HOW the West Was Won:

Fencing in the Great Plains with Devil's Rope

This Site is a tribute to a forgotten factor of taming the wild west. Barbed Wire, also known as devil's rope, helped in changing the face of the American frontier during 1800's.

Why was it developed Who developed it Reaction to Barbed Wire
Graphics courtesy of Barbed Wire Museum Pictures courtesy of Marauder Site Created September 2001 by Brian Rye E-mail Webmaster

Why was Barbed Wire developed

When Pioneers came to settle on the Great Plains, wood was on short supply. They needed an inexpensive, durable fencing material to protect crops and livestock. Smooth wire was not an effective restraint for livestock and predators. This lead Settlers to look for other means of restraint.

Who developed Barbed Wire

Joseph Glidden of Illinois got the idea to wrap two wires around a pointy piece of wire in a fixed position. He is credited for being the first to patent barbed wire. Shortly after, came more than 500 patents for different kinds of barbed wire. Wire with Spur Wheel

Reaction to Barbed Wire

When Livestock walked into the barbed wire, it would poke into the livestock creating a painful reminder and deter the animal from going further. Some groups thought this was wrong. They stated that this was cruelty to the animals. They gave the name Devil's Rope to barbed wire. Man Shooting Rifle

Trail drivers were concerned that this wire would impede their herds from getting to the railroads in Kansas. They believed it would be the end of their livelihood. They decided to cut fences that blocked their cattle drive, leading to the Fence Cutter Wars.

The Fence Cutter Wars lead to many deaths and unknown financial losses. Several laws were passed to aid in ending the controversy. These laws made fence cutting a felony, which quickly reduced the problems.

Eventually, barbed wire became a part of the landscape of the Great Plains and the American West, then spreading world wide. Barbed wire is still used today on farms and ranches.

Graphics courtesy of Barbed Wire Museum
Pictures courtesy of Marauder
Site Created September 2001 by Brian Rye
E-mail Web master