Bandera in Bandera County, Texas — The American South (West South Central)
Bandera, "Cowboy Capital of the World"
Photographed By Brian Anderson, February 17, 2019
1. Bandera, "Cowboy Capital of the World" Marker
Inscription.
Bandera, "Cowboy Capital of the World". . The tradition of the Texas cowboy originated from northern Mexico with the vaqueros, individuals mounted on horseback who herded livestock, mainly cattle, through the open prairie. These men became legends in Bandera County. The City of Bandera became known as a cowboy town for recreation and obtaining supplies. Boys learned how to ride horses and drive cattle at a young age to earn wages on the ranches. The Western Cattle Trail extended from Mexico through Texas and up to the Canadian border and from 1874 to 1894, it is estimated that thirty thousand cowboys drove seven to ten million longhorns and one million horses through the trail using Bandera as a staging area., Local rodeos began in the 1920s when cowboys who worked the ranches started exhibiting their skills during roundups and on cattle drives. Bandera had its first rodeo in 1924 at Mansfield Park, where rodeos have continued through the years. The Buck and the Bruce ranches took in summer guests holding rodeos as entertainment. Others that followed were the Dixie Dude, Bennie's U-Bar, and the Twin Elm ranches. Bandera cowboys became famous by earning world champion titles and being inducted into the National Cowboy Hall of Fame. In 1938, Toots Mansfield was Bandera's first world champion in calf roping, earning this title on six additional occasions. He later became the first president of the National Rodeo Cowboy Association which was organized in 1945. In 1948, a San Antonio newspaper referenced Bandera as the "Cowboy Capital of the World." Since then, this title has been mentioned in numerous newspapers and magazines throughout the world.
The tradition of the Texas cowboy originated from northern Mexico with the vaqueros, individuals mounted on horseback who herded livestock, mainly cattle, through the open prairie. These men became legends in Bandera County. The City of Bandera became known as a cowboy town for recreation and obtaining supplies. Boys learned how to ride horses and drive cattle at a young age to earn wages on the ranches. The Western Cattle Trail extended from Mexico through Texas and up to the Canadian border and from 1874 to 1894, it is estimated that thirty thousand cowboys drove seven to ten million longhorns and one million horses through the trail using Bandera as a staging area.
Local rodeos began in the 1920s when cowboys who worked the ranches started exhibiting their skills during roundups and on cattle drives. Bandera had its first rodeo in 1924 at Mansfield Park, where rodeos have continued through the years. The Buck and the Bruce ranches took in summer guests holding rodeos as entertainment. Others that followed were the Dixie Dude, Bennie's U-Bar, and the Twin Elm ranches. Bandera cowboys became famous by earning world champion titles and being inducted into the National Cowboy Hall of Fame. In 1938, Toots Mansfield was Bandera's first world champion in calf roping, earning this title on six additional occasions. He later became
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the first president of the National Rodeo Cowboy Association which was organized in 1945. In 1948, a San Antonio newspaper referenced Bandera as the "Cowboy Capital of the World." Since then, this title has been mentioned in numerous newspapers and magazines throughout the world.
Erected 2013 by Texas Historical Commission. (Marker Number 17596.)
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical year for this entry is 1924.
Location. 29° 43.545′ N, 99° 4.352′ W. Marker is in Bandera, Texas, in Bandera County. Marker is at the intersection of Main Street (State Highway 173/16) and Hackberry Street, on the right when traveling south on Main Street. Marker is located in the Western Trail Heritage Park. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Bandera TX 78003, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Elenora Dugosh Goodley of the Bandera County Historical Commission, who led the push to make official the city's claim to capital status. Elenora passed away in April of 2020.
Also see . . . Bandera, TX - The Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association (TSHA) (Submitted on February 26, 2019, by Brian Anderson of Humble, Texas.)
Photographed By Brian Anderson, February 17, 2019
3. Bandera, "Cowboy Capital of the World" Marker
Credits. This page was last revised on December 13, 2022. It was originally submitted on February 26, 2019, by Brian Anderson of Humble, Texas. This page has been viewed 599 times since then and 60 times this year. Photos:1. submitted on February 26, 2019, by Brian Anderson of Humble, Texas. 2. submitted on December 11, 2022, by Bonnie of Goodley, Texas. 3. submitted on February 26, 2019, by Brian Anderson of Humble, Texas.