The Mule
Muleshoe, Bailey County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Without ancestral pride or hope for offspring, the mule -- along with buffalo, hound and longhorn -- made Texas history. In war he carried cannon on his back. Because he was available to haul freight, forts rose on frontiers. Indians ate horses hitched to cart or coach, but let tough mule meat go by. His small hooves scaled rock and steep untrod by horse or ox, but big ears endangered him in lake or river. He went fast, endured much, ate sparingly. Since beginning of Christian era, has helped all over world to bear burdens of mankind. (1965)
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
This 1965 marker offers a wry tribute to the mule, ranking the sure-footed hybrid alongside the buffalo, hound, and longhorn as a maker of Texas history. It recalls how mules hauled cannon in war and freight to the far forts, scaled rock that horse and ox could not, and endured on little food — earning a place in the working life of the frontier and, the marker notes, of humankind since ancient times.
Why it matters
Beyond its charm, the marker honors the humble draft animal whose labor made military supply, freighting, and frontier settlement physically possible.
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