Ford County Historical Society

10/29/2026

Celebrate Fall with some Ford County History !

🎃👻 SPOOKY FINAL FRIDAY IS TAKING OVER DODGE CITY! 👻🎃

Get ready for a frightfully fun Friday, October 30! Our local businesses are bringing the Halloween spirit with an incredible lineup of art, live music, movie trivia, costume contests, shopping, sweet treats, special drinks, and so much more!

Grab your friends, dress up if you dare, and make your way around Dodge City for a night full of spooky surprises. 🕸️🦇 Check out all the participating locations and their activities below, and start planning your Final Friday adventure!

🎨 Carnegie Center | 5:30–7:00 PM

Stop by the Carnegie Center to explore the latest exhibit featuring Kary Zweygardt, their new Artist of the Month for November!

🔪 Best Cellars | 6:00–9:00 PM

Think you know your horror movies? Put your scary movie knowledge to the test during Halloween/Thriller Movie Trivia! Enjoy food and drink specials, margaritas, mocktails, and snacks. Trivia starts at 7 PM!

🖼️ 2nd Avenue Art Guild | 5:00–7:30 PM

Support local artists at the annual 8x8 Silent Auction! Bidding opens at 5 PM and closes at 7:30 PM. Come find a unique piece of art to take home!

☕ Red Beard Coffee | 12:00–8:00 PM Grand Opening Celebration

Red Beard Coffee is celebrating its expansion! Join the festivities, celebrate the grand opening, and enter the raffle for a chance to win fun prizes.

💀 Silver Star Hall | Doors at 6 PM | Show at 7 PM

Gunsmoke Sessions presents The Reaper’s Ball! Get ready for five bands bringing heavy riffs and Halloween chaos. Enjoy a costume contest, giveaways, local vendors, and a chance to win a custom electric guitar! $10 cover charge. Must be 21+ with valid ID to purchase or consume alcoholic beverages.

🕯️ Helen’s Gifts, Outdoors & Pawn | 6:00–8:00 PM

Enjoy an evening featuring artist Jacci Schwaderer, returning henna tattoos by Mika, a gourmet s’mores bar, and a fall-flavored mocktail bar. Stop in for some seasonal fun!

🧪 UDALV at Eryn’s Downtown Center | 5:00–8:00 PM

It's time for an After Hours Sip & Treat! Pick your potion and enjoy four 16-ounce drinks for just $25 while soaking up the spooky vibes.

👻 VFW Post #1714 | 8:00–10:00 PM

Join Boot Hill Lifeline Rescue for Fright Night Trivia in the Canteen! Enjoy a fun night of competition while supporting a great cause. Cash prizes will be awarded to the top three trivia teams, so bring your A-game!

🖤 EZ Ink Studios | Doors Open at 9 AM

Get spooky with REST IN INK! EZ Ink Studios is hosting a Halloween Flash Event featuring small flash tattoo designs starting at just $60. Walk-ins only! Stop by early and get a little spooky ink before Halloween.

🌸 Flowers By Irene | 4:00–7:00 PM

Stop by Flowers By Irene for munchies, prizes, raffles, registration opportunities, information about Soroptimist programs in Dodge City, and a few special surprises!

🥃 Boot Hill Distillery | 8:00–10:00 PM

Enjoy a night of great cocktails and live music by Ransom Gardiner. It's the perfect stop to wind down your Final Friday evening!

🎸 Dodge City Brewing | 6:00–9:00 PM

Enjoy live music with Rigo Valverde at Dodge City Brewing! Stop by, grab a drink, and enjoy some great local music this Final Friday.

🏛️ Ford County Legacy Center | 4:00–6:00 PM

Explore local history with the Ford County Historical Society! Tour the amazing museum at the Legacy Center while enjoying cocktails and sweet treats.

✨ Salon Exotica | 5:00–8:00 PM

Shop, sip, and treat yourself! Salon Exotica is hosting pop-up vendors featuring baked goods, permanent jewelry, and drinks. Stop by to discover something special!

🌼 Precious Petals & Metals | 6:00–9:00 PM

Celebrate Día de los Mu***os by honoring loved ones and keeping their memories alive. Create a succulent garden featuring a small framed photo of someone special. Bring a 1–2 inch photo or memento. Registration is required to reserve your spot: https://forms.gle/imqHmozForH3wMeX9

Located on the lower level of Village Square Mall.

10/23/2026

Did you know that sections 16 and 36 of every township were originally designated at School Land?

As required by the Federal Land Ordinance of 1785, Section 16 (centrally located) was required to be set aside for Public Education. Beginning in 1848, Congress added Section 36 of all newly surveyed lands for the same purpose. Designated land could be sold to fund school construction, placed in public trust to fund school maintenance, or pay teachers.

Photos from the 1905/6 Standard Atlas of Ford County.

