Great Bend, Kansas
Great Bend is a city of 14,479 people in Barton County, Kansas, founded in 1871.
Why visit Great Bend
Townapedia lists 3 museums and landmarks, 12 parks and trails, 19 places to eat, 4 places to stay and 1 attraction in and around town.
Highlights include Golden Belt Cinema, Abel House, Nagel House and Great Bend Zoo.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 91°F; January lows average 18°F.
Weather in Great Bend
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Great Bend
Great Bend is a city in and the county seat of Barton County, Kansas, United States. It is named for its location at the point where the course of the Arkansas River bends east then southeast. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 14,733. It is home to Barton Community College.
From the Wikipedia article Great Bend, Kansas (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do1
Museums and landmarks3
Abel House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.9 mi
Lustron house in Great Bend, Kansas
Nagel House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.5 mi
Lustron house in Great Bend, Kansas
Parks, trails and playgrounds12
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Restaurants and cafes19
Sonic
Fast food · Burger · 0.4 mi
3909 West 10th Street, Great Bend
Mo-Th 06:30-23:00; Fr-Sa 06:30-24:00; Su 06:30-23:00
7 more on the map.
History
Prior to American settlement of the area, the site of Great Bend was located in the northern reaches of Kiowa territory. Claimed first by France as part of Louisiana and later acquired by the United States with the Louisiana Purchase in 1803, it lay within the area organized by the U.S. as Kansas Territory in 1854. Kansas became a state in 1861, and the state government delineated the surrounding area as Barton County in 1867.
The first settlers of the area arrived in 1870. Living in sod houses and dugouts, they worked as buffalo hunters since trampling by bison herds precluded crop farming. In 1871, the Great Bend Town Company, anticipating the westward construction of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad, founded Great Bend at a site roughly three miles west of Fort Zarah on the Santa Fe Trail. They named the settlement after its location at the "great bend" in the Arkansas River where the river's course turns eastward. The town began to grow as more settlers arrived over the following year and opened several businesses.
The railroad reached Great Bend in July 1872, and an election at about the same time declared the town the permanent county seat. Great Bend was incorporated as a city soon thereafter. The county courthouse and the city's first public school were built the following year.
From the History section of Great Bend, Kansas on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay4
Churches and places of worship30
Great Bend Seventh-day Adventist Church
Church · Seventh Day Adventist · 1.7 mi
7 Southwest 30 Avenue, Great Bend
First Congregational United Church of Christ
Church · Protestant · 1.2 mi
3400 21st Street, Great Bend
Iglesia de Dios Pentecostal Movimiento Internacional
Church · Pentecostal · 1.4 mi
2701 17th Street, Great Bend
Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses
Church · Jehovahs Witness · 2.4 mi
3205 Williams Street, Great Bend
Saint John's Episcopal Church
Church · Episcopal · 1.2 mi
2107 Polyantha Tyler Street, Great Bend
Shopping3
Gas and EV charging6
Schools, colleges and libraries19
Healthcare3
University of Kansas Health System - Great Bend Campus
Hospital · 0.5 mi
514 Cleveland Street, Great Bend
Map of Great Bend
100 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 42°F | 18°F | 0.7 in | 2.2 in |
| Feb | 47°F | 21°F | 0.9 in | 2.6 in |
| Mar | 58°F | 30°F | 1.6 in | 2.3 in |
| Apr | 68°F | 39°F | 2.1 in | 0.3 in |
| May | 76°F | 51°F | 4.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 87°F | 61°F | 3.7 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 91°F | 65°F | 3.9 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 89°F | 63°F | 3.7 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 82°F | 55°F | 2.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 69°F | 42°F | 2.0 in | 0.1 in |
| Nov | 55°F | 29°F | 1.0 in | 1.7 in |
| Dec | 44°F | 20°F | 1.0 in | 2.3 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Great Bend 3W (2 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Barton County has had 23 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.
- 2025-12-19: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2025-05-21: Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, And Wildfires (Severe Storm)
- 2024-08-20: Severe Storm, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2023-10-26: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2022-05-25: Severe Winter Storms And Straight-Line Winds (Snowstorm)
- 2022-02-17: Severe Storms And Straight Line Winds (Severe Storm)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Great Bend Municipal Airport (GBD) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 4 miles away.
