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This fourth-smallest county in Texas was created in December 1870 from parts of Wood, Hunt, Van Zandt, and Hopkins Counties. The county and the county seat are named after the founding father, Emory Rains. In the early days, cotton was king, and the towns were full of businesses that served the residents' needs. In 1902, the National Farmers Union was formed in Point, and with the decline of cotton, dairy and beef cattle are now the main industries. The Texas legislature designated Rains County as "Eagle Capital of Texas" in 1995 in order to protect and preserve the bald eagles who nest around the local lakes. Today, Emory is the home of the A.C. McMillan African American Museum, which preserves the African American culture of this area. Rains County is bordered by Lake Tawakoni for catfish fishing and Lake Fork for bass fishing. These lakes, along with annual festivals, draw thousands of visitors and outdoor enthusiasts each year. This pictorial history portrays the everyday life, influential people of the county, education, worship, and businesses from 1870 to 1950. "Come to Rains County where it rains when it wants to!"
Delta County
9780738579320
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$24.99
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During the frenetic days of Reconstruction, Delta County claimed land between two branches of the Sulphur River, from Lamar and Hopkins Counties, and named itself after its shape and the third letter of the Greek alphabet. From its early days, Delta County became home to prosperous farmers who relocated from the South and who brought with them their knowledge of growing cotton as well as their traditions and cultures. At its heyday in the 1920s, the county boasted the densest rural population in the state. These pioneers believed strongly in education, and more than 40 schools dotted the county at one time, with many graduates of these rural schools becoming doctors, engineers, teachers, politicians, ministers, authors, musicians, lawyers, coaches, scientists, and athletes—as well as one All-American. For those who remained, those who returned, and those who chose this quiet corner of Northeast Texas, Delta County is home, with all the sweet and poignant implications of that word.
Pilot Point
9780738571003
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$24.99
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The oldest town in Denton County, Pilot Point is situated atop the highest point in North Texas at a place that was once a landmark for wagon train pilots traveling through the region. In 1854, the town was platted and lots were sold, many to cross-country pioneers who were drawn to the abundance of fresh water, game, and fertile soil. The city began to grow more quickly after incorporation in 1867, and when the railroad arrived in 1880, Pilot Point became one of the busiest trading centers in North Texas, boasting both the largest cotton gin and university. From the early days of cowboys and cotton in the 1800s, to oil and cattle in the 1930s, to the changes that came with the 1960s, this new volume tells the unique story of Pilot Point.
Legendary Locals of Denton
9781467101653
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$24.99
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Denton, Texas, was founded in 1857 because residents needed a location near the geographic center of Denton County to house a county seat. The city is located 39 miles north of two larger cities, Dallas and Fort Worth, and the three of them form what is often referred to as the Golden Triangle. Denton, the peak of that triangle, is the North Star, and its residents, past and present, certainly are superstars—superstars such as Bob Rogers, the beloved Piano Man; Mary Evelyn Blagg Huey, a quintessential leader; and Hal Jackson, an ace war hero and lawyer. Their accomplishments burst forth from the chapters of this book to outshine others with their generosity, talents, skills, community activism, adventurous spirits, energy, civic pride, business acumen, courage, and creativity. Citizens of Denton are proud to say, Our history defines our community. The images and words between these covers illustrate why it should be added, And our people define our history.
Sixth Street
9780738586694
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$24.99
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Now listed in the National Register of Historic Places, Sixth Street began more than 170 years ago as the only level pathway into the town of Austin from the east. Originally called Pecan Street, throughout its history the street was also a level playing field for merchants and minorities, for moneyed dynasties and little mom-and-pop places. When Austin was a segregated society, Sixth Street was a standout exception where people of all races lived and worked. By 1871, the arrival of the railroad kindled the explosive development of Pecan Street into Austin's first mercantile center. It was home to Austin's first hotel, Bullock's at Congress Avenue and Pecan Street; the first fight with the government of the new Republic of Texas; and the first brothel. In the 1970s, the commercial district suffered some deterioration. Then, as it has done before, Sixth Street was reborn, this time as the Sixth Street Historic Entertainment District. Loved by Austin residents and visitors alike, Sixth Street is Texas's most famous thoroughfare.
Georgetown
9781467131605
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$24.99
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Founded in 1848, Georgetown's development was driven by cattle, cotton, railroads, and education. Author and Georgetown native Donna Scarbrough Josey brings the city's history to life through this remarkable collection of vintage photographs from the Georgetown Heritage Society, Williamson County Sun newspaper, Southwestern University, and private collections. Readers will explore the beautifully restored courthouse square, a railroad district revived for the 21st century, the oldest neighborhoods, Southwestern University, and storied places along the San Gabriel River.
Karnes County
9780738584928
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$24.99
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Karnes County's history is rich in folklore, tall tales, real-life feuds, and even an outlaw or two. Declared a county in 1854, it was named after Henry Karnes, a heroic peace negotiator and early Texas Ranger. Despite struggles along the way, the county has survived due to its strong and sturdy pioneers who came from many countries, including the first Polish community to arrive in the United States. From those beginnings and the desire to take advantage of the good ranch and farming lands, the county grew into a great area to raise a family. The local school districts have excellent standards, boasting high ratings in every area and even a state championship football team in Falls City that won the 1A division in 2010. Furthermore, the latest boom in oil and gas drilling is bringing a growth surge that is expected to continue for quite some time.
Lampasas County
9781467108935
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$23.99
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Lampasas County’s sulfur springs fueled early success in the region, but when the railroad extended past its small towns, prosperity waned. Today, Lampasas enjoys a renaissance as crowds, real estate prices, and high taxes drive people from the big cities into the countryside. These newcomers have taken an interest in the history of the county and have worked alongside natives to restore many historic sites.
Historic Dallas Hotels
9780738578798
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$24.99
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In Dallas's infancy, accommodations for the traveler arriving by stage or horseback consisted of boardinghouses or unfurnished rooms, but within 10 years of the city's founding, Dallas could boast about what is considered to be its first hotel: Thomas Crutchfield's log cabin and livery stable. As the village evolved from town to city, these early facilities were replaced with elegantly appointed hotels that rivaled those in New York or Chicago and established Dallas as a modern city. As the 20th century progressed, many older hotels were replaced with up-to-date facilities, and the rise of the automobile following World War II saw the establishment of dozens of motels and motor courts. There were accommodations for every type of traveler, and Dallas had established itself as a hotel town.
Legends & Lore of the Texas Capitol
9781467137584
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$24.99
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From its beginning as one of the most ambitious construction projects west of the Mississippi, the imposing red granite Lone Star statehouse loomed large in Texas lore. The iconic landmark rests on a foundation of election rigging, an unsolved murder, land swaps and pre-dedication blackmail. It bore witness to the first meeting between LBJ and Lady Bird, as well as a bizarre resolution honoring the Boston Strangler. Mike Cox digs up a quarry's worth of the capitol's untold history, cataloguing everything from its ghost stories to its public art and collectible tourist kitsch.
San Antonio in the 1920s and 1930s
9780738501529
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While recounting the story of a childhood in San Antonio, Mary Linvingston also tells the story that exemplifies the opportunities and struggles faced by countless people growing up during this time of opportunity and change in America. The author's memories and reflections are illustrated by over 100 photographs, providing readers with an authentic view of life in San Antonio in the early twentieth century. From detailed accounts of canning fruits and vegetable during the Depression, watching movies at the Majestic Theater, and life on a domestic zoo, to colorful antecdotes about makeing tamales, shopping for shoes using an X-ray machine, and visiting the San Antonio parks and missions, this entertaining and educational book will give older readers and younger readers a glimps of a way of life that is long gone, but not forgotten.
