| Besides Stephenville, Texas, there are
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| | and Boot Hill, these days, Dodge is
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| several cities across the nation that
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| | keeping its heritage alive through
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| refer to themselves as the "Cowboy Capital
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| | historical preservation programs. Dodge,
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| of the World." Whoa! Now, wait a minute!
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| | stop "dodging" the issue....honor your
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| How can Dodge City, Kansas, Banderas,
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| | past but stop living in it. That's just
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| Texas and Oakdale, California ALL claim
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| | sad.WILL THE REAL COWBOY CAPITAL PLEASE
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| the same title as Stephenville? Somebody
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| | STAND UP?Enter Stephenville, Texas! The
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| ain't tellin' the truth.Git a rope.True,
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| | REAL Cowboy Capital of the World located
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| Oakdale, California had the first outdoor
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| | in what's referred to as the Cross Timbers
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| rodeo in the West, started early in the
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| | region of the state. How can one small
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| fabulous 50's. Nineteen fifties, that is.
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| | town, 70 miles south of Fort Worth and
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| What's so "Cowboy" about the era of
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| | almost 2 hours from Abilene, make such a
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| Rockabilly, Elvis, 3-D movies and the
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| | bold claim? Easy! The Cross Timbers region
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| hoola-hoop?Banderas, Texas got its start
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| | has been a thoroughfare to the American
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| as a staging area for the great cattle
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| | Cowboy since Americans crossed the
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| drives of yesteryear. The town is known
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| | Mississippi westward. The lush, timbered
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| for its "dude" ranches which came into
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| | basins of the Trinity, Brazos and Bosque
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| being when ranching fell upon hard times.
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| | Rivers (the timber ranges "crossed" at
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| When was that? During the Great Depression
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| | this juncture, hence the name "Cross
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| of 1929. One enterprising rancher decided
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| | Timbers") yielded thousands of unbranded
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| to open up his ranch to city-slickers as a
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| | Longhorn cattle. Essentially, it's where
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| means for generating earn extra money and
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| | the longhorns came to graze. The famous
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| a new industry was born. Perhaps it should
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| | Goodnight-Loving trail originated from the
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| be called the City Slicker Capital or the
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| | Cross Timbers region; the Great Western
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| Dude Ranch Capital, since that's what
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| | Trail passed right through the heart of
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| Banderas has hung its hat on.Dodge City,
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| | the Cross Timbers area. One old-timer told
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| Kansas is known by several nicknames
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| | me that one of those trails started right
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| including Queen of the Cowtowns, Wickedest
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| | where the Sonic Drive-In is located on
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| Little City in America and Buffalo Capital
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| | Washington Street and insisted there
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| of the World. C'mon, Dodge, surely you
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| | should be an historical marker placed
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| don't need another moniker, do ya? Famous
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| | there.
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| for the likes of Bat Masterson, Wyatt Earp
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