Buffalo Road, The Old

Named for its traffic in buffalo hides and bones, this north Texas road gave subsistence to pioneers while aiding in mass "harvest" of the American bison. As long as buffalo survived (providing food, shelter and clothing) the Indians were lords of the plains. Recognizing this, the authorities encouraged hunting. Harvested hides were taken to market over this road. The buffalo and Indians gone, permanent settlers arrived. In adverse years (while a man tried to get a start at farming, ranching or storekeeping), bones were salvaged and sold for grocery or seed money. This old road was route of hundreds of wagons taking buffalo hides to market before 1878 and hundreds of wagons taking bones to Wichita Falls and Henrietta before 1890. The road came east from the plains, near south line of Foard and Wilbarger counties to Guide Mound; then three miles east (near this marker) and south to Wichita River bridge; then to the county line three miles west of Holliday. Next it passed the north edge of Holliday, and south of Lake Wichita, then crossed at the Old Van Dorn crossing five miles south of Jolly. Pioneers also called it "Great North" Road or "Good Creek" Road. It proved invaluable to economy and mapping of area.

Buffalo Road, The Old is a historical marker in Electra, Wichita County, dedicated in 1970. It is one of 75 historical markers documented in Wichita County in the Texas Historical Commission Atlas, among 94 historic sites cataloged across the county.

The site sits at 33.8740, -98.8373 near Electra. The nearest cataloged historic site is Kadane Discovery Well (About 700 Feet to the Southwest) (historical marker), about 0.9 miles away. Others within a short drive include Site of Valley View School, Van Dorn Trail, and Beaver Creek Bridge.

This record corresponds to Texas Historical Commission Atlas #5485003696. Use the map below for its exact position and turn-by-turn directions.