The Houstorian Dictionary
9781467118002
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$21.99
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Houston is an innovative city informed by a diverse and eclectic past that is ever-present in its customs, expressions and dreams, even though most Houstonians don't realize it. Represented by landmarks, dishes and events, the culture of America's fourth-largest city is celebrated in the literature, movies, songs and memorable quotations credited to its vibrant citizenry. The Houstorian Dictionary is a guide for natives and newcomers alike. Each entry leads into the next to create a tapestry of the Bayou City's past and present. Discover that story and visit the places where it all happened. Meet the innovators, heroes, hucksters and misfit tinkerers who share the unique Houston DNA. The Houstorian, James Glassman, reveals valuable insights that make this a handy reference as well as an entertaining read.
Houston's Sporting Life
9780738579740
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$24.99
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Houston has been a sports-crazy town since its founding in 1836 when the biggest pastime was watching the horse races held south of what was then the capitol of Texas. By 1900, spectators and athletes alike enjoyed the team sports played at every school in the city and suburbs. Companies competed with one another in baseball, basketball, and track. Boxing gyms dotted the wards, and downtown boasted billiard halls, bowling alleys, and indoor shooting galleries. There was also hunting and fishing, auto racing, swimming, and hockey at the Polar Wave, a mid-century indoor ice rink. This book presents a history of how Houstonians competed, where their recreation took them, and how they enjoyed a potential 12 months of "outdoor" weather. The 20th century was a fun and vibrant time for both fans and participants in the sporting and outdoor life of Houston, and many of today's fans of sports and local history look back on Houston's sporting past with a sense of nostalgia.
Legendary Locals of Arlington
9781467100588
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$24.99
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The people of Arlington have always had a can-do spirit. There's Carrie Rogers, the society matron who became marshal; Tillie Burgin, who changed the face of social services in Arlington; and Tom Vandergriff, the boy mayor who stayed on the job for 26 years. When educational opportunities were deemed inadequate, Edward E. Rankin and other leading citizens founded and supported a school that grew into the University of Texas at Arlington. Before there was the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act, Jim Hayes opened the eyes of Arlington leaders to the difficulties of navigating the University of Texas at Arlington and the city in a wheelchair. Never willing to be overshadowed by Dallas or Fort Worth, their larger neighbors to the east and west, Arlington residents embraced industry and progress, and their enterprising spirit attracted the notice of the nation. Today, the city boasts major businesses and attractions—General Motors, Six Flags, the Texas Rangers, and the Dallas Cowboys—and continues to grow thanks to the aspirations of its people.
Braniff Airways
9781467134408
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$24.99
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Braniff Airways: Flying Colors takes readers on a magical flight through the history of Braniff International Airways, beginning with its small-town Oklahoma roots to its high-flying and stylish span of the globe. Braniff brought together the mystery of aviation with the glamorous fields of fashion, art, and design, and taught the flying world how to fly with style and beauty. It is this remarkable joining of forces that has made Braniff as popular today as it was when flying in style across the Atlantic and Pacific.
Stephenville Yellow Jacket Football
9780738584935
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$24.99
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In Texas, high school football is king. If pigskin passion is no less intense among college and professional fans, enthusiasm for the schoolboy sport is more democratically spread throughout towns and communities, small and large. Almost any young man can play if he's willing to pay the price, work hard, and bring a bit of local, regional, or statewide glory to his hometown. Stephenville High School is one among an elite group of Texas football schools that has achieved at the highest level. The traditional rivalry games against Dublin and Breckenridge in the 1920s through the 1940s have evolved into heavily attended matchups with seven-time state champion Brownwood and, most recently, three-time state champion Aledo. From Joe Brown and Jim Mobley's powerhouse teams of the 1930s to Mike Murphy's 1952 regional qualifying squad, the Yellow Jackets have contended with the best in Texas. With four state championships, Art Briles made the 1990s a "Decade of Dominance" for Stephenville High School. Yellow Jacket football fever remains alive and well, promising to remain so long into the indefinite future.
Texas Bluegrass Legacies
9781467153676
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$23.99
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Enjoy a breakdown of the Lone Star State’s generational bluegrass harmonies.
From the moment they picked up the radio signal of Bill Monroe’s mandolin, Texans have been enamored with this uniquely American style of music. But the high lonesome sound couldn’t have put down roots without a tradition of mentorship that runs through families and spans generations. Meet the Van Cliburn piano prodigy that became a multi-instrumentalist for Taylor Swift. Travel to the summer bluegrass camp where students develop into teachers. Sit in on a back porch jam session with the Rogers, the Brocks, the Vestals and the Whites. From the state’s first Asian-American bluegrass family to its banjo-building Santa Claus, Jeff Campbell and Braeden Paul set the stage for the stewards of Texas bluegrass.
Val Verde County
9780738501284
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$24.99
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Along the banks of the Rio Grande lies Val Verde County, one of the largest counties in Texas and the only one named for a Civil War battle. Although Del Rio is the county seat, Langtry is more famous as the home of Judge Roy Bean, the famous (as well as infamous) Law West of the Pecos. Among the many evocative images of the county featured in this new book are photos of the judge's unique court/saloon. Val Verde County captures the spirit of a region and its people through historic photographs. Most of the topics included are not strictly local in nature: Pre-Columbian art, United States westward expansion, the creation of the state of Texas, radio and modern telecommunications, military history and the Cuban Missile Crisis, and the oldest continually operating winery in Texas. From being the oldest archaeological site in Texas to playing a role in international relations between the United States and Mexico, Val Verde County undoubtedly has a rich and varied history.
Unforgettable Galveston Characters
9781467140232
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$23.99
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From financiers of the Texas Revolution to contestants in the Pageant of Pulchritude, the shores of Galveston enticed and cultivated a host of memorable men and women. Bishops and bookies, concert pianists and cotton tycoons—all left an indelible print on their remarkable home. Magnolia Willis Sealy and the members of the Women's Health Protective Association reshaped the ravages of the Great Storm into the glories of the Oleander City. The benevolent activism of Norris Wright Cuney transformed the social landscape, while actress Charlotte Walker and painter Boyer Gonzales Sr. extended the island's cultural reach abroad. Jan Johnson keeps company with Galveston's most fascinating characters.
Heath
9781467133494
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$24.99
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When John O. Heath first settled in the area now known as Heath in 1848, wild turkey and deer were as plentiful as the area's timber and rich, black soil. The fertile land and convenient location along the east fork of the Trinity River prompted several settlers to follow the Heath family's lead, and Heath experienced steady growth in the early 1900s, with several businesses and schools in operation. Life was hard in those days, with food and money hard to come by, but locals found sanctuary in social gatherings, endless games of 42, mink hunting in the winter, and baseball. Heath's economy was given a big lift when the lake adjacent to the community, known as Lake Ray Hubbard, was filled in 1969 after a seemingly endless rain. With the attraction of the lake and developments that stemmed from it, such as the Rush Creek Yacht Club, Heath now faces the challenge of maintaining steady growth while continuing to stick to its roots as a charming, tight-knit community with an open countryside atmosphere.
Sugar Land
9780738578804
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$24.99
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Sugar Land's earliest settlers arrived in the 1820s with Stephen F. Austin, "the Father of Texas." Originally named Oakland Plantation, the area was planted with cotton, corn, and sugar cane, and by 1843, it had its own sugar mill. Benjamin Franklin Terry, famous for leading Terry's Texas Rangers, and William Jefferson Kyle purchased the plantation in 1852 and were the first to name it Sugar Land. Col. Edward H. Cunningham, a Confederate veteran, later bought the property and built the first sugar refinery as well as a railroad to transport cane from nearby plantations. Under his ownership, a fledgling town emerged that included a store, post office, paper mill, acid plant, meat market, boardinghouse, and depot. The town, refinery, and surrounding 12,500 acres were acquired by Isaac H. Kempner and William T. Eldridge in 1908. Their vision resulted in Imperial Sugar, a thriving business and company town.
