Cattle Trails and the End of Cattle Trails and the End of the Open Rangethe Open Range

1867-18901867-1890

How did it begin? How did it begin?

• Cows were brought to the New World Cows were brought to the New World by the Spanish.by the Spanish.– Used ropes and horses to round up stray Used ropes and horses to round up stray

cattlecattle– Raised cattle on the open rangeRaised cattle on the open range– Cows were put into corrals and marked Cows were put into corrals and marked

with the brand of the ranchwith the brand of the ranch

Anglo-American RanchersAnglo-American Ranchers

• Used English cattle raising techniquesUsed English cattle raising techniques

• Worked with much smaller herds that Worked with much smaller herds that were fenced in (barbed wire)were fenced in (barbed wire)

• Worked on foot instead of horsebackWorked on foot instead of horseback

• Used both Spanish and English Used both Spanish and English methods to develop their own style of methods to develop their own style of ranchingranching

Chisholm TrailChisholm Trail

• Chisholm Trail- first of the great trails Chisholm Trail- first of the great trails opened by Jesse Chisholm in 1867. opened by Jesse Chisholm in 1867. The trail started in different places in The trail started in different places in South TX and went north to the South TX and went north to the railroads in Abilene and Ellsworth, railroads in Abilene and Ellsworth, Kansas. Kansas.

Jesse ChisholmJesse Chisholm

Western TrailWestern Trail

• Trail started by John Lytle in 1874 Trail started by John Lytle in 1874 that started in South TX near that started in South TX near Brownsville and went north into Brownsville and went north into Dodge City, Kansas.Dodge City, Kansas.

Goodnight-Loving TrailGoodnight-Loving Trail

• Trail started by Oliver Loving and Trail started by Oliver Loving and Charles Goodnight that went up the Charles Goodnight that went up the Pecos River into New Mexico and up Pecos River into New Mexico and up into Wyoming. Charles Goodnight into Wyoming. Charles Goodnight also established the first cattle ranch also established the first cattle ranch in the Panhandle. in the Panhandle.

Charles Goodnight & Oliver Charles Goodnight & Oliver LovingLoving

Life on the TrailLife on the Trail• Drives began with a Drives began with a rounduproundup

– Unbranded cattle were marked to prove ownershipUnbranded cattle were marked to prove ownership• Cows then separated into herdsCows then separated into herds• Owners hired agents to drive their hers to marketOwners hired agents to drive their hers to market

– Paid $1 per head delivered to marketPaid $1 per head delivered to market• ScoutsScouts rode in front of the herd to select the best rode in front of the herd to select the best

routeroute– Herd always traveled northHerd always traveled north– Alerted trail boss to dangersAlerted trail boss to dangers

• Bad weather, Indian tribes, and outlawsBad weather, Indian tribes, and outlaws

• Trail bossTrail boss had complete authority over the drive had complete authority over the drive• CowhandsCowhands

– PointersPointers (highly skilled cowhands) rode at the side of the (highly skilled cowhands) rode at the side of the lead cattle to direct the herdlead cattle to direct the herd

– FlankersFlankers: rode beside the herd, kept cattle from straying : rode beside the herd, kept cattle from straying too fartoo far

– Other cowhands rode in the rear (Other cowhands rode in the rear (drag positiondrag position) to keep ) to keep cattle from straying behindcattle from straying behind

– WranglersWranglers: took care of the extra horses: took care of the extra horses– Men would switch horses a few times a day to keep the Men would switch horses a few times a day to keep the

horses from tiringhorses from tiring

• Camp cook rose early to prepare Camp cook rose early to prepare breakfastbreakfast– Coffee, biscuits, beef, and beansCoffee, biscuits, beef, and beans– Cook would then ride ahead in the chuck Cook would then ride ahead in the chuck

wagon to the next campsite wagon to the next campsite •Would have dinner ready when they arrivedWould have dinner ready when they arrived

• Cowhands gathered around the Cowhands gathered around the campfire at night and sang songscampfire at night and sang songs

Cattle RanchesCattle Ranches

• King Ranch- founded by Richard King King Ranch- founded by Richard King and his partner Mifflin Kennedy in and his partner Mifflin Kennedy in Kingsville, TX covered more than 1 Kingsville, TX covered more than 1 million acres of land. million acres of land.

