Goodnight-Loving Trail - Roswell, NM, USA
Posted by: 
QuesterMark
N 33° 24.318 W 104° 18.643
13S E 564094 N 3696432
US 380 crosses the Goodnight-Loving Trail in this vicinity.
Waymark Code: WMZBAF
Location: New Mexico, United States
Date Posted: 10/13/2018
Views: 4
Initially, the Goodnight-Loving Trail ran from Young County Texas (approximately where the town of Newcastle is now) to Fort Sumner in New Mexico, to supply meat to the soldiers there. Over time the trail extended north to Denver, and then further north to Cheyenne, WY to supply the Union Pacific Railroad there.
Road of Trail Name: Goodnight-Loving Trail
State: New Mexico
County: United States
Historical Significance:
The Goodnight–Loving Trail was a trail used in the cattle drives of the late 1860s for the large-scale movement of Texas Longhorns. It is named after cattlemen Charles Goodnight and Oliver Loving. The trail started in 1866, going from Fort Belknap in Texas to Fort Sumner in New Mexico. By 1868 the trail had extended all the way to Cheyenne, Wyoming and for ten more years was used to get cattle up to restock ranches there in Cheyenne. Those ranches shipped cattle by train to Chicago.
Years in use: 12
How you discovered it:
The historical marker at this site marks the approximate location where US 380 crosses the Trail. There are other historical markers at various points along the Trail.
Book on Wagon Road or Trial:
Much information can be found in American West by Dee Brown, 1995. ISBN 0-684-80441-7
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/984970.American_West
Lonesome Dove is a fictionalized account of the Goodnight and Loving and the Trail.
Website Explination:
Legends of America: https://www.legendsofamerica.com/we-goodnight-lovingtrail/
Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goodnight%E2%80%93Loving_Trail
True West Magazine: https://truewestmagazine.com/150-years-on-the-goodnight-loving-trail/
Why?:
Longhorn cattle from Texas were driving to market first in Fort Sumner, then Denver, and later, Cheyenne, WY.
Directions:
This marker stands in a turnout on the north side of US 380 east of Roswell, NM near the Pecos River crossing.
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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.