Dodge City

City of Dodge City
City
Dodge City is an important center for meat packing
Country	United States
State	Kansas
County	Ford
Area	12.7 sq mi (32.9 km²)
- land	12.6 sq mi (32.6 km²)
- water	0.1 sq mi (0.3 km²), 0.79%
Center
- coordinates	37°45′35″N 100°01′06″W / 37.75972°N 100.01833°W / 37.75972; -100.01833Coordinates: 37°45′35″N 100°01′06″W / 37.75972°N 100.01833°W / 37.75972; -100.01833
- elevation	2,550 ft (777.2 m)
Population	26,678 (2008)
Density	2,069 /sq mi (798.8 /km²)
Founded	1872
Mayor	Kent Smoll[1]
Time zone	CST (UTC-6)
- summer (DST)	CDT (UTC-5)
Area code	620
Named after	Colonel Richard Irving Dodge
Location of Dodge City in Kansas
Location of Kansas in the United States
Website : http://www.dodgecity.org/

For the 1939 western movie, see Dodge City (1939 film).

Dodge City is a city and county seat of Ford County, Kansas, United States. It was named after Colonel Richard Irving Dodge.^[2][3] The population was 25,176 at the 2000 census.

The city's name is well known to generations of Americans, as the long-running old-time radio and television Western drama program Gunsmoke was set in Dodge City.

Dodge City has a minor-league basketball team, The Dodge City Legend. The Legend is a member of the United States Basketball League (USBL). The Legend have won three championship titles in the USBL.

Dodge City is sometimes called the meat packing capital of the United States, with close to 12000 cattle being processed a day.^{[citation needed]} It is home to one of the largest beef processing plants in the United States, Cargill Meat Solutions, Dodge City.

Geography and climate

Dodge City is located at 37°45′35″N 100°1′6″W / 37.75972°N 100.01833°W / 37.75972; -100.01833.^[4] According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 12.7 square miles (32.9 km²), of which 12.6 square miles (32.7 km²) is land and 0.1 square miles (0.3 km²) (0.86%) is water.

Dodge City is served by two commercial airlines at Dodge City Regional Airport.

The Arkansas River flows through Dodge City, but it appears dry from Google Maps and Earth.

Weather averages for Dodge City
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Average high °F (°C)	42 (6)	48 (9)	57 (14)	67 (19)	76 (24)	87 (31)	93 (34)	91 (33)	82 (28)	71 (22)	55 (13)	45 (7)	68 (20)
Average low °F (°C)	19 (-7)	24 (-4)	31 (-1)	41 (5)	52 (11)	62 (17)	67 (19)	66 (19)	57 (14)	44 (7)	30 (-1)	22 (-6)	43 (6)
Precipitation inches (mm)	0.6 (15.2)	0.5 (12.7)	1.5 (38.1)	1.8 (45.7)	3.1 (78.7)	3.1 (78.7)	3.1 (78.7)	2.5 (63.5)	1.7 (43.2)	1.3 (33)	0.8 (20.3)	0.6 (15.2)	20.6 (523.2)
Source: {{{source}}} {{{accessdate}}}

Demographics

As of the census^[5] of 2000, there were 25,176 people, 8,395 households, and 5,968 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,995.8 people per square mile (770.9/km²). There were 8,976 housing units at an average density of 711.6/sq mi (274.8/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 71.43% White, 1.94% African American, 0.69% Native American, 2.37% Asian, 0.15% Pacific Islander, 20.82% from other races, and 2.61% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 42.87% of the population.

There were 8,395 households out of which 41.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.1% were married couples living together, 10.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.9% were non-families. 23.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.94 and the average family size was 3.46.

In the city the population was spread out with 31.2% under the age of 18, 12.3% from 18 to 24, 30.0% from 25 to 44, 16.5% from 45 to 64, and 10.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 29 years. For every 100 females there were 106.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 104.2 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $37,156, and the median income for a family was $41,672. Males had a median income of $26,881 versus $22,064 for females. The per capita income for the city was $15,538. About 11.1% of families and 13.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.4% of those under age 18 and 9.1% of those age 65 or over.

