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Great Bend, Kansas

Great Bend, Kansas

The Santa Fe Trail brought oxen-pulled Conestoga wagons to the big bend of the Arkansas river (from which Great Bend was named) carrying people with a vision. The Plains Indians, primarily Cheyenne, Pawnee and Quivira, brought early civilization to the Arkansas River Valley and early white settlers wrote of driving their wagons through throngs of buffalo.

The Great Bend Town Company was organized in 1871. Less than a year later, the Atchison, Topeka ans Santa Fe Railroad laid track into Great Bend. Like the hub of a giant wagon wheel laid on the prairie, Great Bend's commerce attracted people from all around the area, including cowboys who brought cattle to ship out on the train. Cowboys also had money to spend in the end-of-the-trail towns. Money allowed the town to grow and attracted other merchants and settlers.

To further explore the history of our area we recommend a visit to the Barton County Historical Village and Museum.


Barton County has 4,676 acres of walk-in hunting.

Attractions and Upcoming Events

Holiday Trail of Lights

Every year visitors from all over the Midwest hit the trail to Great Bend. Our holiday light displays are among the best in the nation. In fact, the trail is a recipient of the American Bus Association's Top 100 Events in North America for the year 2000

Great Bend, KS Tours

The Great Bend Expo Complex

The Expo Complex is the ideal location for a variety of events. The Expo complex consists of nearly 100,000 square feet of indoor space in three buildings and over 900,000 square feet of outside paved exhibit space. There are also electrical services available to all outside spaces.

Great Bend, KS Civic Centers

Great Bend Mural Project

Great Bend is home to an expanding collection of outdoor murals created by local artists and groups. Several of the brightly colored murals are located in the Main Street business area. Following are murals visitors can enjoy now:

Migration is located at the corner of Main & 16

Great Bend, KS Arts


Historic Crest Theatre

The Crest Theater, a former movie theater in downtown Great Bend, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and has been renovated for use as a live performing arts facility. In addition to four community theater productions a year, the 618 seat theater'

Great Bend, KS Theatres

Things to do near Great Bend, KS

Bushton's Pioneer Life

In 1881, the only thing that marked the location of Bushton was a hedge where main street is now located. People started to c...