Trail Markings

"From the time ancient man learned to scrape a mark on a rock, people have been leaving behind graffiti as evidence of their passage. The cowboys traveling the old Chisholm Trail were no exception. Near camp-sites and other landmarks along the trail, cowboys carved their initials and cattle-brands in soft sandstone. One location in particular, Monument Hill (about 15 miles south of the Heritage Center), was a favorite. "A high point [about two days into Indian Territory] soon became known as Monument Hill or Monument Rocks. This was a mesa whose almost flat top was strewn with slabs and boulders of reddish sandstone....Many Texas cowboys used their knives or spurs to carve initials or brands on the soft rocks...." (Wayne Gard, The Chisholm Trail, 1954).