Hays, Kansas

City in Ellis County, Kansas

City and County seat in Kansas, United States

Hays, Kansas

City and County seat

Main Street in Downtown Hays

Location within Ellis County and Kansas

KDOT map of Ellis County (legend)

Coordinates: 38°52′46″N 99°19′20″W﻿ / ﻿38.87944°N 99.32222°W﻿ / 38.87944; -99.32222[1]
Country| United States
State| Kansas
County| Ellis
Founded| 1867
Incorporated| 1885
Named after| Fort Hays
Area

[2]

• Total

| 8.48 sq mi (21.96 km2)
• Land| 8.48 sq mi (21.96 km2)
• Water| 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation

[1]

| 2,018 ft (615 m)
Population

(2020)[3][4]

• Total

| 21,116
• Density| 2,500/sq mi (960/km2)
Time zone| UTC-6 (CST)
• Summer (DST)| UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP codes|

67601, 67667

Area code| 785
FIPS code| 20-31100
GNIS ID| 485589[1]
Website| haysusa.com

Hays is a city in and the county seat of Ellis County, Kansas, United States.[1] The largest city in northwestern Kansas, it is the economic and cultural center of the region.[5][6] As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 21,116.[3][4] Hays is home to Fort Hays State University.[7]

## History

[edit]

See also: History of Kansas

Before American settlement of the area, the site of Hays was located near where the territories of the Arapaho, Kiowa, and Pawnee met.[8] Claimed first by France as part of Louisiana and later acquired by the United States with the Louisiana Purchase in 1803, it lay within the area organized by the U.S. as Kansas Territory in 1854.[9][10] Kansas became a state in 1861. The state government delineated the surrounding area as Ellis County in 1867.[9][11]

In 1865, the U.S. Army established Fort Fletcher southeast of present-day Hays to protect stagecoaches traveling the Smoky Hill Trail. A year later, the Army renamed the post Fort Hays in honor of the late Brig. Gen. Alexander Hays, killed in The Battle of The Wilderness.[12] In late 1866, anticipating the construction of the Kansas Pacific Railway as far west as Fort Hays, a party from St. Louis, Missouri led by William Webb selected three sections of land for colonization near the fort.[13] In June 1867, to better serve the railroad, the Army relocated Fort Hays 15 miles northwest to a site near where the railroad was to cross Big Creek, a tributary of the Smoky Hill River. Seeing a business opportunity, Buffalo Bill Cody and railroad contractor William Rose founded the settlement of Rome near the fort's new location. Within a month, the population of Rome grew to over 2,000. Webb, meanwhile, established the Big Creek Land Company and then surveyed and platted a town site, which he named Hays City after the fort, roughly one mile east of Rome. The railroad reached Hays City soon thereafter and constructed a depot there. The railroad's arrival, combined with a cholera epidemic that hit Rome in the late summer of 1867, drove Rome businesses and residents to relocate to Hays City. Within a year, Rome was completely abandoned.[14][15] As the western terminus of the railway, Hays City grew rapidly, serving as the supply point for territories to the west and southwest.[13][16]

As a frontier town, Hays City experienced the kind of violence that gave rise to the myth of the American Old West. Several notable figures of the Old West lived in the Hays City of this era, including George Armstrong Custer, his wife Elizabeth Bacon Custer, Calamity Jane, Buffalo Bill Cody, and Wild Bill Hickok who served a brief term as sheriff in 1869.[17][18] 30 homicides occurred between 1867 and 1873 including a deadly saloon shootout involving Fort Hays soldiers.[17] A cemetery north of town became known as “Boot Hill”; by 1885, it held the bodies of some 79 outlaws.[19]

Hays experienced significant racial violence during the same period. On January 7, 1869, the murder of Union Pacific watchman James Hayes led to the lynching of three African American soldiers of the 38th US Infantry Regiment.[20][21] That same year, six black soldiers at Fort Hays were murdered, their bodies were dropped in a well that was sodded over, and they were falsely reported as deserters. A mob then hunted down and lynched two black barbers, and the town's black residents were expelled.[22][23][24] This and numerous other racial incidents throughout the last half of the 19th century[22] gave Hays a reputation as a sundown town.[25] African Americans living in nearby Nicodemus were not welcome after dark.[26] No signs formally establishing this policy were posted, but the town's reputation for racial discrimination persisted for decades.[27] Hays City became the county seat of Ellis County in 1870, and the town became more civilized. Rougher elements of the populace had begun to leave in the late 1860s, many following the Kansas Pacific railroad construction west to Sheridan[28] or moving south to Dodge City.[29] Volga Germans started settling in Ellis County in 1876, finding its land suitable for their lifestyle and the types of crops they had grown in Russia.[17][18] They brought with them Turkey Red Wheat, a type of winter wheat whose cultivation contributed to the agricultural transformation of the region.[18] Bukovina Germans began settling in the area in 1886.[citation needed] These groups had a significant impact on the local way of life, establishing Hays as a regional center of ethnic German culture. Hays City was incorporated in 1885,[30] and in 1895, it was renamed as simply Hays.[31]

Fort Hays closed in 1889. In 1900, the Kansas delegation to the U.S. Congress secured the fort's land and facilities for educational purposes. The following year, the Kansas Legislature established the Fort Hays Experiment Station, part of Kansas State Agricultural College, on the Fort Hays reservation and set aside land for the Western Branch of Kansas State Normal School, which opened in 1902 and eventually became Fort Hays State University. Fort Hays opened as a historical park in 1929 and was later acquired by the Kansas Historical Society. In 1967, it became the Fort Hays State Historic Site.[14]

Several disasters have struck Hays over the course of its history. In 1895, fire destroyed 60 buildings downtown. Severe floods occurred in 1907 and 1951. In 1919, three Standard Oil gasoline tanks exploded, killing eight and injuring approximately 150 people. In 1935, the city experienced violent dust storms as part of the Dust Bowl.[14][32]

Hays began to modernize in the early 1900s with a power plant, waterworks, telephone exchange, and sewer system complete by 1911.[14] Over the following decades, the city evolved into a regional economic hub. Development of oil fields in the surrounding area began in 1936 with Hays serving as a trading center and shipping point.[6] Hays Regional Airport opened in 1961.[32] Interstate 70 reached Hays in 1966.[17] Today, Hays is a commercial and educational center for western Kansas.[14]

## Geography

[edit]

Hays is located in northwestern Kansas at the intersection of Interstate 70 and U.S. Route 183, Hays is 134 miles (216 km) northwest of Wichita, 256 miles (412 km) west of Kansas City, and 311 miles (501 km) east-southeast of Denver.[33][34]

The city lies in the Smoky Hills region of the Great Plains approximately 11 miles (18 km) north of the Smoky Hill River and 15 miles (24 km) south of the Saline River.[33][35] Big Creek, a tributary of the Smoky Hill River, runs through the southwestern part of the city. Chetolah Creek, a tributary of Big Creek, flows south through the eastern part of the city.[35]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 8.64 square miles (22.38 km2), all land.[36]

### Climate

[edit]

