The Chisholm Trail - Duncan, OK
Posted by: 
hamquilter
N 34° 30.903 W 097° 59.032
14S E 593269 N 3819734
This commemoration is a series of historic markers and points, along the famous Chisholm Trail.
Waymark Code: WMXV6J
Location: Oklahoma, United States
Date Posted: 02/28/2018
Views: 2
This educational display is located in front of the Chisholm Trail Heritage Center in Duncan, Oklahoma. Duncan is located on Highway 81, which follows closely the original Chisholm Trail.
Jesse Chilsholm originally marked out the trail for his own use in getting his products to market in 1867. Shortly thereafter, the lucrative cattle market for beef in eastern states encouraged Joseph McCoy to set up a system where cattle from the Texas ranches could be moved north through Oklahoma, to the railheads in Abilene, KS. From the period 1867 to 18765, as many as 6 million head of cattle were moved along this 800-mile trail. (In the later years, new rail lines shortened the Trail, and eventually, other means were used to get the cattle to market). The website shown below gives a full timeline of the Chisholm Trail.
This display begins with a large oval bronze plaque reading
"Chisholm Trail / Beginning of the Trail". "1867 - 1875 / South Texas. The Chisholm Trail / After the Civil War, cattle ran wild throughout Texas. Hearing of an opportunity promoted by Joseph McCoy, a few optimistic Texas cattlemen drove great herds north to Kansas. Crossing through the Indian Territory many followed ruts made by Jesse Chisholm's wagon and the Chisholm Trail was born. / "Brand 'em!" "Saddle up, roundup and brand em. You will be on the trail for days eating dirt, beans and bacon. You will face prairie fires, Indians, rattlesnakes, swollen rivers and deadly stampedes. Rank horses will toss you and cattle will hook you! You will be paid at the end of the drive."
A wavy concrete "trail" then runs to the north, with points of interest along the way - Towns, Rivers, State Lines, Ranches, Watering Holes, etc. until reaching a point approximately 100 feet north, where there is another bronze plaque reading
"Chisholm Trail - End of the Trail 1867 - 1875 / While Cyrus Harris served as governor of the Chickasaw Nation, more cattle passed throughout the Chickasaw Nation on their way to Kansas than any other tribal land. / Abilene * Ellsworth, Kansas / Approximately 4,500,000 cattle followed Jesse Chisholm's wagon tracks and were shipped out of these towns between 1867 and 1875. Cattle cars rolled eastward, feeding the beef hungry northeastern United States. Fever and lawlessness eventually prompted Kansans to halt this flow of hides and horns. Even so the modern livestock industry had begun. / End of the Trail / After receiving their hard earned pay, many cowboys spent it on food, clothing, and various forms of entertainment. Some lost all they had, some scattered to different parts of the U.S. Others returned to Texas and came back up the Trail the following season. A few became wealthy ranchers, bankers, and businessmen.
This is a remarkable historic documentation, and we learned a lot. The Heritage Center has a very thorough study of this time in U.S. history, and is well worth a visit.
