Fort Concho Celebrates National Day of the Cowboy

Fort Concho ushered in National Day of the Cowboy Saturday with a series of festivities. The day began at 7 a.m. with a cowboy-themed breakfast complete with live period music and skits from the Concho Cowboys.

“Cowboys are a part of the mythology of the United States, they’re a part of our culture,” Christopher Morgan, educational director and living history coordinator at Fort Concho said. “The cowboys are the ones that opened up and settled the west.”

Other activities included the Fort Concho artillery detachment raising the flag and the vintage baseball team demonstrating what baseball was like in the late 1800s. Furthermore, the horse-drawn army ambulance circled the fort as well, and tours were provided for several interested parties.

Morgan estimated that 100 guests were present for the cowboy breakfast and that up to 300 people participated in the activities of the day.

Morgan said that doing things the old-fashioned way can be a refreshing and fun alternative to more modern activities. Moreover, he was adamant about the importance of the lessons one can learn from history.

“If we don’t remember where we came from, how are we going to know where we’re going?” Morgan said. “We got to know where we’re coming from before we can continue on, otherwise we are doomed to make the mistakes history’s made constantly “

Morgan said that “everybody wants to be a cowboy” and acknowledged that cowboys still exist today. He did admit, however, that being a cowboy may not be as glamorous as one may imagine.

“I tell you what, if you’ve ever worked a ranch, it ain’t so romantic,” Morgan said. “It really is hard work. But it’s good, honest hard work. It’s a part of America.”