TEXAS HISTORICAL COMMISSION CHISHOLM ther states were … · 2015-10-24 · Abilene, Kansas. McCoy knew that $2 Longhorns in Texas were worth nearly 10 times that amount in the boom-ing

THE

CHISHOLMTRAIL

From the poem “Cattle” by Berta Hart Nance.Inset photo, above: Amon Carter Museum, Fort Worth, Texas.

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TEXAS HISTORICAL COMMISSION

This travel guide is made possiblethrough the Texas Historical

Commission’s partnership with theTexas Department of Transportation,

Texas Economic Development, Texas Parks and Wildlife

and Texas Commission on the Arts. Special thanks to Doug Harman,

Chuck Snyder, Robert Oliver and David Murray for their time

and involvement in the production of this brochure.

Texas Heritage Trails ProgramThe Texas Historical Commission is a

leader in implementing and promotingheritage tourism efforts in Texas.

The Texas Heritage Trails Program is theagency’s top tourism initiative.

For additional copies of this brochure, contact:

P.O. BOX 12276 • AUSTIN, TX 78711-2276PHONE 512/463-6255 • FAX 512/463-6374

www.thc.state.tx.us

Inset photo, front cover: TxDOT.Background photo: Courtesy King Ranch Archives,

King Ranch, Inc., Kingsville, Texas.

Copyright © 2002, Texas Historical Commission

and Texas Department of Transportation

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Other states

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Other states

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EXPLORING THEFOLKLORE AND

LEGACY

1861-6518451835-36The Texas Revolution

The UnitedStates annexes Texasas the 28thstate

The American Civil War

1867Joseph G.McCoyestablishes a cattle-shipping terminal in Abilene, Kansas

1880-89The ChisholmTrail era draws to a close duringthe 1880s

TheChisholmTrail

n the decades following the Civil War,more than six million cattle were herdedout of Texas in one of the greatest migrations of animals ever known. These19th-century cattle drives laid the founda-

tion for Texas’ wildly successful cattle industry and helped elevate the state out of post-Civil Wardespair and poverty. Today, our search for anAmerican identity continually leads us back to thevision of the rugged and independent men andwomen of the cattle drive era.

Although a number of cattle drive routesexisted during this period, none have penetratedthe heart of popular imagination like the ChisholmTrail. Through songs, stories and mythical tales, the Chisholm Trail has become a vital feature ofAmerican identity.

Historians have long debated aspects of theChisholm Trail’s history, including the exact routeand even its name. Although they may not agree onthe specifics, most would not argue that the 20 yearsof cattle drives was one of the most colorful periodsof Texas history. The purpose of this brochure is not to resolve these debates, but rather to help heritage tourists explore the history and lore associated with the legendary cattle-driving route. We hope you find the controversy part of theintrigue, and are inspired to investigate the historicsites, museums and attractions in the highlightedcities to reach your own conclusions.

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Work on the cattle trail was often a grueling and lonelyaffair, but cowboys were a fraternity — proud of theirrugged occupation and independent lifestyle.

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1871Approximately700,000 cattlereach the Kansasrailhead

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he hardy breed of livestock known asthe Texas Longhorn descended fromSpanish Andalusian cattle brought overby early-16th-century explorers, missionaries and ranchers. By the

18th century, Spanish missions maintained the largestdomesticated cattle herds, where they provided food,clothing and other products for Spaniards and NativeAmericans. Missions like San Antonio de Bexar andMission Espiritú Santo were among the earliestranches in Texas. Despite the ultimate decline of themissions, the ranches, vaqueros and Longhornsremained.

In the early 1800s, Spain lost control of the region and abandoned the area, but ranchero andvaquero traditions lingered, affecting the look, equip-ment and vernacular of America’s cowboys. Terms likelasso, remuda, lariat, mustang, chaps and bandanabecame a part of everyday speech, and America’scowboys adopted the Spanish traditions of open-rangeranching, branding and round-ups. After the TexasRevolution and the change in governmental control,many cattle were left to roam free in sparsely popu-lated ranch land. Abundant food and water, and littlehuman contact allowed the breed to adapt to the landand the cattle population grew into the millions.

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A drive acrossTexas offers travelers manyopportunities to view theLonghorn, aTexas icon.

Fascination withthe Longhorn hasromanticized the animal, asevidenced by thismovie set, left,in Bracketville.

Below, three generations ofvaqueros workside-by-side at the King Ranchnear Kingsville.

