Markers (click on a topic to jump to that section.)
Barbed Wire in Cooke County | Butterland Overland Stage Line | Cooke County | Cooke County, C.S.A. | Cross Timbers | Gainesville | Great Hanging at Gainesville | Kiowa Raid of 1868 (SW Part of County) | Montague, Daniel (First Cooke County Surveyor) | Morton Museum of Cooke County | Washington House (Sycamore Creek Ranch)
Uncommemorated and Unmapped Sites
Cooke and Montague Counties, Big Raid into
Uncommemorated Active Battle Map (Stories below are on map.)
Grant, Charlie | Raid Through Montague, Cooke and Denton | Massacre of the Porter Family | Raid Through Montague, Cooke and Denton Counties During September of 1866 | Big Tree's Bloody Raid Through Montague and Cooke Counties | Capture of Dick Freeman and John Bailey
1861 Red River Valley
Barbed Wire in Cooke County
Marker Title: Barbed Wire in Cooke County
Address: 100 E. California
City: Gainesville
Year Marker Erected: 1986
Marker Location: 100 East California, Gainesville.
Marker Text: The development of barbed wire fencing had a revolutionary
impact on the economy and settlement pattern in Texas. In 1874, Joseph
Glidden of Illinois received a patent for his barbed wire. By 1875,
Henry B. Sanborn had come to North Texas as Glidden's barbed wire salesman.
Cleaves & Fletcher Hardware, once located at this site, and other
Gainesville businesses began to stock Glidden's Barbed Wire as it came
into demand by Texas ranchers. Sanborn's 1875 transaction with Cleaves
& Fletcher may represent the earliest sale of two-stranded modern
barbed wire in Texas. Texas Sesquicentennial 1836-1986.
Butterfield Overland Stage Line
Marker Title: Butterfield Overland Stage Line
Address: Grand Avenue and Star
City: Gainesville
Year Marker Erected: 1936
Marker Location: Grand Avenue and Star, Gainesville.
Marker Text: Gainesville was a station on the Southern Overland Mail
Line (Butterfield Route), which provided semi-weekly mail and stage
service between St. Louis and San Francisco, 1858-1861. The line was
2795 miles long--one of the longest stage transportation routes ever
established. 1964
Cooke County
Marker Title: Cooke County
Address: Moffett Park
City: Gainesville
Year Marker Erected: 1936
Marker Location: East of Elm Fork Bridge on SH 51, in Moffett Park,
Gainesville.
Marker Text: Created March 20, 1848. Organized March 10, 1849. Named
in honor of William G. Cooke 1808-1847. Captain of the "New Orleans
Greys," 1835; Assistant Inspector General at San Jacinto, 1836;
member of the Santa Fe Expedition, 1841; Secretary of War and Marine,
1845; Adjutant General, 1846-1847; County Seat, Gainesville. 1964
Cooke County, C.S.A.
Marker Title: Cooke County, C.S.A./2nd Frontier Regiment
Address: Moffett Park
City: Gainesville
Year Marker Erected: 1963
Marker Location: East of Elm Fork Bridge on SH 51, in Moffett Park,
Gainesville.
Marker Text: Military, defense center in Civil War. Cooke voted 231
to 137 anti-secession, yet nine military units served Confederacy from
here. In constant danger of Federal or Indian attack. Col. Wm. C. Young
of Cooke, with 1,000 men took Indian Territory forts from Federals April-May
1861. Commissioners set up regular patrols. Forted a home as refuge
for dependents. Gave $4,000 for munitions and wool cards to make cloth.
Cotton gin, grist mill, gunsmiths, blacksmiths made war goods. C.S.A.
was furnished epsom salts from Indian creek. Corn, beef, pork, wheat,
other produce fed the military, home front. County swapped 25 steers
for salt for dependent families. People worked hard, sacrificed much,
protected homes of fighting men of Confederacy. (Back of Cooke County,
C.S.A.) Organized Oct. 1863 with Gainesville as headquarters, the Second
Frontier Regiment, Texas Cavalry C.S.A. guarded counties along Red River,
to keep down outlaws, Indians, deserters. Col. James Bourland (1803-1868)
was appointed Commander and it became known as "Bourland's Border
Regiment." Union invasion from north of Red River was constantly
threatened. These mounted troops patrolled, maintained posts along river
and in Indian Territory. Confederate Seminole troops served with the
unit. Famous Confederate Indian Gen. Stand Watie and his Cherokee Brigade
shared duty along perilous border. Bourland also worked with Frontier
Regiment, state troops, that maintained line posts 100 mi. west, a day's
horseback ride apart, from Red to Rio Grande rivers, and with a state
militia line 30 mi. to the west. Erected by The State of Texas 1963.
Cross Timbers
Marker Title: The Cross Timbers
Address: US 82 roadside park
City: Gainesville
Year Marker Erected: 1970
Marker Location: From Gainesville take US 82 about 5 miles to roadside
park on the south side of highway.
