There is a poem called “Legend of Cabool” written in 1903, which tells a tragic story about an Indian chief named Cabool and his doomed love affair.
Cabool is a city in Texas County, Missouri, United States. It had a population of 2,146 according to the 2010 census. The city was given its name in 1882, inspired by the spelling of the capital city of Afghanistan, Kabul. This choice was influenced by a construction engineer who had previously worked on railroad projects in Afghanistan and saw similarities between the landscape of southern Texas County and Kabul. Prior to being named Cabool, the community was called Cedar Bluff. Cabool is the only place in the United States with this name.
According to old legends, Cabool was named after a Native American chief named “Chief Kabul” (pronounced Kay-Bull) who lived in the area. The story goes that Chief Kabul and his lover tragically jumped together into the “onyx pool” off Cedar Bluff in Cabool, as their parents disapproved of their relationship. This legend was popularized in the 1903 poem “Legend of Cabool” written by Tug Wilson and Ben Durnell. The yearbook at Cabool R-IV Schools is still referred to as the “Kabul,” in honor of Chief Kabul.
Today, Cabool is recognized as the deer capital of Missouri and is centrally located for commuters with the intersection of Highways 60 and 63. The city is surrounded by scenic attractions such as the Mark Twain National Forest and the Ozark National Scenic Riverways.
To preserve the history of Cabool, the Cabool History Society operates the Cabool History Museum, situated in the Bauch House.