Cotton on the South Plains
9780738595856
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$24.99
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Today's cotton production on the South Plains barely resembles the cotton culture of 100 years ago. When cotton first came to the South Plains it was very labor intensive, with every stage of production depending on large amounts of hand labor. The planting, cultivating, and picking or pulling of cotton were all done by hand. Often, the harvested cotton was transported to gins in wagons pulled by teams of horses or mules. Today, due to the many improvements in the industry, most cotton is grown without ever being touched by human hands. The story of cotton on the South Plains is the story of continuous change, improvement, and mechanization.
Legendary Locals of Fort Worth
9781467101349
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$24.99
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Fort Worth is the City of Cowboys and Culture—and where the West begins. Its citizens highlight the Texas can-do spirit and the determination and compassion to make a difference, to be legendary. When Buckley (B.B.) Paddock persuaded the railroad to lay track west of Dallas, a city was born and so was opportunity. Cowboys like T.J. Ryon rode into town with their cattle. J. Frank Norris preached against the vices in Hell's Half Acre while Jennie Schueber tried to rally support for a free library. Feisty entrepreneurs like Ninnie Baird and John B. Laneri baked bread and sold pasta noodles. Cowtown also boasts such notables as Edna Gladney, who helped countless orphans find a home; the Clark brothers, who brought Texas Christian University home; and Claude R. Platte, who bravely served as a Tuskegee airman. These fine folks are just a sampling of Fort Worth's fascinating—and sometimes infamous—characters.
Texas Dames
9781609498122
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$21.99
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These are the Texas Dames, women who sallied forth to run sprawling ranches, build towns, helm major banks and shape Lone Star history. These Dames broke gender and racial barriers in every facet of life. Some led the way as heroines, while others slid headlong into notoriety, but nearly all exhibited similar strands of courage and determination to wrest a country, a state and a region from the wilds. From Angelina of the Hasinai, interpreter for the Spanish, and sharpshooter Sally Scull to Dr. Claudia Potter, America's first female anesthesiologist, and Birdie Harwood, first female mayor in the United States, historian Carmen Goldthwaite has been profiling Texas women and their accomplishments in her popular Texas Dames column. Here are their stories, from early Tejas to the twentieth century.
Texas Adoption Activist Edna Gladney
9781626193512
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$21.99
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In 1941, Greer Garson earned an Academy Award nomination for her portrayal of Fort Worth's Edna Gladney in Blossoms in the Dust. All eyes turned toward the small yet mighty Gladney and her fight for children's rights and adoption reform. Born in 1886, Edna Gladney was labeled as illegitimate from birth and, as an adult, lobbied for that label's removal from all birth certificates. During World War I, when many women left the home to work, Edna opened an innovative daytime nursery to care for the children of these workingwomen. What became the Gladney Center for Adoption has changed the lives of families and children the world over. Author and Gladney parent Sherrie McLeRoy tells Edna's amazing story alongside the making of the movie that launched Edna and adoption reform beyond Fort Worth's borders to national recognition..
Lampasas County
9781467126977
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$24.99
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Native American tales of the medicinal sulfur springs found in what is now Lampasas County drew settlers and, later, tourists who sought cures for various ailments throughout the 19th century. The region soon became known as the Saratoga of the South, and when the first passenger train arrived in Lampasas in 1882, it opened a new market for the local waters. Entrepreneurial citizens capitalized on the springs, building bathhouses, opera houses, and other amenities. In 1884, the Lampasas County Courthouse was built—the third-oldest Texas courthouse still in use today. Vestiges of Lampasas's heyday are found in Hanna Springs and Hancock Park, which remains a thriving recreational area with a free-flow sulfur pool and an 18-hole golf course. Public murals, a sculpture garden, historic sites, and a proud engaged community draw people to Lampasas County today.
African Americans in Amarillo
9780738571287
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$24.99
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Amarillo became a town in 1887 when merchants opened stores to cater to railroad workers. The first African Americans in the area were Jerry Callaway, who came to the area in 1888 with a white family, and Mathew "Bones" Hooks, a highly respected cowboy who moved to Amarillo in 1900 and later worked for the railroad. By 1908, five African American families had moved to Amarillo. The black community grew and people established churches, businesses, and schools. With the 1950s and 1960s, Amarillo citizens participated in ending segregation and bringing about equality. Today African Americans in Amarillo are still bound together by their churches but have access to many opportunities both locally and nationally. They are justifiably proud of their rich heritage.
Austin College
9780738578576
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$24.99
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Austin College has a heritage that is unsurpassed in the history of Texas higher education. Named in memory of Stephen F. Austin, it received a charter from the State of Texas in 1849, making the school the oldest college or university in the state operating under its original name and charter. Sam Houston, Anson Jones, and Henderson Yoakum served on its original board of trustees. The college first held classes in Huntsville during the fall of 1850 and moved to Sherman in 1876. Today the school is a nationally ranked private liberal arts college committed to leadership, learning, and lasting values that brings a global perspective to its student body and programs.
Haunted Granbury
9781626193109
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$21.99
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Established after the Civil War, the small town of Granbury has had time to stock its streets and historic buildings with ghastly tales and haunting stories. Legend has it that the notorious John Wilkes Booth escaped to Granbury after assassinating President Lincoln and that his spirit now haunts the Opera House, living out his dastardly crime day after day. On Houston Street, passersby may encounter the little faceless girl who met her maker after falling from a window watching a traveling circus. In Granbury's old jailhouse, past inmates haunt their cells and leave messages for unwitting intruders. Author Brandy Herr delves into the devilish history of Granbury's most haunted locations and delivers a healthy dose of a frightening and mysterious past.
Baseball on the Prairie
9781609499358
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$21.99
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At the close of the nineteenth century, railroad expansion in Texas at once shrank the state and expanded opportunities, including that of Texas League Baseball. Previously, the major cities monopolized Texas minor-league ball, but with the rails came small-town teams without which the league may have floundered. Sherman, Denison, Paris, Corsicana, Cleburne, Greenville and Temple teams produced some of the Texas League's greatest players and provided unprecedented statewide interest. The 1902 Corsicana Oil Citys was one of the most successful teams of the time, claiming the second-best winning percentage and baseball's most lopsided victory, 51-3 over Texarkana's Casketmakers. In its only year in the league, Cleburne won the league championship and team owner Doak Roberts discovered the great Tris Speaker. Kris Rutherford pieces together the Texas League's early days and the people and towns that made this centuries-old institution possible.
Seagoville
9780738578637
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$24.99
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Seagoville was founded in 1879 by T. K. Seago, who also donated the land that brought the Texas and New Orleans Railroad. With the arrival of this new railroad, Seagoville became an industrial frontier. The first church was organized in 1872, and the first bank was founded in 1905. By 1911, the city could boast that there were seven citizens who owned automobiles. Although the Great Depression had its impact, there were no bread lines in town because the local cannery provided employment. The movie actor Chill Wills was born here and went on to star with such noted actors as John Wayne and Spencer Tracy. During World War II, the city sent 228 of its 720 citizens to the armed services. Even today, numerous stories circulate about the infamous Bonnie and Clyde spending time in town.
Haunted Austin
9781609490409
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$19.99
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A killer lurks in the dark streets, victimizing servant girls throughout 1885, and Austin becomes the first American city to claim a serial killer. The spirits of convicts wander amidst the manicured grounds of the Texas State Capitol while inside a public servant assassinated in 1903 still haunts the corridors. These are just a few of the strange and frightening tales of Haunted Austin. Within these pages lies evidence that the frontier bravado legendary in so many Texas men and women lives on long after death. Author Jeanine Plumer explores the sinister history of the city and attempts to answer the question: why do so many ghosts linger in Austin?
