Founded in buffalo and Indian days of 1870's by Taylor Barr. Owned 1882-1889 by D.H. and J.W. Snyder. They built "White House" headquarters; sold ranch, 1889 to Isaac L. Ellwood, an inventor of barbed wire, in DeKalb, Illinois. Ellwood paid in wire for Spade cattle from Donley County, to stock ranch. Added Sterling and Coke lands to original 130,000 acres; to distinguish this from range bought 1902 near Lubbock, called this Renderbrook (from name of spring where Indians shot a U.S. Cavalry officer in the 1870's). Ellwood heirs still run Spade brand on 2 ranches.

When the Marshall and East Texas Railroad was built through this area in 1907, the town of Rosewood was organized, replacing the earlier communities of Double Springs and Essex. Denny Dell McDonald, four-year-old son of J.P. and Zula A. McDonald, died February 16, 1907, and was buried in the nearby Hopewell Cemetery. Wishing to be closer to their son's grave, the McDonalds donated property for a Rosewood Community Cemetery, and the child was reinterred here a few months later. The cemetery was maintained in early years by members of the community, who often took turns digging graves. The plot was originally surrounded by barbed wire, which was replaced in the 1950s by a chain link fence. A variety of grave markers can be found here, including large granite stones, Woodmen of the World monuments, and an intricately carved angel on the grave of Clara McKinney (1909-1921). There are also monuments for local veterans, including one who was lost at sea during World War II in 1943. A cemetery association, formed in 1977, maintains the graveyard and hosts an annual homecoming and memorial service.

Settled in 1860s; named for Salty Creek, cattle licks. Joseph and Sarah Frasure gave site for Methodist Church, 1871. Earliest burial in cemetery was in 1875. Community had school by 1878.

Violence erupted in area in 1880s over barbed wire fencing. Salty was designated a voting precinct in 1886. Mail service was initiated 1897. Settlement had telephones, stores, a barber shop, at least three doctors.

About 1900 the Annual Salty Singing Convention was founded by A.J. Jackson. This institution remains, although stores and the school were closed in the 1940s.

Established in late 1870's by H.B. Sanborn, one of the major promoters of barbed wire. Ranch (a showplace) was first large area in Texas to be fenced with barbed wire -- a model demonstration project, contributing to decline of open-range west. In 1888, Sanborn founded city of Amarillo and thereafter sold ranch.

In the latter 1880s, when fencing was needed in the treeless Texas Panhandle, the solution proved to be barbed wire. Joseph F. Glidden of Illinois devised and by 1876 was manufacturing (with I.L. Ellwood) the first really practical barbed wire on the market. H.B. Sanborn was sent to Texas as their agent, and remained to become a builder of the Panhandle.

Wanting free access to water and grass, ranchers at first resisted fencing. Cowboys disliked it, as fewer range riders were needed on fenced lands. The old-timers grew bitter, because of blocked trails -- herds had to be hauled rather than driven to market.

Yet, newcomers wanted fencing, in oder to have use of land purchased for ranching. Merchants and city-builders wanted fences, to assure settlement.

The T-Anchor, owned by Jot Gunter and William B. Munson, real estate investors of Grayson County, built a line fence on this site in 1881, enclosing a 240,000-acre horse pasture. Also, built in this area, by popular subscription, was a "drift" fence to hold cattle back from wandering south in blue northers and blizzards. Barbed wire gradually came into general use. It saved the cattle industry, because improvements in breeding and feeding were possible on fenced ranges.

Contains one of the famous Boot Hill cemeteries of wild west days and was the gathering place for pleasure-seeking cowboys, gamblers and "bad men" of the Panhandle in the 1870s and '80s. Outlaws such as Billy the Kid and lawmen like Pat Garrett and Bat Masterson walked its streets. At first an Indian camping place at a crossing on the Canadian River, then Mexican trading point and pastoral settlement, Atascosa (Boggy Place) rapidly became an open-range trading center and capital of a cattle empire from 1876 to 1887. Romero Plaza and Howard and Rinehart store marked the boom in growth. Struggles between large ranch owners like Charles Goodnight and the "Little Men" of the plains were focused there. Became seat of Oldham County, 1880, and the legal capital of ten unorganized counties. Progress spelled doom for the town. The railroad in 1887 created other important towns and barbed wire fences ended the vital trading routes and great roundups. The open ranges and cattle trails like the famous Dodge City Trail were gone. When county seat was moved to Vega in 1915, few residents remained. Today "Old Tascosa" retains only the courthouse.

Rail service to Colorado City began on April 16, 1881, when a Texas & Pacific supply train arrived with materials for the construction of a freight and passenger depot in the town. Completed the following month at the foot of Oak Street, it was similar in style and size to a T & P Station in Fort Worth. Cattle pens were constructed later to the east of the station on land donated by Aaron W. Dunn, John Wesley Mooar, W.H. Snyder, and George W. Waddell. The railroad and stockyards established Colorado City as the major shipping center and supply station for the vast ranching region of West Texas and sections of Eastern New Mexico. W.A. Crowder came here in 1885 as the agent for the T & P Railway. During his 35 years of service, local rail traffic flourished. Trains brought the necessary manufactured products for local ranches such as barbed wire and windmills. Goods shipped from here to Eastern markets included cattle, hides, salt, ice, wool, and buffalo bones. The 1881 depot was later destroyed by fire and replaced by a new freight station in 1896. Another depot, built at the foot of Walnut Street in 1907, was used by passenger trains until service to the city ended on March 22, 1967.

Near the gravesite of outlaw Sam Bass, one-half acre of Old Round Rock Cemetery was set aside for slave burials. Enclosed by cedar posts and barbed wire, sites are marked head and foot with large limestone rocks. Some rocks are hand-grooved with names and dates. White graves here are dated as early as 1851. The first marked grave of a freed slave is dated 1880. Although there are 40 to 50 known burial sites of freedmen and the burial ground is still in use, no interments of former slaves occurred after the turn of the century.

Located 6 miles northwest of this marker. Favorite campsite of prehistoric Indians, and of later traders, military parties and hunters, from time of 18th Century Spanish explorations.

Meeting place of 19th Century Plains Indians with traders, smugglers and the renegade peddlers called Comancheros.

Summer range home ground of Mexican shepherds before the cowmen came in the 1870's.

Since 1881, location of the headquarters of the Frying Pan, ranch started by J.F. Glidden and Henry S. Sanborn, inventors and promoters of barbed wire.

Railroad made this "Cattle Capital of West Texas" in 1880s. Cattlemen Frank Byler, Clay Mann, Winfield Scott, C.C. Slaughter and others brought herds here early as 1877, when last of the buffalo were being exterminated. A Texas Ranger unit was stationed in area to guard against straggling Indians. After Texas & Pacific locators staked course through this valley, rancher George Waddell persuaded A.W. Dunn of Coleman to build a store here. Lumber came by wagon from Round Rock (about 300 mi.SE), and was sparingly used. Store had tarpaulin roof, dirt floor, and was opened in late summer 1880. Soon two saloons were also in business. Railroaders--including bridge crew of A.J. Coe--arrived in the fall. By April 16, 1881, when the Texas & Pacific initiated train service to this site, some 350 people lived here in tents and dugouts, and had a newly organized county government, a school, post office and newspaper. This was terminus for months, while river bridge was being built. Then and until late 80s, this was shipping point for such remote places as ranches of Charles Goodnight and the XIT, near present Amarillo. The T. & P. freighted in tons of windmills and barbed wire, shipped out thousands of cattle--giving this city renown.