LOST TRAIL. . . Tourists and natives alike have paused in curiosity for many years to look at this unusual sign at the Ambrose Border Station on highway 42, and county librarian Ruth Ralph and Vince Gilloley of Phoenix, who formerly manned the border station, have uncovered some of the interesting history behind the sign that marks the “End of the Lost Trail”.

History buffs are aware of the significance of the old Chisholm Trail, which marked the path for hundreds of cattle drives from old Mexico and Texas to Abilene, Kansas.

Ranching in much of the north moved upward from Abilene, and many of the cattle that first stocked the badlands and rugged plains of the Dakotas were driven up from Texas.

In 1934 an Elk City, Oklahoma, rancher decided to mark the old Chisholm trail with attractive signs, all the way from Texas to Abilene, and on thru the northern branch to the Canadian border. For his last sign he added the appropriate words, “The End of the Lost Trail”. Like the rest of the signs the one at Ambrose also says “Going up the Texas Chisholm Trail, 1867”.

This sign is the only known remaining marker in the Dakotas. Standing beside it is Warren Norman, who took care of the sign when it had to be removed for recent highway construction, repainted and refinished it, and had it erected again.