Lewisville
9780738579931
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$24.99
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Originally known as Holford's Prairie, Lewisville's name is not the only thing that has changed about this town in its long history. Settlers sponsored by the Peters Colony Company founded the small community in the 1840s. In the ensuing years, the settlement, renamed to Lewisville by Basdeal W. Lewis in 1856, consistently grew and prospered until its incorporation in 1925. Cotton farming and ginning, the arrival of the Dallas and Wichita Railroad in 1881, the expansion of Lake Dallas into Lake Lewisville in 1954, and the opening of the Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport in 1974 ensured that Lewisville became an important commercial center in booming North Texas. Throughout its phenomenal growth, however, Lewisville still retained the charm and bonds of its farm-centered past. Today Lewisville boasts the largest population and school district in Denton County and serves as a suburb for the bustling Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex.
McKinney Avenue Trolleys
9780738584973
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$24.99
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Streetcar lines grew and prospered in Dallas from 1872 until the 1920s. Automobile competition siphoned many of their riders away, but ridership soared again during World War II. After the war, the trolleys entered an era of gradual attrition, and they were abandoned by 1956. Amazingly, in 1989, the nonprofit McKinney Avenue Transit Authority (MATA) returned restored vintage trolley cars to the city in the Uptown neighborhood near downtown. MATA evolved from a tourist attraction into a true transit company and became the M-Line. Since then, the area has experienced rapid growth and is now home to midrise office buildings and upscale apartments.
North Texas Beer
9781626194328
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$23.99
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Texas is historically a large beer-drinking state. Unlike the brewing heritage of the Central Texas German settlements, the North Texas area--Dallas, Fort Worth and the cities of the surrounding Metroplex--always approached local beers from more of a commercial standpoint. Though local brewing dates back to 1857, early, larger brewers from other states influenced those in Dallas and Fort Worth before and throughout the twentieth century. After the opening of the first craft brewery in the state (and sixth in the nation) in Plano in 1982, North Texas breweries began to flourish in later years and today find a consuming public fiercely devoted to their local brews. Join authors Paul Hightower and Brian L. Brown for a complete yet refreshing look at the history, business and fun of beer in North Texas.
Legendary Locals of Coppell
9781467102216
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$24.99
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Coppell has produced a wealth of personalities that could have leapt from the pages of a novel. The town's early days brought John and Sarah Stringfellow, who helped found the town's oldest church, and Josiah and John Record, a father-and-son duo who were victims of lynching. The coming of the Cottonbelt Railroad created the mystery of town namesake George Coppell. The town was home to farmers like domino-loving Buren Ledbetter and sharecropper W.A. Ottinger. It had its own "Floyd the Barber" (Floyd Harwell), as well as Jo Jackson, the librarian known to most as the "Bird Lady of Coppell." The town has produced a wealth of heroes like Carroll Kirkland, who was killed in World War II, and Jacob Schick, a decorated veteran of the Iraq War. It is also a town that has turned tragedy into triumph through stories like Todd and Tara Storch, who transformed the pain of their daughter Taylor's death into the life-giving charity Taylor's Gift. Together their stories tell the story of Coppell, a place that at its heart will always be a small town.
Historic Downtown Rosenberg
9781467133333
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$24.99
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Rosenberg was created and thrived with the expansion of the railroad. From the first house in 1883, the city grew to become the Hub of the Gulf Coast. Rosenberg was the center of commerce for settlers of all nationalities attracted here by fertile land and economic opportunity. In just 30 years, 56 businesses, including banks, loan and land development companies, merchants, doctors, and lawyers, were in the four-block area of the original Downtown Rosenberg Business District. Even celebrities came. For instance, outlaws Bonnie and Clyde ate their last meal at the Eagle Café in 1934. Also, actors John Wayne, Shirley Temple, and Roy Rogers could occasionally be found outside the Cole Theater, and while campaigning, Lyndon B. Johnson had his helicopter land on a downtown roof.
Rio Grande Sniper Killings, The
9781467153430
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$23.99
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Untangle the complex conspiracy that led to the tragic deaths of Charlotte Kay Elliott and Kevin Edwin Frase on the banks of the Rio Grande.
On the night of July 13, 1980, a hitman fired a high-powered rifle into the crowd at Pepe's On the River, an outdoor bar in Mission, Texas. He missed his target, a witness in the Loop 360 drug case, but killed two young bystanders. While state court prosecutions for capital murder inexplicably faltered, a federal court gave the assassin a life sentence for attempted murder of a grand jury witness. A member of the judge’s staff who was present throughout the trial, author John W. Primomo revisits the dramatic twists and turns surrounding this murder on the Rio Grande.
Cleburne
9780738571195
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$24.99
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Once known for its cotton production and Jersey cows, Cleburne has evolved from its agricultural heritage into a diverse community. This former Civil War training camp, located near Buffalo Creek, was named for Confederate general Patrick Cleburne when it became the county seat in 1867. Just west of town, cowboys moved cattle up the Chisholm Trail before the Santa Fe Railway brought jobs and money in 1881. As lieutenant commander of the navy dirigible USS Akron, Charles Rosendahl soared over his childhood home of Cleburne in 1932. From early opera and movie houses, saloons, and congested trade days, to live theaters, parks, and modern industries, Cleburne continues to progress. Today a new economy and booming growth have emerged due to the Barnett Shale gas exploration.
Marfa
9780738525662
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$7.99
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Marfa boasts a rich history.
Waco
9781467115520
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$24.99
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The story of Waco's modern era starts with a disaster and ends with rebirth. In 1953, a record-setting tornado swept through the city's downtown, killing 114 people and destroying a century's worth of original buildings. From the devastation came an ambitious urban renewal project, an explosion in suburban developments, and several cycles of waning and revitalization in the downtown area. Baylor University's steady growth in academic excellence and national exposure kept the city on the map. The images in this book detail the milestones and memories of a proud city founded in the 1840s, and they highlight achievements both personal and civic.
History Lover's Guide to Dallas, A
9781467142267
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$21.99
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Don’t let the drawl fool you—Dallas boasts a dynamic history full of explosive growth. The cityscape itself seems eager to measure up to the outsized personalities that forged the town’s identity. A sixty-seven-and-a-half-foot-tall giraffe statue greets visitors to the Dallas Zoo, while guests exiting the Joule Hotel encounter the gaze of a thirty-foot eyeball. A colossal Pegasus glows above it all from its perch on top of the Magnolia Petroleum building. Subtler storylines also thread their way through the forest of glass and steel, from the jazz of Deep Ellum alleyways to the peaceful paths of the Katy Trail. Author Georgette Driscoll looks beyond the inscriptions for the events that shaped Dallas into the city it is today.
Galveston
9780738558806
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$26.99
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On September 8, 1900, a devastating hurricane destroyed most of the island city of Galveston, along with the lives of more than 6,000 men, women, and children. Today that hurricane remains the deadliest natural disaster in U.S. history. Despite this tragedy, many Galvestonians were determined to rebuild their city. An ambitious plan was developed to construct a wall against the sea, link the island to the mainland with a reliable concrete bridge, and raise the level of the city. While the grade was raised beneath them, houses were perched on stilts and residents made their way through town on elevated boardwalks. Galveston became a city on stilts. While Galvestonians worked to rebuild the infrastructure of their city, they also continued conducting business and participating in recreational activities. Zeva B. Edworthy's photographs document the rebuilding of the port city and life around Galveston in the early 1900s.
Rockwall
9780738579726
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$24.99
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Since the first settlers came to the area in the 1840s, Rockwall has been transformed from a pioneer colony, to a thriving farm community, and then to its current status as a popular suburb of Dallas.
Hidden History of Waco
9781467140874
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$21.99
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Since its establishment in 1849, Waco has grown from a frontier town on the Brazos River to a thriving city of more than 125,000 residents. And in those 171 years, Waco's citizens have seen triumph, tragedy, humor, heartbreak and infamy. Some of those stories garnered widespread attention or became established local lore, but many more have fallen through the cracks. Catch up on the backstory of notorious figures like W.C. Brann, firebrand publisher of the Iconoclast. Discover how one of the longest novels published in the English language was written by a wealthy recluse in a downtown mansion. From the artesian wells of "Geyser City'? to the tombs of Telephus Telemachus Louis Augustus Albartus "Tel'? Johnson, author Eric Ames offers a chance for a deeper appreciation of Waco's unique history.