Hays sits near the convergence of a humid continental climate (Köppen Dwa) and a temperate semi-arid climate (Köppen BSk). It typically experiences hot summers with variable humidity and cold winters. Due to its geographic location at a climatic boundary, severe weather is common, with tornadoes a major threat, especially in the spring and early summer months.[37] On average, January is the coldest month, and July is both the hottest and wettest month.[38] The hottest temperature recorded in Hays was 117 °F (47.2 °C) on July 13, 1934, while the coldest temperature recorded was −26 °F (−32.2 °C) on January 14, 1905, and February 13, 1905.[39]

Climate data for Hays, Kansas, 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1892–present

Month  | Jan  | Feb  | Mar  | Apr  | May  | Jun  | Jul  | Aug  | Sep  | Oct  | Nov  | Dec  | Year
Record high °F (°C)  | 86
(30)  | 91
(33)  | 97
(36)  | 107
(42)  | 106
(41)  | 114
(46)  | 117
(47)  | 115
(46)  | 111
(44)  | 101
(38)  | 92
(33)  | 83
(28)  | 117
(47)
Mean maximum °F (°C)  | 67.8
(19.9)  | 72.7
(22.6)  | 82.7
(28.2)  | 89.1
(31.7)  | 95.0
(35.0)  | 101.8
(38.8)  | 105.0
(40.6)  | 102.9
(39.4)  | 99.2
(37.3)  | 91.5
(33.1)  | 78.2
(25.7)  | 66.6
(19.2)  | 106.4
(41.3)
Mean daily maximum °F (°C)  | 42.5
(5.8)  | 46.2
(7.9)  | 57.2
(14.0)  | 66.7
(19.3)  | 76.3
(24.6)  | 87.5
(30.8)  | 92.6
(33.7)  | 90.0
(32.2)  | 82.4
(28.0)  | 69.4
(20.8)  | 55.8
(13.2)  | 43.8
(6.6)  | 67.5
(19.7)
Daily mean °F (°C)  | 29.6
(−1.3)  | 32.9
(0.5)  | 43.3
(6.3)  | 53.2
(11.8)  | 63.7
(17.6)  | 74.6
(23.7)  | 79.5
(26.4)  | 77.2
(25.1)  | 69.0
(20.6)  | 55.3
(12.9)  | 41.8
(5.4)  | 31.4
(−0.3)  | 54.3
(12.4)
Mean daily minimum °F (°C)  | 16.7
(−8.5)  | 19.6
(−6.9)  | 29.4
(−1.4)  | 39.7
(4.3)  | 51.0
(10.6)  | 61.7
(16.5)  | 66.4
(19.1)  | 64.3
(17.9)  | 55.6
(13.1)  | 41.2
(5.1)  | 27.9
(−2.3)  | 19.0
(−7.2)  | 41.0
(5.0)
Mean minimum °F (°C)  | 0.0
(−17.8)  | 2.3
(−16.5)  | 10.8
(−11.8)  | 22.4
(−5.3)  | 34.4
(1.3)  | 48.4
(9.1)  | 54.9
(12.7)  | 53.2
(11.8)  | 38.6
(3.7)  | 23.4
(−4.8)  | 11.2
(−11.6)  | 2.7
(−16.3)  | −5.0
(−20.6)
Record low °F (°C)  | −26
(−32)  | −26
(−32)  | −23
(−31)  | 5
(−15)  | 17
(−8)  | 31
(−1)  | 37
(3)  | 36
(2)  | 20
(−7)  | 9
(−13)  | −6
(−21)  | −21
(−29)  | −26
(−32)
Average precipitation inches (mm)  | 0.56
(14)  | 0.81
(21)  | 1.32
(34)  | 2.13
(54)  | 3.60
(91)  | 3.03
(77)  | 3.95
(100)  | 3.47
(88)  | 2.13
(54)  | 1.68
(43)  | 0.90
(23)  | 0.86
(22)  | 24.44
(621)
Average snowfall inches (cm)  | 3.4
(8.6)  | 4.8
(12)  | 2.1
(5.3)  | 0.5
(1.3)  | 0.0
(0.0)  | 0.0
(0.0)  | 0.0
(0.0)  | 0.0
(0.0)  | 0.0
(0.0)  | 0.3
(0.76)  | 1.4
(3.6)  | 3.3
(8.4)  | 15.8
(39.96)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) | 3.3  | 4.1  | 5.3  | 7.3  | 9.3  | 8.4  | 8.7  | 8.3  | 6.1  | 6.0  | 4.1  | 3.5  | 74.4
Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) | 2.7  | 2.7  | 1.4  | 0.6  | 0.0  | 0.0  | 0.0  | 0.0  | 0.0  | 0.3  | 1.0  | 2.3  | 11.0
Source 1: NOAA[40]
Source 2: National Weather Service[39]

## Demographics

[edit]

Historical population Census| Pop.| Note| %±

|
|
|

1870| 320| | —
1880| 850| | 165.6%
1890| 1,242| | 46.1%
1900| 1,136| | −8.5%
1910| 1,961| | 72.6%
1920| 3,165| | 61.4%
1930| 4,618| | 45.9%
1940| 6,385| | 38.3%
1950| 8,625| | 35.1%
1960| 11,947| | 38.5%
1970| 15,396| | 28.9%
1980| 16,301| | 5.9%
1990| 17,767| | 9.0%
2000| 20,013| | 12.6%
2010| 20,510| | 2.5%
2020| 21,116| | 3.0%
2023 (est.)| 21,040| [41]| −0.4%
U.S. Decennial Census[42]
2010-2020[4]

### 2020 census

[edit]

The 2020 United States census counted 21,116 people, 8,610 households, and 4,576 families in Hays.[43][44] The population density was 2,443.1 per square mile (943.3/km2). There were 9,541 housing units at an average density of 1,103.9 per square mile (426.2/km2).[44][45] The racial makeup was 87.48% (18,472) white or European American (85.75% non-Hispanic white), 1.48% (313) black or African-American, 0.29% (61) Native American or Alaska Native, 1.15% (242) Asian, 0.01% (2) Pacific Islander or Native Hawaiian, 3.73% (787) from other races, and 5.87% (1,239) from two or more races.[46] Hispanic or Latino of any race was 7.28% (1,538) of the population.[47]

Of the 8,610 households, 24.8% had children under the age of 18; 40.3% were married couples living together; 29.7% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. 35.9% of households consisted of individuals and 11.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.[44] The average household size was 2.3 and the average family size was 2.9.[48] The percent of those with a bachelor's degree or higher was estimated to be 26.8% of the population.[49]

19.6% of the population was under the age of 18, 22.9% from 18 to 24, 23.8% from 25 to 44, 18.5% from 45 to 64, and 15.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30.7 years. For every 100 females, there were 104.4 males.[44] For every 100 females ages 18 and older, there were 106.7 males.[44]

The 2016-2020 5-year American Community Survey estimates show that the median household income was $52,135 (with a margin of error of +/- $5,558) and the median family income was $78,151 (+/- $9,761).[50] Males had a median income of $32,464 (+/- $2,406) versus $25,813 (+/- $3,239) for females. The median income for those above 16 years old was $30,104 (+/- $2,946).[51] Approximately, 8.1% of families and 15.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.4% of those under the age of 18 and 9.5% of those ages 65 or over.[52][53]

