HOUSE RESOLUTION No. 6011
A RESOLUTION commemorating the 150th anniversary of the beginning of the Ellsworth Route
of the historic Chisholm Trail.
WHEREAS, The Ellsworth Route of the Chisholm Trail is celebrating its 150
th
anniversary
after a long and storied history that includes the birth of the American folk-type cowboy,
cowtowns, cowboy hats and the beginning of the Old West era in Kansas; and
WHEREAS, The Chisholm Trail was initially developed in 1867 by Joseph McCoy, an Abilene
stockyard owner, and was named after Jesse Chisholm, a Kansan who owned a trading post in
Wichita and frequently traded with Native Americans throughout the region; and
WHEREAS, During the heyday of the Chisholm Trail, from the late 1860s through the 1880s,
the trail stretched roughly from Kingsville, Texas, to Abilene, Kansas; and
WHEREAS, The trail served as a cattle pipeline, leading herds from the Texas ranches to the
Kansas stockyards and railroad hubs in Abilene, Caldwell, Dodge City, Ellsworth, Newton and
Wichita; and
WHEREAS, Founded in 1873, the Ellsworth Route of the Chisholm Trail, sometimes called
the Cox's Trail, passed through seven Kansas counties, including Harper, Kingman, Reno,
Stafford, Barton, Rice and Ellsworth, where the trail ended; and
WHEREAS, The trail was an economic lifeline for Kansas, since it promoted the railroad and
made ranching profitable by shipping millions of heads of cattle to the eastern parts of the country
and using newly formed rail hubs situated near the Chisholm Trail in Kansas; and
WHEREAS, The economic activity created by the Chisholm Trail boosted the economies of
many surrounding towns near the trail and helped build the reputation of Kansas as a leader in the
beef industry; and
WHEREAS, The Chisholm Trail is considered as one of the great byways of America, and
along with the Oregon Trail and the Santa Fe Trail, it has helped popularize many iconic images of
the Old West and enhanced the Kansas economy; and
WHEREAS, The Ellsworth Route of the Chisholm Trail is a treasured landmark in Kansas
history: Now, therefore,
Be it resolved by the House of Representatives of the State of Kansas: That we commemorate
the 150
th
anniversary of the beginning of the Ellsworth Route of the Chisholm Trail; and
Be it further resolved: That we praise the countless economic benefits that resulted from the
Ellsworth Route of the Chisholm Trail's impact on Kansas.
House Resolution No. 6011 was sponsored by Representative Troy Waymaster
I hereby certify that the above RESOLUTION originated in the HOUSE, and was adopted by that body
Speaker of the House.
Chief Clerk of the House.