FORT HAYS

Fort Hays is a Kansas historical marker in Ellis County.

Ellis County · US-40, at east city limits of Hays · location approximate

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THIS NOTED FRONTIER POST WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1865 TO PROTECT MILITARY ROADS, GUARD THE MAILS, AND DEFEND CONSTRUCTION GANGS ON THE UNION PACIFIC, WHICH ARRIVED IN 1867. "BUFFALO BILL" CODY, SUPPLYING MEAT FOR RAILROAD CREWS, RECEIVED HIS NICKNAME HERE. AT THIS POST HE WAS MADE CHIEF SCOUT OF THE 5TH CAVALRY AFTER A RIDE OF 350 MILES IN 60 HOURS WITH MILITARY DISPATCHES. GENERALS MILES, SHERIDAN AND HANCOCK SERVED AT FORT HAYS, AND FROM HERE GEN. GEORGE CUSTER LED HIS 7TH CAVALRY AGAINST MARAUDING INDIANS. IN 1889 THE FORT WAS ABANDONED BUT THE STONE BLOCK AND GUARD HOUSES ARE STILL TO BE SEEN SOUTH OF TOWN. HAYS CITY WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1867. FREE-SPENDING SOLDIERS, FREIGHTERS AND RAILROAD WORKERS SOON BROUGHT DANCE HALLS, SALOONS AND GAMBLING HOUSES. A BRIEF CAREER AS THE MOST LAWLESS TOWN ON THE FRONTIER RESULTED IN 50 "BOOT HILL" BURIALS. FOR A TIME "WILD BILL" HICKOK SERVED AS TOWN MARSHAL.

Verbatim 1941 text, presented as a historical record, not current interpretation. Kansas rewrote many of these signs in 2011-2012 and retired others, and the current texts use different language about Native people.

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Marker data: Kirke Mechem, "Kansas Historical Markers", Kansas Historical Quarterly, v. X no. 4 (November 1941), published by the Kansas State Historical Society

FORT HAYS

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