Dodge City

Dodge City is a town of 27,000 people (2019) in Western region of Kansas. In and around the city, there are historical sites, museums, and landmarks dedicated to Dodge City's Old West heritage.

Understand
In 1865 Fort Dodge was constructed along the Santa Fe Trail to help protect travelers from Indians. Dodge City was formed near the fort in the years that followed. In the 1870s it exemplified the spirit of the Wild West portrayed in American television and movies, most notably in the American television show Gunsmoke, which was set in Dodge City and popularized the phrase "Get the hell out of Dodge."

The town had its heyday during the cattle drives of the late 1800s as quarantines made it one of the few places along the railroad where Texas ranchers could bring their cattle. This quarantine, created to protect other breeds of cattle from a parasitic tick carried by longhorns, was extended to Dodge City in 1885, essentially ending the town's run as the "Queen of the Cow Towns". By 1886 the gambling saloons, brothels, and other notorious establishments that had built the town's reputation had mostly closed. The connection to the cattle trade remained, however, and can be seen in the meatpacking plants and the lines of refrigerated trucks on the highways.

Most of western Kansas has struggled with de-population since the 1970s, but Dodge City was a center of population growth from the 1970s through the 2010s. It is now a majority–minority community, with nearly two-thirds of the residents being Latino.

By car
The most common way of getting to Dodge City is by car, and is a worthwhile stop for anyone road-tripping along the US-50, which goes from Garden City on the western end of the state, through Dodge City and Emporia, before angling up to Kansas City in the east.

By train
Arriving by rail is less common, but fully possible via Amtrak and its daily Chicago–Los Angeles Southwest Chief train, which has five other stops within Kansas and many more outside it. East-bound trains (next major stop outside of Kansas: Kansas City) arrive just before midnight, while west-bound ones (next major stop:  Albuquerque, New Mexico) arrive in the early morning around 5:30AM.



Buy
While the cowboy-era downtown buildings were torn down in the 1970s, the "new" downtown maintains a frontier feel and offers dozens of shops ranging from vintage photos and art galleries to the more utilitarian.

Sleep
Hotel options tend to be large chains, with a few no-name budget motels with little to recommend them beyond the price. Almost all of the hotels are along US Highway 50, mostly on the western side of town. There are four RV parks.

There are also a couple dozen home stay rentals available in town and in the surrounding area. These generally run about $150 a night and have two or three beds.

Go next

 * Wichita, the largest city anchored in Kansas, is about 150 miles (250 km) east of Dodge City.