The story of Ulysses, Kansas, is unlike that of most American towns, marked by not one, but two distinct beginnings along the historic Cimarron Branch of the old Santa Fe Trail. First established in 1885, Ulysses, Kansas, would later experience a complete physical relocation, with its entire infrastructure loaded onto skids and moved three miles across the prairie. This remarkable tale of resilience and reinvention truly defines this unique Grant County settlement.
Officially founded on March 20, 1873, Ulysses emerged during a period when the Santa Fe Trail’s traditional traffic was yielding to the advent of the steam engine in western Kansas. The arrival of the railroad spurred the growth of numerous towns in Grant County, many of which, like Appomattox, Golden, Shockey, and Zionville, are now considered extinct. Of the approximately 20 post offices that once dotted Grant County, only Ulysses remains, alongside the small unincorporated communities of Hickok and Ryus.
The Genesis of Ulysses, Kansas
The town was christened in honor of General Ulysses S. Grant. Its initial survey in 1885 was conducted by George Washington Earp, a notable figure and first cousin to the famed Wyatt Earp of Dodge City and Tombstone. George Earp served as one of Ulysses’ earliest and most ardent promoters, a shrewd businessman, and, mirroring his notorious cousins, the town’s first peace officer. Local legend suggests he was just as “free with his gun” as the more famous Earp brothers, adding a layer of Old West mystique to Ulysses’ founding.
By 1886, Ulysses had rapidly grown to a population of nearly 1,500 residents. The burgeoning town boasted an opera house, a substantial hotel, a variety of businesses, and, despite Kansas being a purportedly dry state, six thriving saloons. Two years later, its population swelled to 2,000, supporting an expanded array of establishments including four hotels and twelve restaurants.
The Fierce Grant County Seat War
When Grant County was officially established in 1887, two towns vied for the prestigious title of county seat: Ulysses and Tilden, which was later renamed Appomattox. The governor’s proclamation, issued in June 1888, designated Ulysses as the temporary county seat and appointed its initial county officers, setting the stage for a contentious struggle.
A few months later, on October 16, 1888, an election was held to determine the permanent location of the county seat. This period was characterized by a fierce and often dramatic county seat war between the two ambitious towns. Constable George Earp later recounted that the Ulysses Town Company hired several renowned gunmen to “protect the security of the ballot” during these critical elections. Among those recruited were celebrated figures like Bat Masterson, Luke Short, Ed Dlathe, Jim Drury, Bill Wells, and Ed Short. These men erected a lumber barricade across from the polling place, positioning themselves behind it with Winchesters and six-shooters ready to deter any attempts to steal the ballot box or incite trouble. Despite the tension, no violence erupted, and the election ultimately secured a victory for Ulysses.
Allegations of Corruption and the Supreme Court Battle
However, like many other Kansas county seat disputes, the conflict for Ulysses was far from over. Allegations of corruption led the battle to the Kansas Supreme Court. Alvin Campbell, a partisan of Tilden, presented evidence demonstrating that the Ulysses city council had bonded its citizens for $36,000 to purchase votes, claiming 388 votes were bought. It was an “open secret” that votes were exchanged for money, with “professional voters” brought in, boarded for the required 30 days before the election, and paid $10 each after casting their ballots. The shocking revelation that public funds had been used to finance this scheme ignited outrage among the county’s citizens, who suddenly found themselves liable for these bonds. Campbell, who exposed these facts, faced retaliation, being tarred in August 1889.
The court also found that Tilden had engaged in its own vote-buying and irregular practices. While Ulysses ultimately secured the county seat, it proved to be a dearly bought victory. In addition to the $36,000 expended in the county seat fight, an extra $13,000 in bonds was voted for a new schoolhouse and $8,000 for a courthouse. Despite the contentious beginning and significant financial burden, Ulysses has since retained its county seat status.
