big Nose” Kate Elder, was born in Pest (Budapest), Hungary, on 7 November 1850 and died 2 November 1940 in Prescott, Arizona. In between, she was the lover of John Henry “Doc” Holliday, and before she met Holliday, knew Wyatt S. Earp. Kate is also known as Kate Fisher and Mary Cummings. John Wayne made a movie “The Sons of Katie Elder.” based on her best known name. Kate was the eldest of seven children of a physician named Dr. Michael Haroney, M.D., and his second wife, Katharina Baldizar Haroney.... - [Royal Township](https://fordcountyhistory.org/ford-county/townships/royal-township/): A petition was presented to the Ford County Commissioners in October of 1886 to form the Royal Township in the northwest corner of the county. The petition was granted and a special election for township officers was held on November 2, 1886. - [Wheatland Township](https://fordcountyhistory.org/ford-county/townships/wheatland-township/): A petition was presented to the Ford County Commissioners in February of 1879 to form the Wheatland Township in the northeast corner of the county. The petition was granted and a special election for township officers was held on March 22, 1879. - [Howell](https://fordcountyhistory.org/ford-county/communities/howell/): [Excerpt from Dodge City and Ford County, Kansas 1870-1920 Pioneer Histories and Stories. Copyright Ford County Historical Society, Inc. All Rights reserved.] The builders of the railroads that crossed the country built only one set of tracks between towns. Trains going in either direction traveled on the same tracks, therefore a provision was made that would allow these trains to pass. This was done by providing a siding every few miles. A small station house with a telegraph operator on duty was located at each siding. When two trains came toward each other, the operator advised the one closest to the siding... - [Spearville](https://fordcountyhistory.org/ford-county/cities/spearville/): From Early Ford County by Ida Ellen Rath: Spearville has an interesting array of facts. It was named for Alden Speare, a Santa Fe official, and was first spelled Speareville. He was president of the Dodge City Town Company at the time of his death. In the beginning, Speareville was also known as the Dry Ridge and it had a big water tank beside the railroad. It has interesting names for streets Arch, Race, Van, and Dove, Pidgeon, Quail, Grouse, Sparrow, Wren, and Robin, among others not so unusual. Spearville is in Spearville Township. Spearville, Kansas – City of Windmills... - [Historic Cemetery Tour](https://fordcountyhistory.org/projects/historic-cemetery-tour/): Mark your calendars for the Fifth Annual Historic Cemetery Tour October 11 at Maple Grove Cemetery. This year, we are covering the west side of Division 3 with a brief jaunt into Division 1 to celebrate the “Souls of Prairie Grove.” Guides will share stories about the Kirby, Nevins, and States families, plus many more. Tours start at 1pm, 2pm, 3pm, & 4pm on the Dodge City Trolley. Tickets are $20 and available at the Visitors Center (by the Matt Dillon statue) – cash or check only. The trolley will depart from the Ford County Legacy Center at 310 Gunsmoke... - [The Hinkle-Heinz House (1881)](https://fordcountyhistory.org/dodge-city/the-hinkle-heinz-house-1881/): Dodge City, Ford County, Kansas The city of Dodge City-owned George T. Hinkle house, previously being considered for demolition and replacement with a parking lot, may be the oldest house of its type in the city. The house, located at 801 First Ave., was built or moved to this location between 1879 and 1882. The FCHS requested further consideration before the city proceeded. The house is now being protected and will be preserved. Research presented to the Dodge City’s Historical Preservation Committee by FCHS board member Dennis Veatch, Dodge City development administrator, indicates that Hinkle purchased the property from the... - [Black Cowboy Influence on Racial Prejudice: Dodge City and Hodgeman Colony](https://fordcountyhistory.org/collections/c-robert-haywood-collection/black-cowboy-influence-on-racial-prejudice-dodge-city-and-hodgeman-colony/): An accepted premise of recent black historiography holds that black cowboys were offered more favorable status and more opportunity for self-expression than any other black occupation group in nineteenth-century America.[1] Although occasionally subjected to discrimination and the target of racism, the black cowboy held an unusual position in the social and economic life of the frontier West. The majority of whites on the ranches and in the cattletowns realized the importance of all cowboys’ contributions and adjusted their prejudices accordingly. While cowboys were on the trail, the success of the venture depended on each man performing his assigned duties. The... - [The Dodge City War](https://fordcountyhistory.org/collections/c-robert-haywood-collection/the-dodge-city-war/): One hundred years ago this spring there was war in western Kansas. The first shots were fired April 28, 1883. It was called “The Dodge City War” or, even more frequently, “The Saloon War.” The central figure, if not the major motivator, was a cocky, bantam-rooster gambler named Luke Short. He stood five feet six inches in his polished boots and weighed a full 140 pounds without his six-guns. In 1883 he bought Chalk Beeson’s half interest in the Long Branch Saloon. His female entertainers, particularly his piano player, and Short’s easy familiarity with the cowboys and cattlemen, made for... - [John Henry "Doc" Holliday, D.D.S.](https://fordcountyhistory.org/people/john-henry-doc-holliday-d-d-s/): August 14, 1851 – November 8, 1887 Arrives in Dodge City (from Doc Holliday: A Family Portrait, by Karen Holliday Tanner, 1998) …Upon arrival at their destination, the trail bosses doled out the accumulated pay to the restless cowboys, who wasted no time heading into Dodge City with their new wealth burning holes in their pockets. they were seeking whiskey, women, and, of course, the excitement of the gaming tables. Always keeping a watchful eye for new areas of opportunity, the young Doc Holliday was also lured to theses same gaming tables. Prior to leaving Fort Griffin, Texas, Wyatt S. Earp had told... - [Unplighted Troths: Causes for Divorce in a Frontier Town During the Last Quarter of the Nineteenth Century](https://fordcountyhistory.org/collections/c-robert-haywood-collection/unplighted-troths-causes-for-divorce-in-a-frontier-town-during-the-last-quarter-of-the-nineteenth-century/): To Mary Sawyer lying on a sick bed in a western Kansas dugout where the damp, crumbling walls provided shelter “little better than living outside,” whose husband swore at her, falsely accused her of adultery, refused to provide adequate food or fuel, and neglected her at the most critical point of her illness, a reminder that the American Bill of Rights was a bulwark against abuse and a monumental grant of personal rights and liberties would have seemed the height of insensitive nonsense. She would have scoffed at the idea that no citizen could twice “be put in jeopardy of... - [The Jones and Plummer Trail](https://fordcountyhistory.org/collections/c-robert-haywood-collection/the-jones-and-plummer-trail/): The Jones and Plummer Trail was established in the fall of 1874 when two former buffalo hunters turned merchants and freighters, Charles Edward “Dirty Face” Jones and Joe Plummer, established a store at the head of Wolf Creek.[1] The need for a convenient place for buffalo hunters to sell hides and obtain supplies was clearly evident after Quanah Parker’s raid convinced the Dodge City merchants to abandon Adobe Walls. Jones marked the trail and the partners’ trips to and from Dodge City to deliver hides and buffalo meat and purchase goods, cut ruts deep enough into the sod for others... - [C. Robert Haywood Collection](https://fordcountyhistory.org/collections/c-robert-haywood-collection/): Topeka Capital-Journal (Topeka, Kansas)Aug. 9, 2005 C. Robert Bob Haywood, 83, died Saturday, Aug. 6, 2005, in Topeka. He was Vice President of Academic Affairs at Washburn University from 1969 to 1982, when he returned to teaching as Distinguished Professor of History. He also served as Dean of the College from 1969 to 1981, Provost, 1981 to 1982, and Secretary of the Board of Regents, 1973 to 1982. He retired from Washburn as Professor Emeritus in 1988. Previously, he taught and served as Dean of the College at Southwestern College, Winfield, from 1948 to 1966, and as Dean of the... - [Project Credits](https://fordcountyhistory.org/projects/dust-bowl-oral-history-project/project-credits/): Ford County Historical SocietyDust Bowl Oral History Project Credits The recording of the Dust Bowl oral history project was completed in the summer of 1998 through the services of an intern of the Ford County Historical Society, Brandon Case. Brandon was, at the time, working on a Masters in History at Fort Hays State University, Hays, Kansas. The organization of the project was started by Ann Warner, a FCHS board member. She outlined the general area of the project questions and arranged the interviews. Brandon received written permission from each interviewee, and releases for the publication of the material. No... - [James A. "Jim" Williams](https://fordcountyhistory.org/projects/dust-bowl-oral-history-project/james-a-jim-williams/): Ford County Dust Bowl Oral History Project A Kansas Humanities Council grant project Interview: James A. “Jim” Williams Interviewer: Brandon Case August 12, 1998 Draft Version Brandon Case: Could you tell me your name, and when and where you were born? Jim Williams: My name is James A. Williams; everybody calls me Jim. I was born in Liberty, Missouri in 1915. BC: How long did you live there, in Liberty? JW: Well, just, well of course I was a tiny baby, when my parents lived in Kansas. And went there, for my dad to get treatments at the Seltzer Springs;... - [Elmer Wetzel](https://fordcountyhistory.org/projects/dust-bowl-oral-history-project/elmer-wetzel/): Ford County Dust Bowl Oral History Project A Kansas Humanities Council grant project Interview: Elmer Wetzel Interviewer: Brandon Case July 29, 1998 Draft Version Brandon Case: Tell me your name please? Elmer Wetzel: Elmer Wetzel. BC: When and where were you born? EW: In 1908, September 21st ’08. September 21st, I’ll be 90 years old. BC: You went through the Dust Bowl then? EW: Yes, had a big family. All of ’em gone but my baby sister and I, two of us out of 11 kids. BC: You all grew up here in Dodge City? EW: Oh no, we; I... - [Juanita Wells](https://fordcountyhistory.org/projects/dust-bowl-oral-history-project/juanita-wells/): Ford County Dust Bowl Oral History Project A Kansas Humanities Council grant project Interview: Juanita Wells Interviewer: Brandon Case February 27, 1998 Draft Version Brandon Case: Could you tell me your name, and when and where you were born? Juanita Wells: Oh, it’s Juanita; then, now or then? BC: Current. JW: Juanita Wells, but I was Noble when I was a kid you know. And I was born in Finney County, in Garden City, April the 5th, 1928. BC: So, just a little bit before the Depression started? JW: Mmm yeah, it, you know I can just still remember how... - [Irene Thompson](https://fordcountyhistory.org/projects/dust-bowl-oral-history-project/irene-thompson/): Ford County Dust Bowl Oral History Project A Kansas Humanities Council grant project Interview: Irene Thompson Interviewer: Brandon Case June 24, 1998 Draft Version Brandon Case: To begin, could you stare your name please? Irene Thompson: Irene Thompson. I live at 200 Campus Drive, Apartment 3A in Dodge City. BC: How long have you lived here in Dodge City? IT: I came to Dodge City in 1952, so I worked 36 years at Miller School, 29 as Principal, seven as Teacher, and then I retired in 1988, and so, add that on to it, that’s I guess that’s the number... - [Louis Sanchez](https://fordcountyhistory.org/projects/dust-bowl-oral-history-project/louis-sanchez/): Ford County Dust Bowl Oral History Project A Kansas Humanities Council grant project Interview: Louis Sanchez Interviewer: Brandon Case August 18, 1998 Draft Version Brandon Case: Could you tell me your name and when and where you were born? Louis Sanchez: My name is Louis Sanchez and I was born here in Dodge, August the 19th, 1923. I was born here in Dodge and I’ve lived here all my life. I will be seventy-five years old on Wednesday [1998], so like I said, I’ve been around the block a few times.Of course, I recall the dust storms very vividly because... - [Floyd Russell Olson](https://fordcountyhistory.org/projects/dust-bowl-oral-history-project/floyd-russell-olson/): Ford County Dust Bowl Oral History Project A Kansas Humanities Council grant project Interview: Floyd Russell Olson Interviewer: Brandon Case July 4, 1998 Draft Version Brandon Case: Could you state your name and your age? Floyd Olson: Okay, I’m Floyd Russell Olson; I’m 82 years old. Born on May the 21st, 1916. And, when I went to school, let’s see I started in the one room rural school there in the fall of 1922. BC: Where was that located? FO: Well, we had to go to school, before that, if I woulda been born a year earlier, I woulda started... - [Arthur W. Leonard](https://fordcountyhistory.org/projects/dust-bowl-oral-history-project/arthur-w-leonard/): Ford County Dust Bowl Oral History Project A Kansas Humanities Council grant project Interview: Arthur W. Leonard Interviewer: Brandon Case June 23, 1998 Draft Version Brandon Case: What’s your name? Arthur W. Leonard: My name is Arthur W. Leonard, and I was born and raised here in Dodge City, and I’m eighty years old. My parents came out here in a covered wagon years ago and settled over south of Louis. My father was an inventor, and we started the tire shop in 1914, so it’s been a long time ago. You want to narrate a little bit more on... - [Leonard Kreutzer](https://fordcountyhistory.org/projects/dust-bowl-oral-history-project/leonard-kreutzer/): Ford County Dust Bowl Oral History Project A Kansas Humanities Council grant project Interview: Leonard Kreutzer Interviewer: Brandon Case July 8, 1998 Draft Version Brandon Case: Just to begin, what’s your name, and where were you born and what time? Leonard Kreutzer: Well, my name is Leonard Kreutzer and I was born in Marienthal, Kansas, which is oh, Wichita County, born in Wichita County, 1915. And I was about the middle, well I guess there were nine of us kids that grew up. Then we moved to Ransom in 1926. My dad run a grocery store out at Marienthal and... - [Clayton Hall](https://fordcountyhistory.org/projects/dust-bowl-oral-history-project/clayton-hall/): Ford County Dust Bowl Oral History Project A Kansas Humanities Council grant project Interview: Clayton Hall Interviewer: Brandon Case July 29, 1998 Draft Version Brandon Case: Could you tell me your name? Clayton Hall: Clayton, Clayton Hall. BC: Where and when you were born? CH: October 2nd, 1920. BC: And where at? CH: At Minneola, I’m definitely a Minneola character. BC: What did your family do there while you grew up? CH: My father was a well driller and sold windmills; and I helped him put ’em up until I got ready to go to college. That was my occupation,... - [Lola Adams Crum](https://fordcountyhistory.org/projects/dust-bowl-oral-history-project/lola-adams-crum/): Ford County Dust Bowl Oral History Project A Kansas Humanities Council grant project Interview: Lola Adams Crum Interviewer: Brandon Case June 23, 1998 Draft Version Brandon Case: Could you give me your name, please? Lola Crum: I am Lola Adams Crum, I was born here in this house, May the 29th, 1908. So just shortly, it hadn’t been very long since I celebrated my 90th birthday. ‘Course, I haven’t lived in this house all those years. My dad thought after being a farmer all of his life, he thought when he got married he was going to live in town... - [Lois Flanagan Bryson](https://fordcountyhistory.org/projects/dust-bowl-oral-history-project/lois-flanagan-bryson/): Ford County Dust Bowl Oral History Project A Kansas Humanities Council grant project Interview: Lois Flanagan Bryson Interviewer: Brandon Case July 22, 1998 Draft Version Brandon Case: Could you tell me your name and where and when you were born? Lois Flanagan Bryson: I’m Lois Flanagan Bryson and I’m a native of Dodge City. I was born on September the 7th, 1917. BC: You were born here in Dodge City? LFB: Yes, I’m a Catholic, so I went through the Sacred Heart Grade School. And then I went to the Girls Academy, which was High School at that time, for... - [Betty Cobb Braddock](https://fordcountyhistory.org/projects/dust-bowl-oral-history-project/betty-cobb-braddock/): Ford County Dust Bowl Oral History Project A Kansas Humanities Council grant project Interview: Betty Cobb Braddock Interviewer: Brandon CaseAugust 13, 1998Draft Version Brandon Case: Could you share with us your name, and where and when you were born? Betty Braddock: Yes, my name is Betty Braddock, my maiden name is Betty Cobb, and I was born in Dodge City in 1923. BC: What did your family do while you were growing up? BB: My mother was County Superintendent; and do you know what that is? BC: Mm-hmm. BB: Okay and my father was, he farmed and he was also a carpenter in his spare time.... - [Dust Bowl Oral History Project](https://fordcountyhistory.org/projects/dust-bowl-oral-history-project/): Funding provided by the Kansas Humanities Council Black Sunday, April 14, 1935, Dodge City, Kansas Oral Interviews Betty Cobb Braddock Lois Flanagan Bryson Lola Adams Crum Clayton Hall Leonard Kreutzer Arthur W. Leonard Floyd Russell Olson Louis Sanchez Irene Thompson Juanita Wells Elmer Wetzel James A. “Jim” Williams Project Credits - [Kansas Soldiers' Home - 4th of July, 1890](https://fordcountyhistory.org/ford-county/communities/fort-dodge-2/kansas-soldiers-home-4th-of-july-1890/): Located in 1859 near where the 100th meridian crosses the Arkansas River — the southwest corner of the Louisiana Purchase — Fort Dodge was the last US Army fort located before the Civil War and, in 1865, was the first fort opened after the Civil War. Fort Dodge was to guard travelers on the Santa Fe Trail and to keep Indian predators at bay. Fort Dodge quickly became an important military fortification. In 1882, when civilization had overtaken the frontier and the stronghold was no longer needed, it was abandoned by the military. Citizens of Dodge City contributed to the... - [Fort Dodge](https://fordcountyhistory.org/ford-county/communities/fort-dodge-2/): From the 1878 Polk’s Gazetteer and Business Directory: FORT DODGE A military post established 8 years ago, on the Arkansas river, in the central part of Ford county, 5 miles from Dodge City, the county seat and nearest R. R. station, and 300 from Topeka. Daily mail. Population, 150 men, officers and soldiers, U. S. A.; Mrs. Emma F. Marshall, postmistress. By the time the 1884-1885 Polk’s Gazetteer and Business Directory was printed, mail had been discontinued. Colonel Richard Dodge on Blizzards While at Fort Dodge, Kansas Fort Dodge (Ida Ellen Rath) Fort Dodge Provides Reason for Dodge City’s Founding... [comment]: # (Generated by Hostinger Tools Plugin)