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The Chisholm Trail: A History of the World's Greatest Cattle Trail
The Chisholm Trail was the original "Cowboy Highway" stretching hundreds of miles from the ranches of Texas to the Cattle markets in Kansas. This classic work chronicles in vivid detail the entire journey of the trail and is complete with descriptions of actual incidents and events that occurred along the trail as well as stories of famous and infamous cowboys, outlaws, rustlers, Indians, and lawmen who made the journey.
Featuring 10 Original Illustrations
And many more!
This story includes character studies and descriptions of many frontier characters from Jesse Chisholm, a western man and the trail's namesake, to the notorious gunslinger Billy the Kid, to countless other lawmen, Native Chiefs, and other western characters, this book leaves no detail uncovered as the author, who himself traveled the trail during its golden era, shares his story.
The Chisholm Trail is a must read for anyone interested in discovering the true history of the American West so saddle up your horse and begin your journey on the World's Greatest Cattle Trail!
Featuring 10 Original Illustrations
And many more!
This story includes character studies and descriptions of many frontier characters from Jesse Chisholm, a western man and the trail's namesake, to the notorious gunslinger Billy the Kid, to countless other lawmen, Native Chiefs, and other western characters, this book leaves no detail uncovered as the author, who himself traveled the trail during its golden era, shares his story.
The Chisholm Trail is a must read for anyone interested in discovering the true history of the American West so saddle up your horse and begin your journey on the World's Greatest Cattle Trail!
367 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 3, 2014
472 people are currently reading
105 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
May 8, 2025
A charming collection of anecdotes that pays homage to the greatest cattle trail, this book really delivers on so many levels. If you have even a passing interest in the history of the American West, you will enjoy this book. I found the author to be very authentic and the narrative flowed well. Each chapter covered a different aspect of ranching and cattle in general. Overall, a very worthy effort and well worth the time spent.
September 9, 2015
Hands down this frontier classic is one of the greatest books ever to be written about the world’s greatest cattle trail, the Chisholm Trail. The trail was approximately eight hundred miles long, running from San Antonio, Texas to Abilene, Kansas. It is a very comprehensive book about the cattle drives over the western frontier and the interesting characters associated with them. Such characters being Charles A. Siringo, Joseph G. McCoy, Charles Goodnight, and the various gunslingers and Indian chiefs.
After the end of the Civil War, multiple ranchers with cattle recognized that there was money to be made in moving cattle up north. Joseph G. McCoy had constructed shipping pens in Abilene, which happen to become known as the terminating point of the Chisholm Trail. When the trial was at its most active point, millions of mustang and cattle accompanied by their drivers took upon the two to three month trip across the western frontier. This book is the great story of the cattle and their drivers with them, who went through the struggles of Indian ambushes, stampedes and cattle rustlers.
If ever having the interest of our nation’s cattle history, I would always recommend this book for the tremendous story it has to offer about the Chisholm Trail.
After the end of the Civil War, multiple ranchers with cattle recognized that there was money to be made in moving cattle up north. Joseph G. McCoy had constructed shipping pens in Abilene, which happen to become known as the terminating point of the Chisholm Trail. When the trial was at its most active point, millions of mustang and cattle accompanied by their drivers took upon the two to three month trip across the western frontier. This book is the great story of the cattle and their drivers with them, who went through the struggles of Indian ambushes, stampedes and cattle rustlers.
If ever having the interest of our nation’s cattle history, I would always recommend this book for the tremendous story it has to offer about the Chisholm Trail.
July 22, 2020
Very interesting book
This book is filled with so much information that I would read it slowly and look on Google for more information about the person or place. A great book for everyone to read about the Old West.
This book is filled with so much information that I would read it slowly and look on Google for more information about the person or place. A great book for everyone to read about the Old West.
November 17, 2019
Excellent history of the Trail
If you are a fan of western history this book is for you. It not only covers the history of the Trail but those who took part.
If you are a fan of western history this book is for you. It not only covers the history of the Trail but those who took part.
October 23, 2019
One of the best chronicles of the old west
Book was written by a authentic westener. Factual. I could feel like I was on the trail. The incidents...the tragedies were well told. I
learned alot.
Book was written by a authentic westener. Factual. I could feel like I was on the trail. The incidents...the tragedies were well told. I
learned alot.
August 12, 2019
Great history!
Well if you want to learn about the Chisholm Trail this is the book . Locations people Indians lands and treaties . Seems very accurate and well written . Was so interesting I had to read some chapters twice.
