Moorcroft and the cattle trails

By Grace Moore

West Texas Trail Museum director Cindy Mosteller will be presenting the history of Moorcroft's start and how the confluence of the cattle drives from Texas influenced the area.

Mosteller discusses how the cattle started north and the civil war's impact on the drive as well as the union of many of the trails with the Western Cattle Trail or the West Texas Cattle Trail as some call it. 

She will share her findings regarding the reasons for bringing cattle this far north and what they were doing with them. 

"Many don't know the reasons, but there are several... eastern demand after the war, westward expansion, providing beef for Indians on reservations and miners in Montana and Deadwood.  The biggest reason, though, was this area was a cattleman's paradise with lush grasses and plenty of water."

"Then," Mosteller goes on, "We take a trip to why the trails stopped and the governments that forced some of it. Finally, we talk about how Moorcroft began as a town called LaBelle and how everything changed when the railroad came through.  It's quite interesting and some know the history, but a lot do not. It's my job to share our great community and our beginning!"

Everyone, young and old, is welcome to attend this free event at the museum, at 1:30 p.m., on Wednesday, March 20.

This production is hosted by the Crook County Senior Services in conjunction with the Moorcroft Senior Center and any donations to the museum are gladly accepted.