The Western Cowboy

In the State of Texas the Western Cowboy can be found home on the range. But can you really find a true western cowboy in the state of Texas? At one time you could find real cowboys in Texas but that time was over one hundred years ago.

Up until the end of the war between the north and the south you could find western cowboys still roaming the range. However the end of this conflict brought many changes to the open range.

The railway was completed to areas of the country that previously did not have a good system of transport. Cities were rebuilt and new cities sprung up around the country. The hard feelings between the north and the south never really disappeared totally. Even today in some parts of the country there are people who still harbor a dislike from the north or the south.

In the later part of the 1860s a new invention devastated the open range. A new type of wire with barbs attached started showing up all over the United States of America. The introduction of this wire began a new type of war in some states. It was known as the range wars.

The barb wire actually pitted neighbor against neighbor, and family members against family members. What was known a free range land where cattle were moved from one location to another was no more.

The cattle men now had to contend with land grabs by farmers and those who wanted their own free range land. Large tracks of land was being fenced off all over the states. As the cattlemen tried to maintain their holdings they would hire bounty hunters to tear out the fences as fast as they were being built. The government made the problem even worse by offering to give free land holdings to any person who was willing to settle the range lands.

Many settlers were killed or removed from the land which they had claimed. Some sold land back to the ranches, but most were not that lucky. The development of the railway which was an excellent mode of transportation to move cattle to the markets, destroyed the need for the long cattle drives. The railway, and the new barb wire fencing had literally wiped out the common cowboy.

This took place over a very short time span of about ten years. Some folks will say that home on the range cowboys have all but disappeared.

There are a lot of large number of working ranches still today with vast tracks of land but many of the best valleys and most fertile land has been purchased by large corporations. The cowboy of today has changed a lot from the cowboy of fifty years ago. The days of driving a thousand head of cattle and horses are long gone and remain only as a legend and a fond memory.

The modern cowboy looks like the western cowboy of the past. Today's cowboy still uses his horse as did the western cowboy of the State of Texas from bye gone times. But the way he manages his land has changed as have the cattle drives.

If one takes a moment to stand on the range and listen carefully you might hear the thunder of hoofs and the call of the western cowboy off in the distance, and experience a glimpse of our past.

Tom Strayhorn is one of the few real cowboys left so why not saddle up and come visit him at http://www.cowboys-n-campfires.com/

---

The American Melting Pot Myth

Most myths have some element of truth in them. The... Read More

Shakespeare and Human Nature

Isn't it peculiar how human nature evolves through environmental and... Read More

Human Genome Project and Mayan Calendar

HUMAN GENOME PROJECT: - In 1991 Michael Coe wrote Breaking... Read More

The Oldies? Nostalgia? Watchyacallit?

Our culture is defined by what we have access to!... Read More

African Masks The Art of Creation

With western eyes we tend to view a tribal mask... Read More

The Monsters Mother

Somewhere in the world, every eight seconds, a mother is... Read More

Precious Stones ? The Big Five - Part 3 The Sapphire

The sapphire, protector of the innocent, celestial guardian of truth,... Read More

What is Your Birthstone?

Just about everyone knows what his or her birthstone is.... Read More

A Short Biography on Some of Europes Most Loved and Hated Monarchs - Pt 1 Vlad Tepes (Dracula)

Vlad Tepes or Dracula was born in 1431, in the... Read More

Marilyn Monroe and Mary Jo Kopechne

I doubt Marilyn Monroe was anything but a confused star-struck... Read More

A Defense of Cultural Intelligence

When humans set off to address fundamental issues about what... Read More

Leonardo Da Vinci

THE BICYCLE OF LEONARDO DA VINCI: - "? a man... Read More

American Citizenship

Can We Pass The Test?American CitizenshipI'm the daughter of an... Read More

Sir Francis Drake

FRANCIS DRAKE: - It is my perspective that history has... Read More

How Many Chinese Characters Are There?

Let's trace the number of Chinese characters from Han Dynasty... Read More

Better Red than Dead!

Red, perhaps the first color our eyes perceive.It is said... Read More

Brazil--Comments by a Gilliam Fan a Little Too Late

Either I am one of the darkest people ever or... Read More

When We Was Kids In Chicago

Radio was the big communicator, back when I was a... Read More

What is Y Ddraig Goch - the Welsh Red Dragon?

The red Dragon was introduced to Britain during Roman times.... Read More

Precious Stones - The Big Five: Part 2, The Ruby

What fairy tales of enchanted princesses and legendary lore of... Read More

Smart Art Investments - Buy What You Love!

Collecting art can be one of the most enjoyable ways... Read More

Her Last Day in Court

"Ron, I can't take much more of his sleazy behavior!... Read More

African Americans: Get the Winning Edge

Everybody wants an edge that will give him or her... Read More

Masking European Animism

The ancient peoples of Europe were more fond of masks... Read More

How to Clean Your Civil War Uniform

How necessary is cleaning your Civil War Uniform?The every day... Read More

Synchronized Swimming, Dolphin Cognition and Visualization

As humans become more technologically advanced and are able to... Read More

Archaeology and Spirit Guides

One of the northern derivatives of Hopewell of interest to... Read More

Understanding Astrological Predictions

Opinions about astrological prediction are generally divided: "Mysterious! Magical!", say... Read More

Druidic University

MEGALITHIIC POWER PLANTS:Druidic University:Long before there was a Rome or... Read More

Mythology and Parables in Modern Communication - Part 2

There is a big adjustment coming in terms of our... Read More

Heraldry in the Crafts--Why Not Specialize?

I have a small website where I try to sell... Read More

Astrology : A Science or Superstition?

Human beings have always been curious to know their future.... Read More

Christopher Columbus

CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS: - It seems a mystery to most academics... Read More