Name: Filipinos in Houston
Brand: Maria Poisot
SKU: 9781467129688
Price: 23.99 USD
Availability: InStock

Filipinos in Houston

9781467129688

$23.99

The first sign of Filipinos in Houston was when Igorots were featured on a 1908 postcard at the annual carnival known as No-Tsu-Oh. Then, in 1912, a young man by the name of Rudolfo Hulen Fernandez appeared in the Campanile yearbook as the first Asian graduate from Rice University. Though the Philippines were an American colony, and Filipinos immigrated to the United States freely in the 1920s and 1930s, there is little evidence of their presence in Houston. In 1934, the Tydings-McDuffie Act reclassified all Filipinos from nationals to aliens, establishing a limit of 50 immigrants per year. The most significant wave of immigration started with the 1965 Immigration Act, which granted the Philippines 20,000 visas a year, igniting the era of the Philippine nurse and her career in the Texas Medical Center. Other professionals, such as accountants and engineers, followed.

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Early Maricopa County

9780738574165

$24.99

In 1863, the first mining town, Wickenburg, was established in what would become Maricopa County, when it was created from parts of Pima, Yuma, Mohave, and Yavapai Counties on February 12, 1871. Spanish Franciscan missionary Francisco Garces claimed the name "Maricopa" came from the Pima word for the Pipatsje, a Yuman tribe from the Gulf of California that migrated to Arizona's central valley long ago. Ten years after Maricopa County was established, Jack Swillings's original settlement had begun its evolution into the ever-expanding city of Phoenix. By the turn of the 20th century, Maricopa County was no longer just a dusty settlement for a few hundred sturdy souls. Its rich agricultural districts had grown in scope and breadth, since its irrigation systems were fed by the Salt and Verde Rivers impounded in Roosevelt, Apache, and Canyon Lakes. Phoenix led the explosive growth of Maricopa County and Arizona, and by 1920 had become a dynamic, vibrant state capital. Today Maricopa County is the state's major economic engine and home to the fifth-largest city in America.

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Around Aldine

9781467109161

$23.99

Straddling a major railroad with plenty of open prairie, 1890s Aldine offered an ideal real estate development to enterprising land agent Ferris Colby. Colby platted a townsite and marketed acreage to Northerners looking for a warmer climate. Advertisements by Colby, as well as Eugene Robertson, touted Aldine’s agricultural potential. Satsuma oranges and magnolia figs provided early cash crops. Entrepreneur John Carpenter started a fig canning factory after winning a silver medal for preserved figs at the 1904 World's Fair. The orange and fig orchards failed by 1920, however, and local farmers switched to produce and dairying. In the early 1960s, the automobile and new freeways opened Aldine to suburban development. Houses, apartments, retail centers, and even a major airport replaced the farms and dairies, changing Aldine from a rural outpost to an almost indistinguishable part of Houston's near-endless urban sprawl.

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Oklahoma City's African American Education

9781467127400

$24.99

Oklahoma City's African American community, from the beginning of the settlement of the Oklahoma Territory in 1891, placed a high priority on education. Established on January 5, 1891, Frederick A. Douglass High School became an Oklahoma City institution that produced scholars, educators, military heroes, musicians, athletes, attorneys, firefighting experts, doctors, national and international leaders in medicine, civil rights pioneers, and even cowboys. At the center of this substantial pool of achievers stood one man, Frederick Douglass Moon, the longest-serving principal at the school. His vision established the winning model that produced students who could compete anywhere in the world with their talents, skills, and knowledge. Countless legends and icons attended the school, including Charlie Christian, Ralph Ellison, Jimmy Rushing, Anthony Watson, Zora Brown, Dr. Roger Countee, and others. This book showcases former students of Oklahoma City whose contributions still matter today.