Early history

Origins

Buffalo Hunter Ralph Morrison who was killed and scalped December 7, 1868 near Fort Dodge Kansas by Cheyennes. A Lt Reade of the 3rd Infantry and Chief of Scouts John O. Austin in background. Photograph by William S. Soule. An original print and story can be found here at ^[6]

The first settlement in the area that became Dodge City was Fort Mann. Built by civilians in 1847, Fort Mann was intended to provide protection for travelers on the Santa Fe Trail. Fort Mann collapsed in 1848 after an Indian attack. In 1850, the U.S. Army arrived to provide protection in the region and constructed Fort Atkinson on the old Fort Mann site. The army abandoned Fort Atkinson in 1853. Military forces on the Santa Fe Trail were reestablished further north and east at Fort Larned in 1859, but the area around what would become Dodge City remained vacant until after the Civil War. In 1865, as the Indian Wars in the West began heating up, the army constructed Fort Dodge to assist Fort Larned in providing protection on the Santa Fe Trail. Fort Dodge remained in operation until 1882.

The town of Dodge City can trace its origins to 1871 when rancher Henry J. Sitler built a sod house west of Fort Dodge to oversee his cattle operations in the region. Conveniently located near the Santa Fe Trail and Arkansas River, Sitler's house quickly became a stopping point for travelers. With the Santa Fe Railroad rapidly approaching from the east, others saw the commercial potential of the region. In 1872, just five miles (8 km) west of Fort Dodge, settlers platted out and founded the town of Dodge City. George M. Hoover established the first bar in a tent to service thirsty soldiers from Fort Dodge. The railroad arrived in September to find a town ready and waiting for business. The early settlers in Dodge City traded in buffalo bones and hides and provided a civilian community for Fort Dodge. However, with the arrival of the railroad, Dodge City soon became involved in the cattle trade.

Cattle trade

Deputies Bat Masterson and Wyatt Earp in Dodge City, 1876. The scroll on Earp's chest is a cloth pin-on badge

Today, Dodge City maintains part of its downtown as a tourist attraction.

The idea of driving Texas longhorn cattle from Texas to railheads in Kansas originated in the late 1850s^{[citation needed]} but was cut short by the Civil War. In 1866, the first Texas cattle started arriving in Baxter Springs in southeastern Kansas by way of the Shawnee Trail. However, Texas longhorn cattle carried a tick that spread splenic fever among other breeds of cattle. Known locally as Texas Fever, alarmed Kansas farmers persuaded the Kansas State Legislature to establish a quarantine line in central Kansas. The quarantine prohibited Texas longhorns from the heavily settled, eastern portion of the state.

With the cattle trade forced west, Texas longhorns began moving north along the Chisholm Trail. In 1867, the main Cow Town was Abilene, Kansas. Profits were high, and other towns quickly joined in the cattle boom. Newton in 1871; Ellsworth in 1872; and Wichita in 1872. However, in 1876 the Kansas State Legislature responded to pressure from farmers settling in central Kansas and once again shifted the quarantine line westward, which essentially eliminated Abilene and the other Cow Towns from the cattle trade. With no place else to go, Dodge City suddenly became Queen of the Cow Towns.

A monument to the days of the great cattle drives stands in downtown Dodge City.

