32 GUIDEBOOK OF THE WESTERN UNITED STATES. 
this portion of central Kansas to equally low eastward dips, which 
prevail throughout the western part of the State and beyond to the 
Rocky Mountain uplift. The shallow trough resulting from this 
change of dip crosses central Kansas in the vicinity of Great Bend, 
and it is not improbable that this structural condition was the cause 
of the very notable deflection of the Arkansas Valley to the north- 
ward in the region between Dodge and Great Bend. 
From Raymond to Ellinwood the Valley of the Arkansas widens 
again, especially the portion which lies south of the river, where» 
however, there is a broad bordering zone of low hills built of sand 
blown from the river bed. 
Ellinwood is in the center of a wide area of fields of wheat and 
‘bane. other grains and a large amount of these products are 
Elevation 1,782 fnt shipped from its station. The town was built many 
tay 976. years before the coming of the railway in 1871, for 
ansas City 275 miles, here the Santa Fe Trail reached the Arkansas Valley, 
Great Bend (see sheet 5, p. 36) is the seat of Barton County, the 
junction with a branch of the Santa Fe running to Scott City, and 
the terminus of a branch of the Missouri Pacific Rail- 
Great Bend. way from Hoisington. It takes its name from its 
Elevation 1,843 feet. situation on the long curve in the river from north- 
oe City oss miles, east to east and finally to the southeast at Ellinwood. 
The town was begun in 1870 and is built on the 
smooth river flat, which is very wide here owing to the confluence 
of the Walnut Creek valley with that of the Arkansas. Water power 
~ from Walnut Creek is utilized in Great Bend for extensive flour mills, 
grain elevators, factories, and salt works. 
Great Bend is in the country formerly occupied by the Wichita 
Indians. Near by was the mythical city of Quivira (kee-vee’ra), to 
which Coronado journeyed in 1541, expecting to obtain a great store 
of treasures. He was diaappaiuted in finding instead of a ‘city 
scattered Indian villages consisting of small groups of conical huts 
of poles thatched with grass and containing no valuables whatever. 
To the north of Quivira was the land of the Pawnees, who had per- 
manent villages. They made frequent attacks upon individuals and 
caravans and treated their captives with appalling cruelty. 
The old Santa Fe Trail passes through the courthouse square of 
Great Bend, and a short distance east of the city the railway crosses 
Walnut Creek at the place of the old ford. Here was Fort Zarah, the 
ruins of which are visible a short distance north of the tracks. The 
place is marked by a stone cannon. This fort, established by Gen. 
S. R. Curtis in 1864 and named for his son, was one of the line of 
military posts placed at intervals along the festa Fe Trail to protect 
the traveler. It was garrisoned with soldiers who escorted wagon 
