Blazed by trail boss Thornton Chisholm on an 1866 drive from Cardwell's Flat, near Cuero, to Austin (Texas) and Missouri, this section of the famous trail was used until 1896. Over it thundered thousands of cattle headed for northern markets, where sale of beef meant cash to Texas cattlemen and economic growth during the post-Civil War period. Until the railroad was built from Texas to Dodge City, trails such as this were also the only supply line for U.S. forts, Indian reservations and large Kansas-centered markets.