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Wilbarger County Historical Markers

Michael has a BA in History & American Studies and an MSc in American History from the University of Edinburgh. He comes from a proud military family and has spent most of his career as an educator in the Middle East and Asia. His passion is travel, and he seizes any opportunity to share his experiences in the most immersive way possible, whether at sea or on the land.

Texas Lakes Trail Region

Map of Wilbarger County

Topics (click on a topic to jump to that section.)
Doans' Adobe Building | Doan's Crossing | Doan's Crossing on Red River | Doan, Jonathan | Red River Valley Museum | Wilbarger County | Early Wilbarger County
Doans' Adobe Building

Marker Title: The Doans' Adobe Building
Address: FM 2916, NE of Vernon
City: Doan's Community
County: Wilbarger
Year Marker Erected: 1962
Marker Location: From Vernon, take US 283 North about 13 miles to FM 2916 and follow FM 2916 east to Doan's Community.
Marker Text: Corwin F. Doan (1848-1929) settled here on Red River in 1878; erected this house in 1881. In his early picket store and later, permanent building, he had large stocks of goods to supply the cowboys who annually drove cattle in herds of thousands along the Western Trail. The village of "Doan's Crossing" had 14 or more buildings. Doan, his wife Lide (1850-1905), and their 3 children entertained people from all walks of life -- English Lords to Indians -- in this adobe house. (Recorded Texas Historic Landmark--1962.)

Picture of Doan's Store at Doan's Crossing
Doan's Store from the book, Panhandle Pilgrimage,
by Pauline Durrett & R.L. Robertson
Doan's Crossing

Marker Title: Doan's Crossing
Address: FM 2916, NE of Vernon
City: Doan's Community
County: Wilbarger
Year Marker Erected: 1993
Marker Location: From Vernon, take US 283 north about 13 mi. take FM 2916 east about 3 mi to Doan's Community.
Marker Text: A major route for cattle drives known primarily as the Western Trail developed from far South Texas to Dodge City, Kansas, in the 1870s. About 1876, trail drivers along the route began crossing the Red River near this site. In 1878, Ohio native Jonathan Doan established a trading post near the crossing and became the first person to permanently settle in Wilbarger County (organized in 1881). In the early 1880s he and his partner/nephew Corwin F. Doan recorded the passage of hundreds of thousands of cattle along this river crossing which became known as Doan's Crossing.

Doan's Crossing on Red River

Marker Title: Doan's Crossing on Red River
Address: FM 2916, NE of Vernon
City: Doan's Community
County: Wilbarger
Year Marker Erected: 1936
Marker Location: From Vernon, take US 283 North about 13 mi. then take FM 2916 east about 3 mi to Doan's Community.
Marker Text: By herds on the Western Texas-Kansas Trail, 1876-1895, six million cattle and horses crossed here. "You don't need much monument if the cause is good. It's only these monuments that are for no reason at all that has to be big. Good luck to you all anyhow. Yours, Will Rogers." Dedicated to George W. Saunders, President of the Old Trail Driver's Association, "Who kept the trail records straight."

Jonathan Doan

Marker Title: Jonathan Doan
Address: US 287 at Eastview Memorial Park
City: Vernon
County: Wilbarger
Year Marker Erected: 1972
Marker Location: From Vernon, follow US 287 Business about 2 miles east to Eastview Memorial Park.
Marker Text: (May 20, 1837- November 6, 1902) Frontier trader and merchant; a Quaker, peaceable on troubled frontiers. With nephew C.F. Doan, came form Ohio and entered hides trade in Indian Territory, 1874-75. In April 1878 opened trading post at Western Cattle Trail crossing on Red River (12 mi. NE). C.F. Doan moved down that fall to run post. Jonathan Doan continued to trade on frontier. Doan's store and the family were famous and respected among the Indian, the cattlemen, and the frontiersmen. (Recorded-1972.)

Red River Valley Museum

Museum Name: Red River Valley Museum
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 2004
City: Vernon
Zip Code: 76385 2004
Street Address: 4600 College Dr
Area Code: 940
Phone: 553-1848
County: Wilbarger
Types of Exhibits/Collections: Art, Natural History, Archeology, Photos, Historical, Local/Pioneer History

Red River Valley Museum

Marker Title: Red River Valley Museum
Address: US 70, south of US 270 intersection
City: Vernon
County: Wilbarger
Year Marker Erected: 1963
Marker Location: US 70, one block south of US 287 intersection, Vernon.
Marker Text: Features one of Texas' famed regional collections of Indian artifiacts, tracing history of early man along the Red River. Before Chisholm Trail days, when thousands of cattle crossed Red River at nearby Doan's Crossing, Vernon area was home to tribes of Comanche, Kiowa, and Wichita. Mr. and Mrs. J. Henry Ray of Vernon spent 30 years gathering artifacts, which they donated to Wilbarger County, Oct. 14,

Wilbarger County

Marker Title: Wilbarger County
Address: US 70
City: Vernon
County: Wilbarger
Year Marker Erected: 1936
Marker Location: On US 70 at Red River Museum one block south of US 287; Vernon.
Marker Text: Formed from Bexar County. Created February 1, 1858. Organized October 10, 1881. Named for Josiah and Mathias Wilbarger, brothers who came to Texas in 1829. Josiah, scalped by Indians August, 1833, survived 11 years. Vernon, the county seat. Millions of cattle and horses were driven north through this county.

Early Wilbarger County

Marker Title: Early Wilbarger County
Address: US 287 & 183 intersection
City: Vernon
County: Wilbarger
Year Marker Erected: 1968
Marker Location: US 287 & 183 intersection, Courthouse Square, Vernon.
Marker Text: Organized 1858 and named in honor of Mathias and Josiah P. Wilbarger, early Texas settlers. Josiah, a surveyor, had become famous as the man who lived 12 years after being scalped by Comanches, 1833, near Austin. He had saved his life by putting a wool sock on his head; he was rescued next day by neighbors. An adobe house built 1878 by Jonathan and C.F. Doan, the first Wilbarger County settlers, marks the Red River crossing of the famous Western Cattle Trail. Vernon (formerly Eagle Flat) became county seat in 1881. The first railroad reached town, 1886.

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