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Randolph Field

9781467132336

$24.99

Once touted as the West Point of the air in the pre–Air Force Academy years, Randolph Field/Air Force Base is famous for its Spanish Colonial Revival architecture, its iconic Administration Building (nicknamed the Taj Mahal), and its rectangular layout. Allowed by the Army hierarchy to design its own installation from the ground up, the Army Air Corps hit a home run in design uniqueness and functionality. When the Corps of Engineers built the base, working from 1928 to 1931, it was its biggest project since the Panama Canal. Randolph has been a popular assignment location for Air Force members for over 80 years and is currently home to the 12th Flying Training Wing, the Air Education and Training Command Headquarters, and the Air Force Personnel Center. Thousands have passed through Randolph's gates as students and permanent personnel, and many have chosen to live in the San Antonio area after discharge or retirement. Carefully landscaped with trees and shrubbery from the very beginning, Randolph is the showplace of the Air Force.

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Lost Abilene

9780738596938

$24.99

In 1881, the Texas & Pacific Railroad described Abilene as the Future Great City of the West. While the train line was laying rails west out of Fort Worth, a group of ranchers, wanting the new town to become a prominent cattle-shipping point, selected the name Abilene after Abilene, Kansas, which was a main cattle-shipping town in the 1870s. With the arrival of the railroad to Abilene, this part of Texas opened up for settlement. Families rushed to establish the town and set up new businesses, but it was the military coming to Abilene that really made the city's population explode. Lost Abilene documents the early homes, businesses, schools, and entertainment that helped shape the city.

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Round Rock

9780738556413

$24.99

Named for a distinctive rock formation that marks a natural, picturesque ford, Round Rock is a reflection of the past. Nomadic people lived here for countless ages, leaving clues of their existence for future generations. Explorers and frontier travelers visited the area bounded by rolling hills to the west and fertile fields to the east. The location became a permanent name on the map when settlers made the site their home in 1851. These pioneers established the traditions that defined the community. Positioned near the state capital, Round Rock has prospered through transportation and commerce. Horseback paths, stagecoach routes, military roads, and cattle trails have yielded to railroads and highways. Within a few generations, the community once known for education and agriculture is now equally renowned for technology and trade. A common thread through it all has been the citizens' pride of place in their hometown. This is the story of a once-quiet village that evolved into a vibrant city.

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Fort Davis

9780738579863

$24.99

Established and named for US secretary of war Jefferson Davis in 1854, Fort Davis was key to the eventual settlement of the Davis Mountains' rich grasslands. Camels once grazed at the fort. It served as home to the African American regiments known as the Buffalo Soldiers, and Lt. Henry Flipper, the first African American to graduate from West Point, was court-martialed at this post. Present-day visitors to the town of Fort Davis can gaze at the stars and imagine the immensity of the universe at the University of Texas McDonald Observatory, stay the night at the Civilian Conservation Corps-built Indian Lodge at Davis Mountains State Park, or visit with a living-history volunteer or park ranger at Fort Davis National Historic Site.

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Chandler

9780738585215

$24.99

Chandler is located 20 miles southeast of Phoenix and has been the home of innovative, forward-thinking people for many decades. As Phoenix began to grow in the late 19th century, a young veterinarian decided to aquire several acres of the surrounding land. Dr. Alexander J. Chandler took a few business gambles with his new acquisition, and the 18,000 acres known then as Chandler Ranch were soon split into lots and sold as the new town of Chandler. Once the town was established in 1912, Dr. Chandler relied on industrial agriculture and the new, lavish San Marcos Hotel to attract new residents. Later, Dr. Chandler brought Frank Lloyd Wright to redesign downtown and build a new hotel. During World War II, several families and businesses came to the area because of the new Williams Air Force Base. Following the war, high-tech businesses and bioscience firms created a new economy in Chandler, which led to a modern patchwork of people who represent Chandler today.

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Lake Pleasant

9780738571768

$24.99

If the Hohokam beheld Lake Pleasant today, spreading across the desert northwest of Phoenix, their eyes would scarcely recognize their home. Nearly a century ago, early pioneers in central Arizona were inspired by the Hohokam's hand-dug irrigation to divert the Agua Fria River from the Bradshaw Mountains, creating colossal agricultural potential in the Sonoran Desert. Lake Pleasant stands alone among the great reclamation efforts of the West, largely due to the tenacity of one man--William H. Beardsley, who died before it was completed. Beardsley, along with other visionaries like Carl Pleasant and Donald Waddell, overcame all odds to create the Pleasant Dam, which was completed in October 1927 and was later renamed the Waddell Dam. In the late 20th century, the New Waddell Dam was constructed, which tripled the size of the lake and made the water flow uphill, back into Lake Pleasant. Today Lake Pleasant Regional Park offers visitors over 20,000 acres of crystal clear water ideal for boating, water sports, and fishing and over 140 developed sites for RV and tent camping.

