Texas Longhorns
Texas Longhorns Historic Marker
Inscription: Longhorns descended from Criollo cattle brought from Spain in 1493 and English longhorn brought by settlers in 1830s. Stock crossbred in the wild to produce hardy cattle with horn spans of 4-7 feet. Herds roamed Texas' open range until end of Civil War when millions were herded north on cattle drives. Goodnight-Loving Trail (1866) crossed Ector, Crane, and Ward Counties headed for Pecos River Horsehead Crossing. Drives ended in 1880s when barbed wire fenced open range land. Longhorns stocked Reed-Curtis Ranch (04 Brand) near Odessa, later owned by Baldridge Cattle Co.