Heritage festivals, like the one shown left, commemorate the importanceof the vaquero, a Spanish or Mexican cowboy.

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Come gather ‘round me boys,And I’ll tell you a tale,All about my troublesOn the old Chisholm Trail.

— Lyrics from “The Old Chisholm Trail”

T H E C A T T L E M A R K E T S

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s early as the 1840s, cattlemensearched out profitable markets forthe Longhorns, but options were few.Some coastal ranchers shippedLonghorns on Morgan steamers or

trailed herds overland to New Orleans and Shreveport.Other cattlemen drove their animals west to Californiato feed hungry gold miners, or to frontier forts andIndian reservations west of Fort Worth. During theCivil War, a handful of cattle drivers moved herds tohungry Confederate soldiers and civilians, but while afew cattle markets existed, they were meager in comparison to the overwhelming supply of cattle inTexas. By 1860, there were more than six times asmany cattle as people in Texas. “Then dawned a timein Texas,” remarked one prominent cattleman, “that a man’s poverty was estimated by the number of cattlehe possessed.”

Ultimately, the solution for Texas cattlemenrested directly north, where railroads snaking back tomeat packing centers in the east were beginning to beestablished. As early as the 1840s, a major route(commonly referred to as the Shawnee Trail) extendedout of Texas and into southern Missouri and south-eastern Kansas. Local dread over “Texas fever” — a tick-borne disease carried on Texas cattle that often sickened or killed local stock — led to the obstructionof Texas herds from entering or passing through manymidwestern locales. Protective laws blocking theimport of Texas Longhorns to sections of the Midwest,coupled with a surge of frontier settlement, ultimatelyforced the cattle trails further west.

A In 1867, an Illinois livestock dealer namedJoseph G. McCoy, working with the Kansas-PacificRailroad, established a cattle-shipping terminal inAbilene, Kansas. McCoy knew that $2 Longhorns in Texaswere worth nearly 10 times that amount in the boom-ing North. He was thefirst to exploit theexpanding railroadsto move the cattle todistant markets. Toreach McCoy’s newshipping yard, cattledrivers used a routeblazed by trader Jesse Chisholm,which extended fromWichita, Kansas,across the IndianTerritory (present-day Oklahoma) to theRed River. As a result, his name is indelibly linked tothe great movement of Longhorns from South Texasto central Kansas.

The establishment of a cattle terminal alongthe newly laid railroad line in central Kansas was aperfect solution for Texas cattlemen. The route “up

the trail” to Abilene,Chisholm’s trail,skirted far enoughwest to avoid trouble-some settlers andexploited a loopholein Texas fever laws.Joseph McCoy’svision proved to be aspectacular success. In a few short years,millions of Longhorncattle poured out ofTexas. In 1871alone, approximately700,000 cattlereached the Kansas railhead. Abilene was the first of the Kansas railway destinations, but as settlersadvanced farther west, alternative shipping depotsopened in other Kansas cities, such as Ellsworth,Newton and Wichita.

In Texas, there was no single route to thedestination points in central Kansas, but the variousstarting points and tributary routes typically entereda main cattle drive stream that surged north towardAustin, Waco and Fort Worth before crossing the Red River at Spanish Fort or Red River Station. Untilthe second half of the 1870s — when Dodge Citybecame the preeminent destination for Texas herdsand forced trail driving even further west — theChisholm Trail dominated the cattle-driving scene. It was during this period that Texas truly became aland of cattle kings and the image of the Americancowboy first seeped into national consciousness.

By the grace of God,we will make thisthing work.

— Anonymous Texan, quoted in Alan M. Hoyt’s History of the Texas Longhorn

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Joseph G. McCoy

Jesse Chisholm

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CHISHOLM OR CHISUM?

Jesse Chisholm —The trail’s namesake, he was anIndian trader who blazed a routefrom Wichita, Kansas, across theIndian Territory (present-dayOklahoma) to the Red River. Later, cattlemen used the route totransport their cattle to profitablenorthern markets.

Thorton Chisholm —A Texas trail driver from DeWittCounty, he led an ambitious driveto St. Joseph, Missouri.

John Chisum —A Texas cowman, he drove herdsto Shreveport during the Civil War,supplying the South with beef. He established a ranch on theConcho River at the war’s end andeventually ended up in New Mexico.

In cowtowns, cattle were driven into large pens thenherded into railway cars along runways and ramps.Drawing left, courtesy General Research Division, the New York Public Library.