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Camp Bullis

9781467127493

$24.99

For more than a century, soldiers have marched, ridden, driven, and flown to Camp Bullis to practice tactics and marksmanship. Camp Bullis was established in 1906 because the modern artillery and small arms could not be fired safely within Fort Sam Houston. The camp expanded during both world wars to accommodate even more powerful artillery and the tens of thousands of troops being mobilized. Between these two wars, the movies Wings, The Big Parade, and The Rough Riders were filmed there. The Army's changing needs would transform the type of training conducted at Camp Bullis. Today, soldiers, airmen, sailors, and marines still go to Camp Bullis to practice not only tactics and marksmanship on state-of-the-art ranges and simulators but also lifesaving medical techniques, demonstrating once again that a good range is essential.

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Gilmer

9780738571249

$24.99

Carved out of the virgin East Texas forest in the early days of Texas statehood, Gilmer has a diverse and rich history, evolving from a center of cotton production to a town enjoying a lumbering boom at the dawn of the 20th century. Many associate the city with its well-known fall festival-the East Texas Yamboree-celebrated annually during the third weekend of October. Created to publicize the production of sweet potatoes in the sandy soils of the county, the Yamboree has adapted to changing times as it continues into its eighth decade. Proud of their traditions, the people of Gilmer and the surrounding Upshur County face the challenges of the 21st century with confidence in what they have accomplished.

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Top O' Hill Terrace

9780738585277

$24.99

If the saga of Top O' Hill Casino becoming Arlington Baptist College were written as fiction, readers would dismiss it as improbable and impossible. The story of a tearoom evolving into the gambling hot spot of North Central Texas that was then acquired by a fiery gospel preacher, who foretold its transformation into a Baptist seminary and ultimately an accredited Bible college, is stranger than fiction yet absolutely true. The rich and famous enjoyed rubbing shoulders with the mysterious and notoriously infamous, and if large amounts of money were involved, so much the better. Stir in fabulous racehorses, flashy stage and screen stars, singers, dancers, well-known bandleaders and bands, and the tale becomes enthralling.

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Sierra County

9781467128568

$24.99

In 1884, Sierra County was formed in the Middle Rio Grande Corridor of the New Mexico Territory out of the existing counties of Grant, Doña Ana, and Socorro. Not everyone was pleased with the new county, and the courthouse was said to look like a dance hall. From the fortunes and misfortunes of the miners in the historical towns of the Black Range to the comings and goings of the railroad towns, Sierra County is rich in history. The town of Hot Springs (later renamed Truth or Consequences) came into existence when entrepreneurs decided that the naturally occurring mineral springs could cure arthritis, neuritis, rheumatism, and alcoholism. The Carrie Tingley Hospital for Crippled Children, built to take advantage of the natural warm springs to help in the treatment of polio, is now the current New Mexico State Veterans' Home. Sierra County is also home to Elephant Butte Dam and Caballo Dam, both of which have history with the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) camps.

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Dallas's Little Mexico

9780738579795

$24.99

Little Mexico was Dallas's earliest Mexican barrio. Mexicanos had lived in Dallas since the mid-19th century. The social displacement created by the Mexican Revolution of 1910, however, caused the emergence of a distinct and vibrant neighborhood on the edge of the city's downtown. This neighborhood consisted of modest homes, small businesses, churches, and schools, and further immigration from Mexico in the 1920s caused its population to boom. By the 1930s, Little Mexico's population had grown to over 15,000 people. The expanding city's construction projects, urban renewal plans, and land speculation by developers gradually began to dismantle Little Mexico. By the end of the 20th century, Little Mexico had all but disappeared, giving way to upscale high-rise residences and hotels, office towers of steel and glass, and the city's newest entertainment district. This book looks at Little Mexico's growth, zenith, demise, and its remarkable renaissance as a neighborhood.

