County of last: Carson County
location of last: US-60, ¾ mile E. of White Deer
Marker erected by: Texas Historical Commission
Date marker erected: 1965
Marker text:
Last Great
PANHANDLE CATTLE DRIVE TO MONTANA
"Each Spring and Summer after 1880, many Texas herds went up the trail to Northern states for fattening. For the cowboys, trail drives meant hard work. They had to turn stampedes, ford rivers and quicksand streams, and fight Indians and cattle thieves. They endured hunger, thirst, and other physical hardships.
The Last Great Texas Panhandle Drive was organized here at N Bar N (N-N) Headquarters. Ranch manager was J.L. Harrison; trail boss T.L. (Tom) Coffee. 100 cowboys drove 10 herds, each with 2500 cattle, or a total of 25,000 beeves, to Montana from April to September 1892. The cattle belonged to Niedringhaus Brothers, German tinsmiths of St. Louis, who put into ranching a fortune made in enamel granite household wares.
From 1882 to 1886, N Bar N leased range in Carson and neighboring counties from the Francklyn Land & Cattle Company, a British syndicate backed by Cunard Steamship Line. Afterward this range belonged to White Deer Land Company. The N Bar N outfit left here because White Deer Land Company wanted the range cleared of large herds. By 1907 the 650,000 acres of its land was offered for sale to small ranchers and farmers. It was fenced and the steam plow introduced to turn the rich, grassy sod."
Supplemental Plate Text: N-N Lease, 1889-1893, was with White Deer Lands, successor to Francklyn Land & Cattle Co, both backed by the 5th Earl of Rosebery and Cunard family.
Marker located at Square House Museum:
Location: 5th St. & Elsie St., Square House Museum, mounted on Finch Ranch House, Panhandle
~ N 35° 20.748 W 101° 22.795
Text:
Last Great
PANHANDLE CATTLE DRIVE TO MONTANA
After 1880, each spring and summer many Texas herds went up the trail to Northern states, for fattening. The trail thrilled and challenged cowboys, who went hungry, thirsty and saddle sore; bridged or swam the rivers, forded quicksand streams, turned stampedes, fought Indians, thieves and trail town toughs.
The Last Great Texas Panhandle Drive was organized here at N Bar N (N-N) Headquarters. Ranch manager was J.L. Harrison; trail boss, T.L. (Tom) Coffee. 100 cowboys drove 10 herds, each with 2500 cattle, or a total of 25,000 beeves, to Montana, April 1 to September, 1892. The cattle belonged to Niedringhaus Brothers, German tinsmiths of St. Louis, who put into ranching a fortune made in enamel granite household wares.
From 1882 to 1886, N Bar N leased range in Carson and neighboring counties from the Francklyn Land & Cattle Company. A British syndicate backed by Cunard Steamship Line. Afterward this range belonged to White Deer Land Company. The N Bar N outfit left here because White Deer Land Company wanted the range cleared of large herds. By 1907 the 650,000 acres of its land was offered for sale to small ranchers and farmers. It was fenced and the steam plow introduced to turn the rich, grassy sod." ~ Texas Historical Commission, 1965