The Great Western Trail at the Balcones Creek Crossing - Boerne, TX USA
N 29° 43.996 W 098° 42.212
14R E 528669 N 3289266
The Rotary International placed a concrete post next to an old rock wall at the Balcones Creek where Scenic Loop Rd changes name to Boerne Stage Rd at the bridge crossing. This post commemorates this road crossing as part of The Great Western Trail.
Waymark Code: WM13N1Y
Location: Texas, United States
Date Posted: 01/12/2021
Views: 1
The Rotary International has placed a concrete marker for The Great Western Trail in Boerne, TX at a creek crossing in Boerne, TX 78006.
The Great Western Trail (GWT), also known as The Western Trail, had its southern base generally in the area of Kerrville., TX. There was a large feeder trail leading from as far south as Brownsville, TX that went through San Antonio and Boerne to the main Kerrville gathering area. This feeder trail is often included in the more comprehensive charts or maps of The Great Western Trail. Boerne, TX is northwest of San Antonio both cities are often listed as being part of Matomoros Trail that fed into the Great Western Trail at Kerrville. Another major feeder trail fed the GWT from the cities of Castroville, Bandera and Camp Verde, TX, called the Old Trail. The Great Western Trail was first blazed by John T. Lytle. Lytle's Great Wester Trail was farther west and avoided the problems the more easterly Chisholm Trail had with cattle herds passing thought farm lands of settlers as they drove through Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas to the terminus railroad stations. This Western Trail went pretty much straight northward though Texas, Oklahoma and into Kansas to Dodge City. There was more open range that had not yet been fenced off by settlers and farmers. Although this trail was not well known to the public in general, the cattle herders used the Western Trail longer than any of its more famous trails. It was used for at least 2 years longer than its neighboring Chisholm Trail. As the railroads began laying tracks across Texas, the motivation for moving large herds on long trail drives declined. By the late 1890s, enough train terminals were available to make it easy for local cattle ranchers to easily sell and move their cattle as needed. The era of the cattle drives then faded into history.
Link to TSHA link to history of The Great Western Trail:
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Link to The Great Western Trail waymark WM13835:
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