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Pampa

9780738585550

$24.99

The Panhandle's first railroad, the Southern Kansas Railway of Texas, was constructed in 1886. Reaching Amarillo in 1889, the railway pulled cars filled with immigrant families and their belongings. The settlers were farmers from the east and south who came west to find water and cheap land. George Tyng, an adventurous fortune seeker, began leasing ranch land in 1887. A rail station was constructed, and Tyng eventually settled on the name "Pampa," a South American word that means "plains." Tyng was fond of saying that someday Pampa would be the "Queen City of the Plains."

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Cameron Trading Post

9781467116978

$24.99

In 1911, a one-track suspension bridge was constructed over the gorge of the Little Colorado River, bypassing a treacherous river crossing and opening travel to northern Arizona. Five years later, Hubert Richardson built a tin-roofed shack on the river's rim and opened his trading post for business. In the first years, almost all of his customers were Navajo, but with the new bridge travelers soon found the area, and it became the access point for the Grand Canyon, Glen Canyon, and the Four Corners area. A century later, Cameron Trading Post is a thriving epicenter still serving Navajo people, tourists, and an impressive list of the famous and fascinating, including authors, scientists, and movie stars. Boasting a curio store, gas station, motel, RV park, grocery store, and art gallery, Cameron is visited by guests from all over the world. It is a crossroads and a destination for visitors to this historic trading post.

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Around Terlingua

9781467132015

$24.99

The origin of the name Terlingua is obscure and lost in time. For the past century and a half, the area covered by the name has expanded to include numerous concentrations of people engaged to varying degrees in ranching, farming, and mining, or the support thereof. Farmers and ranchers produced agricultural products, woodcutters supplied timbers for the mines or fuel for the furnaces, and storekeepers supplied the goods needed for sustenance of this diverse community that was spread over much of south Brewster County in West Texas. Hispanic people who began settling the region in the 18th century were the backbone of the mining industry. Many of the families here today are descendants of the mine workers and continue contributing to the community. This story tells of the establishment and abandonment of Terlingua following the rise and decline in demand for mercury and how the ghost town was resurrected in the 20th century.

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Fort Worth's Quality Hill

9781467132114

$24.99

In the late 19th century, Fort Worth's Quality Hill succeeded Samuels Avenue as the city's prestigious residential neighborhood. Cattle barons, bankers, attorneys, and business entrepreneurs selected this west-side locale to construct exquisite homes that reflected their wealth and prominence in the community. Bounded by Seventh Street on the north, Pennsylvania Avenue on the south, Henderson Street on the east, and the Trinity River on the west, the area had an unequaled civility. Quality Hill set the standard for fine living, elaborate entertaining, and philanthropy. Just a handful of these gracious homes have survived the years. Fort Worth's Quality Hill offers you an opportunity to explore this historic neighborhood in its finest and waning days.

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Early Woods County

9780738583105

$24.99

Woods County, Oklahoma, is showcased in images dating from 1894 to statehood in 1907. This time span covers the period of early settlement and the hardships of pioneers in a new territory. It includes the growth from a wide-open prairie to the beginnings of small towns and school districts, from mostly one-room schoolhouses to the Normal School for higher education, known today as Northwestern Oklahoma State University. People from all walks of life came to the Cherokee Outlet before the land run of 1893 and after. Those frontier inhabitants suddenly found themselves nearly alone on the wide expanse of prairie unbroken by a single building and with almost no trees. Early settlers came from across the country and even from across the ocean, many with nothing but the clothes on their backs and hope. These new residents carved out a living and made Woods County what it is today.

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Los Lunas

9780738595344

$24.99

Don Felix Candelaria received the San Clemente Land Grant from the Spanish Royal Government in 1716. The land was later claimed by Don Antonio José Luna, whose ancestors arrived in the early 18th century. Don Antonio's son Solomon Luna was instrumental in New Mexico's quest for statehood and was singularly influential in the creation of the New Mexico State Constitution. Ranching and farming were major commercial activities in Los Lunas, and Solomon Luna and his nephew Eduardo Otero were two of the largest sheep ranchers in the United States. Maximiliano Luna served in the Rough Riders during the Spanish-American War. German-born merchants, the Huning and Neustadt families brought Anglo goods and culture to Los Lunas in the 1860s. From a population of 1,500 in 1986, Los Lunas has grown to more than 15,000 people today, making it the second fastest-growing community in New Mexico.