Gunpowder on Their Skirts
9781455624355
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$10.95
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Did you know that a woman named Kady Brownell was the color bearer for 5th Rhode Island infantry? She braved enemy fire at Bull Run to hold her banner high! Did you know that Dr. Mary Walker, a battlefield surgeon, was the first and only woman to ever receive the Medal of Honor? Yes, these women and many more marched alongside soldiers and were on the battlefields of the American Civil War. They were both respected and admired by their male comrades. Author Stephanie Ford’s thorough research provides a compelling collection of stories showcasing remarkable women from both sides of the conflict. Alongside the biographies of these amazing women are Ford’s expressive and authentic drawings and a selection of period photographs and fascinating factoids. These details beautifully capture the stories of these brave women in this inspiring and informative middle reader.
Sonobeat Records
9781626192454
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$21.99
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The music scene in Austin is known the world over, but it can place a considerable portion of its roots in a little-known but prolific indie label: Sonobeat Records. A small, independent label founded by father-and-son duo Bill Josey Sr. and Bill Josey Jr., Sonobeat set the stage for the Capital City's musical legacy. The label's brief but powerful tenure produced an enormous amount of music and directly preceded the progressive country movement and the proliferation of a music scene that would earn Austin the nickname of Live Music Capital of the World. Musician and author Ricky Stein explores the roots of Austin's contemporary music history through the story of one small but essential label..
Luling
9780738571454
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$24.99
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One historian described Luling in the 1870s as the toughest town in Texas. Along with the railroad came notorious gamblers who were ready to take a man's hard-earned money any way they could. But when settlers enforced what laws there were and established permanent homes, churches, and a school, the rougher crowd sought greener pastures. In the southern corner of Caldwell County, Luling had at first an agrarian-based economy, but that changed with the discovery of oil, which boosted the population from a few hundred residents to several thousand. The oil industry and related businesses kept the population steady. Luling soil also proved beneficial to crops such as cotton, but the area's prize crop became watermelons. Today oil and watermelons keep Luling on the map, and the annual Watermelon Thump attracts thousands. At the crossroads of three important highways, businesses flourish, especially barbecue, which is considered by some to be the best in the state.
Fort Martin Scott
9781609499617
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$21.99
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Fort Martin Scott still stands guard in the heart of Texas 150 years after its construction, which was prompted by a peace treaty between Germans and the Penateka Comanches. The first frontier fort in Texas, the original complex of twenty-one buildings allowed soldiers to patrol the Upper Immigrant Trail through Comanche and Apache territory. The old fort was a hub for military patrols during the Texas Indian Wars. Famous army units, including the First and Eighth Infantries, as well as the Second Dragoons and Fourth Cavalry, were all stationed at this post at one time or another. Fort Martin Scott was the locality of much partisan conflict during the Civil War. Author and historian Joseph Luther tells the full story of this historic Texas icon.
Guy Town by Gaslight
9781626194458
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$21.99
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Crime and vice plagued Austin after the Civil War, and Guy Town was a red-light hub with a most curious legacy. Today's pleasure-seeking visitors to the Warehouse District walk on top of Guy Town--the chic neighborhood of today is built on the most decadent and deadly area of the city's past. With the old county courthouse at its core, the district rose from the Colorado River up to Fifth Street and spanned from Congress Avenue to Shoal Creek, infesting Austin's eclectic First Ward neighborhood. Guy Town was a haven for notorious madams, prostitutes, druggies and drunkards lost to history, as well as names still remembered--Ben Thompson, O. Henry and Johnny Ringo roamed its streets looking for a good time. From murderers to con men, crooked cops and more, meet the cast of characters that gave Guy Town its reputation in author Richard Zelade's lurid account of the Capital City's historic underbelly.
Mission
9780738571485
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$24.99
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Mission is named for the chapel built at La Lomita ("little hill") on a former Spanish land grant. During the 1850s, the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate began serving the ranches between Brownsville and Roma. La Lomita was a resting place midway through their 100-mile circuit. In 1908, developers John J. Conway and James W. Hoit bought land from the Oblate Fathers and established the town of Mission, just north of La Lomita. They advertised throughout the Midwest, and soon farmers arrived by rail, wagon, and automobile. Through the efforts of Nebraskan John H. Shary, the citrus industry flourished, and Mission became renowned for its grapefruit. Three-time presidential candidate William Jennings Bryan, Dallas Cowboys coach Tom Landry, baseball great Leo Najo, and Congressional Medal of Honor recipient José M. Lopez have all lived in Mission. Their tradition of leadership continues within the fields of medicine, education, military service, and ecotourism.
How Fire Ants Got Their Fire
9781455625192
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$16.99
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Ky-Anne’s chili is so lip-smacking good that everyone, down to the ants, wants it. But the queen is no match for this girl, who outsmarts them all and gives herself a new tale to tell. A chili recipe and fire-ant facts are included in this tantalizing picture book for young readers.
Details at Ten
9781609494155
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$21.99
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As broadcast news came of age in the turbulent decades of the 1950s and '60s, North Texas reporter Bert Shipp was on the front lines. While television changed the way Texas and the world witnessed history, Shipp's Dallas/Fort Worth coverage reported stories of both national and local importance. Whether in the media race to cover the Kennedy assassination, on a mission to Laos to help recover a secret list of prisoners of war while on a mission in Laos or highlighting the boy who had no shoes for Christmas, Shipp's accounts of chronicling the news are fascinating and often hilarious. Join this award-winning journalist as he recalls harrowing, humorous and true behind-the-scenes stories of those early days in Texas television news.
The Queen Isabella Causeway Collapse
9781467156813
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$24.99
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In the days after 9/11, the country was on high alert. So when an alarming incident occurred just off the Texas coast on the early morning hours of September 15th, authorities immediately assumed another terrorist attack had taken place. A towing vessel collided into a support pillar of the Queen Isabella Causeway, causing an 80-foot section of the bridge to tumble into the ocean. Unfortunately, the gaping hole left in the bridge was not visible to cars traveling to and from South Padre Island to the mainland city of Port Isabel, Texas. Robert Espericueta, along with his cousins, happened to be in the only other boat on the waters that night. Espericueta collaborates with author Juan Carmona to track the extraordinary events of a bewildering catastrophe and a heroic rescue.
Galveston Burning
9781467144650
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$23.99
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Since 1821, when Jean Lafitte sailed away from a burning Campeche, the history of Galveston has often been wreathed in smoke. Over the next century, one inferno breached the walls of Moro Castle, while another reduced forty-two blocks of the residential district to ash. Recognizing the importance of protecting the city, concerted efforts were made to establish the first paid fire department, create a city waterworks and regulate construction standards. Yet even with all the forethought and planning, rogue fires continued to consume architectural gems like Nicholas Clayton's Electric Pavilion. Author James F. Anderson explores the lessons that Galveston has learned from its fiery past in order to safeguard its future.
The Ghostly Tales of Austin
9781467198202
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$12.99
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Ghost stories from Texas’s capitol have never been so creepy, fun, and full of mystery!
The haunted history of Austin comes to life—even when the main players are dead. Chat with the ghosts who roam the hallways of the capitol building downtown. Or visit Mount Bonnell and learn about Antonia, who threw herself from the cliffs after her fiancé perished trying to rescue her. Learn the history of the great flood of 1900 and then witness the ghostly orbs at Lake McDonald. Are they the spirits of the dead? Dive into this spooky chapter book for suspenseful tales of bumps in the night, paranormal investigations, and the unexplained; just be sure to keep the light on.
