National Day of the Cowboy

By MURRAY MONTGOMERY
- Staff Writer

As the Fourth of July celebrations close, we can look forward to another important date. Saturday, July 27, will be a day for the public to learn something about the heritage and life of the American cowboy.

National Day of the Cowboy 2024 is hosted, for the 14th year, by the Chisholm Trail Heritage Center in Duncan, Oklahoma. Since the first celebration in 2010 this local event has grown, attracting many visitors from out of the area. It has become a much-anticipated occurrence for local families.

A fun-filled day is planned for the celebration including; Gaylon Blankenship and Missy Frye, crowd favorites, who will perform live throughout the day. Popular children’s book author, Una Belle Townsend will do live readings around 11 a.m. - 12:30 p.m., and 3 p.m. This event is made possible by generous funding from the Oklahoma Arts Council.

Another favorite presentation is the Rope a Longhorn, ride a buckin’ bronc, create your brand program. The museum’s website encourages visitors to: “Beat the heat in our 4D Experience Theater, where you can watch the cattle stampede, cool off during a summer thunderstorm on the Oklahoma prairie, and learn about life as a cowboy or cowgirl.”

As one might guess from the title, the Chisholm Trail Heritage Center is all about the famous path, used in the post-Civil War era to drive cattle overland from ranches located south of San Antonio, Texas. It ran north across Oklahoma and ended at Abilene, Kansas. The National Day of the Cowboy event also includes the following programs: “Eavesdrop on Jesse Chisholm and Tex in our Campfire Theater as they tell their story about the Trail that became known as the Chisholm Trail. Guests can also explore the Hustis Family featured artist exhibit. Venture back in time while viewing the Quanah Parker – One Man Two Worlds exhibit.”

According to its website, the museum’s mission is to “Celebrate and perpetuate the history, art, and culture of the Chisholm Trail, the American Cowboy, and the American West.” 

Closer to home, there is also a Chisholm Trail Heritage Museum in Cuero. Its website states the following: “Ride back in time with us, to the era of the Great Cattle Drives. Authentic artifacts – lassoes, saddles, a chuck wagon, and more – tell the vivid story of the great cattle drive era, beginning with Thornton Chisholm and Crockett Cardwell’s epic 1866 cattle drive from Cuero to St. Joseph, Missouri.” The museum also has a Facebook page.

In my research regarding the National Day of the Cowboy, I found there are many other museums dedicated to the history of the Chisholm Trail.