Childress in Childress County, Texas — The American South (West South Central)
Goodnight Trail
Photographed by Gary Estep, March 22, 2026
1. Goodnight Trail Marker
In hostile Indian years of 1866-71, route of great cattle drives from Texas to U.S. forts in Colorado and New Mexico.
Col. Charles Goodnight, trailblazer, drove thousands of cattle to water here. Site later (1886) became Childress. Cattle watering hole is now lake in Fair Park.
Erected 1964 by State Historical Survey Committee. (Marker Number 2226.)
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Agriculture • Forts and Castles • Parks & Recreational Areas • Roads & Vehicles • Wars, US Indian • Waterways & Vessels. A significant historical year for this entry is 1964.
Location. 34° 25.889′ N, 100° 12.176′ W. Marker is in Childress, Texas, in Childress County. It can be reached from Ave I NW, on the left when traveling east. Marker is in Fair Park. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Childress TX 79201, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is on the Texas Panhandle. It is also on the American Great Plains and specifically on the Southern Plains. Globally, it is in North America, a Gulf of Mexico state, the Western Hemisphere,
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Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Quanah Parker Trail (within shouting distance of this marker); Childress Cemetery (approx. Ό mile away); Colonel Wm. Edgar Hughes of the Mill Iron (approx. 0.4 miles away); Childress County (approx. 0.4 miles away); Frank Collinson (approx. 0.6 miles away); Childress Post Office Building (approx. 0.6 miles away); Palace Theater (approx. 0.6 miles away); Old Railroad Y.M.C.A. (approx. 0.8 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Childress.
Photographed by Bill Kirchner, November 15, 2016
2. Goodnight Trail Marker
Photographed by Timothy McDaniel, October 1, 2011
3. Goodnight Trail Marker
Photographed by Gary Estep, March 22, 2026
4. Goodnight Trail Marker
Photographed by Timothy McDaniel, September 24, 2011
5. Goodnight Trail Marker
Credits. This page was last revised on March 23, 2026. It was originally submitted on September 27, 2011, by Timothy McDaniel of Lewisville, Texas. This page has been viewed 1,772 times since then and 37 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on March 23, 2026, by Gary Estep of Anna, Texas. 2. submitted on December 4, 2016, by Bill Kirchner of Tucson, Arizona. 3. submitted on October 2, 2011, by Timothy McDaniel of Lewisville, Texas. 4. submitted on March 23, 2026, by Gary Estep of Anna, Texas. 5. submitted on September 27, 2011, by Timothy McDaniel of Lewisville, Texas. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.