The San Marcos 10
9781467141277
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$24.99
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On November 13, 1969, ten students at Texas State University were suspended for participating in a peaceful protest against the Vietnam War. They had kept vigil in front of the Huntington Mustangs, bearing signs that read, “Vietnam Is an Edsel” and “44,000 U.S. Dead, For What?” while an increasingly hostile anti-protest crowd chanted, “Love it or leave it!” and “Let’s string ’em up!” It was a day after news of the My Lai massacre broke. Part of a coordinated, nationwide Vietnam Moratorium effort that confounded and infuriated the Nixon White House, the “San Marcos 10” challenged their suspension, taking their case all the way to the United States Supreme Court. Author E.R. Bills offers this fascinating glimpse into the 1960s antiwar movement in Texas, the extraordinary measures to quell it and the broader social activism in which it participated.
San Antonio in the Great War
9781467131759
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$24.99
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San Antonio, Texas, has been called Military City USA for many years. It earned this sobriquet not only by virtue of its major military installations but also because of its close and cordial relationship with the US Armed Forces. But in 1916, the year before America entered the Great War, all of that was still in the future. Fort Sam Houston was the largest US Army post in the country, but its attention was focused on the border with Mexico. This changed on April 6, 1917, as the United States needed to quickly raise an expeditionary army of three million men with its attendant air service and send it overseas. This volume portrays the growth of military facilities and infrastructure in San Antonio during World War I that started the Alamo City on the road to becoming Military City USA.
The 1965 Texas Coed Murders
9781540299383
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$34.99
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A Baffling and Brutal Case
Sunday, July 18, 1965, started out like any other hot summer day in Texas. Shirley Ann Stark and Susan Rigsby, Chi Omega sorority sisters at the University of Texas at Austin, left their Dallas homes early and drove together in Shirley’s Corvair to Austin. Little did they know the fate that awaited them later that afternoon as they visited the apartment of a friend and fellow UT student. The following day, the women were reported missing. A twelve-day nationwide search ensued, ending with the discovery of their bodies in a north Austin field. As one Associated Press reporter would later write, “The story held all the elements of a classic murder case: Campus beauties, youth, mystery, terror, and social standing.’’ Author Alan Burton revisits the forgotten, gruesome, and tragic double homicide that shook the Lone Star State.
The 1965 Texas Coed Murders
9781467171533
Regular price
$24.99
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A Baffling and Brutal Case
Sunday, July 18, 1965, started out like any other hot summer day in Texas. Shirley Ann Stark and Susan Rigsby, Chi Omega sorority sisters at the University of Texas at Austin, left their Dallas homes early and drove together in Shirley’s Corvair to Austin. Little did they know the fate that awaited them later that afternoon as they visited the apartment of a friend and fellow UT student. The following day, the women were reported missing. A twelve-day nationwide search ensued, ending with the discovery of their bodies in a north Austin field. As one Associated Press reporter would later write, “The story held all the elements of a classic murder case: Campus beauties, youth, mystery, terror, and social standing.’’ Author Alan Burton revisits the forgotten, gruesome, and tragic double homicide that shook the Lone Star State.
Lone Star Legacy
9781455621040
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$14.95
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Learn about the men behind the legendary star in this exciting new book for all ages! Texas native Melanie Chrismer takes readers through the two hundred-year-history of the Texas Rangers and the changes that took place in the state from the organization’s inception to its current incarnation. Emphasis is placed on the diversity of those who assisted the Rangers, including Native Americans, Texans of Mexican heritage, and African Americans, along with the newest addition—women rangers. Covering the creation of the Rangers as a response to territorial conflict, their role under the Republic, their defense against Mexican invaders, and their evolution during the twentieth century, Chrismer has created the perfect resource for the classroom.
St. Edward's University Athletics
9781467156332
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$26.99
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Celebrate the athletes of St. Edwards University. Competitive sports have crowned the St. Edward’s University hilltop from the very beginning. Early on-campus games and intramurals in the late 19th century evolved into the first organized sport of baseball, followed by a period of excellence during the 1920s and 30s, most notably in football. The 1970s were marked by the advent and growth of athletic programs for women and a gradual ascendency to a strong and regionally competitive National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics [NAIA] program. Even as the school transitioned to a top-tier NCAA Division II program, it could look back on more than a century of athletic achievement. Author John Knorr remembers the key figures and fascinating stories of St. Edward’s athletics.
Legendary Locals of the Big Bend and Davis Mountains
9781467100540
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$24.99
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Home of the Last Frontier is how the local radio station aptly describes the Big Bend and Davis Mountains region of West Texas, the sparsely populated area of desert and mountain close to the Mexican border. After 1848, the first settlers started to move in. They came to make a living, and a few made a fortune. Mysterious cattle baron Milton Faver ran 10,000 cattle in the 1870s. Others came for their health, like J.O. Langford, his wife, and young daughters who, seeking a dry climate, came to homestead on the Rio Grande. Today's newcomers are equally pioneering in their own way. Donald Judd was the catalyst that changed Marfa from a moribund cow town to an internationally recognized art center. Edie Elfring, an immigrant from a small island in the Baltic Sea, has picked up trash and tended Alpine's public gardens—unasked and unpaid—for years. They were drawn to what their predecessors found: a boundless landscape peopled by a few hardy, independent souls.
Texas Far & Wide
9781625859181
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$21.99
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"Fascinating information…little-known facts about remarkable Texans and events across the state.”—North Dallas Gazette
Texas is renowned for its legendary and colorful history—but even the state’s famous storytellers don’t know it all. Ever hear about the escaped ape in the Big Thicket? Or the "Interplanetary Capital of the Universe" that sat on the Gulf Coast? Does the cowboy hat that warmed U.S.-China relations ring a bell?
From the Staked Plain Quakers to the Kaiser Burnout, E.R. Bills delves into some of the most fascinating chapters of overlooked Texas lore.
Texas Bluegrass History
9781467147231
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$21.99
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Texas has nurtured a thriving bluegrass scene since the early 1950s. The Lone Star State boasts the country's first bluegrass college degree and even hosts a Beatles bluegrass cover band. Meet the Pickin' Singin' Professor, the Fiddle Engineer and Blanco's Bluegrass Boy. Hit the trail with cowboys like the Mayfield brothers and go backstage with Grammy-nominated acts like Wood & Wire. Jeff Campbell and Braeden Paul celebrate the musicians who contributed to the harmonious heritage of Texas bluegrass.
Stephen F. Austin State University Jacks
9780738571805
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$24.99
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Stephen F. Austin State University opened its doors in 1923, and its administrators instituted intercollegiate athletics almost immediately. Over the next eight decades, the Lumberjacks and Ladyjacks—team names derived from the area's predominant forest products industries—participated successfully in the Lone Star, Gulf Star, and Southland Conferences. Such outstanding Lumberjacks as James Silas, Mark Moseley, and Jeremiah Trotter have even gone on to successful careers in the NBA and NFL. This book offers readers a retrospective look at the success of SFA's athletic programs, as well as the players, coaches, and fans that led them to victory.
Walker County
9781467127127
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$24.99
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Founded in 1846, Walker County is a scenic, sprawling territory of 800 square miles located in the southeastern region of Texas. Huntsville, the county seat, serves as home to Sam Houston State University, the Texas State Penitentiary, and Huntsville State Park. New Waverly, Riverside, and other smaller towns dot the landscape, which remains rustic and beautiful, with rolling hills, open prairies, and piney woods. Visitors to the area may find museums, restaurants, shops, and sporting events to attend.
Greeks in Houston
9781467130295
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$24.99
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This history of the Greeks in Houston is really the story of individuals who worked diligently to forge new lives for themselves even as they maintained their Greek identity and their Orthodox faith. The efforts of many of the founders are immortalized in the buildings that constitute the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral complex. Their names remind us of their hard work and commitment to establishing their koinonia (communion) in Houston. There are many other names that have gone unremarked over the decades but to whom we owe just as much for their tenacity and dedication. And there are the new generations who inherited this legacy and keep it vibrant through the stewardship of their faith and culture.
