Dodge City

Dodge City Kansas
Memories Of The Cattle Days

The history to the old west began with the opening of the Santa Fe Trail by William Beckness in l821. Dodge City was the main trading center between Franklin, Missouri and Santa Fe, New Mexico until l880. Thousands of covered wagons traveled the Mountain Branch of the trail which went west from Dodge City along the north bank of the Arkansas River into Colorado.

In 1865, Fort Dodge was established on the Santa Fe Trail near the present site of the city, offering protection to wagon trains and to U.S. Mail carriers. The Fort also acted as a supply base for troops fighting the Indian Wars.

In l871, just five miles east of Fort Dodge, a rancher by the name of Henry Sitler, constructed a three room sod-house so he could oversee his cattle ranch. His home became a frequent stopping place for buffalo hunters and traders. Dodge City was founded the next year, l872, with the Sitler's home being the first house in Dodge.

n September 1872, the shiny steel rails of the brand new Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad stretched into view and the town of Dodge City was waiting. The railroad helped the town to boom. Famous Front Street was born as general merchandise stores, a dance hall, a restaurant, a barber shop, a blacksmith shop and even a saloon sprang up overnight.

Dodge City got its reputation as a town of lawlessness and gun slinging in these very early days because there were no lawmen and the military had no jurisdiction over the town. Buffalo hunters, railroad workers, drifters and soldiers drank and fought, leading to the shootings where men died with their boots on. The town needed a hasty place for local burials so the famous Boot Hill Cemetery was created. The cemetery was used until l878 and then was relocated. A mock cemetery can be visited at the historical Boot Hill Museum located on Wyatt Earp Boulevard in Dodge City, Kansas.

For three years, Dodge City was the Buffalo capital of the world. Approximately 850,000 Buffalo hides were shipped out of Dodge City between l872-74. By l875, the Buffalo were gone as a source of revenue, but Texas Longhorn cattle drove the money back into the town.

Livestock was not the only thing to arrive in l875; law and order also came to Dodge. Famous officers such as Bat Masterson, Wyatt Earp, Bill Tilghman and Charlie Bassett moved into the untamed land of the west. Over the years, Dodge became a respectable place to live; settlers moved in and family businesses were established.

By l877, Dodge City became the "Cowboy Capital" known for shipping more cattle by rail to the east than any other city. It is said that the best steaks in America came from Dodge City, where "the grass is remarkably fine, the water plenty, drinks two for a quarter and no strangers. These points make Dodge City “the cattle point." Dodge City Times, June 16, l877.

Bat Masterson:
Given Name: William Barclay Masterson
Born: 1855 in Illinois
Died: October 25, 1921 in New York

Bat Masterson’s professions were buffalo hunter, army scout, gunfighter, lawman, deputy marshal and marshal Bat Masterson was better known as "Bat," his whole demeanor displayed his love for excitement and adventure

Visiting his brother in Dodge City, Kansas in 1876 Bat Masterson found himself being offered a job as deputy marshal. Wyatt Earp was assistant city marshal who made the job offer. Bat Masterson became a deputy marshal along side his brother, deputy marshal Jim Masterson

In 1877, Bat Masterson found himself at the age of 22, sheriff of Ford County where his brother Ed Masterson was marshal of Dodge City. Bat Masterson carried the reputation and instincts of a gunfighter that his brother didn't

In 1879, Bat Masterson was voted out of office and spent considerable amounts of time gambling in the Tombstone area. Bat Masterson answered a call from his brother Jim Masterson. This instigated the last trip back to Dodge City in 1882 to briefly help his brother Jim out of a business predicament

The next decade, Bat Masterson worked the gambling halls and saloons, doing a stint as town marshal in Trinidad and later in Creed, Colorado

Moving to Denver Colorado, Bat Masterson returned to drinking heavily. Masterson’s reputation incited the local sheriff to give Bat Masterson an ultimatum. Either surrender your gun or leave town by morning.

Fearing his enemies Bat Masterson was forced to leave Town as wearing his sidearm was no longer fashionable but staying alive was

In 1905, President Teddy Roosevelt appointed Bat Masterson as the US Marshal of the southern district of New York State

Bat Masterson was offered the appointment of marshal to the Oklahoma Territory. In a stride only Bat Masterson could commandeer he stated that someone would want to make a reputation for himself and that he would either have to kill or be killed and there did not seem to be any sense in inviting that to happen

In 1907, Bat Masterson resigned from being marshal and took a job with the Morning Telegraph as sport's editor. This was a new adventure for him.

He died in 1921 diligently at work writing his sport's column at the Morning Telegraph.