Ranching
Rich Heritage
— Hamilton Park —
I am the land. Cowboys, cattle and horses, leather, sagebrush – ranching. My plentiful grass drew cattle and cowboys to my land.
In the late 1800s free range, 10-year state leases and land purchases provided grassland for large absentee- owned cattle operations. Windmills placed every five miles provided cattle with water, and itinerant cowboys ran the operations. My only barriers were drift fences that kept cattle from roaming too far south during blizzards. One early cold spell caused cattle to stack up against fences and freeze to death.
M.V. Brownfield first sent cattle to Terry County in 1896. At that time, cowboys lived out on the range and depended on chuck wagons and the attending cooks for their meals. The first families lived in covered wagons and dug-out shelters until lumber could be freighted from Big Spring or Colorado City to build houses. With state land leases expiring in February 1903, A.M. Brownfield sent cowhands to the courthouse in Stanton in November 1902 to hold "first chair” so the school land he was leasing could be purchased.
Cowboys drove cattle to railheads at Bovina or Big Spring. One time M.B. Sawyer's cattle arrived early at Bovina and grazed until the train arrived. As cowboys drove cattle toward the railroad, an impatient engineer blew his whistle
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Over time, homes, bunk houses, and corrals appeared. Hereford cattle brought from England adapted and produced quality cattle for markets in Fort Worth, Kansas City, and Chicago. Although much of my ranchland gave way to farming, the legacy of ranching continues.
Today, cowboys "ride fence” using trucks and
all-terrain vehicles.
Erected 2005.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Agriculture • Animals. A significant historical month for this entry is February 1903.
Location. 33° 11.68′ N, 102° 16.511′ W. Marker is in Brownfield, Texas, in Terry County. Marker is on Lubbock Road (U.S. 62), on the right when traveling south. The marker is on the grounds of Hamilton Park. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Brownfield TX 79316, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Law and Order (here, next to this marker); Farming (here, next to this marker); Patriotism (a few steps from this marker); Flora and Fauna (a few steps from this marker); Oil and Gas (a few steps from this marker); Business (a few steps from this marker); The Land
Credits. This page was last revised on January 14, 2021. It was originally submitted on January 12, 2021, by Craig Doda of Napoleon, Ohio. This page has been viewed 101 times since then and 4 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on January 12, 2021, by Craig Doda of Napoleon, Ohio. • J. Makali Bruton was the editor who published this page.