10/20/2026

The Ford County Historical Society is holding its October Meeting TOMORROW Oct 21 at the FCHS Museum 310 Gunsmoke at 4PM! The public is invited to attend. If you haven't stopped by the museum in awhile, this is a great opportunity to catch up and be a part of Ford County History!

09/30/2026

09/12/2026

Historic news for southwest Kansas!
The Kansas Historical Society has officially designated the Fort Dodge Junior Officers’ Quarters as Kansas’s 18th State Historic Site—making it the very first state historic site in southwest Kansas
https://shorturl.at/ibF9I

Dating back to roughly 1870, this wood-framed building stood through the bustling days of Fort Dodge and the Santa Fe Trail. After Fort Dodge closed in 1882, the grounds became the Kansas Soldiers’ Home. While the Soldiers' Home continues its vital mission of serving veterans today, the vacant quarters sadly fell into disrepair and were slated for demolition in 2017.
Thanks to over a decade of dedicated grassroots advocacy, that narrative completely changed:

2019: A Historic Preservation Fund grant kickstarted structural surveys and reuse studies.

August 2024: The quarters earned a well-deserved spot on the National Register of Historic Places.

2026: State legislation officially transferred the property to the Kansas Historical Society to secure its future!
Once restored, the site will open in partnership with the Ford County Historical Society and feature educational exhibits highlighting frontier history, Santa Fe Trail heritage, and the development of southwest Kansas.

A heartfelt thank you to everyone who helped bring this building back from the brink of demolition to permanent preservation: Representative Jason W. Goetz, grant writer Kathleen Holt, Kansas Historical Society Executive Director Patrick Zollner, longtime leaders Kent Stehlik and Sonya Hughes, and every devoted member of the Ford County Historical Society.
Stay tuned as rehabilitation work begins to bring this incredible piece of frontier history back to life!

08/28/2026

See you tonight!

🎨🎶 AUGUST FINAL FRIDAY IS HERE! 🎶🎨

From art and live music to trivia, history, drinks, comedy, and plenty of good food, there’s something happening all around the community. Whether you’re looking to discover a new local artist, enjoy some live entertainment, challenge your friends to trivia, or simply grab a drink and spend the evening with friends, Final Friday is the perfect excuse to get out and support the local businesses, artists, organizations, and venues that make Dodge City such a great place to call home.

Here’s just a taste of what’s happening:

🎨 2nd Avenue Art Guild — Meet featured artist Gulnura Taylor at the opening reception from 5–8 PM.

🖼️ Carnegie Center — Check out the beautiful watercolor and montage work of featured artist Carol Salm, with a reception beginning at 5:30 PM.

🏛️ Ford County Legacy Center — Stop by from 5–7 PM for a farewell reception honoring longtime Ford County Historical Society Board Member Sonya Hughes.

🧠 VFW Post #1714 — Put your knowledge to the test at Trivia Night and see if you have what it takes to be the Top Banana!

🎨🍹 Boot Hill Museum — Get creative at their 7 PM Sip ’n Paint Night, complete with painting supplies, a personal meat & cheese platter, refreshments, and a cash bar.

🔎🍹 Best Cellars — Test your true-crime knowledge with True Crime Trivia at 7:30 PM while enjoying Margarita Night and food & drink specials from 6–9 PM.

🎶 Boot Hill Distillery — Enjoy live music from Ransom Gardiner on the patio, seasonal cocktails, and pizza delivered from the brewery. Come early, grab a drink, and stay for the music!

🎸🍕 Dodge City Brewing — Cory Clark & JJ Gillum take the stage from 6:30–9:30 PM. Grab some brews and pizza and enjoy the music!

😂 The Depot Theater — Brandon Killough and his traveling comedians return to the Homestead at 8 PM for a night of observational and absurdist comedy.

💎 UDALV — Pop-up with Galdamez Permanent Jewelry from 5–7 PM! Enjoy special matcha drink specials while getting your jewelry on. ✨

And that’s just what’s on the list! 👀

Final Friday is about getting out, exploring our community, and showing some love to the local businesses, artists, venues, and organizations that help make Dodge City unique. So grab your friends and family and come enjoy a night out in your town! ❤️

08/21/2026

Take a step back in time with this charming tricycle from the 1920s, once owned by Louella (McMullen) Maas. This well-loved piece of local history offers a glimpse into childhood nearly a century ago. Come see this unique artifact—and many more—on display at the Legacy Center!

08/19/2026

Have you visited our Cars and Auto Collection at the Legacy Center? Explore a fascinating display of historic automotive artifacts and discover the stories behind them. Come see it for yourself!

08/17/2026

This historic photograph features Ernest Martin, one of Dodge City's early dairymen. In 1909, he became the first person in Dodge City to bottle milk, helping modernize the local dairy industry. Martin supplied fresh milk and cream to prominent local institutions, including the Fred Harvey Hotel and St. Anthony Hospital. His dedication to quality and innovation made him an important part of the city's agricultural and business history.