### 2010 census

[edit]

As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 20,510 people, 8,698 households, and 4,639 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,579.5 inhabitants per square mile (996.0/km2). There were 9,311 housing units at an average density of 1,171 per square mile (452/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 92.8% Caucasian American, 0.8% African American, 0.3% American Indian, 1.8% Asian, 2.1% from other races, and 1.8% from two or more races. Hispanics and Latinos of any race were 1.7% of the population.[54]

There were 8,698 households, of which 23.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.7% were married couples living together, 8.2% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.4% had a male householder with no wife present, and 46.7% were non-families. 33.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.25, and the average family size was 2.89.[54]

The median age in the city was 29.1 years. 19.7% of residents were under the age of 18; 22.7% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 23.6% were from 25 to 44; 21.4% were from 45 to 64; and 12.7% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 49.3% male and 50.7% female.[54]

The median income for a household was $44,227, and the median income for a family was $62,775. Males had a median income of $35,905 versus $31,379 for females. The per capita income for the city was $24,536. About 5.7% of families and 15.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.9% of those under age 18 and 7.8% of those age 65 or over.[54]

## Economy

[edit]

The service sector constitutes most of the local economy with education and health care being two major industries. Hays also hosts some manufacturing. EnerSys, a producer of sealed lead batteries, operates a plant in the city and Rans Designs, a manufacturer of aircraft and bicycles. Other local companies manufacture oil field supplies, HVAC systems, and wheelchairs.[55]

As of 2012, 76.8% of the population over the age of 16 was in the labor force. 0.1% was in the armed forces, and 76.7% was in the civilian labor force with 73.1% being employed and 3.6% unemployed. The composition, by occupation, of the employed civilian labor force was: 31.2% in sales and office occupations; 30.0% in management, business, science, and arts; 20.0% in service occupations; 9.8% in natural resources, construction, and maintenance; 9.0% in production, transportation, and material moving. The three industries employing the largest percentages of the working civilian labor force were: educational services, health care, and social assistance (30.7%); retail trade (16.2%); and arts, entertainment, recreation, and accommodation and food services (10.5%).[54] HaysMed, Fort Hays State University, and Hays Public Schools are the city's three largest employers. Other major employers include local government, Nex-Tech, Eagle Media, AT&T Inc., and other telecommunications firms, retail stores, and social services providers.[55]

The cost of living in Hays is relatively low; compared to a U.S. average of 100, the cost of living index for the city is 81.7.[56] As of 2012, the median home value in the city was $147,300, the median selected monthly owner cost was $1,254 for housing units with a mortgage and $445 for those without, and the median gross rent was $584.[54]

## Arts and culture

[edit]

### Arts and music

[edit]

An established arts community supports several galleries in the city. The Hays Arts Council operates the Hays Arts Center Gallery, which displays the work of Kansas artists and sponsors exhibitions and competitions throughout the year. FHSU's Moss-Thorns Gallery of Art, affiliated with the university's Art Department, displays student and faculty works as well as traveling exhibits. In addition, a number of local artists manage their own galleries around the city.[57]

The Hays Symphony, established in 1914, is an ensemble of university, regional, and community musicians that performs in FHSU's Beach/Schmidt Performing Arts Center. The center also hosts the university's Encore Series, a performing arts series that consists of dramatic and musical performances throughout the year.[57][58]

### Events

[edit]

Hays is a regional center of German American culture due to the number of German immigrants who settled the area in the 1870s and 1880s.[17] As of 2010, 56.5% of the city population claimed German ancestry.[59] The city hosts several events throughout the year that celebrate this heritage including two Oktoberfests. The Midwest Deutsche Oktoberfest takes place the third week of September. The Volga German Centennial Association host an Oktoberfest celebration in late September or early October in conjunction with the Fort Hays State University homecoming activities.

To celebrate Independence Day and to mark its early history as an Old West frontier town, the city hosts the annual Wild West Festival during the first week of July. The festival includes country and rock music concerts, a parade and a fireworks display. On the first weekend in December, the Kansas Historical Society holds Christmas Past at Historic Fort Hays, showcasing history programs and tours of the fort with it decorated for Christmas as it was in the late 1800s.[60]

Each April Audubon of Kansas holds their annual Prairie-Chicken Festival in Hays.[61]

### Points of interest

[edit]

Ellis County Historical Society Museum

There are several museums and sites in Hays dedicated to aspects of area history. FHSU's Sternberg Museum of Natural History features extensive collections and exhibits of fossil specimens, including an interactive diorama of life in the region during the Cretaceous period. Affiliated with the university's Departments of Geosciences and Biology, the museum also hosts educational programs on fossil preparation and ongoing scientific research.[62][63] The Ellis County Historical Society Museum, located downtown, maintains exhibits of artifacts from the area's Old West period through its settlement by Volga and Bukovina Germans. Included in the museum complex are the Volga German Haus, a reproduction of an early Volga German settler home, and a stone chapel constructed in 1879. Southwest of Hays, the Kansas Historical Society maintains the Fort Hays State Historic Site. It consists of four of the fort's original structures and a visitor's center. Other sites related to the area's frontier period include Boot Hill, the city's earliest cemetery, and a historical marker at the site of the ill-fated town of Rome.[60]

Downtown Hays features the historic Chestnut Street District. Local businesses offer dining, shopping, and entertainment, and visitors can tour designated historical sites in the district via a self-guided walking tour.[60]

### Religion

[edit]

St. Joseph's Church in Hays is listed on the National Register of Historical Places

There are 27 Christian churches in Hays, the majority of which are Protestant. That number also includes four Catholic churches, a Jehovah's Witnesses congregation, and a meetinghouse of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Hays is also home to a community of the Baháʼí Faith community.[64] The Hays District of the United Methodist Church, which consists of 21 counties in northwestern Kansas, is headquartered in the city.[65]

## Sports

[edit]

Fort Hays State University's athletic teams, known as the Fort Hays Tigers, compete in several sports in the NCAA Division II MIAA conference.[66]

In addition to FHSU sports, Hays is home to an amateur baseball team and a rodeo company. The Hays Larks are a collegiate summer baseball team in the Jayhawk Collegiate League of the National Baseball Congress. The team dates back to 1869 when local residents founded it as The Hays Town Team.[67]

## Parks and recreation

[edit]

The city government's Parks Department maintains 21 parks in the city. The largest is Frontier Park,[68] located immediately south of downtown across the U.S. 183 bypass route from the Fort Hays State Historic Site.[69] Divided into eastern, western, and northern sections, it includes an 18-hole disc golf course and pens that are home to a herd of American bison kept at the park since 1953.[69][70][71] The department also maintains three baseball parks, a soccer complex, tennis courts, a roller hockey and skateboard park, and a second, 9-hole disc golf course.[69] In addition, the Hays Recreation Commission manages a municipal swimming pool and a waterpark, Hays Aquatic Park.[72][73]

There are two golf courses in the city, Fort Hays Municipal Golf Course and Smoky Hill Country Club.[69][74] The municipal course is an 18-hole course located immediately southwest of the city, built around the Fort Hays historical site.[75] Smoky Hill Country Club is a private, 18-hole course that opened in the western part of the city in 1962.[76]