Manchaca
9781467130516
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$24.99
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Manchaca, which takes its name from nearby Manchaca Springs, is nestled in the beautiful rolling hills about 10 miles south of Austin. Spanish land grants issued in the 1830s opened the land for settlement, and by the 1850s, stage stop Manchac Springs was established, bringing new settlers through the area. Many liked what they saw and settled in. The population grew in great bounds when the International & Great Northern Railroad laid track through Manchaca in 1881, which led to the building of a new school and several mercantile stores. By the turn of the century, Manchaca had grown into a bustling community.
Crane
9780738595825
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$24.99
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Crane is the county seat and only town in Crane County, Texas. Hot, windy, and impossibly dry, save for the Pecos River and the oil bubbling below, people still have been migrating to or passing through it for hundreds of years. In 1583, Spanish explorers traversed the Pecos at a ford known as Horsehead Crossing. In 1858, the crossing became an important stop on the Butterfield Overland Mail route. Famous adventurers Charles Goodnight and Oliver Loving trekked through the crossing in 1866. Castle Gap, a mountain with castle-like boulders, offered shelter to prehistoric people. Likewise, forty-niners sought protection there while migrating to California. Legend states that the Mexican emperor Maximilian once buried vast golden treasures there. Nearby, Juan Cordona Salt Lake provided salt to Native American traders. Historically, ranching has been important in Crane County, although oil is king in the region, being one of the largest oil-producing counties in Texas. Throughout the years, the city of Crane has maintained a consistent population of approximately 3,500, subsisting primarily on the oil and gas industry.
Legendary Locals of Grand Prairie
9781467102179
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$24.99
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Grand Prairie is a city on the edge. Citizens have been innovators with a love for family and community. Alexander Dechmann traded land to insure a railroad depot; early settlers started schools for their families; and the police department hired one of the first women. Leaders at nonprofits such as Brighter Tomorrows not only helped the local community, but also helped develop services in surrounding communities. Business owners and volunteers have strong family traditions of giving back to Grand Prairie, and civil servants have loyalties for extended years of service, such as Ruthe Jackson and her family, who provided support for both businesses and the community. From the early settlers to today's city, Grand Prairie is built upon loyalty.
Krum
9780738579917
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$24.99
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Krum is one of the crown jewels of North Texas. Located north of Fort Worth and just west of Denton, Krum was once famous for an award-winning strain of wheat. The town even established three grain mills to accommodate wheat production. Over a million pounds of grain were shipped in 1900, when Krum was known as the largest wagon grain market in the United States. The town now serves northwest Denton County as a center for agricultural, financial, and emergency services, with its citizens as Krum's major asset. Descendants of many of the original settlers are still here by preference and are proud to tell the world they live in Krum. Why go anywhere else?
Mexican American Baseball in the Alamo Region
9781467133388
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$24.99
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Mexican American Baseball in the Alamo Region celebrates the game as it was played in the Tejano and Tejana communities throughout Texas. This regional focus explores the importance of the game at a time when Spanish-speaking people were demanding cultural acceptance and their political and civil rights in cities like San Antonio, Corpus Christi, New Braunfels, San Diego, Kingsville, and Pleasanton. All had thriving Mexican American communities that found comfort in the game and pride in their abilities on the field. On these pages are historical images and wonderful stories that are now immortalized, taking their rightful place in the annuals of the game. ¡Viva Tejas, Viva Béisbol, y Viva los Peloteros!
The Texas Association of Chicanos in Higher Education
9781467130820
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$24.99
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For the past 40 years, the Texas Association of Chicanos in Higher Education (TACHE) has been on the forefront of advocacy to improve opportunity in higher education for US persons of Mexican origin. Chicano faculty at the University of Texas, together with a few Chicano students, organized the group's first gatherings in 1974, and since then, TACHE has held thematic annual conferences that signal its mission and program focus and allow professional networking. Chicano faculty and students in colleges and universities have increased, but much still remains to be done. Although funding for education is drastically being cut, Chicano and Latino students are at the front door of higher education, and the number of college-ready students is reaching significant levels across the nation. The official designation of Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI), for schools with Chicano and Latino student enrollment in excess of 25 percent, has become a badge of honor among colleges and universities.
Jefferson
9780738585321
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$24.99
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Jefferson, Texas, began as a simple ferry crossing on the Big Cypress Bayou. By 1841, Allen Urquhart had realized the potential for a town at this spot and purchased 640 acres. Daniel Alley bought the adjacent tract, and the city of Jefferson was born. The town flourished as a steamship port during the 1800s and became the second-largest city in Texas. Steamboats from as far south as New Orleans would dock in Jefferson, unloading travelers and freight before taking on new cargo and starting on the return trip. When the water levels in the bayou eventually fell, Jefferson was no longer accessible by steamship, and the population began to dwindle. Many saw this as the end of the city. However, the 1960s brought a rebirth to the town, and today Jefferson shares its rich history with travelers from across the nation.
Lancaster
9780738578767
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$24.99
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In 1841, the Republic of Texas was on the brink of bankruptcy, and it needed to attract new immigrants in order to survive. With this important goal in mind, in 1844 the Texas congress authorized the republic's president, Sam Houston, to contract with individuals to colonize the state. In September of that same year, one group headed by Capt. Roderick Rawlins from Illinois came to Texas and settled in what would become the town of Lancaster. Farmers grew grains and cotton, and Lancaster became a trade center with a lively town square. A commercial club organized in order to coordinate advertising for local businesses, and it also held trade days that later became town fairs. Local residents worked hard all week and enjoyed horse races, baseball, forty-two parties, music performances, and other entertainment on the weekends. By the late 1800s, Lancaster was connected to the rest of the state by the railroads, but the town still retained its independent, small-town Texas character.
The SMS Ranch
9781467126830
Regular price
$24.99
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Few images captivate the Western imagination more than the Texas cowboy at home on the range, herding, corralling, throwing and branding cattle, bronc busting, dining from chuck wagons, and sleeping under the stars. The SMS Ranch in the early 1900s was exactly such a place. Spanning hundreds of thousands of acres and holding land in 12 Northwest Texas counties, the SMS was formed by early Swedish immigrant to the Republic of Texas Swante Magnus Swenson. Swenson, a good friend of Sam Houston, had a penchant for wise financial decisions and, by the late 1800s, lived in New York with offices on Wall Street. Swenson sent his two sons to manage his vast Texas landholdings. In 1902, they hired legendary cattleman Frank Hastings to manage the SMS Ranch, headquartered in Stamford, Texas, north of Abilene and west of Fort Worth. Hastings's wife, Laura, and daughter Ruth photographed life on the ranch, and many professional photographers visited the SMS as well, leaving a rich visual legacy.
Plano
9780738507682
Regular price
$24.99
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The history of Plano, Texas is as rich as the soil that attracted early settlers to the area in the mid to late 1800s. Vividly portrayed here in over 200 images, author Nancy McCulloch recreates for the reader the remarkable history of this forward-thinking town. A large number of residents from Kentucky and Tennessee were attracted to the rich black soil and farming prospects of this part of Peters Colony. Sam Houston, as a former governor of Tennessee, enticed families from these states to travel to the Plano area and seek out a new and better way of life. From 1870 to 1886, Plano's population expanded tenfold. As early as the late 1800s the community developed a reputation for progressive thinking and beautiful homes.
Lone Star Sports Legends
9781467137751
Regular price
$21.99
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From the clash of college to the best married shooting duo in history, the Lone Star State clears every hurdle the sports world offers. A former Texas Christian basketball player became the first tenured African American professor at Harvard Business School. Aggie football legend John Kimbrough's first professional contract required him to act in movies and serve as the stadium's handyman. For every date on the calendar, Ryan Sprayberry provides a play-by-play of 365 memorable days in the state's athletic history, beginning with the birth of the Cotton Bowl on January 1, 1937, and ending with the final snap of the Ice Bowl on December 31, 1967.
