From 1874 to 1893, about seven million head of cattle and horses traveled the Great Western Trail from Mexico through nine U.S. states into Canada, with its major years from 1874 to 1886. Longer-lasting, longer, and carrying more cattle than any other cattle trail originating in Texas, it helped bring economic recovery to post-Civil War Texas and establish the ranching and livestock industry as herds moved north. Longhorns gathered around Matamoros, Mexico, in other parts of South Texas, and on feeder routes in Texas, then crossed the low-water crossing on the Red River near Doan's and were herded to Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota, North Dakota, Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, and Canada. Known by various names as cattle moved north, it became primarily known as the Western Trail. At major railheads in Dodge City, Kansas, and Ogallala, Nebraska, buyers purchased cattle for reservations, eastern markets, and ranches in northern U.S. states, Saskatchewan, and Alberta, Canada. Texan John T. Lytle blazed the trail in 1874 through areas still inhabited by Indians and buffalo herds to Fort Robinson, Nebraska. Herds had been forced west by homesteaders, tick fever, and Kansas laws closing the Chisholm Trail, and after 1879 the Western Trail became the principal trail for cattle bound for northern markets. In Menard County, the trail entered from the south at the head of MacDougal Creek, descended that stream to Pegleg Crossing on the San Saba twelve miles below Menard, then ran eastward along the north bank of the San Saba for five or six miles before turning northeastward and entering McCulloch County approximately on Farm Road 1311. Although the Western Trail lasted only nineteen years, it endured in the legend and lore of the cowboy as tales of cow towns, gunmen, drovers, and stampedes filled books, movies, and the imagination of people fascinated by the cattle trail days. In the 21st century, Rotary Clubs on the Western Trail have been setting white seven-foot cement posts with red letters every six miles along the route to preserve trail history and promote heritage tourism across the nine U.S. states, Mexico, and Canada.