Abilene - Eisenhower & Gunsmoke History

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Be sure to visit Abilene – Eisenhower & Gunsmoke History celebrated! Abilene consistently ranks among the best historic small towns in the US. In 2025, it earned second place in the USA TODAY’s ranking! Its rich history includes the childhood home of Dwight Eisenhower, a central cattle town when cattle were driven north from Texas to meet the railroad in Abilene. It’s located on I-70, so make a visit whether you’re specifically visiting Abilene or passing through on the interstate.

Abilene, Eisenhower and the Gunsmoke Trail

Dwight D. Eisenhower – One of the Best

C-SPAN ranks all US presidents in ten categories. Eisenhower now ranks fifth behind Washington, Lincoln, FDR, and TR. Abilene’s sights include the world’s largest “I Like Ike” button. The term is one of the best campaign slogans in American history. Here’s a link about Eisenhower and the Presidential Museum and Library. And some explanation of C-SPAN.

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Eisenhower was born in Denison, Texas, but his family moved back to Kansas when he was less than two years old. He often said that growing up in Abilene was the thing he was most proud of.

Since the family didn’t have money for college, he and his brother made a pact that one would work and the other would attend college, swapping each year. A few years later, Eisenhower received a West Point appointment; the rest is history!

His class became known as The Class The Stars Fell On because so many reached the General rank—more on that in the Eisenhower post.

By the way, there is a Little Ike Park in the downtown area. It commemorates “Ike” and his growing up time in Abilene, which he was so proud of!

Take in Abilene – Eisenhower & Gunsmoke History while you are here.

Want to see a shop for my road trip photos? You can have them printed as wall art or puzzles. They also work on coffee mugs, t-shirts and more! So, take a look. Maybe you'll see something you will like!

Abilene and the Gunsmoke Trail

If you want more information from The Driveby Tourist about the Gunsmoke Trail, click or tap here. It includes four Kansas cities prominently featured in the TV series Gunsmoke, which ran from 1955 to 1975.

Abilene and the other cities now attract tourists to the Gunsmoke Trail. Although the series ended in 1975, episodes run regularly on several cable and streaming channels. Western-themed TV and movies are not as popular as they were back then, but they still have an attraction to the stories they tell and the connection to the history of the wild, often lawless American West. And here’s a link to the Gunsmoke Trail site.

Abilene Law Enforcement History

The first marshal of Abilene in 1870 was Thomas James “Bear River” Smith. On November 2, 1870, Smith and his deputy went ten miles out of town to arrest two local homesteaders. Of course, in keeping with the lawlessness of the time, the homesteaders fought back. In the ensuing fight, the deputy fled the scene, and Thomas Smith was killed. He is buried in the Abilene cemetery. He was the first known Chief of Police to be killed in the line of duty in the US.

The homesteaders were convicted and served long prison terms. With all the western movies showing men hanged for their crimes, it’s surprising they served prison time instead.

Abilene returned to lawlessness until April 1971, when James Butler “Wild Bill” Hickok was hired as the next marshal. Wild Bill’s cabin (below) is in the Old Abilene area. During his time in office, he spent more time gambling than performing his marshal duties. He had three policemen who did most of the work.

Wild Bill and his time as a lawman

On October 5, 1871, saloon owner and gunfighter Phil Coe threatened Hickok several times. And then Hickok heard a single gunshot from his Alamo Saloon. After heading that way, Coe said he was “Just shooting at a dog.” Then, Coe fired two shots at Hickok, hitting him in his coat. Hickok dropped Coe with two shots of his own.

Suddenly, a man with a pistol in his hand ran toward Hickok, who instinctively spun and shot him dead. To Hickok’s horror, he discovered he had shot his own Deputy, Mike Williams. Wild Bill was never the same, exhibiting signs of what is now called PTSD.

For the rest of the Hickok story, he took various jobs before heading to Deadwood, SD, to join the search for gold. And, unfortunately, met his untimely demise while playing poker. (“Who wants to play those eights and aces?” – Bob Seger from Fire Lake!)

**Wild Bill had a jail cell in his cabin**

Law enforcement continued its ups and downs in Abilene, but there wasn’t a major failure, as the lawlessness abated with the cattle drives ending in 1871. Wichita and a few other Kansas towns took on the cattle drive terminal points. Soon, railroads entered Texas and Oklahoma, ending the need to drive cattle northward. In its heyday, Abilene saw 1.5 million head of cattle driven into the area from 1867 until 1871 for railroad shipping. That’s a lot of steaks!

Old Abilene Town

When I visited Old Abilene Town, I spoke with Larry, who volunteers much of his time to the place. He started as a Gunfighter in their reenactments from back in the day. He’s now leading that group and doing work around the place to restore and upkeep. It’s great to have people who are dedicated to keeping up the history!

