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Q&A Questions and Answers:
What does G T T stand for on the door of a cowboy?
ANSWER:
"GTT" means "Gone To Texas."
In the early 1800s Texas was seen as a land of opportunity and hope... just as California would be a few years later. When crop failures and economic depression hit the east coast in the 1830s and 1840s, many folks just packed up and headed west. Before leaving, they would carve "GTT" on or above the front door. This served as a semi-legal notice that the former owner would not be returning, and the property was available to anyone who wanted to take it. The practice continued after the Civil War, especially in the battle-ravaged South.
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