Barton County

from Barton County Source 2021-2022

Pawnee Rock

Barton County is poised near the geographical center of Kansas, and is home to the Cheyenne Bottoms Wildlife Refuge, the Kansas Wetlands Education Center and many historic sites that tell the story of how the region helped shape the nation as a whole.

From Native Americans to Spanish explorers and settlers on the Santa Fe Trail, many have passed through the region over the centuries.

Th e Arkansas River, the sixth largest river in the United States, fl ows through the county, with its northernmost bend peaking just six miles east of where Great Bend sits today. Indigenous people settled along the river for thousands of years before Spanish conquistador and explorer Ferdinand Coronado and his men traveled through the area in the 1540s.

A 192-mile portion of the Arkansas River in Kansas was designated as a National Water Trail, by the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism in 2016. Th e trail begins in Great Bend and ends at the Kansas-Oklahoma border southeast of Arkansas City.

Barton County is now a hub of state, national and international trade with the Transload Facility at the Great Bend Municipal Airport. It is also the crossroads of two major highways, U.S. 56 and U.S. 281.

But, the history runs deeper. Spanish conquistadors and explorers are reported to be the fi rst Europeans to ever visit this portion of Kansas. Nearly three centuries later, the fi rst Americans to offi cially visit the area were Lt. Zebulon Pike and his men while conducting an expedition to the Rocky Mountains in 1806. Later, this route became known as the Santa Fe Trail, traveled by pioneers heading west for a better way of life. Th en the railroads, and civilization in the form of cities and towns took hold. In 1867, Barton County was created, but it wasn’t until 1872 that the minimum population of 600 was reached in order for the county to be organized.

It was on May 16, 1872 that Gov. Harvey gave the nod for Barton County to be incorporated, and declared Great Bend the temporary county seat. A week later, on May 23, it became permanent, and three townships were created – Great Bend, Lakin and Buff alo.

Th e people who settled came from all corners of the globe. Immigrants from throughout Europe settled on homesteads and helped build small towns, as did pioneers from the eastern United States. Th ere were freed slaves, called “exodusters” who traveled to Kansas looking for a new life, too.

Th e surrounding prairie was broken and farmed, and agriculture thrived. Th rough trial and error, they learned that wheat performed very well. Barton County has become a “banner” wheat county in Kansas.

Th e main line of the Atchison, Topeka and the Santa Fe Railroad followed the Arkansas River, replacing the Santa Fe Trail. It brought goods and people into and out of the area, allowing cities to fl ourish with trade in the late 1800s and into the fi rst half of the 1900s. In the late 1800’s oil was discovered in Cheyenne Bottoms, a vast marshland of international importance north of Great Bend. Th e fi rst well didn’t produce, but subsequent drills were successful, and touched off an oil boom in the county.

Early in the 20th century, there was another oil boom. Th is added another dimension to the county and is still a big part of the economy.

In 1943 during World War II, Barton County became home to the Great Bend Army Air Field, where troops trained to fl y B-29 bombers. According to the Barton County Historical Society website, crews worked to “transform this Kansas wheat fi eld into an airfi eld and training facility. Barracks, airplane hangars, and miles of concrete runways designed to hold the enormous weight of the B-29s.”

Aft er the war, so many families settled in the county, housing was at a premium, which paved the way for construction of several Lustron Homes in the area. Th e company from Illinois only manufactured the homes for two years from 1948 to 1950. It went into bankruptcy for fi nancial and distribution reasons, but the houses lived up to their promise as being maintenance free. According to the Lustron Registry, there are still 18 existing Lustron homes in Great Bend standing today, over 70 years later. According to the registry’s website, the baked enamel panels and roofs continue to hold and are rust free with no need to paint.

Th ere is a Lustron home on display at the Barton County Historical Museum.

During the 1950s, Great Bend’s City Parks and Recreation administrator Brit Spaugh slowly created a zoo in the downtown park, which today bears his name. Even then, it was considered unusual for a city the size of Great Bend to have a zoo.

Th e zoo remains open today and has been updated. Th e park also now includes the Wetlands Waterpark.

In 1965, Barton County Community Junior College, now named Barton Community College, was founded, off ering a local venue for higher education. Th e college continues to draw students from all over the country and athletes from overseas to the county each year.

Today, major industries in Barton County include agriculture, oil, manufacturing and medicine, according to the Barton County website. It is home to four school districts, several recreational attractions, and people who enjoy a combination of quiet country and modern city lifestyles.