Well if you want to learn about the Chisholm Trail this is the book . Locations people Indians lands and treaties . Seems very accurate and well written . Was so interesting I had to read some chapters twice.
January 17, 2024
This is a fascinating little gem!
The author, having been most of his career some sort of attorney, brings a fierce insistence on facts, truth, accuracy and no-nonsense. However, rather than making the history dull, it adds a flair of authority to an otherwise overly romanticized time and place. I found myself quite caught up in his always hyper-precise descriptions and explanations of persons and events.
In addition to the history of the trail itself and the role it played in the genesis of the cattle industry, he includes noteworthy local ranchers, gunslingers, sheriffs, geographies, and the clashes of Indian resettlement. There is fantastic detail of what trail life was like: the habits and equipment of the cowboys, the Mexican herders, the early ranchers, the cattle types, the horses, the gradual reshaping of the plains as cattle replaced bison and as the railroads changed everything.
A profoundly entertaining resource.
The author, having been most of his career some sort of attorney, brings a fierce insistence on facts, truth, accuracy and no-nonsense. However, rather than making the history dull, it adds a flair of authority to an otherwise overly romanticized time and place. I found myself quite caught up in his always hyper-precise descriptions and explanations of persons and events.
In addition to the history of the trail itself and the role it played in the genesis of the cattle industry, he includes noteworthy local ranchers, gunslingers, sheriffs, geographies, and the clashes of Indian resettlement. There is fantastic detail of what trail life was like: the habits and equipment of the cowboys, the Mexican herders, the early ranchers, the cattle types, the horses, the gradual reshaping of the plains as cattle replaced bison and as the railroads changed everything.
A profoundly entertaining resource.
March 22, 2020
At its best, the author plants the reader by the crackling fire of a cowboy camp as the folks around it spin tall tales, humorous and engaging. At its worst, the author needlessly describes a lynching, implying justice done. In between is a lot of casual racism, dry topographical descriptions, and niche material only interesting to himself and his peers. Not poorly written, but certainly too long.
September 8, 2021
If you are interested in the real story of cowboys and cattle drives, this is the book. Ridings spent his young adulthood on the Chisholm Trail. He writes from his experiences and from interviews with other people associated with the Trail. It operated only about 30 years, but brought thousands of head of cattle from Texas to railheads in Kansas and Missouri. It crossed Indian lands in Oklahoma, and he has a very sympathetic description of their plight.
December 21, 2016
Originally published in 1936, the author writes of the first great cattle trail that stretched from San Antonio, Texas, to Kansas. Most of the work deals with the stretch through present day Oklahoma. Numerous personalities involving with the trail a discussed and there is a detailed journal of the route of the trail in Oklahoma but no map itself.
May 10, 2019
Keeping in mind this book was written in 1936 and is essentially a personal history of the author, it is quaint, at times very dull, and at other times quite illuminating of the times (1860s-1880s). However, this paperback edition is riddled with typographical/grammatical/editing errors that make for a challenging read.
February 17, 2021
Very long book. Sometimes hard to follow -I should have had a map of the Trail alongside me so it would have been easier to place the locations (I kept referring to the Maps app on my phone - LOL). Lots of interesting stories - take them in one chapter at a time and allow yourself to travel back in time and relive what life was like on the Trail. Pretty amazing.
August 13, 2024
A great history of the Old West written by a competent author who was a contemporary of many of the events he writes about. Accounts of cowboys, trail drives, Indians, and outlaws. There is a lot of history in Oklahoma and Kansas, as well as some history in Texas. In retrospect, I wish I would have read the book with a map by my side.
April 7, 2020
A complete finding of the facts regarding this storied trail
While a thorough compilation of the many things related to this fabled trail, it is quite tedious and not especially well writen.
While a thorough compilation of the many things related to this fabled trail, it is quite tedious and not especially well writen.
February 4, 2020
I could almost get the feeling of being sweaty, covered with dust and saddlesore. A GREAT read for anyone with an interest in the history and settlement of the old West coil not put it down!
April 6, 2020
more detail than expected.
December 17, 2020
WOW, among the best books about the old west I have read. I read in the reviews some disparaging remarks, sad. This was written by the man who lived it, how better that can you get.
March 5, 2025
Great read, love history. Boggles the mind a bit to think how rough everything used to be compared to how easy we have it. This book certainly shows that glaring difference.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews