Up the Trail: How Texas Cowboys Herded Longhorns and Became an American Icon

How did cattle drives come about—and why did the cowboy become an iconic American hero?

Cattle drives were the largest, longest, and ultimately the last of the great forced animal migrations in human history. Spilling out of Texas, they spread longhorns, cowboys, and the culture that roped the two together throughout the American West. In cities like Abilene, Dodge City, and Wichita, buyers paid off ranchers, ranchers paid off wranglers, and railroad lines took the cattle east to the packing...