Airfield & B-29 Memorial Plaza

Visitors to the Great Bend City airport are sometimes puzzled by the size of its runways. Eight thousand foot runways are not common in towns the size of Great Bend. The fascinating truth is that Great Bend was a B-29 bomber training base during World War II. Crews from all over the United States were trained to fly the huge Superfortress bombers right here in Great Bend.

The airfield is the site of a memorial dedicated to the men and women who manufactured, flew, and provided support for the Boeing B-29 Superfortress. The City of Great Bend donated land at the Great Bend Army Airfield. An artist and an architect designed a dramatic and symbolic memorial for the site with intersecting arches representing the emblem of the Global 20th Air Force and a centerpiece of a B-29 cast in stainless steel. The memorial is lit and is visible for two miles. Bomber crews, groups, and individuals are honored with bronze plaques and bricks. The intent of the memorial is to remind tomorrow's generations of the sacrifices made to keep the United States secure.

For more information contact the Barton County Historical Museum at (620) 793-5125.

The Kansas Oil and Gas Hall of Fame & Museum

The first exploration for oil in the area was financed in 1886 by a group of Great Bend speculators. By 1930, it was estimated that the county received more than twenty million dollars annually from the oil and gas industry. You can see the history of oil and gas production, geology, and products made from oil at the Kansas Oil & Gas Hall of Fame and Museum, 5944 W. 10th Street.

For more information or tour scheduling call (620) 793-5742 or (620) 792-7033.