Fannin County, Texas -- Around farms and ranches all over Fannin County, you can find barbed wire. The simple fencing is as common to see as the grass and the trees and yet it played a pivotal role in shaping the American frontier.
From 1867-1874 alone, there were over 200 hundred patents issued for different variations of barbed wire. Inventors were constantly trying to improve durability, reduce costs and adapt the wire to different environments. While Lucien B. Smith is credited with creating a “thorny wire” in 1867, it was Joseph Glidden’s patented design in 1874 that ultimately became the barbed wire known today. What made Glidden’s wire different from previous versions was the barbs being locked into place, changing the overall efficiency of the wire.
During this time, farms and ranches were also springing up all over Fannin County as more families began to settle in the area. This rapid growth brought the need to define property lines and keep livestock enclosed, thus causing a large need for barbed wire in the area.
Advertisements for various barbed wires were published in local newspapers, such as this advertisement from Ed Steger published in the Bonham News from August 21, 1896.
Since its initial creation, there have been over 800 unique patents issued for different styles of wire and an estimated 2,000 different styles of wire known to exist. Collecting the different styles of barbed wire has become a fascination for thousands of people, with many looking for rare, uncommon variations of the wire. Currently, there are about 240 different styles of barbed wire on display at the Fannin County Museum of History. The collection includes common types, still found on fences in the county today, as well as rare versions that are no longer produced.
The Museum has also partnered with the new Deuces Wild Western Wear store located at 113 W. Sam Rayburn Drive in Bonham, Texas to display a panel of barbed wire.
To learn more about barbed wire, visit the Fannin County Museum of History located at 1 North Main Street in Bonham, Texas, open Tuesday-Saturday from 12:00-4:00 p.m.
