cars of livestock were shipped out of Abilene and in 1872 about 80,000 head of cattle were shipped from Wichita. The settlement of the valleys of the Arkansas and the Ninnescah rivers rendered it impractical to reach Wichita shipping yards after 1873 and the loading of cattle was transferred to points on the railroad farther west, finally stopping at Dodge City. The use of the Abilene cattle trail ended in 1887. References This article incorporates text from Kansas: a cyclopedia of state history, embracing events, institutions, industries, counties, cities, towns, prominent persons, etc., published in 1912 Historic trails and roads in Texas Historic trails and roads in Kansas Trails and roads in the American Old West