The American West (c1835-c1895): The Open Range

In Texas, cattle were raised on ranches. The cattle roamed freely throughout the winter, mixing with other herds. It was not until spring that the real work began for cowboys, and consequently not many cowboys had jobs over the winter months.

In spring, cowboys had to complete the ‘round-up’. This is when cowboys would round up all the cattle, and separate them according to which ranch they belonged to. This was physically challenging work, so most cowboys were in their early twenties.

Most cowboys lived in bunkhouses. This was more comfortable than on the long drive, where cowboys had to sleep out in the open.