Abilene: The Devil's Addition
The first of the Kansas cattle towns Abilene stood on the east bank of Mud Creek. Joseph McCoy bought property at the east end of town where he built his Great Western Stockyard and Drover’s Cottage south of the tracks. Some cottage, the rambling three story frame building had one hundred rooms, a dining room and a broad veranda across the front where cattle buyers and drovers could consummate deals in comfort over a drink.
McCoy built his Great Western Stockyard offices north of the tracks across from his Drover’s cottage next to a livery stable. Further east a few ramshackle clapboards accommodated the beginnings of a bordello district that would boom along with the cattle business, before moving to the southeast end of town where the so called Devils Addition could be separated from respectable society.
The town sprawled west to east along the tracks to the south. The main thoroughfare, Texas Street ran west to east a block south of the tracks. Five blocks east it intersected Cedar Street which ran south from the tracks for about four or five blocks. Texas Street became the commercial center of town with mercantile stores, barbershops and the usual assortment of nineteenth century businesses, including saloons, dance halls, pool-halls and did I mention saloons? Oh my, did Abilene have saloons.
The queen of them all was the Alamo Saloon. She stood on Cedar near Texas. A long bar with polished brass rail graced the south wall. A mirrored back bar showcased a colorful array of bottles offering any manner of libation a man might desire. Gaming tables filled the place offering a myriad of chances to part a trail weary cowboy from his pay. The walls were adorned with massive reproductions of ladies as painted by Renaissance Masters in the ‘altogether’. Good taste didn’t end with ‘Classic Art’ either. The Alamo orchestra to entertained patrons.
While the Alamo set the high-brow saloon standard, Abilene had plenty more to offer. Ben Thompson and Phil Coe’s Bull’s Head Saloon was a favored hangout for gunfighter John Wesley Hardin. The Bull’s Head is famously known for mounting a risqué sign featuring a standing bull sporting, among other things, a lascivious grin. The sign resulted in a confrontation between City Marshal James Butler “Wild Bill” Hickock and Thompson. Hickock demanded Thompson remove the sign or face consequences. The confrontation ended peaceably with Thompson had portions of the anatomically correct sign whitewashed. Hickock’s later confrontation with Phil Coe would not end so peaceably; but we’ll save that for a post series on gunfighters.
Abilene thrived as a trail’s end cow town for four uproarious years; but by 1871 The Atchison, Topeka and Santa, Fe having noticed how well Abilene worked out for the Kansas Pacific, built south to Newton, shortening the trail to rail-head. The following year they moved on to Wichita, accompanied by stockyard builder Joseph McCoy. The following year they built west toward what would become the King of the Cow Towns, Dodge City. The move west shifted the cattle trail with it. Texas longhorns would follow the Great Western Trail to Dodge.
Next Week: The Great Western Trail
Bounty of Vengeance: Ty's Story
https://www.amazon.com/author/paulcolt
Ride easy,
Paul
McCoy built his Great Western Stockyard offices north of the tracks across from his Drover’s cottage next to a livery stable. Further east a few ramshackle clapboards accommodated the beginnings of a bordello district that would boom along with the cattle business, before moving to the southeast end of town where the so called Devils Addition could be separated from respectable society.
The town sprawled west to east along the tracks to the south. The main thoroughfare, Texas Street ran west to east a block south of the tracks. Five blocks east it intersected Cedar Street which ran south from the tracks for about four or five blocks. Texas Street became the commercial center of town with mercantile stores, barbershops and the usual assortment of nineteenth century businesses, including saloons, dance halls, pool-halls and did I mention saloons? Oh my, did Abilene have saloons.
The queen of them all was the Alamo Saloon. She stood on Cedar near Texas. A long bar with polished brass rail graced the south wall. A mirrored back bar showcased a colorful array of bottles offering any manner of libation a man might desire. Gaming tables filled the place offering a myriad of chances to part a trail weary cowboy from his pay. The walls were adorned with massive reproductions of ladies as painted by Renaissance Masters in the ‘altogether’. Good taste didn’t end with ‘Classic Art’ either. The Alamo orchestra to entertained patrons.
While the Alamo set the high-brow saloon standard, Abilene had plenty more to offer. Ben Thompson and Phil Coe’s Bull’s Head Saloon was a favored hangout for gunfighter John Wesley Hardin. The Bull’s Head is famously known for mounting a risqué sign featuring a standing bull sporting, among other things, a lascivious grin. The sign resulted in a confrontation between City Marshal James Butler “Wild Bill” Hickock and Thompson. Hickock demanded Thompson remove the sign or face consequences. The confrontation ended peaceably with Thompson had portions of the anatomically correct sign whitewashed. Hickock’s later confrontation with Phil Coe would not end so peaceably; but we’ll save that for a post series on gunfighters.
Abilene thrived as a trail’s end cow town for four uproarious years; but by 1871 The Atchison, Topeka and Santa, Fe having noticed how well Abilene worked out for the Kansas Pacific, built south to Newton, shortening the trail to rail-head. The following year they moved on to Wichita, accompanied by stockyard builder Joseph McCoy. The following year they built west toward what would become the King of the Cow Towns, Dodge City. The move west shifted the cattle trail with it. Texas longhorns would follow the Great Western Trail to Dodge.
Next Week: The Great Western Trail
Bounty of Vengeance: Ty's Story
https://www.amazon.com/author/paulcolt
Ride easy,
Paul
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