The town of Strong City originated in March of 1871 when the Santa Fe Railroad was completed to the point then known as Cottonwood Station. Strong City was referred to as Cottonwood Station until 1881. In February of 1881 a petition was signed by a majority of the citizens and presented to the legislature asking that the body officially change the name to Strong. It was approved and Cottonwood Station was renamed in honor of William Barstow (W.B.) Strong, General Superintendent and later, President of the Santa Fe Railway System, also known as A.T. and S.F. In 1945, “City” was added to the name Strong.
The frontier lives on around Strong City in the rich, unique history, culture, and ecology of the Great Plains enjoyed throughout the 11,000 acres of the Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve. See world class cowboys competing annually at the Flint Hills Rodeo, the oldest consecutively run professional rodeo in the state of Kansas.rn
