Cattle drives in Kansas came to an end primarily due to the expansion of the railroad system, which allowed for quicker and more efficient transportation of cattle to market without the need for long drives. Additionally, the introduction of barbed wire and the rise of settled farming in the region restricted open grazing lands, making traditional cattle drives more difficult. Economic factors, such as fluctuating cattle prices and the increasing cost of long drives, also contributed to the decline of this practice. As a result, ranchers began to adapt to new methods of cattle transportation that were more viable in the changing landscape.
I must assume you are asking about cattle drives since you don't ask it in your question. Kansas was the nearest rail line for the cattle drives. Kansas City had the largest stockyards for the trains going east.
I must assume you are asking about cattle drives since you don't ask it in your question. Kansas was the nearest rail line for the cattle drives. Kansas City had the largest stockyards for the trains going east.
Many cattle drives ended in Kansas due to its strategic location along the railroads, particularly the Kansas Pacific Railway, which facilitated the transportation of cattle to markets in the East. Additionally, Kansas offered open grazing lands and was part of the cattle trails like the Chisholm Trail, making it an ideal destination for herders. The demand for beef during the post-Civil War era further incentivized drives to this region, as it became a key hub for cattle shipping.
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barb wire
The increase in population along cattle trails led to the development of settlements and ranches, causing conflicts between the cattle drives and local communities. As a result, laws were passed to regulate the movement of cattle and prevent further conflicts, ultimately leading to the decline of cattle drives.
The expansion of railways was the direct cause of this.
The quick easy answer is..The open plains were cut up by "Barbed Wire" Barbed wire put an end to the great Cattle drives of the old West and to a certain extent The Cowboy.
The growth of towns and farms took up most of the grazing land along the routes of the drives, and the expansion of the railroads meant cattle could be shipped directly to the slaughterhouse.
At the end of the cattle trails, cattle were primarily shipped to railheads in cities like Abilene, Kansas, and Dodge City, Kansas. From these railheads, they were transported by train to major markets in the eastern United States, where there was a high demand for beef. This process was a critical part of the cattle drive era in the late 19th century, facilitating the distribution of cattle to populated areas.
The first railroads built in Texas were used to transport cattle from the open range to the Chicago markets. With their completion the age of cattle drives and cowboys came to an end.
They put up fences. Cattle used to roam freely on the Great Plains. Later, farmers put up barbed wire fences in order to share the land and divide it. The fences ended the cattle drives that were an essential part of the Cattle Kingdom.