Texas Trail Canyon
Posted by: 
condor1
N 40° 01.411 W 101° 51.378
14T E 256253 N 4434276
This marker is located along US-34 about 4 miles east of Haigler, Nebraska. There are several stone pillars near the marker which appear to mark or signify the many dead that are reference on the marker. One stone which appears to have had a plaque.
Waymark Code: WM6RQ5
Location: Nebraska, United States
Date Posted: 07/14/2009
Views: 34
Text on the marker reads:
Texas Trail Canyon
After the slaughter of the buffalo and the last of the Indian hunts, ranchers moved into this part of the Republican River country in 1875. Among them were I. P. and Ira Olive, who were using this canyon on their range in 1876. Herds of Texas cattle were delivered to them here before being driven north to Ogallala.
Prior to 1880, the main Texas-Ogallala Trail entered Nebraska fifty miles east of here, but, with the influx of homesteaders, the trail was pushed west to this area. By 1881 this canyon was known as Texas Trail Canyon, and a checkpoint was established here in 1883-84, where the cattle were checked for brands and disease. It is said that 150,000 cattle were moved through here in 1886, the last year of the trail drives.
A number of pioneer burials were made in the immediate vicinity, beginning with Mexican Leon, a cowboy killed in a fight with Ira Olive. When the railroad built through in 1881-82, a worker was killed and buried 100 yards east of here. Remains of several unidentified pioneers, adults and children, have been discovered over the years, and they were reinterred here in 1971.
Dundy County Historical Society
Nebraska State Historical Society
US 34, 4 miles east of Haigler
Dundy County
Marker 126
Marker Name: Texas Trail Canyon
City: no
Roadside: yes
Other: no
Web Address if available:: [Web Link]
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Visit Instructions:
Post Pictures:
1. Close up of historical marker
2. Picture of surrounding area (would prefer to have the marker in the picture also). Thanks!