The April issue of Outdoor Life lists their picks for the top 200 towns for sportsmen in America and Dodge City is among the 200! Months of research went into compiling the list. They started by combing through every population center in the US with more than 4,000 people. They gathered comprehensive data on the overall quality of life the towns offered. Some of the factors considered were the growth rate of the local economy, the unemployment rate, the degree of taxation, the time it takes to commute to work, the crime rate, housing prices, median household income and event the variety of cultural opportunities within easy driving distance. Then they looked at how the towns stacked up purely from a sporting perspective. They rated them on the fishing and hunting opportunities each town offers, the trophy quality of the sporting opportunities, proximity to public land, the restrictiveness of the gun laws and whether the fishing and hunting is good year-round. Other Kansas communities mentioned in the top 200 were Atchison, emporia and Junction City. [The Magazine Article]

There are thousands of towns throughout the West—many of which do an excellent job of maintaining and celebrating their heritage and history. But some truly stand out.

For the third year, True West magazine honors the 10 True Western Towns in its January/February 2008 issue, on newsstands January 15, 2008. They are:

10. San Diego, CA
9. Casper, WY
8. Wickenburg, AZ
7. Pendleton, OR
6. Durango, CO
5. Dodge City, KS
4. Cheyenne, WY
3. Trinidad, CO
2. Deadwood, SD
1. St. Joseph, MO

True West editors determined the winners based on a number of criteria—especially how each town has preserved its history through older buildings and districts, museums and other institutions, and events. The Top Ten also take the lead in promoting their historic resources to visitors. Last year’s Top Town was Helper, UT.

“This is a remarkable group of towns,” says True West Executive Editor Bob Boze Bell. “Their residents have taken it upon themselves to keep the real West alive for now and posterity. They not only celebrate their past—they live it.”

see news video, copy and paste the following into your web address box: http://www.dodgeglobe.com/globenews/video4.shtml
[True West Magazine Website]

A newly formed partnership between two cities in Kansas celebrates Kansas’s western heritage. A Dodge City Day in Kansas City gives Dodge City representatives a chance to promote all they have to offer for visitors.

Then Kansas City representatives come to Dodge City Days in late July and August to promote their attractions. It's a definite win-win situation for both communities. To learn more about Kansas City's community check out their website. [Additional info...]

Click here to check out the 7-day forecast for Dodge City [Additional info...]