Morton Museum of Cooke County
Lakes Trail Region
The first reels of barbed wire were reportedly sold in Gainesville at the Cleaves and Fletcher hardware store in 1875. Gainesville ranchers became some of the first to learn the power of the wire that would revolutionize the ranching industry and put an end to the Chisholm Trail by closing off the open range. Until that time, however, Gainesville was a cattle center along the trail. Area history—from prehistory to World War II—is showcased at the Morton Museum of Cooke County, located in a beautifully restored 1884 building that used to house the jail, firehouse, and city hall.