The Chisholm Trail

Chisholm Trail When the railroads moved west to the Great Plains, the 'Cattle Boom' began. Southern Texas became a major ranching area with the raising of longhorn cattle from Mexico. Cattle was branded by the rawhides who guarded them on horseback on the ranges. Before the Civil War, small herds of Texas cattle were driven by the cowboys to New Orleans, some as far west as California, and some to the north over the Shawnee …

…blows of the Civil War. It also helped stock new ranches to the north and it met the nations demand for beef. It is responsible in part for the rise of Chicago and Kansas as packing centers. It also led to the expansion of western railroads and the development of refrigerator cars.         Although Jesse Chisholm's role in the 'Cattle Boom' is very insignificant, the trail named for him played a major role in American History.