Kingsville, TXKingsville, TX

JA RanchJA Ranch

• Established by Charles Goodnight Established by Charles Goodnight and his partner John Adair in 1876 in and his partner John Adair in 1876 in the Palo Duro Canyon (the Panhandle the Palo Duro Canyon (the Panhandle of TX, southeast of Amarillo). The of TX, southeast of Amarillo). The ranch included more than 1 million ranch included more than 1 million acres and 100,000 head of cattle and acres and 100,000 head of cattle and was the first cattle ranch in the was the first cattle ranch in the Panhandle.Panhandle.

JA Ranch southeast of Amarillo JA Ranch southeast of Amarillo in Palo Duro Canyonin Palo Duro Canyon

Matador RanchMatador Ranch

• Founded by Founded by investors A.M. investors A.M. Britton and H. H. Britton and H. H. Campbell on a Campbell on a homestead in Motley homestead in Motley County in 1878. A County in 1878. A Scottish company Scottish company purchased it in 1882 purchased it in 1882 and acquired land in and acquired land in several states and several states and Canada.Canada.

XIT RanchXIT Ranch

• The largest ranch in TX that was located in The largest ranch in TX that was located in the Panhandle, along the New Mexico the Panhandle, along the New Mexico border. It covered more than 3 million border. It covered more than 3 million acres near Lubbock up north to the acres near Lubbock up north to the Oklahoma border. The land for the ranch Oklahoma border. The land for the ranch was provided by the TX government in was provided by the TX government in exchange for the construction of a new exchange for the construction of a new capitol. The contractor who built the capitol capitol. The contractor who built the capitol turned the land over to a group of Chicago turned the land over to a group of Chicago and British investors.and British investors.

XIT RanchXIT Ranch

Cattle and Sheep Ranching Cattle and Sheep Ranching OriginsOrigins

• Both cattle and sheep were originally Both cattle and sheep were originally brought to TX by Spanish explorers and brought to TX by Spanish explorers and settlers. Ranches in TX were not only settlers. Ranches in TX were not only cattle ranches but many started sheep cattle ranches but many started sheep ranches for their wool and goat ranches for their wool and goat ranches for their hair. For a time ranches for their hair. For a time during the ranching boom, TX was the during the ranching boom, TX was the leading wool-producing state in the leading wool-producing state in the nation.nation.

Longhorn and SheepLonghorn and Sheep

The end of the open rangeThe end of the open range

• In 1873 Joseph F. Glidden created In 1873 Joseph F. Glidden created barbed wire to help ranchers with barbed wire to help ranchers with their problem of keeping their cattle their problem of keeping their cattle separated from each other. It would separated from each other. It would also help farmers so that the cattle also help farmers so that the cattle could not eat their crops.could not eat their crops.

Barbed WireBarbed Wire

Problems with barbed wireProblems with barbed wire

• Cowboys and other people in TX were Cowboys and other people in TX were against barbed wire because it was bringing against barbed wire because it was bringing an end to the open rangean end to the open range. In the 1870s and . In the 1870s and 1880s fence cutting became a problem by 1880s fence cutting became a problem by cattle rustlers and others who did not want cattle rustlers and others who did not want the open range to end. The state of TX the open range to end. The state of TX passed laws to stop fence cutting.passed laws to stop fence cutting.

• Rustler- A cattle thief. Rustler- A cattle thief. These people were These people were the biggest problem faced by cattle the biggest problem faced by cattle ranchers in the late 1800s.ranchers in the late 1800s.

WindmillsWindmills

• The The windmillwindmill made it possible for made it possible for cattle owners to fence in their cattle. cattle owners to fence in their cattle. They were able to pump water from They were able to pump water from underground sources especially in underground sources especially in dry West TX. dry West TX. Ranchers did not have Ranchers did not have to depend on sources of surface to depend on sources of surface waterwater and let their cattle roam to find and let their cattle roam to find them.them.

Windmills Then and NowWindmills Then and Now

• Windmills were first created to pump Windmills were first created to pump water from underground sources. As water from underground sources. As time has passed, scientists have found time has passed, scientists have found that by harnessing the wind, they that by harnessing the wind, they could produce electricity. Wind is a could produce electricity. Wind is a renewable resource and windmills renewable resource and windmills today are still used to pump water and today are still used to pump water and also create electricity. also create electricity.

Windmill on XIT RanchWindmill on XIT Ranch

WindmillWindmill

Windmill Farm Windmill Farm