## Government

[edit]

Hays City Hall

Hays is a city of the second class with a commission-manager form of government, which it adopted in 1919. The city commission consists of five commissioners, with at-large elections occurring every two years. The commission meets on the second and fourth Thursdays of each month.[77][78] One commissioner serves as mayor, presiding over commission meetings and representing the city at ceremonial events. The city manager is hired by the commission and is responsible for advising the commission, enforcing its policies, administering city employees, and preparing a proposed city budget.[78]

As the county seat, Hays is the administrative center of Ellis County. The county courthouse is located downtown, and all departments of the county government base their operations in the city.[79]

Hays lies within Kansas's 1st U.S. Congressional District. For the purposes of representation in the Kansas Legislature, the city is located in the 40th district of the Kansas Senate and the 111th district of the Kansas House of Representatives.[77]

## Education

[edit]

### Primary and secondary education

[edit]

The community is served by Hays USD 489 public school district, which operates eight schools in Hays:[56][80]

* Lincoln Elementary School (Grades Pre-K)
* O'Loughlin Elementary School (Pre-K-5)
* Roosevelt Elementary School (Pre-K-5)
* Woodrow Wilson Elementary School (Pre-K-5)

* Hays Middle School (6–8)
* Hays High School (9–12)
* Westside School, alternative school
* The Learning Center, alternative school

|
|

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Salina oversees two Catholic schools in Hays: Holy Family Elementary School (Pre-K-5) and Thomas More Prep-Marian (6–12).[56][81] There is also another Christia school in the city: Hays Seventh-Day Adventist School (K-8).[82]

### Colleges and universities

[edit]

The Paul Bissing Orchestra, circa 1900. Petrowitsch Bissing is on the back row, fourth from the left.

Fort Hays State University (FHSU) is located in Hays. A four-year public university with more than 12,000 students, it is the third largest university in Kansas.[83] Fort Hays Tech | North Central, a two-year public college based in Beloit, Kansas, and affiliated with FHSU also has a campus in Hays.[83][84] Immediately south of the city, Kansas State University operates its Agricultural Research Center—Hays, formerly the Fort Hays Experiment Station. The Center studies regional crop management and livestock production, and, for that purpose, its 7,810 acres (31.6 km2) campus includes a feedlot, a greenhouse complex, cropland, and rangeland as well as a preserved natural area.[85]

Hays was home to the now closed Bissing's Conservatory of Music established by Petrowitsch Bissing in 1901. Records show that it was still in operation as of 1918.[86]

### Libraries

[edit]

Hays Public Library, located downtown, is the city's main library. Its collection consists of more than 145,000 volumes, and it circulates more than 1.1 million items annually.[87] The Library first opened in 1900, expanding into a Carnegie library in 1911, which remained open until its replacement by a larger facility in 1968. That facility, in turn, has since been renovated and expanded further, re-opening in 2004. A remodel began in 2020 and will be completed in 2021. The library offers several services to the public, including computer classes, ESL and literacy tutoring, and programs for adults, teens, and children. The Hays Public Library is home to the Dorothy D. Richards Kansas Room, a local history and reference collection consisting of books and resources pertaining to the history of Kansas and the American West. The room is named after Dorothy Richards, the library's former director and first Kansas Room Librarian. She started the collection by setting aside Kansas related materials behind her desk. Today, The Kansas Room offers programs related to history, natural history, and genealogy.[88] FHSU's Forsyth Library holds more than 225,000 volumes and serves as a federal depository library.[89][90] In addition to government documents, its special collections include an archive of children's literature and materials relating to regional history and culture.[91] The Forsyth Library building, which opened its doors in 1967,[92] is in the beginning stages of a transformational remodel with an estimated completion in 2026.[93]

## Infrastructure

[edit]

### Transportation

[edit]

Interstate 70 and U.S. Route 40 run concurrently southeast-northwest immediately north of Hays. U.S. Route 183 runs north–south through Hays, intersecting I-70 immediately north of the city. A U.S. 183 bypass route runs around Hays to the west from U.S. 183 immediately south of the city to I-70 northwest of the city.[33][94]

Hays Regional Airport is located just southeast of the city.[35] Used primarily for general aviation, it hosts one commercial airline United Express, which offers daily jet service to Denver, Colorado.

Union Pacific Railroad provides freight rail transport via its Kansas Pacific (KP) line, which runs southeast–northwest through downtown Hays in the southern part of the city.[35][95]

### Utilities

[edit]

Water production and distribution, waste water collection and treatment, and sewer maintenance are the responsibility of the city government's Water Resources Department.[96] The government's Public Works Department and several local businesses provide trash removal.[97][98] Midwest Energy, Inc., a regional energy company headquartered in the city, provides both electric power and natural gas service.[98][99]

### Health care

[edit]

HaysMed is the sole hospital in the city. A private, non-profit hospital established in 1991, it is a 165-bed general medical and surgical facility that serves as a regional referral center for northwestern Kansas.[100][101]

## Media

[edit]

Main article: Media in Hays, Kansas

The Hays Daily News is the city's primary newspaper, published two days a week.[102] Hays Post, also serves the region as the largest online news source in northwestern Kansas.

Hays is a center of broadcast media for central and northwestern Kansas.[103][104] One AM radio station, 12 FM radio stations, and three television stations are licensed to and/or broadcast from the city.[103][105] Hays is in the Wichita-Hutchinson television market, and two television stations broadcast from the city, CBS-affiliated KBSH, and K25CV-D, an ABC translator station, both of which are satellite stations of their respective affiliates in Wichita.[106][107][108] The third station is the flagship station of Smoky Hills Public Television, the PBS member network covering western Kansas. Licensed to Hays, it broadcasts from studios in Bunker Hill, Kansas.[109]

## In popular culture

[edit]

Hays has been a setting of multiple films. The Plainsman (1936) and Wild Bill (1995), both of which dramatize the life and career of Wild Bill Hickok, are partially set in Hays during the late 1860s and early 1870s.[110][111] Paper Moon (1973) is partially set in Great Depression-era Hays, and a portion of the film was shot in the city.[112] Hays was also the subject of the song 'Hays, Kansas' by the band 49 Winchester.[113]

Hays was the subject of an April 1952 cultural article in National Geographic magazine.[114]

## Notable people

[edit]

Main article: List of people from Hays, Kansas

See also: List of people from Ellis County, Kansas and List of Fort Hays State University people

Several Old West figures lived in Hays during its period as a frontier outpost, including Calamity Jane (1852–1903), Buffalo Bill Cody (1846–1917), General George Custer (1839–1876) and his wife Elizabeth (1842–1933), and gunfighters Wild Bill Hickok (1837–1876)[17] and Clay Allison (1840–1887).[115]

Other notable individuals who were born in and/or have lived in Hays include business magnate Philip Anschutz (1939- ),[116] U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (1954- ),[117] and feminist legal pioneer Frances Tilton Weaver (1904–2003).[118]

## Sister cities

[edit]

Hays has two sister cities as designated by Sister Cities International:[119]

