When we arrived at the Riverside Campground, got settled in and made our way to downtown Dodge City. Ann checked in with Matt Dillion and I played a couple hands with Doc Holiday. Ann got the Ok to stay in town as long as we toured the Boot Hill Museum the next day.
We enjoyed touring the Museum and learning the history of Dodge City, Kansas. Dodge City became the buffalo-hunting capital of the world soon after it was founded in 1872. Within three years, however, the buffalo herds were depleted to the point that Dodge needed a new source of income. Longhorn cattle filled the need and gave its place in History as “Queen of the Cowtowns” It was a wild and crazy town, being at the end of the Cattle Drives.
I remember Dodge City but not because of Cattle Drives or Meat Processing Plants. I remember it because of Gun Smoke the long running TV Series. It ran from 1955 to 1975, the town was called Dodge City, but it was filmed in Utah. The Museum was built on site of the Boot Hill Cemetery. If you are in the area be sure to visit the Boot Hill Museum. Click here to see my Dodge City Album. But now it’s time to “Get out of Dodge!” so tomorrow we will be leaving town and continuing north west.