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Alamo

9781467162111

$24.99

The modern city of Alamo, where “Winter Texans” come to enjoy the “Land of Two Summers,” is far different from what Peter Ebenezer Blalock and George T. Hawkins from Mississippi envisioned as a great cattle ranch when they purchased 32,000 acres of Spanish land grants on the north side of the Rio Grande. In 1909, the land was sold to John T. Beamer and his backers, who envisioned a sugarcane empire; they formed the Alamo Land and Sugar Company. The sugar market collapse led to colonization, bringing trainloads of prospective buyers to Alamo who would mainly farm and open businesses. The Alamo townsite was incorporated in 1924 and celebrates its 100-year anniversary in 2024. In that time of development, the community witnessed steady economic growth. Its history includes raids by Mexican bandits, a taxi driver helping catch a bank robber, a mayor and a former police chief duking it out, the tragedy of a train/truck crash killing 34 farmworkers, damage from Hurricane Beulah, and gaining one of the largest flea markets in Texas.

History buff authors are Alejandro Oyoque, director/curator of the City of Alamo Museum, and Herb Moering, a 20-year Alamo resident and a journalist originally from Wisconsin. Both are Friends of the Alamo Museum members.

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Mount Pleasant

9781467131797

$24.99

Mount Pleasant lies atop a tree-covered hill in the midst of East Texas timber country. The native Caddo Indians referred to the hill as pleasant, and so it was named. Though it hails from within the historic area known as Devil's Triangle, the city has been dubbed the sweetest town in Texas. This area has been alternately ignored, fought over, and claimed, proving the people of Mount Pleasant are resilient, adaptable, and consistently hardworking. It is the kind of stable community that showcases many of the strengths of America. The city's location as a byway along transportation routes, including roads, railroads, and an interstate highway, has contributed to its growth over the years as industrial businesses have come to town. Named one of the best small towns in America, it currently serves as the trailer manufacturing capital of the United States. This bass capital of Texas boasts more than 17,000 acres for fishing, swimming, and waterskiing, as well as bird watching along the Texas Bluebird Trail.

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Midland

9780738578965

$24.99

On the southern edge of the vast Llano Estacado, Midland began as a midpoint along the Texas and Pacific Railway. From its earliest days, entrepreneurs like the Scharbauers and Henry Halff built a city based upon their dreams. Land speculators, ranchers, farmers, financiers, oilmen, investors, and engineers each placed their own unique brands on Midland's landscape. Over time, the community earned a variety of nicknames—Windmill Town, Land of the High Sky, and Tall City, among them. Although seemingly remote, Midland has regularly gained attention at the state, national, and even international level in areas as diverse as airplanes (Texas's first), cattle ranching, and as the home of George W. Bush. Midland's story is an American tale of a successful small city.

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Baylor County

9780738579665

$24.99

Baylor County was separated from Fanin County in February 1858 out of the Young Territory. Its name honors Henry W. Baylor, an Indian fighter and surgeon in a regiment of Texas Rangers during the Mexican War. The county was not organized, however, until 1879. The depletion of the buffalo herds in the mid-1870s and the defeat of the Comanche in 1874 by the US Army opened the county for settlement. It became a major supply area for the Western Trail, and the population and economy boomed. The legacy of the Western Trail was historic ranches and a cattle industry that became the cornerstone of the county's economic system. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the ranchers were joined by farmers and their families, and together they set the stage for a modern agricultural economy. Over 130 years after the county was founded, farming and ranching still form the commercial base. Today, the Western heritage in Baylor County lingers, reflecting the past and shaping the future.