* Santa Maria, Paraguay
* Xinzheng, Henan, China

## Gallery

[edit]

* Stone work sign that greets visitors

* Boot Hill Cemetery

* Ellis County Courthouse

* Fort Hays blockhouse

* The Fox Pavilion
fmr. Fox Theater

* Historical marker discussing Volga Germans and other settlers

* J. A. Mermis House

* Philip Hardware Building

* Rome, Kansas town site historical marker

* Sternberg Museum of Natural History

* The Strand Theater Building (left) and the Basgall Building (center)

* Tower Service Station Building

## See also

[edit]

* Kansas portal

* Great Flood of 1951
* List of sundown towns in the United States

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c d U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Hays, Kansas
2. ^ "2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 24, 2020.
3. ^ a b "Profile of Hays, Kansas in 2020". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on December 6, 2021. Retrieved December 6, 2021.
4. ^ a b c "QuickFacts; Hays, Kansas; Population, Census, 2020 & 2010". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on August 24, 2021. Retrieved August 24, 2021.
5. ^ "City of Hays, Kansas". City of Hays, Kansas The mayor is Tristan Schwien. Archived from the original on January 12, 2016. Retrieved March 20, 2010.
6. ^ a b "Hays". Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. 2010. Retrieved February 3, 2010.
7. ^ "The Hays Community". Fort Hays State University. Archived from the original on December 12, 2012. Retrieved December 18, 2010.
8. ^ Sturtevant, William C. (1967). "Early Indian Tribes, Culture Areas, and Linguistic Stocks [Map]". Smithsonian Institution. Retrieved June 18, 2014.
9. ^ a b "Louisiana Purchase". Kansapedia. Kansas Historical Society. August 2012. Retrieved March 5, 2014.
10. ^ "Kansas Territory". Kansapedia. March 2013. Retrieved March 5, 2013.
11. ^ Blackmar, Frank W., ed. (1912), "Ellis County", Kansas: a cyclopedia of state history, embracing events, institutions, industries, counties, cities, towns, prominent persons, etc., vol. 2, Chicago: Standard, p. 578
12. ^ "Fort Hays". Kansapedia. Kansas Historical Society. November 2011. Retrieved April 2, 2013.
13. ^ a b Cutler, William G. (1883), "Hays City", History of the State of Kansas, Chicago: A.T. Andreas
14. ^ a b c d e Weiser, Kathy (August 2009). "Hays, Kansas - Lawless in the Old Days". Legends of Kansas. Retrieved January 2, 2010.
15. ^ "Ellis County, Kansas - City of Rome". KSGenWeb Project. Archived from the original on May 14, 2013. Retrieved January 2, 2010.
16. ^ Blackmar, Frank W., ed. (1912), "Hays", Kansas: a cyclopedia of state history, embracing events, institutions, industries, counties, cities, towns, prominent persons, etc., vol. 2, Chicago: Standard, p. 832, archived from the original on December 3, 2007, retrieved January 10, 2010
17. ^ a b c d e f "History of Hays". Hays Convention & Visitor Bureau. n.d. Retrieved November 27, 2016.
18. ^ a b c Thompson, Mary Ann (n.d.). "Hays, Kansas History". Kansas History Web Sites. Retrieved November 27, 2016.
19. ^ "Boot Hill". [Photo catalog entry]. Kansas Historical Society. n.d. Retrieved November 27, 2016.
20. ^ Leiker, James (1997). "Black Soldiers At Fort Hays, Kansas, 1867-1869: A Study In Civilian And Military Violence". Great Plains Quarterly 17 (Winter 1997), p. 11. University of Nebraska Digital Commons. Retrieved November 27, 2016.
21. ^ Hangmans Bridge
22. ^ a b Campney, Brent M. S. (2015). This Is Not Dixie: Racist Violence in Kansas, 1861 - 1927, Location 749. University of Illinois Press. ISBN 978-0252083792.
23. ^ It should be noted on the Campney Reference that in May 1869 two incidents are noted in Hays Kansas: two lynchings and a race riot with unknown victims [p.222] A Contemporary Newspaper account Nashville union and American. [volume], May 06, 1869, Image 1 reports "A fight occurred on Monday at Hays City , Kansas between a lot of colored soldiers of the 38th Infantry and Citizens, in which five citizens, among them United States Marshal Neis, and A White a soldier of the 7th Cavalry were wounded. Some five hundred shots are said to have been fired."
24. ^ In 1910 transactions of the Kansas State Historical Society Transactions - Volume 9; Volume 11 - pp.579-580 claimed that in the fall of 1869 in Hays some Colored Troopers were denied admission to the "resort" of Jim Curry and Ida May in which a general fight broke out in which a number of soldiers were killed six, according to local memory...it does not appear any citizens were killed and that as a result the negro citizens were driven out of town. One recent account quotes the Omaha World Herald reported the burial of the six killed; also the lynching of Hays two Barbers. A 1933 account listing Lynchings in Kansas reports only the 3 soldiers lynched at the Bridge in 1869 [1];[2] reports in August 1871 a man was lynched in Hays after stabbing a constable
25. ^ Leiker, James (Spring 2011). "Imagining the Free State: A 150-Year History of a Contested Image" (PDF). Kansas History. Kansas Historical Society. Retrieved March 14, 2019.
26. ^ Bates, Angela (February 17, 2005). "Black History Month: Postcard from Kansas". Talk of the Nation (Interview). Interviewed by Frank Stasio. Washington, D.C.: NPR. "Hays, Kansas, is about 55 miles southwest of—southeast of Nicodemus, and they had sundown laws there."
27. ^ Loewen, James W. "Showing Hays in KS..." Sundown Towns in the United States. Tougaloo College. Retrieved March 13, 2019.
28. ^ Snell, Joseph; Richmond, Robert (1966). "When the Union & Kansas Pacific Built through Kansas" (PDF). Kansas Historical Quarterly 36 (Autumn 1966), pp. 343, 346-48. Kansas Historical Society. Retrieved November 27, 2016.
29. ^ Millbrook, Minnie Dubbs (1977). "An Old Trail Plowed Under Hays to Dodge". Transcribed by Todd Roberts from Kansas Historical Quarterly 43 (Autumn 1977), pp. 264-81. Archived from the original on December 20, 2014. Retrieved November 27, 2016.
30. ^ "Welcome to Hays". City of Hays, Kansas. n.d. Retrieved November 27, 2016.
31. ^ "Kansas Post Offices, 1828-1961". Kansas Historical Society. n.d. Retrieved November 27, 2016.
32. ^ a b Thompson, Mary Ann. "History Timeline". Welcome to Downtown Hays, Kansas. Chestnut Street District. Archived from the original on January 24, 2010. Retrieved January 10, 2010.
33. ^ a b c "2003-2004 Official Transportation Map" (PDF). Kansas Department of Transportation. 2003. Retrieved September 19, 2014.
34. ^ "City Distance Tool". Geobytes. Archived from the original on April 12, 2010. Retrieved June 30, 2010.
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36. ^ "US Census Bureau". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on January 25, 2012. Retrieved February 6, 2025.
37. ^ Peel, M. C.; Finlayson, B. L.; McMahon, T. A. (March 1, 2007). "Updated Köppen-Geiger climate classification map" (PDF). Hydrology and Earth System Sciences (4). Hydrology and Earth System Sciences Discussions: 439–473\. doi:10.5194/hessd-4-439-2007. Retrieved January 25, 2012.
38. ^ "Average weather for Hays, KS". The Weather Channel. Retrieved November 1, 2011.
39. ^ a b "NOAA Online Weather Data – NWS Dodge City". National Weather Service. Retrieved November 21, 2023.
40. ^ "U.S. Climate Normals Quick Access – Station: Hays 1 S, KS". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved November 21, 2023.
41. ^ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 24, 2024.
42. ^ United States Census Bureau. "Census of Population and Housing". Retrieved August 18, 2014.
43. ^ "US Census Bureau, Table P16: HOUSEHOLD TYPE". data.census.gov. Retrieved January 3, 2024.
44. ^ a b c d e "US Census Bureau, Table DP1: PROFILE OF GENERAL POPULATION AND HOUSING CHARACTERISTICS". data.census.gov. Retrieved January 3, 2024.
45. ^ "Gazetteer Files". Census.gov. Retrieved December 30, 2023.
46. ^ "US Census Bureau, Table P1: RACE". data.census.gov. Retrieved January 3, 2024.
47. ^ "US Census Bureau, Table P2: HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE". data.census.gov. Retrieved January 3, 2024.
48. ^ "US Census Bureau, Table S1101: HOUSEHOLDS AND FAMILIES". data.census.gov. Retrieved January 3, 2024.
49. ^ "US Census Bureau, Table S1501: EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT". data.census.gov. Retrieved January 3, 2024.
