H.R. No. 167
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, Fort Belknap holds a special place in the history of
the Lone Star State as it marked the starting point for the
celebrated Goodnight-Loving Trail; and
WHEREAS, Founded by General William G. Belknap, Fort Belknap
was established on June 24, 1851, near the Brazos River in Young
County; it initially served as the northern anchor of a series of
U.S. Army forts built to protect settlers on the Texas frontier;
although the fort officially closed in September 1867, it became a
hub of connecting roads, including the Butterfield Overland Mail
route, a mail and passenger stage service that stretched from
St. Louis to San Francisco; and
WHEREAS, In 1866, former Texas Ranger Charles Goodnight and
cattle runner Oliver Loving devised a plan to drive a herd of cattle
from Fort Belknap along the Butterfield Overland Mail route, hoping
to sell them to markets in New Mexico, where beef was in higher
demand; the first Goodnight-Loving cattle drive left the fort on
June 6, 1866, with 2,000 head of Texas longhorns, 18 cowhands, and
the world's first chuck wagon, which was custom-built by
Mr. Goodnight for the drive; traveling in hostile country, the
group worked its way along the Pecos River and sold the cattle at
Fort Sumner, New Mexico; the Goodnight-Loving Trail would
eventually pass through Colorado and end in Cheyenne, Wyoming, and
over the years, it grew to become one of the Southwest's most
heavily used cattle trails; and
WHEREAS, In 1936, the Works Progress Administration
allocated funds for the restoration of Fort Belknap, and the state
refurbished the buildings that still stood and rebuilt those that
had been destroyed; the fort was designated as a National Historic
Landmark in 1960; and
WHEREAS, Fort Belknap serves as a poignant link to the iconic
era of the great Western cattle drives, and it is indeed deserving
of special recognition; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 88th Texas
Legislature hereby honor Fort Belknap for its historic role as the
starting point of the Goodnight-Loving Trail and pay tribute to all
those who have contributed to the fort's restoration and
preservation.
Spiller
______________________________
Speaker of the House
I certify that H.R. No. 167 was adopted by the House on March
8, 2023, by the following vote: Yeas 140, Nays 0, 2 present, not
voting.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House