Front Street Of Dodge City Kansas.

The summer of 1958, was a exciting year for me and my brother as are grandparents were taken us on a trip to Cololrado. On the way we stopped at Dodge City I remember being so excited I was going to see some real cowboys. Being only 12, and watching to many westerns on TV, I was really expecting to see real cowboys. After we arrived I soon learns that there were no real cowboys and this famous front street was just another tourist trap. This however did not take away my fascinating to the old buildings which stayed with me till this day.

This page is a photo gallery of the front street of Dodge City, it well cover the years of 1870-1895, you well see the changes as the years passes by. On the front of many of the stores you well be able to read the names of the store and the owners. I well tell you about some of them and some of the happenings around them. After reading this page you my want to learn more about the stories and the men behind them. The best book that I found and always thaen notes from it, it's called; Great Gunfighters of the Kansas Cowtowns, 1867-1886. By Nyle H. Miller & Joseph W. Snell.

Inportant note. These photos may not be in any order, after each note there will be a link that will give you a full screen view of the photo once the photo opens push on it.
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This black and white picture shows a group of men in the Long Branch Saloon in Dodge City, Kansas. Lo Warren is the bartender.  Picture taken in 1886.
http://img.kansasmemory.org/00128633.jpg

This picture shows an exterior view of the Drug Store on the northwest corner of 2nd and Front Street in Dodge City, Kansas. Several men are seen posing for the photograph in front of the store, and a boy is partially visible behind the post on the left. The man on the right of the group is Dr. T. L. McCarty, identified as the first doctor in Dodge City.  If you would like to learn more about Thomas L. McCarty take this link to a page I did on him.
http://kansasoakland.blogspot.com/2011/07/dr-thomas-l-mccarty-dodge-city-kansas.html

A view of men and children on the sidewalk in front of the Drover's Store and J. Muellers Shop.  Taken in 1874.
http://img.kansasmemory.org/D00012167.jpg



Picture of Front Street showing Hoover & McDonald Wholesale Dealers, O.K. Clothing Store, and Billiards, Dodge City, Kansas. F.C. Zimmermann is standing by the rail in front of Hoover & McDonald.
http://img.kansasmemory.org/00164135.jpg

 

A picture showing the exterior of Frederick C. Zimmerman's hardware store located on Front Street in Dodge City, Kansas. The store's sign advertised guns, pistols, ammunition, hardware, tin ware, and the repair of guns and pistols. Some of the people in the photograph are identified as (right to left)Mrs. George Rose; Clarissa Zimmerman, Frederick and Matilda Zimmerman's daughter, in the baby carriage; Mrs. Matilda Zimmerman; Arthur Zimmerman, Frederick and Matilda Zimmerman's son; and Frederick C. Zimmerman.  If you would like to learn more on Frederick C. Zimmerman take this link to a page I did on him.
http://civilwarthosesurnames.blogspot.com/2011/07/frederick-c-zimmerman-dodge-city-kansas.html




This picture is a street scene in Dodge City, in Ford County, depicts three of the town's buildings. The building on the left was the first dance hall in Dodge City, owned by a man named Jones. The second building was a grocery and general store owned by George O. Smith and J. B. Edwards, and the third building, also a general store, was owned by a man named Wolf. Also visible are a crowd of men standing in the street, and two horse-drawn wagons loaded with buffalo hides.  This picture was taken in 1872.  I could find no references to the men stated.
http://img.kansasmemory.org/d00000634.jpg



This one of the most famous pictures of Dodge City it can be found in most books on Dodge City.  This picture is believed to be taken between 1880 & 1885.
http://img.kansasmemory.org/d00000633.jpg

This is the same scene but taken from a different direction.  This picture is believe to be taken between 1870 & 1880.
http://img.kansasmemory.org/00055414.jpg

Now I'm not here to give you a history lesson on Dodge City I'm here only to peek your interest so you will do your own researc on the town and those that lived there. In the pictures above you will note that there are some names on the builtings. I could not find information on all the names but here are the ones I was able to find a little on.

George M.Hoover, was born 1843, his wife's namewas Margaret, he was a dealer of wholesale liguor and owned a saloon with a (?) Cook, called the Alamo, which opened it's doors on June 1, 1877.

One of the happenings here happen on April 9, 1879, when Jack Wagner shot Marshal Edward Masterson who after being shot walked over to the Alamo walked through the doors and fall dead. Mr. Hoover would be elected Mayor on April 7, 1884, he was also a representative in the Kansas Legislature.

J. ( John ), Mueller, born 1841, his wife's name was Caroline, he was a Stock raiser and Shoemaker.

The names of Dover, McDonald and Sheek I was unable to any information on.

There were many saloons in Dodge City, the most famous one was that of the Long Branch over the year there were many owners the likes of; Frank Warren, (?) Harris and Chalkey McCarty Beeson. I know there were others but I was unable to find them.

One of the happenings at the Long Branch happened in April of 1878, when Marshal H. T. McCarty was shot and killed. another was the killing of Levi Richarson by Frank Loving.

The most famous owners of the Long Branch was that of Luke Short, who was a gambler and all around bad man, who at one time was Mayor of Dodge City. He is most famous for being the cause of the Dodge War.