History of the Crockett Ranch Area

A compilation of several historical ranches, Crockett Ranch lies just north of Dallas/Fort Worth, between Bowie and Nocona, Texas.  It is an area rich in Texas heritage and along the famous Chisholm Trail.

In the decades following the Civil War, more than six million cattle were herded out of Texas in one of the greatest migrations of animals ever known.  Although a number of cattle routes existed during this period, none have penetrated the of popular imagination through songs, stories and mythical tales like the Chisholm Trail.

“I woke up one morning on the old Chisholm Trail,
Rope in my hand a cow by the tail.
Feet in the stirrups and seat in the saddle,
I hung and rattled with them Longhorn cattle.”

“The Old Chisholm Trail” - (American folk song)

The major destination for Texas cattle was the cattle-shipping terminal established by Joseph G. McCoy in 1867.  Cattle drivers from Texas used a route blazed by trader Jesse Chisholm (pictured right), which extended from present day Spanish Fort (just north of Nocona, Texas) across the Red River, through the Indian territory (present day Oklahoma), to Wichita, Kansas.  As a result of this trail Chisholm’s name is indelibly linked to the vast movement of cattle from Texas to the northern markets.

It was during this period that Texas became the land of cattle barons and the image of the American cowboy first began to permeate the national consciousness.  This period was relatively short, beginning around 1867 and ending during the mid 1880’s.

Lest the name be misleading, not all “cowboys” were men.  There were women who joined the trail drives, and some drove their own herds.  A few even dressed as boys.

Bread, biscuits and pies were commonly baked in a Dutch oven (a large, heavy pot).  The cook, or coosie, placed burning coals under the pot and on top of its lid, allowing the food to cook from both sides.  The cook was second in charge behind the trail boss.  His meals were often the key to making the harsh drives tolerable.

Today, Crockett Ranch continues the historical Texas traditions with trail rides on the ranch and the LBJ Grasslands near Decatur, Texas.  We may have a state of the art facility, but we enjoy returning to our roots with chuck wagon cookouts, mounted quail hunts with Tennessee Walking Horses and excellent bird dogs, and other Texas outdoor sporting traditions. 

“All day long on the prairie in the saddle I ride
Not even a dog, boys, to trot by my side.
My fire I kindle with chips gathered round
And bail my own coffee without being ground.
I wash in a puddle and wipe on a sack,
I carry my wardrobe right here on my back.”

“A Cowboy Song,” - Life on the Trail