June 18, 2021
 

Fort Buford State Historic Site To Mark Role in Great Western Cattle Trail

WILLISTON, N.D. – Fort Buford State Historic Site will mark its role in the Great Western Cattle Trail with free public events June 26-27. Visitors will enjoy horse-drawn carriage rides, musical performances, and cowboy poetry. A commemorative obelisk and plaque will be unveiled.

On June 26, the Long X Wagon Train pulls into the Fort Buford campground about 4 p.m., with a campfire performance by cowboy poet and singer Bob Petermann at 7 p.m. At 2 p.m. on June 27, an obelisk and plaque will be unveiled at the Missouri-Yellowstone Confluence Interpretive Center. Darrell Dorgan, who heads the effort to mark the North Dakota route of the cattle trail, will welcome attendees. Speakers include state Senate Majority Leader Rich Wardner, project coordinator Jim Ozbun, State Historical Society of North Dakota Director Bill Peterson, and Sylvia Mahoney, author of “Finding the Great Western Trail.” All times are in Central time.

The Great Western Cattle Trail, which stretched from Mexico to Canada, was the route north for millions of cattle and horses during the 1870s-1890s. The endpoint of the trail’s eastern spur, Fort Buford was a grazing and distribution center with animals sold from there. Obelisks marking the cattle drive route have been placed in several states. The Fort Buford event marks the final obelisk to be placed in North Dakota.

For more information, contact Debbie Crossland or Joe Garcia at 701.572.9034. The Missouri-Yellowstone Confluence Interpretive Center is part of Fort Buford State Historic Site and is managed by the State Historical Society of North Dakota. The Interpretive Center is open daily, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Fort Buford, near Williston, is open daily, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Find information about upcoming programs of the State Historical Society at history.nd.gov/events.

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CONTACT
Debbie Crossland or Joe Garcia, 701.572.9034

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