Old Abilene Town

A reconstructed Wild West boardwalk on the site of the original cattle-town

In the 1860s and 1870s Abilene was the original Kansas cowtown: the southern terminus of the Chisholm Trail and the railhead where Texas longhorns met the eastern markets. The original wooden town was burned and rebuilt several times; what survives today is a reconstruction along the original main street, with a boardwalk, a saloon, a livery, a jail, and a small church.

In summer, volunteers stage mock gunfights and there are can-can shows in the Alamo Saloon — corny but charming, and the local volunteers clearly enjoy themselves. Free entry; donations accepted. Combine with a ride on the Smoky Valley Railroad, which stops nearby. Open weekends from late spring through early autumn.

things to do sight
A story
In 1871 Wild Bill Hickok, having just shot a fellow gambler in Hays City, was hired as Abilene's town marshal. He lasted eight months before accidentally killing his own deputy in a street gunfight outside the Alamo Saloon — and was promptly fired by the city council.

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