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THE END OF THE TRAIL

Trail drivers’ reliance on the Chisholm Trail began todecline as early as the 1870s, less than a decade afterJoseph McCoy established the shipping point at Abilene.This decline occurred for a variety of reasons:

■ The construction of new rail lines to Texas■ The development of barbed wire and the establishment

of homestead laws that closed off the open range■ A public demand for better grades of beef■ An oversupply of Longhorns, which glutted the market■ Texas fever quarantines in Kansas and Missouri

By the late 1880s, driving cattle north from Texas was no longer profitable and declined rapidly. Almost asquickly as the route to Abilene was established, the eraof open-range cattle driving came to a close — the end of the Chisholm Trail had been reached.

THE CHISHOLM TRAIL

Over the years, this popular trail-driving route was known byvarious names including:

■ The Abilene Trail■ The Cattle Trail■ The Eastern Trail■ The Great Texas Cattle Trail■ The Kansas Trail■ McCoy’s Trail

The invention of barbed wire stopped roaming cattle andultimately contributed to the end of the trail-driving era.

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T H E T E X A S C O W B O Y

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rom the end of the Civil War until themid-1880s, tens of thousands of cowboysrode the cattle trails. Not all cowhandsmade the trek northward, but as oneLockhart drover put it, a man did not

graduate from cowboy school until he “lit out” on atleast one long ride. On the trail, few cowboys lived upto the rough and rowdy, drinking and brawling imagepopularized later in books, songs and movies. A cow-hand had to be dependable under harsh conditions,quick to act and knowledgeable of Longhorn instincts.The cowboy was most often a hard-working laborerand nearly one in three were either Mexican orAfrican American. A few adventurous young womenalso made the journey, sometimes disguised as boys.

When trail drivers reached their destination,a semblance of the popular cowboy image frequentlysurfaced. It was not uncommon for pistol shots to ringout in saloons and gambling halls in cowtowns likeFort Worth or Abilene after grueling months on thetrail. For a cowboy, going up the trail at least once in alifetime was an enviable distinction, one that separatedhim from the average ranch-bound cowhand. The drivesbrought hardshipand danger, butrewarded thecowboy with highadventure, cow-town celebrationsand financialgain.

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I woke up one morning on the old Chisholm Trail,

Rope in my hand and a cow by the tail.

Feet in the stirrups and seat in the saddle,

I hung and rattled with them Longhorn cattle.

— Lyrics from “The Old Chisholm Trail”

�Cowboy garb fit the grueling tasks. The wide-brimmed hat,bandana, boots, spurs and chaps offered protection under theharshest conditions.

A few daringwomen drovecattle up thetrail, some disguised asboys and othersdrove their own herds.

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Cattle drives usually started in early springwith herds numbering in the thousands. The drivesmoved at a pace of 10 to 12 miles a day from waterhole to water hole and took three to four months to complete. Depending on the landscape, a cattletrail could span several miles to — at some rivercrossings — the width of a few Longhorns. Oftenweather, access to water and the availability of feedinggrass altered the routes.

A large herd could require 12 men or more,with several saddle horses for each man. The trailboss — either a ranch crew member or a hireddrover — organized and led the affair. He selectedspecific routes and rode ahead in search of water,grass and suitable campgrounds. The cook and hischuck wagon also moved ahead of the herds to makesure the meals and “ink-black” coffee were readywhen the cowboys settled in for the evening. To protectand guide cattle along the trail, cowboys took the role of point men, swing men, flankers and drag menaround the moving herds.

Many dangers faced cattle drivers and cowboys. Stampedes, caused by anything from light-ning to a cowboy’s sneeze, were a common threat. A thunderstorm near Waco in 1876, for instance,caused a herd of 15,000 Longhorns to plunge into asteep ravine, killing several thousand cattle and injuring many riders. Crossing riverswas always a dangerous affair,and blizzards,prairie fires andpredatory animalspresented risks as well.

All day on the prairie in the saddle I rideNot even a dog, boys, to trot by my side.My fire I kindle with chips gathered roundAnd boil my own coffee without being ground.I wash in a puddle and wipe on a sack,I carry my wardrobe right here on my back.

Bread, biscuits and pies were commonly

baked in a Dutch oven,a large, heavy pot.

