Dodge City, Kansas Rebounds

Named a 2008 Top Town By True West

Dodge City is one of the legendary names of the Old West. The Queen of the Cowtowns attracted folks like the Earps, Doc Holliday, Clay Allison, Charlie Siringo and Bill Tilghman.

Town leaders tore down much of that history in the 1970s. “Urban renewal,” they called it. More recently, citizens have come to their senses and started concentrated efforts to preserve the town’s illustrious past, making Dodge City our Number 5 Top True Western Town.

The announcement comes in the January/February issue of True West magazine, on newsstands January 15, 2008. The Number 1 Town is St. Joseph, Missouri.

Dodge City is now home to 20 local historic landmarks, with 11 of those on the National Register. The Old Dodge City Historic District features Boot Hill, the 1897 train depot, the Carnegie Library (now an arts center), and the Mueller-Schmidt House Museum, which dates back to 1881. And restoration/preservation projects continue on several buildings throughout town.

“Dodge City was almost a sad story of what once was,” says True West Executive Editor Bob Boze Bell. “But local folks turned things around, making it a remarkable success story. Not many places could have pulled off such an impressive turnaround.”

Spearheading the local preservation efforts: the Ford County Historical Society; the Kansas Heritage Center; the Historic Landmark Commission; the Santa Fe Trail Association; and the Convention and Visitors Bureau. The operating budgets of these organizations, along with the museums and Boot Hill, totaled nearly $4 million last year. That’s pretty sizeable for a town of 27,000.

Past top town recipients: Helper, Utah (2007) and Sheridan, Wyoming (2006).

True West editors determine winners for this annual award based on criteria demonstrating how each town preserves its history through old buildings, museums and other institutions, events and promotion of historic resources.

The feature includes Towns to Watch for their good works in historic preservation and several legendary locales folks should know.

True West magazine is in its 55th year of leading the way in presenting the true stories of Old West adventure, history, culture and preservation. For subscriptions and more information, visit http://www.twmag.com or call 888-687-1881.

Contact: Mark Boardman

765-491-4063 mailto:mboardman@twmag.com