50. ^ "US Census Bureau, Table S1903: MEDIAN INCOME IN THE PAST 12 MONTHS (IN 2020 INFLATION-ADJUSTED DOLLARS)". data.census.gov. Retrieved January 3, 2024.
51. ^ "US Census Bureau, Table S2001: EARNINGS IN THE PAST 12 MONTHS (IN 2020 INFLATION-ADJUSTED DOLLARS)". data.census.gov. Retrieved January 3, 2024.
52. ^ "US Census Bureau, Table S1701: POVERTY STATUS IN THE PAST 12 MONTHS". data.census.gov. Retrieved January 3, 2024.
53. ^ "US Census Bureau, Table S1702: POVERTY STATUS IN THE PAST 12 MONTHS OF FAMILIES". data.census.gov. Retrieved January 3, 2024.
54. ^ a b c d e f "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 20, 2011.
55. ^ a b "Major Employers". Ellis County Coalition for Economic Development. Archived from the original on February 26, 2011. Retrieved June 27, 2010.
56. ^ a b c "Hays, Kansas". City-Data.com. Retrieved September 18, 2014.
57. ^ a b "The Arts". City of Hays, Kansas. Archived from the original on April 5, 2012. Retrieved April 10, 2011.
58. ^ "FHSU Encore Series". Fort Hays State University. Retrieved August 15, 2013.
59. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
60. ^ a b c "Frontier History". City of Hays, Kansas. Archived from the original on October 17, 2011. Retrieved November 1, 2011.
61. ^ "Welcome to Kansas Lek Treks". Kansas Lek Treks. Retrieved April 4, 2025.
62. ^ "About Sternberg Museum". Fort Hays State University. Archived from the original on July 19, 2011. Retrieved April 9, 2011.
63. ^ "Discover Sternberg Museum's Exhibits". Fort Hays State University. Archived from the original on July 19, 2011. Retrieved April 9, 2011.
64. ^ "Churches". City of Hays, Kansas. Archived from the original on December 2, 2010. Retrieved August 25, 2010.
65. ^ "Hays District". The Hays District of the United Methodist Church. Archived from the original on June 24, 2011. Retrieved November 1, 2011.
66. ^ "About Tiger Athletics". Fort Hays State University Department of Athletics. Archived from the original on April 3, 2010. Retrieved March 21, 2010.
67. ^ Walters, Arlen; Womack, Lynn. "Hays Baseball History". Archived from the original on March 3, 2010. Retrieved March 20, 2010.
68. ^ Janney, Cristina (May 16, 2024). "Newest baby bison in Hays born Tuesday, new calves include white bison". Hays Post. Retrieved May 19, 2024.
69. ^ a b c d "Parks Department". City of Hays, Kansas. Archived from the original on November 16, 2011. Retrieved November 5, 2011.
70. ^ "Disc Golf Courses". City of Hays, Kansas. Retrieved November 5, 2011.
71. ^ "Bison Pens". City of Hays, Kansas. Archived from the original on October 18, 2011. Retrieved November 5, 2011.
72. ^ "Wilson Pool". City of Hays, Kansas. Archived from the original on October 17, 2011. Retrieved November 5, 2011.
73. ^ "Hays Aquatic Park". City of Hays, Kansas. Archived from the original on October 17, 2011. Retrieved November 5, 2011.
74. ^ "Welcome to Smoky Hill Country Club". Smoky Hill Country Club. Retrieved November 5, 2011.
75. ^ "Golf Course". City of Hays, Kansas. Archived from the original on October 17, 2011. Retrieved November 5, 2011.
76. ^ "Smoky Hill Country Club". Golflink. Retrieved November 5, 2011.
77. ^ a b "Hays". Directory of Kansas Public Officials. The League of Kansas Municipalities. Archived from the original on May 5, 2011. Retrieved May 11, 2011.
78. ^ a b "City Commission". City of Hays, Kansas. Archived from the original on February 18, 2010. Retrieved February 3, 2010.
79. ^ "Staff Directory". Ellis County, Kansas. Retrieved February 23, 2012.
80. ^ "Schools". USD 489. Archived from the original on June 7, 2012. Retrieved May 31, 2012.
81. ^ "Schools". Roman Catholic Diocese of Salina. Archived from the original on May 13, 2011. Retrieved April 10, 2011.
82. ^ "Schools & Education". City of Hays, Kansas. Archived from the original on October 3, 2009. Retrieved January 16, 2010.
83. ^ a b "College Navigator". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved May 19, 2011.
84. ^ "Welcome to North Central Kansas Technical College". North Central Kansas Technical College. Archived from the original on December 19, 2010. Retrieved December 18, 2010.
85. ^ "Research Centers > Hays". Western Kansas Agricultural Research Centers. Retrieved May 19, 2011.
86. ^ Saerchinger, César (1918). International who's who in music and musical gazetteer, Volume 5. New York: Current Literature Publishing Company. p. 807.
87. ^ "Hays Public Library – Hays, KS". lib-web-cats - A directory of libraries throughout the world. Retrieved May 19, 2011.
88. ^ "HPL History". Hays Public Library. Archived from the original on July 23, 2011. Retrieved May 19, 2011.
89. ^ "Federal Depository Library Directory (FDLD)". United States Government Printing Office. Retrieved May 19, 2011.
90. ^ "Forsyth Library". Fort Hays State University. Archived from the original on December 10, 2012. Retrieved May 19, 2011.
91. ^ "Forsyth Library Collections". Fort Hays State University. Archived from the original on April 29, 2011. Retrieved May 19, 2011.
92. ^ "Forsyth Library History - Fort Hays State University (FHSU)". www.fhsu.edu. Retrieved February 23, 2024.
93. ^ "FHSU Forsyth Library Renovation". ltblogs.fhsu.edu. Retrieved February 23, 2024.
94. ^ Bureau of Transportation Planning (December 2009). City of Hays, Ellis County, Kansas (PDF) (Map). Kansas Department of Transportation. Retrieved February 6, 2022.
95. ^ "UPRR Common Line Names" (PDF). Union Pacific Railroad. Retrieved March 23, 2010.
96. ^ "Utilities Department". City of Hays, Kansas. Archived from the original on January 18, 2012. Retrieved November 5, 2011.
97. ^ "Public Works". City of Hays, Kansas. Archived from the original on March 10, 2012. Retrieved November 5, 2011.
98. ^ a b "Utility Contact Info". City of Hays, Kansas. Archived from the original on May 5, 2011. Retrieved November 5, 2011.
99. ^ "About Us". Midwest Energy, Inc. Archived from the original on September 4, 2012. Retrieved November 5, 2011.
100. ^ "Hospital Information". Hays Medical Center. Archived from the original on April 14, 2012. Retrieved November 5, 2011.
101. ^ "Hays Medical Center". U.S. News Best Hospitals. U.S. News & World Report. Retrieved November 5, 2011.
102. ^ "Hays Daily News". Mondo Times. Retrieved November 1, 2011.
103. ^ a b "Radio Stations in Hays, Kansas". Radio-Locator. Retrieved May 11, 2011.
104. ^ "Stations for Hays, Kansas". RabbitEars.Info. Retrieved November 1, 2011.
105. ^ "TVQ TV Database Query". Federal Communications Commission. Archived from the original on May 8, 2009. Retrieved September 13, 2009.
106. ^ "TV Market Maps". EchoStar Knowledge Base. Archived from the original on August 20, 2008. Retrieved November 8, 2010.
107. ^ "About Us - kwch.com". KWCH. Archived from the original on July 13, 2011. Retrieved May 11, 2011.
108. ^ Farris, Deb. "Last Minute Viewers Buy DTV Converters". KAKE. Archived from the original on April 6, 2012. Retrieved May 11, 2011.
109. ^ "History". Smoky Hills Public Television. Archived from the original on March 20, 2012. Retrieved May 27, 2011.
110. ^ "The Plainsman (1936)". IMDb. Retrieved November 1, 2011.
111. ^ Hill, Walter (director) (1995). Wild Bill (Film). U.S.A.: United Artists.
112. ^ "Paper Moon". Moviediva. November 2010. Retrieved November 1, 2011.
113. ^ "49 Winchester's 'Hays, Kansas' Inspired By Road Trip Gone Wrong". The Boot. 2020. Retrieved September 29, 2020.
114. ^ Detwiler, Margaret M. (1952), Hays Kansas at the Nation's Heart, Washington D.C.: National Geographic Society
115. ^ O'Neal, Bill (1991). "Allison, Robert A. Clay". Encyclopedia of Western Gunfighters. Norman, Oklahoma: University of Oklahoma Press. p. 20.
116. ^ "Philip Anschutz". Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans. Archived from the original on September 27, 2007. Retrieved December 18, 2010.
117. ^ "About Jerry". United States Senator Jerry Moran. Archived from the original on January 24, 2011. Retrieved January 22, 2011.
118. ^ "Biography for Avery B. and Frances (Tilton) Weaver". Biographical History of Porter County, Indiana. American Revolution Bicentennial Committee of Porter County, Inc. 1976. Retrieved December 18, 2010.
119. ^ "Sister City Directory". Sister Cities International. Retrieved January 25, 2012.

