The History of Dodge City, Kansas and
The Dodge House Hotel

Welcome to The Dodge House Hotel & Convention Center of Dodge City, Kansas, The Perfect Wild West Getaway!  We’re located in historic Southwest Kansas, home of the great cattle herds, buffalo herds, and right on the Old Santa Fe Trail.

Dodge City, founded August 15, 1872, has been called The Cowboy Capital of the World, The Wickedest Little City in America, and just about everything in between.  Walk the streets Wyatt Earp, Bat Masterson, Doc Holliday, and other famous lawmen, as well as outlaws, walked.   Why, Doc Holliday even had his office in Room 24 of The Dodge House on Front Street, and Wyatt Earp was a frequent guest. 

In the early days, Dodge City was prime buffalo hunting territory.  In 1873 alone, over 1,500,000 pounds of buffalo meat and 50 train car loads of smoked buffalo tongues were shipped from Dodge City.  (How many buffalo does it take to fill one train car with buffalo tongues?)  In 1887 this small town of 1,000 people had 17 saloons!  At Ham Bell’s Varieties Dance Hall and Theater at the southwest corner of Trail and Second streets, Dodge City first saw the scandalous cancan dance.  This was no primitive settlement…ice was usually available in the saloons even in the 1800s!     

Whatever you are looking for, The Dodge House Hotel is the perfect hotel choice for your visit to our area steeped in history and culture.  Let us arrange your trip to Boot Hill Museum and Reconstructed Front Street made famous by television’s Gunsmoke; a historic and informative tour on Dodge City's Trolley; the Gunfighter's Wax Museum & Kansas Teacher Hall of Fame; a summertime ride on Boot Hill's horse drawn stagecoach; the old Santa Fe Trail ruts; The House of Stone Museum; Maple Grove Cemetery where Dodge City’s Famous Founders are buried, as well as the cowboys from the original Boot Hill Cemetery at Dodge City;  and The Dalton Gang Hideout and Escape Tunnel at Meade, KS, among numerous other local attractions, all within driving distance.  Don’t forget to ask about our local historians and live historical reenactments for you or your group!  

The Dodge House Hotel & Convention Center is near all Dodge City's finest attractions. We’re a short drive to shopping, local attractions, including the famous Boot Hill Museum.  We provide a free shuttle between the Dodge House Hotel and Boot Hill Casino & Gaming Resort . 

Loaded with comforts and amenities, The Dodge House Hotel is not only the finest choice in hotels, it is an outstanding value.  Dining onsite is an experience, not just a meal!