A Town on the Move: The Relocation of Ulysses
At the peak of the county seat contest in 1888, Ulysses boasted a population of 2,000, supporting twelve restaurants, four hotels, numerous other businesses, six gambling houses, and twelve saloons. Yet, the honor of becoming the county seat came with a profound financial burden. By 1909, unable to escape its crushing debt and facing foreclosure of the entire townsite, the community made an extraordinary decision: to move. In an astonishing display of collective will, every building was loaded onto skids, and the entire town was relocated three miles across the prairie to its present-day location. All lots in the old town were deeded back to the East Coast bondholders, leaving behind only a masonry schoolhouse.
The town’s struggles, however, were not over. In 1898, the county experienced severe crop failures, triggering widespread panic and dramatically reducing Ulysses’ population from 1,500 to a mere 400, and later to only about 40 residents. Buildings were carted away, banks closed, and merchants allowed their stock to dwindle. The relocated settlement was officially known as “New Ulysses,” while the original site became “Old Ulysses.” The grand Hotel Edwards, a prominent structure from the old town, had to be cut into three sections for its journey. Today, it stands as the sole surviving business building from the old town, meticulously restored and preserved on the Grant County Museum grounds. “Old Ulysses” is now located on private property, about three miles east of current Ulysses on U.S. Highway 160.
Challenges and Rebirth: From Crop Failure to Gas Capital
A turning point for Ulysses arrived in the 1920s with the discovery of natural gas in the surrounding area. This led to the development of the Hugoton natural gas field, a vast resource spanning over 4,800 square miles, earning the region the title “The Gas Capital of the United States.” This discovery brought an era of robust prosperity, revitalizing the local economy and population. In 1921, the town officially dropped “New” from its name, becoming simply “Ulysses” once more.
Ulysses Today: Echoes of the Past
Today, a portion of the Ulysses high school grounds occupies what was once the old site of Appomattox. The historic Hotel Edwards is a cherished feature of the local museum, offering visitors a tangible link to the town’s past. History continues to resonate at nearby Wagon Bed Spring, located south of town. The expansive plains surrounding Ulysses are renowned for their breathtaking sunrises and sunsets, and for hunting enthusiasts, the area offers excellent deer and pheasant hunting opportunities.
Wagon Bed Spring: A Perilous Santa Fe Trail Landmark
The Cimarron Cutoff of the Santa Fe Trail, a vital and often perilous route, passed just east of the current Ulysses site, turning south and crossing the path of modern-day US 160 while following the Cimarron River. The famous watering spot, Wagon Bed Spring, is situated ten miles south of Ulysses. The Cimarron Cutoff presented significant risks to early travelers, characterized by dry creek beds and frequent Native American attacks. Yet, many were willing to brave these dangers to shorten their journey by hundreds of miles, avoiding the perceived “safer” but longer route through Colorado. Known as “La Jornada,” the dry crossing between the Cimarron and Arkansas Rivers was the most direct route from Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, to the Southwest. Tragically, it was near here that noted Western explorer and fur trader Jedediah Smith endured four days without water before being killed by Comanche Indians just as he reached the river.
Though no permanent military post was ever established at Wagon Bed Spring, hundreds of soldiers replenished their supplies here, from the outset of the Mexican-American War in 1846 until the railroads eventually superseded the wagon roads. The year 1864 marked a particularly bloody period for Indian attacks along the Santa Fe Trail, with 15 men killed at Wagon Bed Spring within a two-week span. In response, General James H. Carleton, commanding the Department of New Mexico, dispatched 100 soldiers to the spring with sixty days’ worth of rations. Today, the site still yields “treasure” for diligent hunters, who find caches of lead balls, empty cartridges, and arrowheads. In 1961, Wagon Bed Spring received recognition as a National Historic Landmark, although the spring itself has long since dried up, a consequence of irrigating the fertile fields of western Kansas.
Conclusion
From its contested beginnings to its audacious physical relocation, and through periods of severe hardship and bountiful prosperity, Ulysses, Kansas, embodies an extraordinary spirit of perseverance and adaptability. Its deep roots in the Old West, marked by famous figures and significant historical events like the county seat war and its connection to the Santa Fe Trail, make it a town rich in narrative. Today, Ulysses stands as a testament to the enduring spirit of its settlers, a vibrant community that proudly preserves the echoes of its remarkable past while embracing the promise of its future in southwest Kansas.