The cook placed burningcoals under the pot andon top of its lid, allow-

ing the food to cookfrom both sides. T

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bread or biscuits, coffee

LUNCH chili or stew, bread, water

or coffee

SUPPERsteak with beans, potatoes

with gravy, biscuits,water or coffee

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The cook, or coosie,shown left on thisvintage postcard, was second incharge behind thetrail boss. His mealswere often the mainingredients for making the harshdrives tolerable.

— “A Cowboy Song,” Life on the Trail

G L O S S A R Y O F T E R M S

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The wrangler, above, was an expert horseman in charge of controlling and tending to the remuda. Photo from Trail Driving Days by Dee Brown andMartin F. Schmitt.

Barbed wire: Fence wire that has sharp points

Boomtown: A town that grew quickly in population

Branding: The act of marking an animal’s hide

Bronco buster: A cowboy who captures and tameswild horses

Chuck wagon: A wagon that carried food, supplies and cooking equipment on trail drives

Cow pony: A horse that has been tamed

Drag rider: A cowboy who rides at the rear of the herd to keep it moving

Dutch oven: A large, covered pot that was heatedfrom the bottom and the top

Flank rider: A cowboy who rides at the side of the herd to keep it from spreading out

Open range: A large area of open grazing land

Point rider: A cowboy who rides at the front of the herd on a trail drive

Railhead: The end of a railway line

Remuda: The extra horses taken on the trail drive

Roundup: The act of collecting and sorting cattle for a trail drive

Stampede: (n) An event in which startled cattle suddenly run in all directions

Swing rider: A cowboy who rides alongside a herdto turn it in the right direction

Texas fever: A disease carried by ticks that infectedand killed cattle

Trail boss: The cowboy in charge of all other cowboys and cattle on the trail drive

Wrangler: The cowboy in charge of the remuda on the trail

Branding, left, is still the chosenmethod for marking cattle to identify ownership.

Cowboys often advanced the herd in a formation shown in this diagram. While the trail boss rode ahead to scout for water and pasture, the cowhandsrotated among the other positions.

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Glossary of Terms from Life on the Trail, reprinted with permission of Crabtree Publishing Company.

The development ofbarbed wire closed off

the open range and wasa factor in the decline of

the Chisholm Trail.

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cattle drive across a state as big asTexas must have seemed like aneternity to the men and women whomade the journey. Although some ofthe following communities did not

exist during the Chisholm Trail era, cowboys drovetheir herds through the vicinity, and ranching andcattle driving are part of the regional heritage.

While it is impossible to list all the townsthat played a role in the Chisholm Trail, these offertourist attractions for today’s visitors to experienceand explore its history.

BROWNSVILLE Cattle barons Richard King and Mifflin Kenedy, along withCharles Stillman, the founder of Brownsville, first earnedtheir riches as Rio Grande steamboat captains. After theMexican War, Stillman purchased portions of the massiveGarza land grant north of Matamoras, Mexico, to start hisnew town. He later sold the ranch north of Brownsville tohis partner Mifflin Kenedy. Today, the notable StillmanHouse and Museum in Brownsville is open for tours. To learn more about the city’s rich military and ranchinghistory, visit the Historic Brownsville Museum in the Old Southern Pacific Railroad Depot.

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RAYMONDVILLEVast land grants linked the rich ranching history of WillacyCounty with Cameron, Hidalgo and Kenedy counties.Raymondville, the county seat and the county’s largest city,remains a ranching and farming town. Visitors enjoy theannual Willacy County Livestock Show and Rodeo inJanuary and the Riders/Ropers Rodeo each September.

McALLENFurther west in Hidalgo County, U.S. 83 passes through historic ranchland and the city of McAllen, founded withinthe boundaries of the historic McAllen Ranch. The McAllenInternational Museum showcases traveling and permanentart exhibits, as well as science and natural history activities.

EDINBURGLearn more about the richhistory of the Rio GrandeValley at the HidalgoCounty Historical Museumin Edinburg. Permanentexhibits featureCoahuiltecan Indians,Spanish colonialism andranching history.

SARITAAs Anglo Americans settled in the region, tensions oftenflared between Mexican and Anglo ranchers, and cattle“skinning” raids were not uncommon. The immense Kingand Kenedy ranches covermuch of Kenedy County,named after the pioneerrancher Mifflin Kenedy.The Kenedy Ranch, with235,000 pristine acres,offers organized tourswhere visitors can viewhundreds of birdsand wildlife.