The Old Town portrays buildings from the 1870s/1880s era. During the summer, especially on weekends, you’ll see the “old west” portrayed for your enjoyment. As of this writing, it’s open from May through August, with events keeping it open at other times throughout the year. Check out the schedule here.

The Alamo Saloon and other buildings

Old Abilene Town - Alamo Saloon — **Inside the Alamo Saloon**

Above are images from Old Abilene Town. The boot displays continue around town. The longhorn displays depict the Old West. The peak of the cattle drives occurred from 1867 to 1871. By 1872, other places, such as Wichita, had taken over some of the cattle shipping. In 1881, large-scale drives came to an end as the railroad expanded into Texas. By then, the lawlessness had also been brought under control.

Unceremoniously Thrown in Jail!

Oh, I got thrown in jail for being too intrusive about how Old Abilene Town operates.

They did agree to let me out if I was out of town by sundown.

I apologized and they said I could come back again as long as I left that day and considered by bad behavior!

Church and early Abilene housing

These are surviving buildings from the early days. Saving and refurbishing old buildings is expensive and time-consuming. It’s good to see these still here. Be sure to walk around and through them when you visit. In the 1800s, housing was basic but as the town grew, more elaborate houses came up for permanent residents.

Merchant Hotel

**This room displays the layout of original Abilene as it was during the 1870s. You can spend some time looking over this display**

Old Abilene Town buildings include this school from that time. The building was moved here as it fit the time frame for the period established for Old Abilene Town.

Personal note: I attended grades 1 – 6 in a similar school!

Abilene and the Cowboy Boots

The people of Abilene created another display called “Celebrating Cowboy Roots with Cowboy Boots!” The Cowboy Boot project pays homage to T.C. McInerney’s Drover Boot Store from the 1870s. About ten are around town, and more are being placed as planned and completed.

**Rose Garden – Convention & Visitors Center**

The Abilene & Smoky Valley Railroad

The cattle drive business shaped Abilene’s history at the time. As railroads expanded into Texas and Oklahoma, the economy had to adapt. However, the railroad remained a factor. In recent years, the railroad has become part of its tourism attractions.

The Abilene and Smoky Valley Railroad (link here), a non-profit heritage railway founded in 1993, preserves the area’s railroad history. The A&SVR runs train rides from May to November. Here’s a link to the current schedule. They also run special events around holidays and local events. Be sure to check for that on the schedule.

Here’s a link to charters for tour groups and travel professionals. As the Gunsmoke Trail grows in popularity, I’m sure there will be more calls for these charters.

The depot (1887 Rock Island Depot) is on the National Registry of Historic Places. It operates as a museum in addition to the kick-off point for rides on the A&SVR. The depot is part of Old Abilene and anchors this historic location. The Abilene and Smoky Valley Railroad enjoys statewide popularity. The Kansas Legislature designated the A&SVR as the official Kansas Heritage Railroad in 2024.

The freight room is now a museum with collections from A&SVR co-founder Fred Schmidt, who passed in 2009. The museum is free, but donations are accepted. If you take one or more of the train rides, save some additional time to visit the museum.

Be sure to take in Abilene – Eisenhower & Gunsmoke History while in Kansas!

World’s Largest Belt Buckle & More

**I’m “wearing” the World’s Largest Belt Buckle!**

The town built this belt buckle to honor Abilene’s contribution to the American West story! Everyone likes to visit the many “World’s Largest” objects, so communities continue to develop them, and compete with other towns, sometimes, to outdo others in size or attractiveness! (Doesn’t everyone like to shout, “We’ve Number One!”) They also have the World’s Largest “I Like Ike” button, but more on that in the Eisenhower post.

And, just for one more, here’s the world’s largest cowboy spur! Another attraction to add to Abilene – Eisenhower & Gunsmoke History!

**What other “world’s largest” should Abilene do?**

Seelye Mansion

The Seelye Mansion in Abilene, Kansas, built in 1905, offers a fascinating glimpse into early 20th-century luxury and innovation. Designed by renowned architect James C. Holland, this Georgian-style home was the residence of Dr. and Mrs. A.B. Seelye and features elegant furnishings from the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair. Visitors can admire cutting-edge technology of the era, including Edison light fixtures, an original telephone-intercom system, and a rare basement bowling machine. The mansion’s exquisite details, like a 1921 Steinway piano and fine mahogany woodwork, highlight its blend of sophistication and modernity. Today, the Seelye Mansion operates as a historic house museum, alongside a nearby museum showcasing artifacts from Dr. Seelye’s patent medicine company, offering a unique window into Kansas’s entrepreneurial spirit and early pharmaceutical industry