Notorious Newton - Hide Park

Hide Park Marker

Even before the first train arrived in Newton, the town had a reputation. Tales of constant gunfire and lawlessness were spreading already. One can imagine the heat, dust and smell that surrounded the town with herds of cattle adding to the mix. Increasing the chances for violence were the Texas cowboys arriving after a long drive ready to blow off some steam and the complete lack of law enforcement. Several well-known gunfighters came through the area during July and August. John Wesley Harden, one of the most notorious Texas gunfighters, had followed the Chisholm Trail in 1871 on a cattle drive and spent time in Newton. Billy Brooks also was in and out of Newton as law enforcement and as gunfighter depending on the situation in the early 1870s.

Newton in 1871 was the perfect storm for lawlessness and general mayhem.

"About the first of August, a young man, named Lee was shot and killed in one of the dance-houses in Hyde Park, accidentally. . . Newton was indignant over the murder of a young cowboy named Lee.”

On July 4th, a group of cowboys decided to celebrate at Perry Tuttle's dance hall in Hide Park. Not content with gambling, drinking or the dancing girls, they thought up some mischief. They forced everyone out of the building, made all of the dance hall girls lie down on the ground, and proceeded to riddle Tuttle's building with bullets. (Topeka Daily Commonwealth, 11 July 1871.)

Another Texas cowboy observed, "Newton was one of the worst towns I ever saw, every element of meanness on earth seemed to be there." Still another gave this advice; "when the dance halls were flaming and the saloons frothed trouble, when it was best to keep your hand on your holster and your mouth shut going down that avenue."

Newton's reputation as one observer put it, was a "Hell upon Earth, with all it's horrors."

The most infamous area of early Newton was Hide Park was the setting for most of the violence, including the General Massacre. The rough and tumble, anything goes section of the new town was located just south and west of the AT&SF Railroad tracks. The area got it's name from a newspaper description that claimed the area was called Hide Park, "because the girls showed so much hide."

While businesses with new wood frame structures were springing up on the north side of the tracks, the south side consisted of hastily built shacks ready for the cowboys. Although the businesses catered to the 'cowboy trade,' local men also found their way to Hide Park. This unique mix of men prompted a reporter for the Daily Commonwealth to observe that "the society of Newton is mixed and incongruous. Gentlemen associate with roughs, and gamblers seem to be held in high esteem." Cattlemen were seen everywhere "in the gambling shops, drinking saloons, and in the establishments at "Hide Park'."

By the late summer of 1871, five buildings made up Newton's 'red light district.' The buildings included two large dance houses and three smaller buildings that served as brothels. Late into the night music would pour from the dance halls and one could hear the "hippity hoppity of the dancers" at all hours. The women drank and danced with the men and made "exhibitions too indecent for description. . . a staid man would think hell had broke loose assuredly, to witness one of these disgusting dances."

Judge RWP Muse described Hide Park.

"Festive cowboy, gamblers, saloon men, and roughs of every description began to flock in . . . "at the beginning of June and "three or four dance houses were erected on block 52, each with ample room for dancing, and also, for dispensing the inseparable concomitant whiskey. . . . All night the halls were filled with cow-boys, gamblers and roughs who, in company with the 'soiled doves' 'treaded the mazes of the giddy waltz' until daylight came, or weary nature failed to furnish strength. . . .In harmony with the character . . . all went heavily armed, their pockets loaded down . . . making each one appear like a 'travelling arsenal'." Muse, History of Harvey County)

Although gambling of every kind could be found on both sides of the tracks, Muse noted that those on the north side had a "gambling house and bar attached, and recently some of the establishments have added fine lunches and concert music."

Hide Park's heyday was short lived. By June 1872, it was observed that "many of the saloons and the greater portion of Hide Park are emigrating from Newton to other new towns." Some saloon owners, like 'Rowdy' Joe Lowe, loaded their buildings onto a flat car and physically moved the entire business. By 1873, the number of saloon owners in Newton was six. The Newton Kansan proudly noted the sale of the last Hide Park property in the spring of 1873. The reporter observed that "nothing but a piece of hardware is left to mark the spot where one year ago was a den of brothels."

During the winter of 1871-72 leading businessmen worked to reform Newton's image. One Wichita reporter noted that Newton "is gradually outgrowing the evil reputation of its early days. The morals of the place are improving most decidedly, and in consequence good families are locating in and around the city." The removal of the last remnants of Hide Park went a long way to creating a new image for Newton. (Newton Kansan, 31 October 1871)

by Kristine Schmucker, Curator, Harvey County Historical Museum & Archives, published 03/10/2022, Voices of Harvey County.