KINGSVILLEThe legendary King Ranch encompasses 825,000 acresacross three coastal counties in an area larger than RhodeIsland. Riverboat captainRichard King and TexasRanger captain Gideon K.Lewis founded the ranchin 1853 along SantaGertrudis Creek. The menpurchased the Rincón deSanta Gertrudis land grant,established a “cow camp”and developed the landinto one of the most influ-ential, longstanding andsizable ranches in theworld. The King Ranch, a National Historic Landmark,offers daily tours featuring the history of the ranch and itsoperations. Visitors can access the ranch from State Hwy. 141 West in Kingsville. After the tour, view an impres-sive collection of mementos from the well-known ranchat the King Ranch Museum, located in a renovated circa1904 ice factory in downtown Kingsville.

CORPUS CHRISTIBy the 1860s, with more than 56,000 head of cattle, theindustry was flourishing in Nueces County. The areabecame a gathering place for area trail drivers, and in theearly 1870s, 10 meat-packing plants operated in the county.Corpus Christi emerged as a prominent gulf port thatshipped cattle to New Orleans. The Corpus Christi Museumof Science and History delights visitors with exhibits onnatural history, GulfCoast artifacts andwildlife dioramas,including a displaydedicated to cattle andhorses. After viewingthe museum’s horseexhibit, visitors can trytheir hand at ridingone at Mustang IslandState Park.

TAFTIn 1871, George Fulton, Thomas Coleman, Thomas Mathisand J.M. Mathis formed the Coleman, Mathis, FultonPasture Company, which built range fences and introducednew crops to South Texas. The Taft Ranch, as their holdingsbecame known, was one of the largest cattle companies inTexas. The company’s former headquarters now houses theTaft Blackland Museum. Exhibits range from antique farmand ranch equipment to early settler artifacts, as well asauthentic memorabilia from the Taft Ranch.

ROCKPORT-FULTONThe cities of Rockport-Fulton were established in the1860s as two separate cities. Rockport was a shippingpoint for hides, wool, bones and tallow. Area rancherGeorge Ware Fulton settled the town that was named after him. The FultonMansion StateHistoric Site inFulton is anoutstandingexample of the FrenchSecond Empirestyle of architecture.

REFUGIODuring the Chisholm Trail era, Refugio was a thriving market for livestock produced in the area. Today, its proudranching heritage is displayed at the Refugio CountyMuseum, which provides an in-depth look at the history ofthe area and houses ranching artifacts, as well as NativeAmerican memorabilia.

Hidalgo County Historical Museum

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Green Jay, Kenedy Ranch

King Ranch

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Mustang Island State Park

Fulton Mansion State Historic Site

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BEEVILLETo the Irish colonists who migrated to the Bee County areain the 1860s, the land was “stockmen’s paradise,” withmore than 60,000 cattle. Drought in the early 1870s killednearly half of them. Today, Bee, Refugio and Goliad countieshost a rotating ranching heritage festival every April.

GOLIADThe first great cattle ranch in Texas traces its beginnings toNuestra Señora del Espíritu Santo de Zuñiga Mission, situ-ated at what was to become the city of Goliad. The missionand nearby Presidio La Bahía, both established in 1721,comprise the only Spanish Colonial fort-mission complexleft standing in the United States. Together they once con-trolled nearly 20,000 branded cattle, and even moreunbranded ones. Visit Espíritu Santo at Goliad StateHistoric Site on U.S. 183. Presidio La Bahía stands nearby.

VICTORIAOne of the largest producers of cattle during the ChisholmTrail era, Victoria was home to many cattle drivers thatventured up the trail. One trail driver was MargaretHeffernan-Borland, one of few women to ride the trail.She left Victoria in the spring of 1873 and led a drive toWichita, Kansas. Borland completed the drive, but died afew days later from an illness known as “trail fever.” Shewas returned to Texas and buried in Victoria. The Museumof the Coastal Bend, opening fall 2002, will highlight thehistory of Victoria and the surrounding region, includingranching exhibits.

CUEROIn 1866, trail boss Thornton Chisholm (not to be confusedwith trader Jesse Chisholm) gathered a herd belonging toCrockett Cardwell at Cardwell Flats and drove them northto Kansas and Missouri. Cuero offers attractions for visitors, including the DeWitt County Historical Museum,the CueroHeritageMuseum andthe CueroLivestockShow everyMarch.

YOAKUMVisitors to the “Leather Capital of the World,” learn aboutthe city’s unique history at the Heritage Museum, whichfeatures a room commemorating the leather industry fromthe cattle-drive era to the present. The Land of LeatherDays Festival, held in February, salutes this importantindustry.

