Fort Worth Heritage Trails - Cattle Drives - Fort Worth, TX
N 32° 45.373 W 097° 19.890
14S E 656301 N 3625493
Fort Worth Heritage Trails sign commemorating Fort Worth's role in the cattle drives of the late 19th century.
Waymark Code: WMJERK
Location: Texas, United States
Date Posted: 11/09/2013
Views: 4
This sign is located at the northwest corner of Commerce and E 2nd Streets. It says:
After the Civil War, people in Texas realized that an estimated 3.5 million free-roaming cattle scattered throughout the state were a valuable asset. Between 1866 and 1887, over five million head of cattle were rounded up to make the five-month, 800-mile trip through Texas to railheads in Kansas. Fort Worth, the last "civilized" stop before Indian Territory, became an important supply center. Driven by 10 or 12 cowboys, herds forded the Trinity and bedded down north of the river for a few days. In 1871, a reported 360,000 "beeves" were driven through Fort Worth along the Chisholm Trail (today’s Commerce, Calhoun, Jones and Grove streets). The invention of barbed wire and the advancing railroad brought an end to the cattle drives, but with the Stockyards and the growing number of area ranches in need of supplies, Fort Worth remained a "Cowtown."
Heritage Trails 2006
Sponsored by: The Elton and Christine Hyder Foundation
Group that erected the marker: Fort Worth Heritage Trails/City of Fort Worth
URL of a web site with more information about the history mentioned on the sign: [Web Link]
Address of where the marker is located. Approximate if necessary:
Commerce and E 2nd Streets
Fort Worth, TX USA
76102
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Visit Instructions:
Take a picture of the marker, preferably including yourself or your GPSr in the photo. A very detailed description of your visit may be substituted for a photo. In any case please provide a description of your visit. A description of only "Visited" or "Saw it while on vacation" by anyone other than the person creating the waymark may be deleted by the waymark owner or the category officers.