Revisiting the Old West Cattle Trails

Sign along the old Chisholm Trail in Round Rock TX

The cattle industry in North America grew rapidly after the Civil War ended in 1865. There was not only a pent up demand for western beef but regions like Texas had a vast oversupply of cattle. While Texas ranches, among them the King Ranch of southeastern Texas, did help supply beef to the Confederate forces by driving cattle to Confederate states, the Texas herds multiplied during the war. The war cut off access to eastern markets. When the Civil War finally ended and the railroads built west across Kansas, fortunes could be made by enterprising cattlemen.

The peak years of the great cattle drives were the twenty years between 1866 and 1886. That being said, Texans were known to drive cattle eastward toward New Orleans as early as 1836. In 1853 there was a successful cattle drive all the way from St. Louis to the port of San Francisco which seems incredible.

After the Civil war the potential for profit was so great that a good deal of investment money came from overseas, Scottish and English investors being the top two sources of capital. The first post war rail head destination for Texas cattle was Abilene Kansas. The rail heads continued to build westward to Wichita, Dodge City and even to Las Vegas New Mexico just 60 miles east of Santa Fe.

Today, tourists visiting the west and southwest can see many reminders of the great cattle trails.

Surviving structure along the trail in Old Round Rock

The Chisholm Trail

The Chisholm Trail ran from southeastern Texas near the San Antonio area north past the towns of Austin Texas, Round Rock, Salado, Denton and across the Red River at Red River Station and into Indian Territory past present day Duncan Oklahoma on it's journey to the rail head at Abilene Kansas. The trail followed closely to today's Interstate 35. The Chisholm trail was named after Jesse Chisholm who owned trading posts in western Oklahoma before the Civil War.

The Chisholm Trail was most active from 1867 to 1871. By 1885 barbed wire erected by settlers flooding into the region essentially closed the trail permanently. During it's active years more than five million cattle and a million mustangs traveled over the Chisholm Trail.

There are several reminders and historical markers to be seen today along the old path of the trail. The Chisholm Trail Crossing Park in Round Rock Texas reminds visitors of the city’s history. At the low water crossing there is a plaque commemorating the crossing where there is also the rock from which Round Rock took it's name. It's said that old wagon ruts can still be seen at the site of the crossing.

Original Fort Reno structure along the Great Western Trail

In Decatur Texas on the courthouse lawn is an historical marker that mentionss the Chisholm Trail as it passed through this town located about 55 miles north/northwest of downtown Dallas.

Visit Duncan Oklahoma and take a drive east to where a general store servicing the drovers once stood. There you'll see an historical marker and if you explore real good you'll see visible ruts in the ground from the millions of cattle hooves that passed this site heading north. You'll also want to visit the Chisholm Trail heritage Center in Duncan. Here you'll be treated to a  multi-sensory exploration of the Chisholm Trail as well as the story of early settlement in the southern plains. Duncan Oklahoma is located about 80 miles southwest of Oklahoma City and about 64 miles northeast of Wichita Falls Texas.

 Doan's Crossing on the Great Western Trail

The Great Western Trail began in the area south and southwest of San Antonio Texas down to the Rio Grande and, with it's many side routes, actually reached as far north as the Canadian border. The Great Western Trail or Texas Trail is considered the longest of all the old west cattle trails.

There is a spot along the Red River dividing Texas from Oklahoma called Doan's Crossing which was where cattle driven along the Great Western Trail, sometimes referred to as the Western Trail and Texas Trail, crossed on their way north to Dodge City Kansas during the 1870's. An interesting side note is that Jonathan Doan who established the trading post at the crossing became the first person to permanently settle in Wilbarger County Texas.

Chuckwagon exhibit at NM History Museum

The site was location of a trading post and general store where cowboys could stock up on supplies before driving their cattle further north into Indian Territory. Today the site is a ghost town with interesting historical markers but once a year there is a large gathering which is open to the public. The annual May Day Picnic is an event you want to see if you're in the area. For more information on this annual event see website www..tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/hvd50

Doan's Crossing is located about 13 miles northeast of Vernon Texas and about 60 miles northwest of Wichita Falls.

