[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 177 (Wednesday, November 16, 2022)]
[Senate]
[Page S6737]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  150TH BIRTHDAY OF GREAT BEND, KANSAS

 Mr. MARSHALL. Mr. President, I rise today to celebrate the 
150th birthday of our home, Great Bend, KS.
  Anticipating the westward expansion of the Atchison, Topeka and Sante 
Fe Railroad, D.N. Heiser and E.J. Dodge made the first settlement in 
the Great Bend Township in 1871. The railroad reached the township in 
July of 1872, and Great Bend was soon incorporated as the permanent 
county seat for Barton County, named after the great bend of the 
Arkansas River--pronounced Ar-Kansas--that the town sits on. Later, 
this great bend on the river became the crossing point for settlers and 
supply wagons traversing the Santa Fe Trail. Great Bend would go on to 
be a premier shipping point for cattle, as well as a center of regional 
trade and commerce for western Kansas. The oil and gas industry arrived 
in Great Bend soon after, with the county bringing in more than $30 
million annually from the petroleum industry by 1930. From its 
beginnings, Great Bend has been pivotal in the development of Kansas's 
economy, and today, our agriculture and oil help feed and fuel the 
world.
  I had the privilege of raising my family in Great Bend and delivering 
some 5,000 babies in the community. Thanks to investments of hard work, 
innovation, and determination, as well as great pride in our schools, 
Great Bend continues to serve as an economic driver for central Kansas. 
The city of Great Bend plays such a vital role in telling the story of 
Kansas, so it is my honor to celebrate the city's 150th birthday.
  I would like to thank and honor everyone living in Great Bend and our 
predecessors for the pride they have in our city and especially thank 
everyone who helped organize the sesquicentennial celebration.
  I now ask my colleagues to join the residents of Great Bend in 
celebrating the city's 150th birthday and recognize them all for their 
contributions to the city's 150 years of history.
  I am humbled and proud to call Great Bend home.

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