What do Doc Holliday, Bat Masterson, Wyatt
Earp, and Matt Dillon have in common? One thing is they
each have a statue along the Dodge City Trail of Fame, part of the walking tour
in Dodge City, Kansas.
Now I didn’t grow up watching the westerns on Saturday
afternoon T.V., but my Grandma always had them on when we visited. Since I don’t know anything about these
fellas, I thought I ought to learn a little about them before we get
there. We plan to be in Dodge City for
two nights, but there’s a lot to see and do there, and I have found that having
some background helps me appreciate more what I’m seeing and doing. Dodge City made it onto the itinerary because
DH’s parents had a trip out there and really enjoyed it, so we wanted to walk a
little in their footsteps, too.
The Ford County, Kansas, Historical Society explains how JohnHenry “Doc” Holliday arrived in Dodge City and how he spent his time during the few months he was
there in 1878: dentistry and gambling.
Another article describes how William Bartholomew “Bat” Masterson moved to Kansas in 1871, became friends with Wyatt Earp, and was appointed a
law officer in Dodge City in 1876. The
article summarizes significant events in Masterson’s life in and around Dodge
City.
The FCHS provides links to a collection of materials about “legendary
lawman” Wyatt Earp who served as a deputy sheriff and assistant marshal of Dodge City at
various times during the last quarter century of the 1800s.
And of course there’s Matt Dillon, fictional U.S. Marshal played by actor James Arness in Gunsmoke. Gunsmoke ran for 20 seasons on CBS and was the longest-running prime-time television western in history. But did you know? Gunsmoke started as a radio program in 1952. The series aired on television from 1955 until 1975. I guess I don’t have time to watch over 600 episodes before we go, but perhaps a few will set the tone!
So what about you? Are you an old T.V. Westerns fan? Did/do you watch Gunsmoke, either when it aired or now in reruns?
~ Cindy D.
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