A Brief History of Kiowa
Kiowa developed beside Kiowa Creek as a stop on the stage routes crossing Colorado’s eastern plains. Early settlement names included Wendling and Middle Kiowa. Its role changed in 1874 when Middle Kiowa became the seat of newly organized Elbert County, making county government an enduring part of the community’s identity. The town incorporated on December 30, 1912, and its brick county courthouse was completed that year. Kiowa’s history connects overland travel with the later development of a permanent county seat serving the surrounding farming and ranching country. The town is in Elbert County, distinct from Colorado’s separate Kiowa County.