The Great Western Trail -- Legion Park, Menard TX - Wagon Roads and Trails on Waymarking.com

This Great Western Trail marker and associated historical sign stand at Legion park in downtown Menard.

The marketing program for the Great Western Cattle Trail began in 2004. Many 8-foot-tall concrete markers of been placed along the route of the trail preserving its history and locations for the next generation. Many of these markers also feature interpretive signs, each of which is slightly different depending on location. The interpretive sign here at the Menard US 83 Great Western Trail marker reads as follows:

"Some seven million head of cattle and horses went up the Great Western Trail from 1874 to 1893 from Mexico through nine U.S. states into Canada with the major years being from 1874 to 1886. This trail lasted more years, carried more cattle, and was longer than any other cattle trail originating in Texas. The trail brought economic recovery to the post-Civil War economy in Texas and helped establish the ranching and livestock industry as it moved north.

Longhorns gathered around Matamoros, Mexico, other parts of South Texas, and other feeder routes along the trail in Texas crossed the low-water crossing on the Red River near Doan's and were herded north to Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota, North Dakota, Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, and on into Canada. The trail was called by various names as the cattle moved north with "Western Trail" becoming its primary name.

At the major railheads in Dodge City, Kansas, and Ogallala, Nebraska, buyers bought cattle for reservations, for eastern markets, or to establish ranches in the northern U.S. states, Saskatchewan, and Alberta, Canada.

Texan John T. Lytle blazed the trail in 1874 moving through areas still inhabited by Indians and herds of buffalo to Fort Robinson, Nebraska. Herds had been forced west by homesteaders, tick fever, and Kansas laws closing the Chisholm Trail. After 1879, the Western Trail was the principal trail for cattle bound for the northern markets.

In Menard County, the Western Trail entered from the south at the head of MacDougal Creek and descended that stream to Pegleg Crossing on the San Saba, twelve miles below the town of Menard. From Pegleg Crossing, the trail ran eastward along the north bank of the San Saba for five or six miles, turned northeastward and entered McCulloch County approximately on Farm Road 1311.

On August 3, 2006, the first Western Trail marker in Menard County was dedicated at the city park in Menard with Menard Chamber of Commerce manager Tina Hodge organizing the dedication, which included Longhorns being herded down the streets of Menard to the park dedication site.

Although the Western Trail lasted a brief nineteen years, it lived on as the legend and lore of the cowboy grew as tales of cow towns and gunmen and drovers and stampedes filled books, movies, and the imagination of the national and international community fascinated by a time unique to history, the cattle trail days.

In the 21st century, Rotary Clubs on the Western Trail, started by the Vernon, Texas, Rotary Club accepting a challenge from three Oklahoma men, are setting white seven-foot cement posts with red letters every six miles on the trail to serve as tangible symbols of the friendship and cooperative spirit of the Rotarians, historical societies, chambers of commerce, and citizens in the nine U.S. states, Mexico, and Canada to preserve trail history and promote heritage tourism."

Road of Trail Name: The Great Western Trail State: Texas County: Menard Historical Significance: The Great Western Trail moved more cattle a longer distance than did any other cattle trail originating in Texas, transporting cattle from Texas to Canada. Years in use: 1874-1893 How you discovered it: The Great Western cattle trail was part of our local history in Fort Worth TX Book on Wagon Road or Trial: Longhorn! Cattle Driving on the Great Western Trail by Andy Adams See: https://www.amazon.com/Longhorn-Cattle-Driving-Great-Western/dp/1611791448 Website Explination: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Western_Trail Why?: Cattle from South Texas and Mexico were driven along the Great Western cattle trail to markets north to Canada Directions: American Legion Park E San Saba Ave/RR 2092 at Menard County Courthouse

Visit Instructions:
To post a log for this Waymark the poster must have a picture of either themselves, GPSr, or mascot. People in the picture with information about the waymark are preferred. If the waymarker can not be in the picture a picture of their GPSr or mascot will qualify. There are no exceptions to this rule.

Recent Visits/Logs:

Date Logged Log User Rating   12/30/2022 wanderfish visited it 03/31/2018 WalksfarTX visited it 12/20/2016 Benchmark Blasterz visited it

View all visits/logs