The two words heard most heard above the balling of the Texas Longhorns cattle across the southern plains of Texas in 1873.
A new cattle trail was surveyed from the Ellsworth Railhead in Kansas to Pond Creek,
Indian Territory tying into the Chisholm Trail coming up from Texas. The Kansas Pacific Railway’s General Livestock Agent, William M. Cox personally guided the survey to Sewell’s Ranch near Pond Creek, now Oklahoma. Starting on April 16, with the completion 0n May 1, 1873.
A new chapter in the saga of the Great Texas Cattle Drives has emerged. By May twenty-eight herds of Longhorn cattle, ranging from two to ten thousand head per herd were reported to be headed up the Cox Trail. The Ellsworth Trail, Cox cut-off would be described as one long herd of cattle from Indian Territory to the Ellsworth Depot. Ellsworth became known widely as “The Longhorn Metropolis”.
This year is the 150th Anniversary of the Ellsworth route of the Chisholm Trail. A yearlong Commemoration will be held in trail town in Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas. The Trail Drivers history and entertainment will be held in towns spreading the length of the Trail, ending at the End of the trail with the International Chisholm Trail Association’s “2023 Chisholm Trail Conference and the Ellsworth Cattle Trail, Cox Cut-Off 150th Sesquicentennial.
The kick-off event was April 15,2023 at the Kansas Pacific Railway Stock Yards, Ellsworth County Historic Museum, Ellsworth, Kansas. A Historic Marker was placed at the location of the Stock Yards of the Kansas Pacific Railway in Ellsworth. The dedication was at 2:00 P.M.at the site with a reception and Cowboy Poetry and Trail Songs at the Ellsworth County Museum. Hosted by the International Chisholm Trail Association and the National Drovers Hall of Fame Association.
Join our outfit by going to wwwchisholmtrailassn.com for schedule of events click on “Chisholm Trail Ellsworth Cut- Off”. Then Head’ Em Up and Move’ Em Out to one or all of the Chisholm Trail Towns for the rip-roan time of your life