If you counted yourself among the
fashionable pioneer set, a MUST-DO was to
cross into Indian Territory by way of the
Doan's Store. Although the settlement of
Doans flourished around the trading post
for a bit, today only the adobe structure,
built in 1879, remains.

The little town really saw its hey-day with
the cattle drives coming through. The Great
Western Trail, which supplanted the
Chisholm Trail in the 1880s, passed
through on its way to Dodge City.

The old trading post is accessible, though
it's privately owned, so make sure to take
pictures only! And watch out for snakes,
black widows, hornets, and some overly
friendly dogs, too.
A marker places the Great Western Trail
How to get There:

Doan's Crossing is located
northeast of Vernon off of US
283 (which approximates the
Great Western Trail), at the
junction of FM 2916 and FM
924. From US 283, Take FM
924 east and follow to the old
trading post.
As I was wandering around the old adobe store, I was looking down onto the ground, checking for snakes. I
didn't feel the need to look up until I heard an angry buzzing. Sure enough, I followed the noise and saw a
wasp's nest. But the wasp wasn't angry at me - it was fighting for its life against a black widow, who had
strung her web beneath the overhang where a wasp nest was situated, just waiting on unsuspecting wasps
to fall into her trap.

Stepping back, I discovered that almost every single eave held a black widow and, apparently, the ghastly
remains of her assorted husbands.
Crossing at
Doan's Crossing
A better view of the old adobe