In 2003 a project was launched to mark the entire Great Western Trail with a cement post place every six miles. The initial plan was to mark the trail from the Rio Grande to Ogallala, Nebraska.

The Great Western Trail also passed historic Fort Reno Oklahoma which was originally built while in Indian Territory. This is a stop you want to make while driving through Oklahoma on Interstate 40 west of Oklahoma City. Tour the original buildings of the fort as well as it's museum with many fine artifacts. Fort Reno is located about 27 miles west of Oklahoma City and just north of the Interstate.

A few additional Western Trips articles you may enjoy are on the links below... 

American Cowboy Gear and Attire

Texas Ranching

Famous Texas Rancher George Littlefield House / Austin TX

A Visit to Doan's Crossing on the Red River 

Las Vegas NM along the Goodnight-Loving Trail

The Goodnight-Loving Cattle Trail

Among the historic accomplishments of Charles Goodnight was when he created the Goodnight-Loving Trail from Fort Belknap Texas into New Mexico in 1867. The Goodnight-Loving Trail would eventually run from Fort Belknap (near present day Newcastle Texas) west into New Mexico, then up to Denver Colorado and later further north into Cheyenne Wyoming.

Goodnight did this with the knowledge that Indian trouble could commence at any time and it was said that at one point he drove the herd some eighty miles without water. In fact, Oliver Loving, Goodnight's partner in 1867, died while wounded and trying to hold off Indians on his way to deliver beef to Fort Sumner New Mexico. This 2,000 mile trail to Fort Sumner and then north into Colorado would soon be named the Goodnight-Loving Trail.

The journey and terrain by all accounts was very tough but in making it Goodnight proved to all that cattle could be driven over rugged regions that were considered by many to be a cattleman's graveyard. The route left Fort Belknap and followed the old Butterfield Stage Line route to the Pecos River. Then it was up the Pecos to near Las Vegas New Mexico and further northward past Raton Pass and into Colorado.

The Goodnight-Loving Trail would pass by Raton New Mexico and enter Colorado through Raton Pass where a toll keeper was charging about ten cents per head for access through the pass. It wasn't long before Charles Goodnight found a slightly alternate route through the pass avoiding this fee. Raton Pass would later be the entryway into New Mexico from Colorado by the Atchison Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad.

Goodnight Ranch House, Goodnight TX

Charles Goodnight is considered by many today to be the Father of the Texas Panhandle. Goodnight Texas is located on U.S. Hwy 287 just about 40 miles southeast of Amarillo. At this site is the Goodnight ranch house which has been restored. The Goodnight  home was renovated by the Armstrong County Museum in Claude Texas just a few miles west of the now ghost town of Goodnight.

Another site commemorating Goodnight's ranching achievements is a statue of him outside of the fascinating Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum in Canyon Texas, about a 15 minute drive south of Amarillo along Interstate 27. If you have not visited this museum I would highly recommend it to anyone traveling through the Amarillo Texas area. There is an amazing amount of historic artifacts plus an excellent historic research center.

To see where the Goodnight-Loving Trail ran along the Pecos River in New Mexico, stop at Fort Sumner which has an amazing museum and is the site where Billy the Kid is buried. Fort Sumner is located about 45 miles south of Santa Rosa New Mexico. Santa Rosa is directly on Interstate 40 about 114 miles east of Albuquerque.

Three excellent books on the subject of ranchers, cowboys and cattle drives include The Cattle Kings by author Lewis Atherton...The Western: The Greatest Texas Cattle Trail, 1874 - 1886 by authors Gary Kraisinger and Margaret Kraisinger...Charles Goodnight: Father of the Texas Panhandle by author William T. Hagan.



(Article and photos copyright 2013 Western Trips)

Schooner Alma, Photos and History / San Francisco

Located at San Francisco's Hyde Street Pier is the historic schooner Alma. The schooner was built in 1891 and is still sailing the San Francisco Bay. Today, the sixty foot long and square bow scow schooner is home ported at the San Francisco Maritime National Historic Park. The scow schooner Alma is thought to be the only survivor of this type of vessel still afloat and she is still certified to carry passengers.

