Beef Road

Early 19th century trade routes across the Sabine River were few, and served all travelers and traders. The Beef Road, which replaced earlier "Zavala Road", was an important route by 1840, crossing this area. Named for cattle trade, it began in Huntsville and Liberty regions, and ran through Zavala, Jasper, and into present Newton County, where it forked near this site, forming three routes. The northern fork, to Natchitoches, crossed the Sabine at Bevil's Ferry (later Haddon's); The middle route, to Alexandria, led to Hickman's Ferry (later Burr's): The southern branch, to Opelousas, crossed at New Columbia. The cattle were corraled at night in "beef pens", located at points along the trails, including Weeks' Chapel and Toledo. During the Civil War, the Beef Road was an important supply artery to the Confederate states, until the Federal army gained control of the Mississippi River in July 1863. This halted the eastern cattle drives. Sabine River crossings were fortified against attack, as the roads would be a necessity for an invading force, but the expected invasion never came. Railroad expansion into Kansas, in the late 1860s, diverted the cattle drives to the North, and led to decline of Beef Road as a major cattle trade route.

Beef Road is a historical marker in Burkeville, Newton County, dedicated in 1973. It is one of 43 historical markers documented in Newton County in the Texas Historical Commission Atlas, among 126 historic sites cataloged across the county.

The site sits at 31.0934, -93.7256 near Burkeville. The nearest cataloged historic site is Mattox Cemetery (cemetery), about 0.5 miles away. Others within a short drive include Survey Community, The, Rogers, and Toledo Bend.

This record corresponds to Texas Historical Commission Atlas #5351011097. Use the map below for its exact position and turn-by-turn directions.