Marker Text: Two long, narrow strips of timber extending parallel to
each other from Oklahoma to Central Texas; form a marked contrast to
adjacent prairie. The more fertile East Cross Timbers begin here in
Cooke County. Area was famous pioneer landmark as well as obstacle to
travel because of its dense growth. It divided the hunting grounds of
the Plains and East Texas Indians. Until 1870s it marked boundary of
settlement, for Plains Indians avoided the timber. Forests' most important
function was (and is) causing soil to retain water. (1970)
Gainesville
Marker Title: Gainesville
Address: US 82 E, roadside park
City: Gainesville
Year Marker Erected: 1964
Marker Location: From Gainesville take US 82 about 5 miles east to roadside
park, north side of highway.
Marker Text: Founded 1850. Named for Gen. Edmund P. Gaines, who in 1836
aided Republic of Texas. Military supply headquarters during Civil War.
Important in defense against Indian attacks and invasion. Center for
agriculture, industry, oil. Home of famed Gainesville Community Circus.
(1964)
Great Hanging at Gainesville
Marker Title: Great Hanging at Gainesville, 1862
City: Gainesville
Year Marker Erected: 1964
Marker Location: East of Elm Fork Bridge - SH 51 (south side of road),
Gainesville. (This marker has been moved and is now located on east bank of Pecan Creek, between Main St. and California St. The marker at one time was located west of I-35, near Elm Creek. It was moved here a few years ago.)
Marker Text: Facing the threat of invasion from the north and fearing
a Unionist uprising in their midst, the people of North Texas lived
in constant dread during the Civil War. Word of a "Peace Party"
of Union sympathizers, sworn to destroy their government, kill their
leaders, and bring in Federal troops caused great alarm in Cooke and
neighboring counties. Spies joined the "Peace Party" discovered
its members and details of their plans. Under the leadership of Colonels
James Bourland, Daniel Montague and others, citizens loyal to the Confederacy
determined to destroy the order; and on the morning of October 1, 1862,
there were widespread arrests "by authority of the people of Cook
County." Fear of rescue by "Peace Party" members brought
troops and militia to Gainesville, where the prisoners were assembled,
and hastened action by the citizens committee. At a meeting of Cooke
County citizens, with Colonel W.C. Young presiding, it was unanimously
resolved to establish a Citizens Court and to have the Chairman choose
a committee to select a jury. 68 men were brought speedily before the
court. 39 of them were found guilty of conspiracy and insurrection,
sentenced and immediately hanged. Three other prisoners who were members
of military units were allowed trial by Court Martial at their request
and were subsequently hanged by its order. Two others broke from their
guard and were shot and killed. The Texas Legislature appropriated $4,500
for rations, forage used by State troops here during the unrest. (1964) More
Kiowa Raid of 1868 (SW Part of County)
Marker Title: Kiowa Raid of 1868 (SW Part of County)
City: Valley View
Year Marker Erected: 1968
Marker Location: From Valley View take IH-35 3 miles north to rest stop
on east side of highway.
Marker Text: On Jan. 5-6, 1868, Chief Big Tree and 150 to 200 Kiowas
raided Willa Walla Valley, Clear Creek and Blocker Creek. Burned homes;
killed 13 people; scalped one woman alive. Captured 10 women and children;
3 escaped, 2 were ransomed. Raiders reached Elm Creek at Gainesville
before blizzard forced withdrawal. More damage and deaths would have
resulted if George Masoner had not become the "Paul Revere"
of valleys and warned settlers of impending danger. Indian raids such
as this one were in retaliation for loss of hunting grounds to settlers.
(1968)
Daniel Montague (First Cooke County Surveyor)
Marker Title: Montague, Daniel (First Cooke County Surveyor)
City: Gainesville
County: Cooke
Marker Location: from Gainesville take US 82 west about 7.3 miles to
roadside park on south side of road.
Marker Text: (1793 - 1876) Born in Massachusetts. Moved to Texas 1836.
Accepted post of surveyor, Fannin Land District, helping settlers locate
claims and fight Indians. Joined Snively Expedition to capture Mexican
traders trespassing in Republic of Texas, 1843, Captain of Company in
Mexican War, 1846. When Cooke County was created, 1848, Montague was
named County Surveyor. Like most surveyors, took land as pay for duty
that called for constant risk of life. Rifles to stand off Indians were
in field kits. Like Surveyor-Senator John H. Reagan, Montague was honored
in having a county named for him.
Morton Museum of Cooke County
Museum Name: Morton Museum of Cooke County
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 150
City: Gainesville
Zip Code: 76240
Area Code: 817
Phone: 668-8900
Washington House (Sycamore Creek Ranch)
Marker Title: Washington House (Sycamore Creek Ranch)
Address: Sycamore Creek Ranch
City: Dexter
Year Marker Erected: 1967
Marker Location: From Dexter, take County Road 103 north about 4 miles
to Sycamore Creek Ranch gate. Marker is on private property.
Marker Text: Built 1867 by J.R. Washington, with lumber hauled by oxen
from Jefferson, Texas. Architecture is Queen Anne Period; gingerbread
trim. Excellent water facilities made ranch a collection center for
cattle prior to trail drives. As home of a cattle industry leader, attracted
distinguished visitors, including ranchers Chas. Goodnight and J.C.
Loving, and statesman Sam Rayburn. Property in one family five generations.
Recorded Texas Historic Landmark, 1967. Incise in base: Owned by K.B. and Neva McCain Yost, and By Lynda Yost Lindh, and Beverly Yost Lindh,
(Mrs. Yost a grand-daughter of J.R. Washington).