Scow Schooner Alma

Visiting the Alma

If your trip west takes you to the San Francisco Bay area you'll want to plan a stop at the San Francisco Maritime National Historic Park where not only is the Alma ported but also several other very historic vessels including the steam ferry Eureka and the tall ship Balclutha.

Located in the Fisherman's Wharf area, the San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park offers the sights, sounds, smells and stories of Pacific Coast maritime history. Included are a library and research center. The Visitor Center is located across the street from Hyde Street Pier. The Visitor Center address is: 499 Jefferson Street, San Francisco. Hours are 9:30A to 5P. The park is closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Days.

Two additional vessels located adjacent to the park at Fishermans Wharf and well worth a visit to are the World War Two submarine USS Pampanito and the Liberty Ship the Jeremiah O'Brien.

Two additional Western Trips photo article links of historic ships at the park include...

The Passenger Ferry Eureka

The Tall Ship Balclutha 

Schooner Alma, San Francisco, CA

The Alma Was a Versatile Cargo Hauler on San Francisco Bay

The Alma is the last of about 400 scow schooners that were locally built. The Alma was built by Fred Siemer's shipyard at Hunters Point. Siemer built two scow schooners at his Hunters Point facility and named one for his daughter Adelia and the other for daughter Alma. The Alma's home port was usually Mission Creek which is adjacent to the current Giants ballpark.

The boat was designed to haul salt, lumber, hay, bricks and just about any bulk cargo. The flat bottomed Alma was able to navigate the shallow parts of the bay and delta. Back during the latter 1800's and during the first few decades of the 1900's, shipping freight on a scow schooner like the Alma was considered the least expensive way to move goods all along the Bay Area. It's said that the Alma during almost all of her long career operated in the immediate San Francisco Bay area.

The Scow Schooner

The maritime term "scow" is used to describe a wide, flat-bottomed, square ended vessel without a deep keel. Scows were often equipped with a centerboard or leeboard. When in shallows these boards could be pulled up letting navigation in very shallow waters possible including sections along the Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers. While the scow schooners were primarily built to be sailing vessels they could also be poled while in the shallows. Scows also had the ability of coming right onto the beach and intentionally grounding. These obviously were very versatile vessels. 

Deck of the restored  schooner Alma

The descriptive term "Schooner" refers to the arrangement of masts and sails. A schooner has at least two masts, with the forward mast being shorter than or the same height as the aft mast. Today, these type of vessels are not easy to find. If you looked about one hundred years ago you'd see them everywhere. The scow schooner was primarily used for cargo transport on coastal and inland waters. These vessels were simply designed for hard work and heavy hauling.

In 1918 Alma had her masts removed. For about eight years afterward she was essentially used as a barge hauling salt until a new owner purchased her in 1926. The new owner installed a gas engine and the Alma was primarily used to carry oyster shells to Petaluma on the north bay. 

The scow schooner hauling business came to an end when trucks were mostly used for transporting cargo on newly completed highways. Operating the Alma profitably came to an end in 1957 when she retired from service.

The Alma is 100 feet in length, is 22.6 feet wide and draws about 3 1/2 feet of water. 

Bay view from the SF National  Maritime Historic Park

Restoring the Alma

The Alma was sold to the state of California in 1959. Because the Alma had a long history of work all around the Bay Area local historians were well aware of her long service. It was this knowledge that led to the effort for her restoration. The restoration didn't begin however until 1964 and lasted for several years.. The National Park Service took ownership of the Alma in 1978 and the vessel was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1988.

Two good books to explore the subject further include Scow Schooners of San Francisco Bay by authors Roger R. Olmstead and Nancy Olmstead and San Francisco Maritime Park: The Story Behind the Scenery by authors Stephen J. Canright, Lynn T. Cullivan and William G. Thomas.


(Article and photos copyright 2013 Western Trips)