ABILENE, END OF THE CHISHOLM TRAIL

AT THE END OF THE CIVIL WAR WHEN MILLIONS OF LONGHORNS WERE LEFT ON THE PLAINS OF TEXAS WITHOUT A MARKET THE UNION PACIFIC WAS BUILDING WEST ACROSS KANSAS. JOSEPH MCCOY, AN ILLINOIS STOCKMAN, BELIEVED THESE CATTLE COULD BE HERDED NORTH FOR SHIPMENT BY RAIL. HE BUILT YARDS AT ABILENE AND SENT AGENTS TO NOTIFY THE TEXAS CATTLEMEN. IN 1867 THE FIRST DRIVES WERE MADE AND DURING THE NEXT FIVE YEARS MORE THAN A MILLION HEAD WERE RECEIVED. ABILENE BECAME THE FIRST OF THE WILD CATTLE TOWNS WHERE GAMBLING PLACES, SALOONS AND DANCE HALLS COMPETED FOR THE COWBOYS' WAGES. GUN FIGHTS WERE FREQUENT AND SEVERAL PEACE OFFICERS RESIGNED. THE FIRST TO BRING ORDER WAS TOM SMITH WHO WITH BARE FISTS ENFORCED THE ORDINANCE AGAINST CARRYING FIREARMS. MORE FAMOUS WAS "WILD BILL" HICKOK WHO BECAME KNOWN AS THE DEADLIEST "TWO-GUN" MARSHAL ON THE WESTERN FRONTIER. THERE ARE SEVERAL HISTORICAL MARKERS IN THE CITY.