Fort Hays State Historic Site

Fort Hays State Historic Site Fort Hays was a US military post at the height of the Indian Wars from 1867-1889. Today the site has

Congressional Medal of Honor recipient Sergeant John Denny served at Fort Hays from January 1882 to December 1884. He and other African American “Buffalo Soldiers” are part of the rich Fort Hays history that includes names like Generals George A. Custer, Nelson Miles, and Philip Sheridan; Major Marcus Reno; William “Buffalo Bill” Cody; and James B. “Wild Bill” Hickok. Established in 1865 in the la

nd of the Cheyenne and Arapaho, the fort protected railroad workers and travelers on the Smoky Hill Trail. See the soldiers’ clothing, weapons, and personal items, including George Custer’s dumbbell forged by the fort’s blacksmith. Learn more about the soldiers and the people they were protecting when you visit Fort Hays. Admission:
Adults: $5
Students: $1
Children 5 & Under and Members of "Friends of the Fort": FREE

We have a long standing tradition of volunteerism at Historic Fort Hays and happily continue that tradition today. Here ...
04/09/2026

We have a long standing tradition of volunteerism at Historic Fort Hays and happily continue that tradition today. Here are a few of a familiar faces from years past. Feel free to join us on April 11, 2026 at 2:00 PM to learn how to become a volunteer at the museum. We will offer an overview of our mission and a guided tour of our grounds for those interested in signing up. All ages welcome!

We're wishing a very happy 180th birthday to our old pard today, Bill Cody. Young Bill came this way west looking for wo...
02/26/2026

We're wishing a very happy 180th birthday to our old pard today, Bill Cody. Young Bill came this way west looking for work and adventure and found plenty of it. An old friend of his, James Butler Hickok, invited him west while at Fort Harker, then working as an army scout. Enticed and ready for a change of scenery, Cody left his new bride in St. Louis finding jobs on his way as a teamster, railway grader, and buffalo hunter, before eventually settling into the role of army scout at Fort Hays and 'nearby' places. Ned Buntline, the famous dime novelist, on his search for the infamous Wild Bill Hickok, boarded the Kansas Pacific to Hays City and there found in Cody a guide to lead him to the notorious gunfighter. Always one to spread a tale, Cody endeared himself to Buntline and found himself portrayed in the dime novels even more famously than his stalwart friend. And so the rest. Here is the grandiose wild west showman, W. F. "Buffalo Bill" Cody pictured at the age of 19, before all of his limelight.

Due to inclement weather, Fort Hays State Historic Site will be closed Saturday, January 24 and Sunday, January 25.
01/23/2026

Due to inclement weather, Fort Hays State Historic Site will be closed Saturday, January 24 and Sunday, January 25.

01/23/2026

Due to the expected inclement weather and extreme cold temperatures, the Kansas Historical Society will be closed at all KSHS locations on Saturday, January 24 and Sunday, January 25, 2026. Those locations are: Kansas Museum of History, State Archives, Kansas State Capitol Visitors Center, Constitution Hall State Historic Site, Fort Hays State Historic Site, and Kaw Mission and Last Chance Store State Historic Site.

Address

1472 US Highway 183 Alt
Hays, KS
67601

Opening Hours

Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm
Saturday 9am - 5pm
Sunday 1pm - 5pm

Telephone

+17856256812

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Fort Hays State Historic Site posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Share

Category