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 On the Chisholm Trail - Enid, OK Posted by:  hamquilter
N 36° 23.460 W 097° 52.221
14S E 601309 N 4027910
This marker and the adjacent silhouettes of a cattle drive give us some idea of what life in the West was like in the mid-1800's.
Waymark Code: WMDQFB
Location: Oklahoma, United States
Date Posted: 02/14/2012
Views: 12
Enid is located on what was once the Chisholm Trail, where millions of cattle were driven from south Texas to the railroad stockyards in Abilene, Kansas. Along the highway, in Government Springs Park, this 9 ft. high monument gives a great deal of history about this remarkable piece of history. In the area to the east of the marker, a large display of silhouette sculptures simulate a cattle drive in progress.
This marker stands adjacent to a concrete patio area with two wooden benches. In the center of the concrete, a nine-square block is inscribed with various cattle brands from this era. Two bronze plaques are attached to the concrete marker which read:
ON THE CHISHOLM TRAILThe silhouettes in this park represent a herd of longhorn cattle moving over
the Chisholm Trail from their home ranges in south Texas to shipping facilities
at Abilene, Kansas. The loan Indian is the "toll taker" and will be collecting
two or three "wohaws" in exchange for the clear passage across Indian Territory.
Without the generosity of the people listed below, this project could have
never been completed. Some donated funds, others materials or labor. It took
all of them pulling together to make it a success. (124 names) This monument and silhouettes were dedicated
and donated to the City of Enid
September 27, 2003
Robert L. (Bob) Klemme
A second bronze plaque tells the story of this famous piece of history:
THE CHISHOLM TRAILThe Chisholm Trail crossed 35 chains (2,310') west of
this marker. Longhorn cattle began coming up this
trail from south Texas in summer of 1867 on their
way to shipping facilities, built by Joseph G. McCoy,
at Abilene, Kansas. The original cattle trail was
800 miles long, but later extended further south
to Brownsville, making a distance of 1,000 miles.
The first year 35,000 head traveled this route. By
1871 this number increased to 600,000, but by the mid
1800's herd numbers were dwindling since drovers
were using the western or Texas-Dodge City Trail. During its lifetime the Trail had many names,
including the Kansas Trail, the McCoy Trail, and
the Abilene Cattle Trail, among others. The original
"Chisholm" Trail was 240 miles long, and ran from
Wichita, Kansas to Jesse Chisholm's trading post at
Council Grove, present site of Bethany, Okla. Jesse
Chisholm was a Scott-Cherokee trader. Later the
entire Trail from Brownsville to Abiilene became
known as the Chisholm Trail.
Robert L. (Bob) Klemme April 2003
County: Garfield
Record Address::
400 block E. Garriott (Hwy 412)
Enid, OK US
73701
Rate the Site: 
Date Erected: 9/27/2003
Sponsor (Who put it there): Local citizens
Web site if available: Not listed
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Visit Instructions:1 - Must visit the site in person.
2 - New Photo required.
3 - Give some new insight to the marker/site.
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