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Historical Aspect of Cross Timbers Area
1998
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2002 Inductees | 2003
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Historical Aspect of Cross
Timbers Area
Sponsors Page | Mission
Statement
The history
of the Cross Timbers area is unique. The Comanche and Kiowa
Indians utilized the Cross Timbers region as a supplemental
larder, harvesting deer, quail, turkey, etc., to provide variety
from the buffalo of the great southern herd. After the Civil
War, this area saw the start of the great cattle drives. The
lush, timbered basins of the Trinity, Brazos and Bosque Rivers
yielded thousands of unbranded Longhorn cattle. The famous
Goodnight-Loving trail originated from the Cross Timbers region
and the Great Western Trail passed right through the heart
of the Cross Timbers area.
The Cross
Timbers area is one of very few areas in the United States
that is directly involved in the evolution of the “professional
cowboy.” During the period from 1930 to 1950, the ranch
cowboy discovered that the general public was enamored with
the idea of the COWBOY. The significant number of movies produced
by Hollywood glamorized the myth of the Cowboy and the public
yearned to get more of the OLD WEST. To meet this need, rodeos
were held in Madison Square Garden, Boston Garden, etc. Since
the first indoor rodeos were held in Fort Worth at the Cowtown
Coliseum, much of the expertise for these big building rodeos
came from the Cross Timbers area. Everett Colborn's Rodeo
Train from Dublin was the most successful of these ventures.
In addition
to rodeo, the birth of the Cutting Horse industry occurred
in the Cross Timbers area. The first sanctioned cutting horse
contest was held in Dublin in 1946. This led to a growing
industry of horse trainers to compliment the rodeo contestants
in the Cross Timbers area.
The Cowboy
Capital Walk of Fame recognizes the need to preserve our Western
Heritage.
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