The Vaqueros – The First Cowboys

Saturday, June 29

The Vaqueros – The First Cowboys

11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

JE Dunn Construction Teater

Free Program. Space is Limited. RSVP Required.

When Spanish settlers arrived in New Spain – later Mexico and the American Southwest – they brought with them the tradition of the Vaqueros, who were horse-mounted livestock herders that originated on the Iberian Peninsula of Europe. As American settlers moved west, they adopted the methods of the Vaqueros for managing large herds of cattle.

In the 1800s, the demand for beef grew and the cattle industry boomed. Massive cattle drives to railheads in towns like Sedalia, Missouri, and Abilene, Kansas required the unique skills of Hispanic, Black, American Indian, and white cowboys of the Vaquero tradition. This presentation facilitated by Gene T Chávez, Ed.D., and Tony Florez will highlight the history and culture of the vaquero.

Host or Publisher Kansas City Museum