A new route, known as the Great Western Cattle Trail, or Western Trail, branched off from the Chisholm Trail to lead cattle into Dodge City. Dodge City became a boomtown, with thousands of cattle passing annually through its stockyards. The peak years of the cattle trade in Dodge City were from 1883 to 1884, and during that time the town grew tremendously. In 1880, Dodge City got a new competitor for the cattle trade from the border town of Caldwell. For a few years the competition between the towns was fierce, but there were enough cattle for both towns to prosper. Nevertheless, it was Dodge City that became famous, and rightly so because no town could match Dodge City's reputation as a true frontier settlement of the Old West. Dodge City had more famous (and infamous) gunfighters working at one time or another than any other town in the West, many of whom participated in the Dodge City War of 1883. It also boasted the usual array of saloons, gambling halls, and brothels established to separate a lonely cowboy from his hard-earned cash, including the famous Long Branch Saloon and China Doll brothel. For a time in 1884, Dodge City even had a bullfighting ring where Mexican bullfighters imported from Mexico would put on a show with specially chosen longhorn bulls.

As more agricultural settlers moved into western Kansas, pressure on the Kansas State Legislature to do something about splenic fever increased. Consequently, in 1885 the quarantine line was extended across the state and the Western Trail was all but shut down. By 1886, the cowboys, saloon keepers, gamblers, and brothel owners moved west to greener pastures, and Dodge City became a sleepy little town much like other communities in western Kansas.

Historic Landmarks

Santa Fe Trail Remains (also known as Santa Fe Trail Ruts), located nine miles (14 km) west of Dodge City on US 50, is a two mile (3 km) section of the former 1,200-mile (1,900 km) long Santa Fe Trail that is the "longest continuous stretch of clearly defined Santa Fe Trail rut remains in Kansas." It was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1963. There are other sections of Santa Fe Trail ruts that are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Demolition of historic Front Street

The 19th century buildings of historic Front Street were demolished in an "urban renewal" project in 1970.

Transportation

• Dodge City (Amtrak station)
• Dodge City Regional Airport
• U.S. Route 50
• U.S. Route 283

Notable natives

• Dennis Hopper, actor and film-maker
• Lila Leeds, actress
• David Laurin Ricken, bishop of Roman Catholic Diocese of Cheyenne

Historical visitors and temporary residents

A number of famous names associated with the American West have either passed through Dodge City, or made it a temporary residence. Some of these include:

Fictional visitors and temporary residents

Dodge City's historical reputation as a wild and woolly cattle town have made the town fodder for purveyors of popular fiction. Some of the fictionalized names (or historical names used for fictional purposes) who have been written into Dodge City lore include:

• Sean Michael James from Saint Louis, Missouri,Cleveland Naval Junior Academy.
• Steve Braddock from the 1936 film, Dodge City Trail.
• Buffalo Bill Cody from the 1920s novel Dandy of Dodge City (London: Aldine Publishing).
• Lane Collier from the Randy D. Smith novel, Dodge City ISBN 0-917990-34-X.
• Matt Dillon from the radio and television program, Gunsmoke.
• Wyatt Earp from the 2005 Moonstone comic book series, Wyatt Earp: Dodge City.
• Dan Ember from the Ralph Compton novel, Dodge City Trail ISBN 0-312-95380-1
• Clark W. Griswold from the 1983 film, National Lampoon's Vacation.
• Harry Gryden from the Matt Braun novel, Dodge City ISBN 0-312-93816-0
• July Johnson from the book Lonesome Dove ISBN 0-671-68390-X
• Wade Hatton from the 1939 film, Dodge City.
• Wild Bill Hickok from the 1941 film, King of Dodge City.
• Rocky Lane from the 1948 film, Desperadoes of Dodge City.
• The Lone Ranger from the 1941 radio broadcast Dodge City or Bust, and the 1943 radio broadcast The Stage to Dodge City.
• Lin McAdam from the 1950 film, Winchester '73.
• Penn Malone from the Cameron Judd novel, Mr. Littlejohn ISBN 0843952822
• Bat Masterson from the 1958 film, The Gunfight at Dodge City.
• Meredith from the 1966 film, A Big Hand for the Little Lady (aka, Big Deal at Dodge City).
• Steve Ramsey (The Durango Kid) from the 1947 film, West of Dodge City.
• Red Ryder from the 1944 film, Vigilantes of Dodge City.
• Ben Wade from the 2007 film 3:10 to Yuma.
• Colton "Cole" White from the Video Game GUN.

