| Besides Stephenville, Texas, there are several | | | | Earp and Boot Hill, these days, Dodge is keeping |
| cities across the nation that refer to themselves | | | | its heritage alive through historical preservation |
| as the "Cowboy Capital of the World." Whoa! | | | | programs. Dodge, stop "dodging" the issue....honor |
| Now, wait a minute! How can Dodge City, Kansas, | | | | your past but stop living in it. That's just sad.WILL |
| Banderas, Texas and Oakdale, California ALL claim | | | | THE REAL COWBOY CAPITAL PLEASE STAND |
| the same title as Stephenville? Somebody ain't | | | | UP?Enter Stephenville, Texas! The REAL Cowboy |
| tellin' the truth.Git a rope.True, Oakdale, California | | | | Capital of the World located in what's referred to |
| had the first outdoor rodeo in the West, started | | | | as the Cross Timbers region of the state. How |
| early in the fabulous 50's. Nineteen fifties, that is. | | | | can one small town, 70 miles south of Fort Worth |
| What's so "Cowboy" about the era of Rockabilly, | | | | and almost 2 hours from Abilene, make such a |
| Elvis, 3-D movies and the hoola-hoop?Banderas, | | | | bold claim? Easy! The Cross Timbers region has |
| Texas got its start as a staging area for the | | | | been a thoroughfare to the American Cowboy |
| great cattle drives of yesteryear. The town is | | | | since Americans crossed the Mississippi westward. |
| known for its "dude" ranches which came into | | | | The lush, timbered basins of the Trinity, Brazos |
| being when ranching fell upon hard times. When | | | | and Bosque Rivers (the timber ranges "crossed" |
| was that? During the Great Depression of 1929. | | | | at this juncture, hence the name "Cross Timbers") |
| One enterprising rancher decided to open up his | | | | yielded thousands of unbranded Longhorn cattle. |
| ranch to city-slickers as a means for generating | | | | Essentially, it's where the longhorns came to |
| earn extra money and a new industry was born. | | | | graze. The famous Goodnight-Loving trail |
| Perhaps it should be called the City Slicker Capital | | | | originated from the Cross Timbers region; the |
| or the Dude Ranch Capital, since that's what | | | | Great Western Trail passed right through the |
| Banderas has hung its hat on.Dodge City, Kansas | | | | heart of the Cross Timbers area. One old-timer |
| is known by several nicknames including Queen of | | | | told me that one of those trails started right |
| the Cowtowns, Wickedest Little City in America | | | | where the Sonic Drive-In is located on Washington |
| and Buffalo Capital of the World. C'mon, Dodge, | | | | Street and insisted there should be an historical |
| surely you don't need another moniker, do ya? | | | | marker placed there. |
| Famous for the likes of Bat Masterson, Wyatt | | | | |