Pat Garrett
Uvalde, Uvalde County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Pioneer law officer Patrick F. Garrett, renowned for killing outlaw Billy the Kid in 1881, lived in a house at this site during his residence in Uvalde. He had come from Alabama to Texas in 1869; here he worked as a farmer, cowboy, and buffalo hunter. He served as sheriff in several cities and also dealt in ranching operations. He owned property here from 1891 to 1900. In 1908 he was killed in New Mexico after an argument over land, but many people assumed that the quarrel was merely a ruse to force Garrett to fight or be murdered from ambush. 1970
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
Patrick F. Garrett, the lawman forever linked to the 1881 killing of the outlaw Billy the Kid, made his home on this site during his years in Uvalde. He had come from Alabama to Texas in 1869 and worked as farmer, cowboy, and buffalo hunter before serving as a sheriff and trying his hand at ranching, owning property here from 1891 to 1900. In 1908 he was killed in New Mexico following a dispute over land, an ending that many suspected was more ambush than fair fight.
Why it matters
Garrett's life bridges the myth and reality of the Old West, and his Uvalde years show the frontier lawman as a working rancher, not just a legend.
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Related people
- · Patrick F. Garrett
- · Billy the Kid
Themes & tags
Nearby & related markers
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