## Further reading

[edit]

See also: List of books about Kansas, including historical information about its counties and cities

See also: List of books about Ellis County, Kansas

## External links

[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Hays, Kansas.

* City of Hays
* Hays - Directory of Public Officials
* Official Hays Convention and Visitors Bureau
* Summary of Hays history
* Historic Images of Hays, Special Photo Collections at Wichita State University Library
* Hays city map, KDOT

* v
* t
* e

Municipalities and communities of Ellis County, Kansas, United States

County seat: Hays

Cities|

* Ellis
* Hays
* Schoenchen
* Victoria

Map of Kansas highlighting Ellis County

CDPs|

* Catharine
* Munjor

Unincorporated
communities|

* Antonino
* Emmeram
* Pfeifer
* Toulon
* Walker
* Yocemento

Ghost towns|

* Chetolah
* Rome
* Smoky Hill City
* Stockrange
* Turkville

Townships|

* Big Creek
* Buckeye
* Catherine
* Ellis
* Freedom
* Herzog
* Lookout
* Victoria
* Wheatland

* Kansas portal
* United States portal

* v
* t
* e

State of Kansas

Topeka (capital)

Topics|

* Index
* Abortion
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* Symbols
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Politics|

* Constitutions
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Regions|

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* East Central
* Four State Area
* Flint Hills
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* KC metro area
* North Central
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* Red Hills
* Santa Fe Trail Region
* Smoky Hills
* Southeast

Counties|

* Allen
* Anderson
* Atchison
* Barber
* Barton
* Bourbon
* Brown
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* Chase
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* Cherokee
* Cheyenne
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* Clay
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Places|

* Cities
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Kansas portal

* v
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* e

American frontier

1776 to 1912

Native Nations|

* Apache
* Arapaho
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* Blackfoot
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Notable people|

| Native Americans|

* Black Hawk
* Black Kettle
* Bloody Knife
* Chief Joseph
* Cochise
* Degataga
* Crazy Bear
* Crazy Horse
* Crazy Snake
* Dasoda-hae
* Geronimo
* Ganundalegi
* Irataba
* Kiliahote
* Manuelito
* Massai
* Plenty Coups
* Quanah Parker
* Red Cloud
* Sacagawea
* Seattle
* Sitting Bull
* Smallwood
* Snapping Turtle
* Standing Bear
* Ten Bears
* Touch the Clouds
* Tuvi
* Victorio
* Washakie

|

Explorers
and pioneers|

* Daniel Boone
* John Bozeman
* Jim Bridger
* Tomás Vélez Cachupín
* William Clark
* Davy Crockett
* Donner Party
* John C. Frémont
* Liver-Eating Johnson
* Meriwether Lewis
* Joe Mayer
* William John Murphy
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* Juan Rivera
* Levi Ruggles
* Jedediah Smith
* Jack Swilling
* Trinidad Swilling
* Ora Rush Weed
* Richens Lacey Wootton
* Henry Wickenburg
* "Old Bill" Williams
* Brigham Young

Lawmen|

* Elfego Baca
* Charlie Bassett
* Roy Bean
* Morgan Earp
* Virgil Earp
* Wyatt Earp
* Henry Garfias
* Pat Garrett
* Jack Helm
* "Wild Bill" Hickok
* Bat Masterson
* "Mysterious Dave" Mather
* Bass Reeves
* George Scarborough
* John Selman
* John Horton Slaughter
* William "Bill" Tilghman
* James Timberlake
* Harry C. Wheeler

