[3][4] In 1831, south of the future site of Ulysses, Kansas, then a part of Northern Mexico Territory, mountain man and explorer Jedediah Smith was killed by Comanche warriors, on May 27, 1831.

Approximately six weeks later Ulysses' first newspaper, the Grant County Register, began publication.

The Grant County Republican constitutes the predecessor of the current-day Ulysses News, which claims to be Grant County's oldest surviving business, although it has operated under numerous names, editor/publishers, and management.

[6] In the Grant County Register, Volume 1, #1, dated July 21, 1885, the following story was published: Ulysses, everything is newness and bustle, when a month ago on the 7th of June six thousand head of cattle were rounded up on a gentle western slope near a beautiful lake.

The town company offers fine inducements to all wanting to embark in business, no better location can be found.

[6]In its prime, "Old" Ulysses boasted four hotels (the most notable, Hotel Edwards, pictured herein, which was moved to "New Ulysses" in 1909, and has been preserved/restored, currently resting on the grounds of The Historic Adobe Museum for Grant County, Kansas today), twelve restaurants, twelve saloons, a bank, six gambling houses, a large schoolhouse, a church, a newspaper office, and an opera house to serve the approximately 1500 residents.

When Old Ulysses moved to New Ulysses in 1909, the opera house was set in what is today the front lawn of the current day court house, where it was converted into being the Grant County courthouse, with county offices on the first floor, and high school classes being held on the second floor, until the first dedicated building for a high school was put in service in 1923.

During the 1930s WPA era, the current Grant County courthouse was constructed behind it, and this building was destroyed.

During this same general time frame of 1887–1888, Grant County itself was in a state of formation, de-formation, ultimate re-formation and re-organization, with that controversy being resolved and the first officers of Grant County being sworn on June 18, 1888.

According to the Grant County History book, the population of Ulysses had dwindled from that of a flourishing town to a hamlet of about 40 people.

[7] 24 years later, after the initial founding, in February 1909, the early day residents of "Old" Ulysses began moving the remains of the town to its present location.

"Old" Ulysses dwindled from a flourishing town of approximately 1,500 residents in the late 1880s to a hamlet of 100 in 1908.

[6] Some of the bond holders brought suit and took judgments for several thousand dollars against the city for delinquent interest.

The citizens of Ulysses were forced to pay a high levy to meet payment on the judgment.

The unity the citizens displayed in reaching this decision deserves credit, and the determination they displayed in putting this gigantic plan in operation has become a significant portion of Ulysses and Grant County history.

[6] The city fathers moved approximately two miles west, and purchased a quarter of land that was deeded to the New Ulysses Town Company.

It was necessary to move these structures downhill, through a large draw, and uphill to the new locations.

The courthouse and the post office remained on the old town site until June 1909, when New Ulysses was officially declared the county seat.

Later in 1909, with the move complete, the former citizens left the old town site just as they had found it, a rolling tract of prairie.

No formal petition for secession was ever presented to the Kansas Legislature and the movement died out rather quickly.

[12] The 2020 United States census[15] counted 5,788 people, 1,896 households, and 1,229 families in Ulysses.