Grinninger Fence

Grinninger Fence (HMH72)

Location: Austin, TX 78701 Travis County
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Country: United States of America
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N 30° 15.635', W 97° 44.489'

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Inscription
First known use of barbed wire in Texas (1857), by John Grinninger, immigrant from Europe, worker in an early Austin iron foundry. Grinninger, who lived on Waller Creek (NE of here) grew fruit, vegetables and flowers. To protect garden, he ran homemade barbed wire along top of his fence. Noted peace officer and sometime outlaw Ben Thompson is said to have recalled years later that in youth he tore jeans on that fence. Grinninger was murdered in 1862. In 1867 first U.S. patent on barbed wire was issued.

Expansion of the cattle industry in 1870's led to business for wire-makers, for Midwest and Western America lacked timber for fences. John Warne "Bet-A-Million" Gates created a sensation in the 70's in San Antonio by penning wild cattle with barbed wire.

Joseph F. Glidden and Isaac L. Ellwood of Illinois were most successful barbed wire manufacturers in the United States. Their Texas manager, H.B. Sanborn erected "model" fences in 1870's-80's in Grayson and Potter counties, showing ranchers the practicality of enclosing vast acreages. Barbed wire is said to have saved ranching from extinction. It gave each landowner control of cattle breeding and property.

Wire's many styles are now prized by collectors.
Details
HM NumberHMH72
Tags
Marker Number14554
Year Placed1969
Placed ByThe State Historical Survey Committee
Marker ConditionNo reports yet
Date Added Tuesday, September 16th, 2014 at 4:37pm PDT -07:00
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Locationbig map
UTM (WGS84 Datum)14R E 621067 N 3348330
Decimal Degrees30.26058333, -97.74148333
Degrees and Decimal MinutesN 30° 15.635', W 97° 44.489'
Degrees, Minutes and Seconds30° 15' 38.10" N, 97° 44' 29.34" W
Driving DirectionsGoogle Maps
Area Code(s)512
Closest Postal AddressAt or near 640 Ann and Roy Butler Hike and Bike Trail, Austin TX 78701, US
Alternative Maps Google Maps, MapQuest, Bing Maps, Yahoo Maps, MSR Maps, OpenCycleMap, MyTopo Maps, OpenStreetMap

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