KENEDYThe Karnes County area was originally part of a royalSpanish grant. In the 19th century, rancher Mifflin Kenedypurchased land to found the city of Kenedy. Today, the areaeast of Kenedy is the 33 Ranch, a 10,000-acre operationactive since the 19th century. With more than 25 miles ofscenic trails, the ranch is a popular place for visitors tohike, ride horseback, camp and experience ranch life.

FLORESVILLEJohn Oatman Dewees, a leading cattleman during the traildriving years, owned a prominent ranch in Wilson andAtascosa counties. He partnered with James F. Ellison in1869, and together they moved a total of more than400,000 cattle up the trail by 1877. The ruins of Ranchode las Cabras are four miles south of Floresville, at thejunction of Picosa Creek and the San Antonio River.

The ruins, originally a colonial ranch associated withMission Espada near San Antonio, are now part of SanAntonio Missions National Historical Park.

GONZALESBy 1870, 75,000 head of cattle roamed the open prairies of Gonzales County. Many local herds combined with cattleoriginating further south and east, and passed through on their trek north up the Chisholm Trail. In Gonzales, originally laid out with Spanish-style plazas, visitors canview a pre-Civil War college and homes built in the days ofthe Cattle Kingdom. At Pioneer Village Living History Center,experience pioneer life at a restored blacksmith shop, a broom factory, an 1830s log cabin and an 1870s cypress-sided church.

LOCKHARTVast herds of cattle moving north on the Chisholm Trailpassed through Caldwell County. Two routes convergedhere, one heading north from Lockhart and anotherthrough the northwest corner of the county along the oldSan Antonio-Nacogdoches Road. In Lockhart, the CaldwellCounty Museum houses county memorabilia and offersexhibits detailing its involvement in the cattle-driving era.Lockhart, known as the “Barbecue Capital of Texas,” celebrates its heritage at the Chisholm Trail Roundup andKiwanis Rodeo the second weekend in June each year. The festival has events and activities for everyone, includinga fiddling contest, barbecue cook-off, parade and rodeo.

Presidio La Bahía

Cuero Heritage Museum

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SAN ANTONIODrivers herding South Texas cattle north on the ChisholmTrail, and later toward Dodge City on the Western Trail,gathered their herds near San Antonio before starting theirlong journey. San Antonio is home to the Trail DriversAssociation, organized in 1915 under the leadership ofGeorge W. Saunders. Thismecca for Chisholm Trailenthusiasts offers theTexas Pioneers, TrailDrivers and RangersMuseum. The museum’sTrail Drivers room,housed in historicMemorial Hall, providesan impressive collectionof photographs, spurs,branding irons, saddlesand other memorabiliarelated to drovers and thelong cattle drives. For a taste of the Old West and wildlifeexhibits from all over the world, visit the 1881 BuckhornSaloon and Museum. Sip a soda or a longneck as you strollthrough 33,000 square feet of Texas history artifacts andthrilling wildlife exhibits.

NEW BRAUNFELSPressing north past San Antonio, Longhorns on theChisholm Trail journeyed toward New Braunfels and Austinon a route that roughly parallels I-H 35. The rolling hillsand the Guadalupe River attract hundreds of thousands ofvisitors to New Braunfels every year. Rich in German heritage, this town takes history and culture seriously.Chisholm Trail trekkers can tour the Sophienburg Museumfeaturing exhibits on the history of the area.

SEGUINLaid out in 1838 by a group of volunteers known as theGonzales Rangers, Seguin is one of Texas’ oldest towns.Stop in at the historic Moore House, whose original ownerprovided horses from the 27,000-acre El Capote Ranch for Theodore Roosevelt and his Rough Riders during theSpanish-American War.

SAN MARCOSThe springs of the San Marcos River quenched the thirst of thousands of cattle on their way up the trail. For a closerlook, climb aboard a glass-bottom boat at AquarenaCenter, an environmental and nature center situated at theheadwaters of the river. Downtown, visitors can drive bythe Ragsdale-Jackman-Yarbrough Home on West SanAntonio Street, once owned by a prominent cattle driverwho made more than a dozen treks up the trail.

