Texan Magazine
By Bill Dante
The wild and raucous history of a cattle town and the historic Chisholm Trail has evolved into everything there is to love about Texas!
Chisholm Trail Roundup
June 12-14, 2025
Lockhart, Texas
It seems every town or city in Texas has a reason to party at least once a year. Lockhart, Texas has many reasons to celebrate. The city has been recognized by the Texas legislature as the official “Barbecue Capital of Texas.”
Lockhart has been celebrating their part in Texas history and the famous Chisholm Trail for over 50 years!
This year, June 12-14th plan on celebrating with lots of other Texans. It’s called the Chisholm Trail Roundup. Affectionately know as CTR for those in the know!
This is a three day major Texas event with an award winning rodeo, of course, an envious parade, a carnival for the entire family and lots of boot scootin’ music every evening.
Did I mention barbecue? There’s a major cook-off along with fabulous chili and even a Cooks Cookoff!
You won’t want to miss the Cowboy Breakfast on the first day early in the morning next to the famous Caldwell County courthouse.
The History
Now there’s a lot of history here and as I mentioned many reasons Lockhart invites you to join in the celebration.
You see, the city goes back to 1837, a year after the battle at The Alamo. George C. Lockhart, a surveyor, acquired some land and Lockhart came about.
The city played a major role in helping Texas get back on it’s feet after the Civil War with the now famous Chisholm Trail passing right through its streets.
Let me explain and you will be one of many to join in the celebration this year.
After the Civil War, 1865, many of our Texas vets returned home to find Texas in dire straights. Most of the southern states were a mess. In addition there was a major drought happening which made work and money hard to come by.
But the good news was that there were lots of cattle all over the state….. but far from organized.
Back in the 1870s, the railroad came from the east coast but stopped in Abilene, Kansas. Imagine major cities on the east coast with huge appetites for Texas beef.
So how do we get the cattle to the trains?
A merchant in Kansas, Jesse Chisholm, came up with the idea of using a small, existing trail that started in the Texas town of Cuero, east of San Antonio and made it’s way through Lockhart, Waco, across the Red River and then up to Kansas to the trains.
The idea of having multiple branches, from hundreds of ranches driving cattle from all directions to the main trail, then head northeast worked, but it was far from easy!.
This started in 1867 until 1871 with mainly Texas Longhorns adding up to 1.5.million longhorns. After 1871 to 1884 other cattle were added for a total of over 5 million heads of cattle being driven by drovers and Texas cowboys to Kansas. This is where the true cowboys became legendary.
Now stay with me, I said it wasn’t easy. First of all, each cattle drive, from start to finish, took three months!
They started in the spring and sometimes heavy rains made it difficult crossing the rivers. Now add, Indian territory in Oklahoma, some rustlers and the fact that the longhorns would stampede with every loud noise, including thunder.
It was a hot, dirty, dusty job involving very long days. There were 15 cowboys for every 2,500 head of cattle. Pay was an average of thirty dollars a month. Food was included and they didn’t get paid until the drive was over. The most treasured belonging to the cowboy was his horse, and he needed about 5 total for the drive. So, add in that, care and feeding.
It’s sad to say that a lot of cowboys didn’t make it and are buried along that trail. There was illness, severe heat and treacherous weather and sometimes short tempers leading to gunfights.
Now you can imagine how much stopping in Lockhart on the way, was a mighty welcomed relief for a lot of men.
Lockhart played a major role in the cattle route and the Chisholm Trail, which was what helped put our state back to standing strong!
In the late 1800s the railways pushed further west, eventually all the way to the Pacific Ocean. The need for long trail drives diminished. Think about the Fort Worth and the San Antonio stockyards and others making it easier to send Texas beef all over the United States. Plus, ranches started fencing in their properties making it hard to drive to the Red River.
The small, quaint town of Lockhart has played a large part in making our state what it is today. Enjoy celebrating the CTR, and take a look at some of the historic buildings that have been preserved and are still standing in Lockhart.
While you’re there, raise a cold one with your friends and say out loud, “Here’s to the cowboys!”
