Kansas town preserves cowboy history as nation marks 250th anniversary

As America celebrates its 250th anniversary this summer, a small Kansas town is highlighting its role in the cattle trade evolution that created iconic cowboy culture after the Civil War.

Old Abilene Town in Dickinson County transports visitors back to the 1800s when the town served as one of the first great American cowtowns.

“It’s a small replica of a portion of Abilene back when the longhorns were coming in on the Chisholm Trail,” said Lisa Kijowski, board president of Old Abilene Town.