The Emergence of Cowboy Culture

Photo: "Cowboy 1902"  by unknown in the public domain

After the Civil War, Texas still enjoyed wide, open ranges and thousands of cattle waiting to be driven north to the meat markets. Though ranch owners typically had cattle on hand just for subsistence needs or to sell meat to locals, after the Civil War, things changed. Philip Danforth Armour changed how Americans would eat meat by creating a meatpacking facility in Chicago. Rather than eating meat from their own ranches or local producers, citizens would eat cattle raised in Texas, driven to Missouri and other northern states where they were butchered, and shipped around the country via rail. This would be the lynchpin in creating Texas cowboys and their culture.

Cowboys emerged as cattle drivers, taking the cattle from the ranges in Texas north. Though the cattle could move at a maximum of 25 miles daily, this would affect the quality of the product since it would be like forcing the cattle to run, causing them to lose weight. The best cattle were plump and ready for slaughter when they arrived at their destination. To ensure this, cattle drives typically could not move more than 15 miles each day. Needless to say, it took weeks to get cattle from Texas to states in the north, but by doing so, the price for the cattle would increase 10-fold, making it well worth the cowboys' time and effort.

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Cowboy Clothes

Photo: "The Cow Boy 1888" by John C.H. Grabil in the public domain

Cattle drives meant cowboys did not have a home to go to at night for months. This meant that everything they needed had to be portable. The cowboy hat was versatile enough to protect from the sun, while providing a bowl for scooping water from a river. Tough-wearing pants and long-sleeved shirts protected cowboys from the sun, wind, cold, and heat. Many cowboys sported vests to take advantage of the numerous pockets in them, which could be used to hold personal effects such as tobacco or mementos. The bandana had a multitude of uses. A cowboy could wrap it around his nose and mouth to protect himself from blowing sand and dust. And an overheated cowboy could dip a bandana in water and place it on the back of his neck to cool off.

Diversity on the Range

Photo: "Black Cowboys" from the Texas State Historical Association in the public domain

While the rest of the country continued to live with considerable racial strife, the world of the cowboy was surprisingly diverse. Estimates hold that about 25% were black and 15 to 30% were of Mexican descent. Later, Native Americans joined the ranks of the cowboy, though in smaller numbers.