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Sunnyslope

9780738599571

$24.99

Founded in 1911 by William R. Norton, Sunnyslope is older than the State of Arizona. By 1919, the desert settlement had only four or five cottages and no roads, no electricity, and no running water. That soon changed as those recovering from tuberculosis sought the relief of Sunnyslope's dry climate. In 1927, the Desert Mission was established, with its nurses dubbed the Angels of the Desert. This would eventually become the modern, multistory John C. Lincoln Hospital. A post–World War II boom saw Sunnyslope's population grow with small businesses, schools, and churches being established that still serve the community today. Annexed by the City of Phoenix in 1959, Sunnyslope, with its roughly 40,000 residents, retains its unique identity to this day.

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Sayre

9780738582528

$24.99

Sayre, Oklahoma, was founded shortly after the railroad arrived on September 14, 1901. Before that, it was known as Riverton because of its location near the North Fork of the Red River. When the Choctaw, Oklahoma and Gulf Railroad completed its line to Sayre, businesses sprang up overnight, causing many people from surrounding communities to move closer to the rail. Sayre's historical downtown area is home to many buildings that date from the city's founding in 1901. When Route 66 was constructed through Sayre, transportation was solidified as the community's main industry. The town began to grow again when Farmrail launched an American Short Line Regional Railroad through Sayre and its surrounding area in 1981. Through the years, many legendary people have called Sayre home, including horseman Walter Merrick, world champion bull rider Justin McBride, bronc riders Gene Ross and Jonas DeArmon, and singer Roger Miller. The community is known for its natural beauty, sensational sunsets, and a flat landscape that allows one to see for miles in every direction.

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Prescott Valley

9780738570709

$24.99

When gold was discovered along Lynx Creek in 1863, the area that would later become Prescott Valley began to attract attention from the outside world. Miners came and so did the military, which established Fort Whipple in nearby Prescott but made use of Glassford Hill as part of a communication system. By the early 1900s, homesteaders, merchants, freighters, and ranchers had also arrived. As the 20th century progressed, what had been a peaceful stretch of grazing land known as Lonesome Valley gave way to a budding town finally incorporated in 1978 with 1,520 citizens. On the land where a volcano erupted long ago, mammoths once roamed, prehistoric people hunted, miners sought their fortunes, and ranchers herded cattle, Prescott Valley is today a thriving--and rapidly growing--town of more than 35,000 residents that has retained much of its small-town character and charm.

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Around Columbus

9780738585444

$24.99

Welcome to Columbus! The county seat of Colorado County, Columbus is the oldest surveyed and platted Anglo American town in Texas. It was first platted in 1823 by Stephen F. Austin and Baron DeBastrop as a possible site for the Texas capital. It was platted again in 1837 by W.B. DeWees and J.W.E. Wallace. Many of Austin's Old 300 settled in Columbus and the surrounding area, including Alleyton and Glidden, which were founded as railroad towns. The area played an important role in the history of Texas, including Santa Anna's pursuit of Sam Houston's Texas army that resulted in the burning of Columbus during the Runaway Scrape. Columbus suffered other setbacks, such as the long-running Stafford-Townsend feud and lawlessness resulting in disincorporation in the early 1900s, and enjoyed the good fortune of its reincorporation in the 1920s. However, today, it is a town of people who greatly value their heritage and seek to preserve it.

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Andrews

9780738579801

$24.99

Andrews County was named for Richard Andrews, the first casualty in Texas's fight for independence from Mexico in 1835 at the battle of Concepción. Before the creation of the county in 1876 by the Texas legislature, the area had been largely ignored by state officials and avoided by ranchers and settlers because of its remoteness, scarcity of water, and attacks by local Native Americans. That all changed in 1875 after an expedition by U.S. cavalry troops led by Col. William R. Shafter opened the region up to settlers. The town of Andrews became the county seat in 1910 after a close election race with nearby Shafter Lake. Ranching was the first economic driver in the county, but the discovery of oil in 1929 changed everything. The oil boom created jobs, brought in revenue, and attracted new residents. Today Andrews is experiencing growth thanks to renewed demand for oil, nuclear-related industries, first-class sporting venues, and other amenities that have rejuvenated the community.