AUSTINHerds of ChisholmTrail cattle crossedthe Colorado Rivernear Austin.Prominent Texas cattleman Col. JesseDriskill settled here inthe 1870s and estab-lished the landmarkDriskill Hotel adecade later. Visitorsto Austin can stay atthe restored historichotel for a closer lookat a bygone era.Nearby sits the Littlefield Building, constructed by George Littlefield, a prominent cattleman, banker and philanthropist who drove cattle on the trail. The BobBullock Texas State History Museum features state-of-the-art exhibits and interactive experiences that trace Texashistory, including extensive memorabilia dedicated toTexas’ trail-driving days.

ROUND ROCKHerds traveling through this area took several routes, buttypically crossed Brushy Creek in Round Rock near thefamous circular limestone rock that marked the low-watercrossing point. Early wheel ruts from the wagons of settlers and cattlemen are still visible on the creek bottomtoday. The Chisholm Trail Historic District preserves manystructures from “Old Town” Round Rock.

GEORGETOWNCattle that passed farther north typically crossed the SanGabriel River near Georgetown. Today, families can relaxalong the same river in San Gabriel Park or exploreGeorgetown’s quaint historic town square, home to thedistinctive Williamson County Courthouse.

SALADOThe limestone springs and abundant fish in Salado madethe area a popular site for Indians, explorers, settlers andcattle drivers. Herdspushed through theheart of town andcrossed Salado Creek atthe springs near thepresent city bridge. Thehistoric section of townoffers fine dining andshopping nestled amonghandsome old houses.

BELTONFounded in 1850, Belton grew as a trading center fornearby farms and ranches. Its merchants made the city afavorite rest stop for cowboys herding Longhorns up theChisholm Trail. Visitors can explore exciting exhibits thatdocument the county’s settlement and ranching history atthe award-winning Bell County Historical Museum, housedin a restored beaux-arts-style building constructed as aCarnegie library in 1904.

Buckhorn Saloon and Museum

Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum

Salado Creek

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WACOLarge numbers of cattle moving along the Chisholm Trailcrossed the Brazos River in Waco. The city’s historic suspension bridge, completed in 1870, provided — for atoll — a convenient means for cattlemen to move herdsacross the wide river. The Waco Suspension Bridge, aNational Historic Landmark, remains a centerpiece of thecity. The Riverwalk, extending from the bridge to FortFisher Park and the popular Texas Ranger Hall of Fameand Museum, offers picnic spots and beautiful views of theBrazos River. The Mayborn Museum Complex at BaylorUniversity amazes visitors with its extensive historical andcultural collections. The complex encompasses theStrecker Museum, an archive dedicated to geological, biological and anthropological collections; the Gov. Billand Vera Daniel Historic Village, a turn-of-the-centuryTexas village withmore than 20 build-ings; and the OllieMae Moen DiscoveryCenter, a hands-onactivity center forchildren of all ages.

HILLSBOROCattle herds headed north through the northwest corner ofHill County and pushed on toward Fort Worth. Near present-day Lake Whitney, Kimball Bend Park is a reminder ofKimball’s Crossing, an important cattle route. Today, it’s apopular spot for boating, fishing and camping. Hillsboro,“The Antique Capital of I-35,” was established in 1853 as a

principal trade center.Today, it boasts arestored courthouse, a bustling downtownsquare and magnificentVictorian homes.

CLIFTONThis city, situated alongthe Bosque River, wastwice designated as oneof the top 100 art communities in thenation. Several Cliftonartists are members ofthe prestigious CowboyArtists of America, andart shows are common. Clifton comes alive in July with competition andattractions at the Central Texas Fair and Rodeo.

CLEBURNEIn Johnson County, cattlemen often camped in the areanow occupied by Cleburne State Park, located eight milesnorth of Kimball’s Bend. The 498-acre park encompassesa 116-acre spring-fed lake, making it an ideal campsitefor cowboys and cattle. While in Cleburne, visit theLayland Museum, which houses county and Texana relics.

FORT WORTHFort Worth is branded Texas’ premiere “cowtown,” and rightly so. Herds of cattle that originated throughoutthe Chisholm corridor and South Texas poured throughthis location on their way up the trail. The StockyardsNational Register Historic District is home to The LivestockExchange Building, the Coliseum and the StockyardsStation. Twice daily, cowboys drive Longhorn cattle alongExchange Avenue. Don’t miss the trailblazing “Texas Gold”bronze statue commemorating trail drives or the statue ofBill Pickett, African American rodeo star. Special events inthe Stockyards include the Red Steagall Cowboy Gathering.In historic Sundance Square, the Chisholm Trail Mural —painted across the entire side of a Main Street building —provides a handsome backdrop for the area’s numerousdining, shopping and cultural attractions.