- Hoisington 11 mi north, about 18 min by car
- Ellinwood 12 mi east, about 19 min by car
- Claflin 18 mi northeast, about 29 min by car
- Otis 18 mi northwest, about 30 min by car
- Larned 20 mi southwest, about 33 min by car
- Chase 24 mi east, about 39 min by car
- St. John 25 mi south, about 40 min by car
- Holyrood 26 mi northeast, about 42 min by car
- Hays 46 mi northwest, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Hutchinson 52 mi southeast, about 1 h 30 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Downtown Great Bend Kansas 5-5-2012, Paul Sableman, CC BY 2.0
- Great Bend Cemetery (5153509536), Stephen Muehleisen from Great Bend, Kansas, USA, CC BY 2.0
- Great Bend Cemetery Sunrise (5152902065), Stephen Muehleisen from Great Bend, Kansas, USA, CC BY 2.0
- City Building 1209 Williams St Great Bend Central Business District Barton Co KS, SharonPapierdreams, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Municipal Building & Auditorium 1217 Williams St Great Bend Central Business District Barton Co KS, SharonPapierdreams, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Joel B. Jackson Attorney at Law 2018 Forest Ave Great Bend Central Business District Barton Co KS, SharonPapierdreams, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Lumpy's Bar & Grill 2017 Forest Ave Great Bend Central Business District Barton Co KS, SharonPapierdreams, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Great Bend Tribune Bldg 2012 Forest Ave Great Bend Central Business District Barton Co KS, SharonPapierdreams, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Rinker Bldg 2010 Forest Ave Great Bend Central Business District Barton Co KS, SharonPapierdreams, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Jewelry Store 206 Forest Ave Great Bend Central Business District Barton Co KS, SharonPapierdreams, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 1912 11th St Great Bend Central Business District Barton Co KS, SharonPapierdreams, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 2019 12th St Great Bend Central Business District Barton Co KS, SharonPapierdreams, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 1906 & 1908 Broadway Ave Great Bend Central Business District Barton Co KS, SharonPapierdreams, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 1924 Broadway Ave Great Bend Central Business District Barton Co KS, SharonPapierdreams, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 2006 Broadway Ave Great Bend Central Business District Barton Co KS, SharonPapierdreams, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 1912 Broadway Ave Great Bend Central Business District Barton Co KS, SharonPapierdreams, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 1924 Broadway Ave Great Bend Central Business District Barton Co KS south facade, SharonPapierdreams, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 1910 Broadway Ave Great Bend Central Business District Barton Co KS, SharonPapierdreams, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Abel Residence Barton Co KS northwest entrance, SharonPapierdreams, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Nagel Lustron house from SE 1, Ammodramus, CC0
- Sunset over the old Stripmall (5676233473), Stephen Muehleisen from Great Bend, Kansas, USA, CC BY 2.0
- Black-tailed Prairie Dog 3 (6031045174), Stephen Muehleisen from Great Bend, Kansas, USA, CC BY 2.0
- Keeping Watch (9761562181), Stephen Muehleisen from Great Bend, Kansas, USA, CC BY 2.0
- Black-tailed Prairie Dogs 2 (6031045326), Stephen Muehleisen from Great Bend, Kansas, USA, CC BY 2.0
- Black-Tailed Prairie Dogs (6031045548), Stephen Muehleisen from Great Bend, Kansas, USA, CC BY 2.0
- Prairie Dog Village! (9761556472), Stephen Muehleisen from Great Bend, Kansas, USA, CC BY 2.0
- Prairie Dogs! (9761769646), Stephen Muehleisen from Great Bend, Kansas, USA, CC BY 2.0
- You Lookin' At Me?!? (9761773056), Stephen Muehleisen from Great Bend, Kansas, USA, CC BY 2.0
- Watching for Hawks (9761558032), Stephen Muehleisen from Great Bend, Kansas, USA, CC BY 2.0
- Stone Cold Munchin'! (9761561301), Stephen Muehleisen from Great Bend, Kansas, USA, CC BY 2.0
- The Lookout Lookin'! (9761562521), Stephen Muehleisen from Great Bend, Kansas, USA, CC BY 2.0
- Prairie Dog Village (9761771496), Stephen Muehleisen from Great Bend, Kansas, USA, CC BY 2.0
- Great-Bend-Regional-Hospital, great bend regional hospital, CC0
- The shoreline at Veterans Lake (5161515225), Stephen Muehleisen from Great Bend, Kansas, USA, CC BY 2.0
- A.S. Allen Buildings Barton Co KS 2006 Forest St. entrance, SharonPapierdreams, CC BY-SA 4.0
- A.S. Allen Buildings Barton Co KS south facade, SharonPapierdreams, CC BY-SA 4.0
- A.S. Allen Buildings Barton Co KS 1401 Main St, SharonPapierdreams, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Barton County Court House (6269367535), Stephen Muehleisen from Great Bend, Kansas, USA, CC BY 2.0
- A.S. Allen Buildings Barton Co KS 1401 Main St east facade, SharonPapierdreams, CC BY-SA 4.0
- A.S. Allen Buildings Barton Co KS 1401 Main St front entrance, SharonPapierdreams, CC BY-SA 4.0
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