CHISHOLM TRAIL

AIRED: Season 4, Episode 1
THE DETECTIVE: Elyse Luray
THE PLACE: Donna, Texas

THE CASE:

In the decades following the Civil War, more than six million cattle were herded from Texas to the railhead in Kansas in one of the greatest known migrations of animals in the United States.

These 19th-century cattle drives along the Chisholm Trail only lasted twenty years, but had tremendous impact across the country: it lifted Texas out of post-Civil War poverty, provided much-needed affordable beef to the Northeast, and gave birth to the classic American cowboy legend.

In the small town of Donna, Texas, near the Mexican border, a historic marker declares that the famous trail ran through this area, yet many dispute the idea that the trail ever made it this far south. Is the marker another bit of famed Texas bravado or misguided history?  A local historian wants to set the record straight.

History Detectives heads deep into the heart of Texas to help solve a local mystery and shed light on this lively chapter in American history.

Check out the maps used to solve this mystery from the archives of the Texas General Land Office.

More Leads

Chisolm Trail Heritage Center
Offers information about the museum, along with a comprehensive history of the trail itself. 

National Ranching Heritage Center
Established to preserve the history of ranching, pioneer life and the development of the livestock industry in North America.

Along The Chisolm Trail
One man’s site dedicated to the heritage and history of the Chisholm Trail.

The Texas Historical Commission
A fascinating and comprehensive history of cattle driving in Texas.