Links with other cities

• In 2002 a Friendship Charter was formally signed between Stockport, UK and Dodge City in recognition of a common heritage.[2]

Education

Dodge City is served by the Dodge City Public Schools district [3].

Dodge City Community College is a two year coeducational institution. The campus, which encompasses a lake and jogging trail, sits on 145 acres (0.59 km²) in northwest Dodge City. It boasts a television station, an astronomy center with two telescopes, an electron microscope, the third largest athletic training room in the state of Kansas, and is the only college or university in the state of Kansas operating both FM and AM radio stations.

Sports

From 1970 to 1980, the annual Boot Hill Bowl post-season college football game was played in Dodge City. The bowl was sanctioned by the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics and featured schools such as Washburn University and Emporia State University. The last game was played on November 21, 1980.^[7]

Trivia

The phrase having the basic form "get the hell out of Dodge" is a reference to Dodge City. Dodge City was the setting of innumerable Wild-West movies and books and, most prominently, the CBS-TV series Gunsmoke, which ran from 1955 to 1975. After being defeated by the good guys, badmen might stereotypically be commanded to "get the hell out of Dodge."^{[citation needed]}

One of the downtown streets in present-day Dodge City is called Gunsmoke Street.

Dodge City is featured in the computer game GUN.

Dodge City is also the name of an abandoned weapons factory in the videogame 'Taz Wanted'.

In 1819, Dodge City was on the U.S.-Mexico border; the Arkansas River formed the southern border between New Spain (Spanish Mexico) and the United States in the Adams-Onís Treaty in 1819.

Dodge City lies above the world’s largest underground water system, the Ogallala Aquifer. The aquifer, which lies under most of the Great Plains, contains primarily fossil water from the time of the last glaciation, and has enough water to cover the entire U.S. to a depth of 1½ feet. It yields about a third of the nation's ground water used for irrigation. Growing agricultural and municipal use is rapidly depleting the aquifer, especially in southwest Kansas and the Texas panhandle. Annual recharge in these areas is only about ten percent of annual withdrawals. For example, Kansas hydrologists estimate that at Ulysses, 70 miles (110 km) WSW of the college, the aquifer may have only 25 years left if current usage rates continue.

The campus is only 25 miles (40 km) from the eastern edge of the Hugoton Natural Gas Area, the largest natural gas field in the North America. It covers 8,500 square miles (22,000 km²), an area 5 times the size of Rhode Island.

The term "red-light district" came from the Red Light Bordello in cattle-drive-day Dodge City. The front door of the building was made of red glass and produced a red glow to the outside world when lit at night.

Winter wheat grown in the area around Dodge City is descended from Turkey Red winter wheat, brought to Kansas in 1874 by the Mennonites. The midwest Dust Bowl in the 1930’s was due to these wheat crops dying off from prolonged drought, leaving the tilled-up soil vulnerable to wind erosion.

Coronado’s Conquistadors introduced longhorn cattle, which helped make Dodge City famous, into the New World in the 1500s. The longhorn is first cousin to the Spanish Fighting Bull.

It was illegal to spit on a sidewalk in Dodge City, and all places of business are required to provide horse water troughs.

References

• Dykstra, Robert R. The Cattle Towns. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 1968. ISBN 0-8032-6561-1

• Miner, Craig. West of Wichita: Settling the High Plains of Kansas, 1865-1890. Lawrence: University Press of Kansas, 1988. ISBN 0-7006-0364-6

• Vestal, Stanley. Dodge City: Queen of Cowtowns: "the Wickedest Little City in America" 1872-1886. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 1998. ISBN 0-8032-9617-7

External links

• Dodge City Community Discussion Site
• Dodge City Official Website
• Demolition of Front Street
• General Grenville Dodge History
• Ford County KS History
• Dodge City History
• Dodge City, the Cowboy Capital by Robert M. Wright, town founder, 1913

Cited references

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