Trammel's Trace: The First road to Texas from the North
by Gary Pinkerton

The Heritage Society Tea Room
Free for members, $5 for non-members

Trammel’s Trace was the earliest route for immigration to Texas years well before the Texas Revolution. For families with ancestors who migrated to Texas from Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Arkansas it is likely that this was their route. The trail is named for Nicholas Trammell, a horse smuggler, tavern and gambling house operator, and an owner of horses for racing. 

Gary’s passion for learning about Trammel’s Trace has resulted in a book published by Texas A&M University Press titled Trammel’s Trace: The First Road to Texas from the North. His book fills a broad gap for researchers and genealogists and focuses on early borderlands history in east Texas. In addition to his historical research, Gary and other “rut nuts” continue to work on locating and mapping its remaining pathways.