Abilene Trail

The Abilene Trail was a cattle trail from Texas to Abilene, Kansas, whose exact route is disputed due to many offshoots. It crossed the Red River east of Henrietta, Texas, and ran north through Indian Territory to Caldwell, Kansas, then past Wichita and Newton to Abilene. The first herds were likely driven over it in 1866, though it was not named until Abilene was established in 1867.

Joseph G. McCoy developed stockyards at Abilene in 1867 along the Union Pacific Eastern Division Railroad, and the first rail carloads of cattle left for Chicago on September 5 of that year. The trail eventually became known as the Chisholm Trail because it used the pre-existing Chisholm Wagon Road. Its use ended in 1887.