Baxter Springs, Kansas, situated just North of  'The Indian Nations', (better known these days as the State of Oklahoma), was ideally situated to capitalize on the emerging cattle industry, as a military supply trail already existed, 'broken' a few years previously by a businessman called John Chisholm, in order to supply Fort Gibson in the 'Nations', through Baxter Springs, supplying Fort Scott, and on North to Fort Leavenworth. The trail might easily have become known as 'The Chisholm Trail', but that particular name was destined to go to another cattle route some time later.

 

A lay-preacher named John Baxter and his family had initially settled the area on 160 acres of land in 1869, close to where the military supply trail crossed the Spring River, where he opened a general store called 'Baxter's Place', and within a couple of years other settlers had arrived, and the community quickly developed into a small town. The Rev. Baxter, (known as 'The Gun-Toting Preacher), was later gunned-down in a property dispute, and the community, wishing to remember the 6' 7'' founder, and noticing the number of springs in the area, quickly named their new town Baxter Springs.

 

As Missouri became off-limits to Texas cattle, due to several outbreaks of 'Texas Fever', (caused by a tic carried by the Longhorns), Baxter Springs welcomed them to Kansas. The community built stockyards capable of holding 20,000-plus cattle, with grass and water in abundance. Still known as 'The First Cowtown In Kansas', it rapidly developed the same reputation that all the other cowtowns would later get.

 

This was a place for the trail-hands to unwind. After more than 1000 miles on the trail guiding herds the size of which would commonly be spread back over two miles, and with almost four months back-wages in their pockets, liquor flowed in the saloons, card-games abounded, and 'hotels', occupied by 'soiled doves', did a roaring trade.

 

Baxter Springs boomed, growing from 1,500 residents from it's incorporation in 1868, to 6,000 by 1872. The Missouri, Kansas and Texas Railroad had arrived on May 12th, 1870, narrowly beating the Missouri River Forst Scott and Gulf Railroad for the privilege, but when the railroad pushed on further South, the Baxter Springs cattle industry boom was over. There was no longer any need to push the cattle any further North than the nearest railhead, and by 1876, the population had fallen to just 800.

 

Baxter Springs, Kansas, still exists today, with a population of some 6,400, but it's learned its' lesson and no longer relies on a single industry for its' continuing prosperity, but it still proudly boasts the title of...'The First Cowtown In Kansas'!....

 

...but it isn't the most famous...watch this space!

 

 
End