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As youngsters many of us were enthralled with stories of the great American cowboy and the struggles and adventures they engaged in. For those of us who grew up in Oklahoma, those weren't just myths - they were legitimate history lessons about real cowboys who lived the legacy by traveling miles and miles of trails on horseback to bring cattle to the railheads in Kansas and Nebraska.
From the late 1860s until the late 1880's the Chisholm and Great Western Cattle Trails were bustling with Texas cattlemen who drove their herds from Texas - where they were worth around $4 per head - to the stockyards and railheads of Eastern Kansas where they might fetch as much as $40 per head. After having endured the ravages of the Civil War, the Eastern United States was experiencing a shortage of meat and Texas was struggling economically. In addition, the east was quickly replacing an appetite for pork with a preference for beef. Hence, these two trails became an essential ingredient to help the country's economic recovery after the war, not to mention foster the legend of the cowboy. These trails have left a significant footprint on the legacy and heritage of Oklahoma.
Both as a Member of Congress, as well as an historian, I am proud to represent a part of Oklahoma through which the Chisholm Trail passed. I encourage all Oklahomans to learn more about this remarkable piece of our heritage. And it is time for Congress to ensure the preservation and recognition of such an important piece of history for the states of Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, and indeed, the country as a whole.
This week I introduced legislation that assists in keeping the legend of the Chisholm and Great Western Cattle Trails alive. The Chisholm and Great Western Cattle Trails Act of 2007 would specifically designate the two trails for a study to determine the suitability of placing these trails within the National Trails System as National Historic Trails.
The next generation of Americans deserves to know the importance and origins of the almost mythical cowboy, and their contributions to ensuring the recovery and future prosperity of a wounded nation. As your Congressman, I will continue working to protect the legacy these trails have left on our great state.
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