Waco Suspension

Bridge

Mural at Sundance Square

Tarrant County Courthouse,

Fort Worth

Hill County Courthouse

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INTERESTED IN SEEING MORE?

The cattle industry is an important part of Texas’ heritage.The following attractions in other parts of the state highlight ranching history:

Fort Griffin State Park and Historic Site1701 N. U.S. Hwy. 283, Albany915/762-3592www.tpwd.state.tx.us

George Ranch Historical Park10215 FM 762, Richmond281/343-0218www.georgeranch.org

Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park100 Lady Bird Lane, Johnson City830/868-7128www.nps.gov/lyjo/index.htm

National Ranching Heritage Center at Texas Tech University3121 Fourth Street, Lubbock806/742-0498www.ttu.edu/RanchingHeritageCenter

DECATURIn the late 1860s, merchants provided local ranchers withsupplies and a market for their products. The WaggonerMansion, or “El Castile,” was built by cattle baron DanWaggoner and overlooks the historic downtown. Childrencompete in Texas’ largest Youth Fair and Rodeo, held herethe first full week in April.

BOWIEAt Red River Station and Spanish Fort, Texas cattle headingto Abilene and other Kansas shipping points crossed the Red River into Oklahoma. Here, the Chisholm TrailMemorial Park pays tribute to the trail-driving era. A herd of nine life-sizeLonghorns and tworoving cowboys recallthose early cattledrives. Bowie also paystribute to its ranchingheritage through festivals and eventsincluding the BowieChampionship ProRodeo in May and JimBowie Days in June.

NOCONANocona is internationally recognized for its high-qualitysaddles, boots and other leather goods. In June, the cityhosts Western Swing Weekend. In September, the annualChisholm Trail Ranch Rodeo is held at the Chisholm TrailRodeo Arena, which highlights local cowboys demonstratingtheir horseback skills and talents in competition withother area ranch teams.

Rodeo Bull Rider

Wise County Courthouse, Decatur

George Ranch Historical Park

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The Cattle RaisersMuseum is an essentialstop for those interestedin the history of the cattle and ranchingindustry in Texas.Interactive exhibits anda vast array of cowboyand ranching artifactsentertain cowboys andcowgirls alike. In FortWorth’s CulturalDistrict, visit the AmonCarter Museum as wellas the National CowgirlMuseum and Hall of Fame, which highlights the importanceof women in ranching and houses a theater, state-of-the-artkiosks and a hands-on children’s area.

DENTON Established in 1857, Denton delights heritage tourists withits museums and historic homes. The Denton CountyHistorical Museum displays artifacts and memorabiliadepicting life at the turn of the century. The Denton CountyCourthouse-on-the-Square Museum, housed in the stately1896 historic courthouse, recalls Denton’s history througha variety of exhibits including numerous artifacts from area ranches.

Cattle Raisers Museum

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The trail-driving era in Texas created a land of cattle kings and

made the cowboy an American icon. Today, relive the Chisholm Trail through

museum exhibits and events.

�T

xDO

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THE

CHISHOLMTRAIL

From the poem “Cattle” by Berta Hart Nance.Inset photo, above: Amon Carter Museum, Fort Worth, Texas.

�

TEXAS HISTORICAL COMMISSION

This travel guide is made possiblethrough the Texas Historical

Commission’s partnership with theTexas Department of Transportation,

Texas Economic Development, Texas Parks and Wildlife

and Texas Commission on the Arts. Special thanks to Doug Harman,

Chuck Snyder, Robert Oliver and David Murray for their time

and involvement in the production of this brochure.

Texas Heritage Trails ProgramThe Texas Historical Commission is a

leader in implementing and promotingheritage tourism efforts in Texas.

The Texas Heritage Trails Program is theagency’s top tourism initiative.

For additional copies of this brochure, contact:

P.O. BOX 12276 • AUSTIN, TX 78711-2276PHONE 512/463-6255 • FAX 512/463-6374

www.thc.state.tx.us

Inset photo, front cover: TxDOT.Background photo: Courtesy King Ranch Archives,

King Ranch, Inc., Kingsville, Texas.

Copyright © 2002, Texas Historical Commission

and Texas Department of Transportation

★

★

Other states

were

carved or born,

Texas grew

from

hide and horn.

Other states

were

carved or born,

Texas grew

from

hide and horn.

EXPLORING THEFOLKLORE AND

LEGACY