Montague County, Early Trails in

Lying on a direct line of travel from the United States to Mexico, California, and points west, the area now Montague County was once a network of trails. One of the first area roads forged by white men was the Chihuahua Traders Trail of 1840. Blazed by merchants hoping to open a trade route from Mexico to St. Louis, Mo., this road crossed present Montague County and left tracks for later travelers. In 1841 came the Texan-Santa Fe Expedition; though it failed to open regular commerce between the Republic of Texas and Northern Mexico, this delegation also left a road and enforced the claims of Texas to Western territories. In 1849 U.S. Army Capt. Randolph B. Marcy charted a "California Trail", using parts of older routes. This soon grew into a thoroughfare for forty-niners and sturdy pioneers who came later. In 1858 the famous Butterfield Overland Mail Line came across the county; and in the 1870's, as Texas was building her image as a cattle empire, Montague County was crossed by two feeder branches of the Chisholm Trail. In 1882, the county's first railroad followed much of the Texan-Santa Fe Trail. Today Highway 82 partly traces Marcy's route and other roads parallel many of these early trails. (1969)

Montague County, Early Trails in is a historical marker in Ringgold, Montague County, dedicated in 1969. It is one of 38 historical markers documented in Montague County in the Texas Historical Commission Atlas, among 65 historic sites cataloged across the county.

The site sits at 33.8162, -97.9262 near Ringgold. The nearest cataloged historic site is Ringgold Cemetery (cemetery), about 0.5 miles away. Others within a short drive include Highway Paved with Gold, Red River Station Cemetery, and Long Branch Cemetery.

This record corresponds to Texas Historical Commission Atlas #5337001360. Use the map below for its exact position and turn-by-turn directions.