Once the county seat of Kearny County, Hartland had its beginnings in 1885 with a prime position near the railroad and the river. It grew to be a bustling town of more than 2,000. When Lakin won the county seat in 1894, Hartland began its slow decline and by 1957 the book was closed for good on the former thriving town. At the town site a large sign recounts Hartland's history, and a Santa Fe Trail marker stands nearby.