Jan 23, 2018 · For 14 years, the media embellished the town’s belligerence and bedlam—both genuine and created—to produce the iconicDodgeCity that was, and remains, a cultural metaphor for violence and... We're stepping past the swinging saloon doors of legend to uncover the real historyofDodgeCity, exploring the complex truth of who truly ran this iconic cow town—the lawmen, the outlaws, or something else entirely. Apr 23, 2024 · The first recorded killing in DodgeCity was in September 1872, when an African-American man named Black Jack was shot for no reason by a gambler known as Denver.

Context Explanation

Jan 22, 2018 · For 14 years, the media embellished the town’s belligerence and bedlam—both genuine and created—to produce the iconicDodgeCity that was, and remains, a cultural metaphor for violence and anarchy in a celebrated Old West. Today the name of the town that flourished as a Texas cattle market from 1876 to 1885 is widely employed as a cultural metaphor for homicide, anarchy, and depravity. Yet only fifteen adults died violently in Dodge during its cowboy years. Mayor Deger, the police force, and the citizens of DodgeCity are determined that the lawless element shall not thrive in this city.

Insight Material

No halfway measures will be used in the suppression of either lawlessness or riot. On this site, you can explore the history of DodgeCity and Kansas through images digitized at the Kansas Heritage Center. To further explore this history, explore our digital newspapers, browse our finding aids, contact us, or visit us at the lower level of the DodgeCity Public Library.