Outlaws|

* Billy the Kid
* Black Bart
* "Curly Bill" Brocius
* Butch Cassidy
* Billy Clanton
* Ike Clanton
* Dalton Brothers (Grat, Bill, Bob, Emmett)
* Bill Doolin
* Bill Downing
* John Wesley Hardin
* Johnny Ringo
* Jesse James
* Frank James
* Tom Ketchum
* Frank McLaury
* Tom McLaury
* Joaquin Murrieta
* Belle Starr
* Soapy Smith
* Sundance Kid
* Tiburcio Vásquez
* Younger Brothers (Cole, Bob, Jim, John)

Soldiers
and scouts|

* Frederick Russell Burnham
* Kit Carson
* "Buffalo Bill" Cody
* Texas Jack Omohundro
* James C. Cooney
* George Crook
* George Armstrong Custer
* Alexis Godey
* Samuel P. Heintzelman
* Tom Horn
* Calamity Jane
* Luther Kelly
* Ranald S. Mackenzie
* Charley Reynolds
* Philip Sheridan
* Al Sieber

Others|

* John Jacob Astor
* William H. Boring
* Jonathan R. Davis
* George Flavel
* C. S. Fly
* John Joel Glanton
* George E. Goodfellow
* Doc Holliday
* Andrew Jackson
* Zephaniah Kingsley
* Seth Kinman
* Octaviano Larrazolo
* Nat Love
* Sylvester Mowry
* Emperor Norton
* Annie Oakley
* Sedona Schnebly
* Thomas William Sweeny
* Peter Lebeck

Frontier culture|

* American bison
* Barbed wire
* Boot Hill
* Cattle drive
* Cowboy poetry
* Cattle rustling
* Cow town
* Fast draw
* Ghost town
* Gunfights
* Homesteading
* Land rush
* Manifest destiny
* Moonshine
* One-room schoolhouse
* Rocky Mountain Rendezvous
* Rodeo
* Stagecoach
* Train robbery
* Vigilante justice
* Western saloon
* Tack piano
* Westward expansion
* Wild West shows

Transport
and trails|

* Barlow Road
* Bozeman Trail
* Butterfield Trail
* California Trail
* Chisholm Trail
* Great Platte River Road
* Great Western Cattle Trail
* Lolo Pass
* Meek Cutoff
* Mormon Trail
* Oregon Trail
* Pony Express
* Santa Fe Trail
* Southern Emigrant Trail
* Tanner Trail
* First transcontinental railroad

Folklore|

* Dead man's hand
* Dime novel
* John Henry
* Johnny Kaw
* Long Tom's treasure
* Lost Dutchman's Gold Mine
* Lost Ship of the Desert
* Montezuma's treasure
* Paul Bunyan
* Pecos Bill
* Seven Cities of Gold

Gold rushes|

* Black Hills Gold Rush
* California Gold Rush
* Confederate Gulch and Diamond City
* Klondike Gold Rush
* Pike's Peak Gold Rush

Gunfights|

* Battle of Coffeyville
* Battle of Lincoln
* Frisco shootout
* Gunfight at the O.K. Corral
* Long Branch Saloon gunfight
* Variety Hall shootout

Military conflicts|

* Battle of the Alamo
* Battle of Glorieta Pass
* Battle of the Little Bighorn
* Battle of San Jacinto
* Battle of Washita River
* Bear Flag Revolt
* Chimayó Rebellion
* First Battle of Adobe Walls
* Indian Wars
* Mexican War
* Sand Creek massacre
* Seminole Wars
* Texas Revolution
* Wounded Knee Massacre

Range wars
and feuds|

* Earp-Clanton feud
* Johnson County War
* Lincoln County War
* Mason County War
* Pleasant Valley War
* Sheep Wars
* Sutton–Taylor feud

Lists|

* Arizona Rangers
* Bibliography of the American frontier
* Cowboys and cowgirls
* Gangs
* Ghost towns
* Gunfights
* Lawmen
* Mountain men
* Outlaws
* Timeline of the American Old West

Influence|

* Cuisine of the Western United States
* Chuckwagon
* Californian
* Native American
* New Mexican
* New Mexico chile
* Pacific Northwestern
* Rocky Mountain oysters
* Tex-Mex
* Gothic Western
* Weird West
* Western genre
* Western lifestyle
* Western music
* New Mexico
* Red Dirt
* Tejano
* Texas country
* Western wear
* Cowboy boots
* Cowboy hat
* Jeans
* Snap fastener

| Places|

| Alaska|

* Anchorage
* Iditarod
* Nome
* Seward
* Skagway

|

Arizona Territory|

* Canyon Diablo
* Fort Grant
* Prescott
* Phoenix
* Tombstone
* Tucson
* Window Rock
* Yuma

California|

* Bakersfield
* Fresno
* Jamestown
* Los Angeles
* Sacramento
* San Diego
* San Francisco

Colorado|

* Creede
* Denver
* Telluride
* Trinidad

Dakota Territory|

* Bismarck
* Deadwood
* Fargo
* Fort Yates
* Pine Ridge
* Rapid City
* Standing Rock
* Yankton

Florida Territory|

* Angola
* Negro Fort
* Pensacola
* Prospect Bluff
* St. Augustine
* St. Marks
* Tallahassee

Idaho Territory|

* Fort Boise
* Fort Hall

Illinois|

* Fort Dearborn

Kansas|

* Abilene
* Dodge City
* Ellsworth
* Hays
* Leavenworth
* Wichita

Missouri|

* Independence
* Kansas City
* St. Louis

Montana Territory|

* Billings
* Bozeman
* Deer Lodge
* Fort Benton
* Fort Peck
* Helena
* Livingston
* Missoula
* Virginia City

Nebraska|

* Chadron
* Fort Atkinson
* Fort Robinson
* Nebraska City
* Ogallala
* Omaha
* Valentine
* Whiteclay

Nevada|

* Carson City
* Virginia City
* Reno

New Mexico Territory|

* Alamogordo
* Albuquerque
* Cimarron
* Fort Sumner
* Gallup
* Las Vegas
* Lincoln
* Mesilla
* Mogollon
* Roswell
* Santa Fe
* Tucumcari

Oklahoma Territory
and Indian Territory|

* Broken Arrow
* Fort Gibson
* Fort Sill
* Oklahoma City
* Okmulgee
* Pawhuska
* Tahlequah
* Tishomingo
* Tuskahoma
* Wewoka

Oregon Territory|

* Astoria
* The Dalles
* La Grande
* McMinnville
* Oregon City
* Portland
* Salem
* Vale

Texas|

* Austin
* Abilene
* El Paso
* Fort Worth
* Gonzales
* Lubbock
* San Antonio

Utah Territory|

* Salt Lake City

Washington Territory|

* Everett
* Port Townsend
* Seattle
* Vancouver

Wyoming Territory|

* Fort Bridger
* Fort Laramie

* Category

Authority control databases

International|

* VIAF
* WorldCat

National|

* Germany
* United States
* Israel

Geographic|

* MusicBrainz area

Other|

* NARA

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