The Original Boot Hill Cemetery – Hays, Kansas - Atlas Obscura
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The Original Boot Hill Cemetery

Hays, Kansas

The first graveyard named "Boot Hill" was established in Hays, Kansas, years before better known cemeteries with the same name. 

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Left: Statue and sign Nukemzzz (Atlas Obscura User)
Right: Plaque at the site Nukemzzz (Atlas Obscura User)
Plaque at the site Nukemzzz (Atlas Obscura User)
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Many Wild West towns have a Boot Hill Cemetery, but this one is the first—predating even the famous graveyards of Dodge City and Tombstone.

While a sign at the site and the accompanying website claim bodies remain buried here, there are no visible markers to tell their stories. Instead, you’ll find a small, grassy corner lot, and a statue with a plaque, quietly reminding the surrounding homes that the spirits of the Old West may still linger.

old west graveyards cemeteries
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