Sweetwater
9781467130967
Regular price
$24.99
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From buffalo hunters and ranchers to rattlesnake hunters and wind farmers, Sweetwater has a rich and diverse history of hearty people flourishing in a harsh environment. Beginning with the Kiowa, Apaches, and Comanche, who migrated through the area following herds, and continuing with hunters after the Civil War, Sweetwater, like many West Texas towns, owes its inception to the buffalo. After the war, the demand for beef, hides, and tallow in the North escalated, requiring hunters to reduce buffalo populations, both for their prized hides and to make room for cattle. The slaughter reached its peak in the South in the 1870s, and in 1877, Billie Knight set up a small store on the banks of Sweetwater Creek to accommodate hunters and ranchers. Since the construction of this humble dugout, the town of Sweetwater has had one racetrack, two locations, three names, four courthouses, and countless snakes, wild fires, and tornadoes.
Midlothian
9780738558752
Regular price
$24.99
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The springs that initially attracted settlers to this area sprang from thick deposits of Balcones Escarpment limestone. The springs gave rise to Waxahachie Creek, and many settlers chose land near its headwaters to form the village of Midlothian. The black soil proved excellent for growing cotton, corn, wheat, oats, rye, and barley. When the Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railroad came through in 1883, Midlothian was born. The town was incorporated in 1888, two years after the Houston and Texas Central Railroad reached town. Many settlers were experienced cotton growers, and gins were built alongside the railroads to process and ship the cotton. Farm animals normally kept for family use became more numerous, and several beef and dairy operations developed. Many servicemen returning from World War II, however, chose to commute to the metroplex for various jobs, decreasing the number of farmers. Soon thereafter, major corporations realized that the limestone was perfect for making cement and began operations here. Midlothian is liberally illustrated with historically rich photographs chronicling the development of this industrious region.
La Salle County
9780738579382
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$24.99
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The Nueces River runs west to east across La Salle County, and at one time it served as the boundary between Texas and Mexico. The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, signed in 1848, ceded the Nueces Strip to Texas. La Salle County was formed out of some of this land in 1858. Early settlers struggled to survive in the wild terrain amid fears of attacks from outlaws and natives. From the Indian Raid of 1878 and the assassination of a sheriff, to droughts and dust storms, the hardy people of La Salle County persevered. After an election in 1883, Cotulla was selected as the permanent county seat, a courthouse was erected, and churches and schools were built. The lawlessness of the past is gone, but the county's residents share the perseverance of those early pioneers.
Coppell, Texas
9781467136617
Regular price
$21.99
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Coppell history is rooted in peace and community. In 1843, Sam Houston met with ten native tribes along Grapevine Springs Creek to negotiate an accord to end fighting and allow trade and settlement in the area. When Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport opened in 1974, Coppell transformed from a farming hamlet into a thriving town with expanding economic opportunity. Through firsthand accounts with longtime residents and meticulous research, authors Jean Murph and Lou Duggan unfold the contemplative story of a complex and historic community.
Southside Place
9781467131742
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$24.99
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In 1924, Edward Lilo Crain platted Southside Place, a 329-lot subdivision on the soggy prairie just west of bustling downtown Houston. Ahead of his time, Crain combined the roles of real estate investor, developer, and builder, establishing Southside Place with prefabricated catalog homes. The neighborhood's most defining attribute, however, is the 1.5-acre park Crain created as its geographic and civic center. This thoughtful early attempt at city planning made Southside Place the first Houston subdivision to provide a swimming pool, tennis court, clubhouse, and park for the private use of residents.
Historic Downtown Plano
9780738579023
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$24.99
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Historic Downtown Plano focuses on the city's main mercantile area of Mechanic (Fifteenth Street) and Main (K Avenue) and the surrounding heritage districts of Haggard Park, Old Towne, and the Douglass Community. Incorporated in 1873, downtown Plano has endured at least five major fires, the Great Depression, closure of the interurban railway, and retail and corporate development to the west of the area. In recent years, downtown Plano has benefited from ongoing redevelopment and revitalization as an urban transit village with the Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) light rail train service to the area—taking us back to those days of old.
Murphy
9780738585383
Regular price
$24.99
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With a 470-percent population spike during the last decade, Murphy, Texas, is the fastest-growing city in Collin County. Citizens are still drawn to the area just as the pioneers were. Murphy, first known as Maxwell and then Decatur, was once part of the Peters Colony empresario grant issued by the Republic of Texas in 1841. Carved out of the Blackland Prairie Region, the soil was rich and black, rainfall was abundant, the temperature was moderate, and the land was carpeted with tall grasses. Native trees, wild fruit, honey, game, fish, and wild turkey were plentiful. Trees were cut for homes, and prairie soils were plowed for crops. The arrival of the railroad in 1888 made it more convenient for farmers to transport crops and for local shopkeepers to operate their businesses, which left a lasting legacy in the community.
Galveston's Tree Carvings
9781467133050
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$24.99
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On September 13, 2008, Hurricane Ike made landfall in Galveston with a 12-foot storm surge that flooded most of the island. The salt water then killed between 40,000 and 50,000 trees in Galveston. After they died, the trees were cut down. A local citizen made the suggestion to carve the stumps into sculptures. Three different professional artists and one amateur artist carved all of the carvings on the island. The first carving was completed in 2009, and the stumps continue to be carved as of 2014. They have become a must-see tourist attraction in Galveston.
Around San Antonio
9780738503110
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$24.99
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Around San Antonio provides readers with an incisive history, not only of the city itself—its missions, festive traditions, schools, military bases—but also of the surrounding Hill Country and ranches. Covering a time span from the early 1900s to the 1960s, this book provides a concise background of local folklore and traditions to visitors and other interested persons who wish to gain a deeper insight and appreciation of San Antonio and the surrounding area.
Camp Bowie Boulevard
9781467130493
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$24.99
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In the early 1890s, Humphrey Barker Chamberlin installed a lifeline to his namesake suburb west of the city. A trolley connected to Arlington Heights Boulevard at the Trinity River's Clear Fork and chugged across prairie land to reach Chamberlin Arlington Heights. Camp Bowie, a soldiers' city, sprawled over both sides of the road from 1917 until 1919. At the Great War's end, the stretch west of present-day University Drive became the commemorative Camp Bowie Boulevard. The 1920s brought twin ribbons of cordovan-colored brick pavement, the prestige of inclusion in the Bankhead Highway network, and westering developers of another elite village: Ridglea. Midway through the Great Depression, the Will Rogers complex arose on a farm tract, visible from the thoroughfare, to host Texas Centennial celebrations and a special livestock exposition. Museums began claiming adjacent space in the 1950s. By the second decade of the 21st century, Camp Bowie Boulevard bisected a built environment both modern and historic.
Hutchinson County
9781467108584
Regular price
$23.99
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Hutchinson County is in the center of the High Plains in the Texas Panhandle. Home to diverse native vegetation and abundant wildlife, the fertile plains to the north and the deep canyons of the Canadian River valley in the south define this land of contrasts. Ancient Native American culture thrived along the river for centuries. Plains tribes still dominated the region until the imperialist idea of manifest destiny became the law of the land, leading to westward expansion during the 19th century. Some of the early participants in this expansion used the Canadian River as a natural highway as they mapped the Texas Panhandle. Hutchinson County was established in 1876, and ranchers and farmers created a prosperous economy. By 1901, most of the county was an agricultural community, but the discovery of oil in 1921 drastically changed the lifestyles of those who lived there—and made their futures even brighter. Today, oil, cattle, and crops still dominate the local economy. Hard work and tenacity remain distinctive characteristics of those who reside in the area.