Cover image for Andrews, isbn: 9780738579801

Yorktown and Nordheim

9780738579764

$24.99

Founded 7 miles apart in south central Texas, Yorktown and Nordheim were settled by German immigrants. These immigrants found the rolling hills and grassland full of oak trees suitable for settlement, and the rich soil helped to make farming a way of life. Yorktown was settled near the Coleto Creek as a rest stop along the Indianola Trail for teamsters delivering freight to New Braunfels. Nordheim was settled because it was a high point and beacon for settlers, and it continued to grow when the San Antonio and Aransas Pass Railroad was built. As the towns grew, so did the businesses and churches. The settlers shared a love of music, and bands came together to perform at various functions. On Saturdays the farmers, their families, and hired help would come to buy supplies, visit friends, and enjoy a day away from work. Today the spirit of community is still strong, as citizens put together annual celebrations and activities that promote tourism and help to maintain local pride.

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The White Mountains of Apache County

9780738566900

$24.99

Towns and communities such as Springerville, Eagar, Alpine, Nutrioso, Vernon, Greer, McNary, and Maverick of Apache County's White Mountains hold fascinating histories of outlaws and Arizona Rangers; Texas cattlemen and Mormon farmers; and New Mexico Hispanics and forest service men. Aldo Leopold was one of the forest service men who, in A Sand County Almanac, described the Boneyard, Campbell Blue, and Frijole Cienega. Of Paradise Valley, he wrote, What else could you call it? In 1913, the Good Roads Association described the roads winding through the area with canyons that are flanked on every side by timber-covered, snow-clad peaks. It also noted that the area had become an interesting point for the genuine home seeker, who will not likely want to continue his journey farther. That description remains true today.

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Houston in the 1920s and 1930s

9780738571492

$24.99

Houston was already a dynamic city when it experienced an exciting period of accelerated growth in the 1920s and 1930s. The Roaring Twenties began with a national ban on alcohol and ended abruptly with the stock market crash of 1929, but the prominent and influential Jesse Jones ensured the city's part in the economic collapse was minimal. Despite the country's financial woes, Houston's downtown was booming. Skyscrapers set new records in height, forever changing the skyline and appearance of the city. The introduction and widespread use of air-conditioning tamed the stifling heat and humidity for which Houston was known. The National Democratic Convention of 1928 showed the rest of the nation what a modern metropolis Houston had become. This entertaining new book illustrates how Houstonians lived, worked, and played during both the good times and the bad in the early 1900s.

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Douglas

9780738570655

$24.99

For much of its 100-year history, Douglas was dominated by two smelters--the Copper Queen and the Calumet and Arizona. But Douglas thrived on the Mexican-American border because it was always more than just a smelter town. It was a section headquarters for the El Paso and Southwestern Railroad, host to three distinct army camps, and a hub for area ranchers and farmers. Douglas residents were crazy about aviation and built an airport where many aerial firsts took place. Although it may seem that the often-deadly intrigue surrounding the Mexican Revolution and the two battles fought in Agua Prieta, the Sonoran town across the international boundary from Douglas, would limit trade and tourism possibilities, the opposite was true. After the last smelter closed in 1987, Douglas relied heavily upon border trade of all sorts for its growing economy. Today Douglas and Agua Prieta capitalize on the vibrancy from the meeting of two cultures.

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Aquarena Springs

9780738571874

$24.99

Aquarena Springs was the culmination of a dream shared by two men: Arthur Birch (A. B.) Rogers and his son Paul J. Rogers. The Spring Lake Park Hotel opened at the headwaters of the San Marcos River in 1929. Soon, Aquarena Springs would become one of the premier tourist destinations in the Southwest. Attractions such as glass bottom boats, a Swiss sky ride, Texana Village, and the world's only submarine theater delighted hundreds of thousands of visitors each year. From special events like the underwater wedding featured in Life magazine to the daily antics of nationally known Ralph the Swimming Pig, Aquarena provided entertainment and created lifelong memories for countless families. In recent years, under the auspices of the River Systems Institute at Texas State University, Aquarena has become an important center for environmental education and research.

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Tubac

9780738578644

$24.99

First inhabited by indigenous people, Tubac has been home to a number of cultures. It became Arizona's first European settlement when the Presidio de San Ignacio de Tubac was established in 1752. It was the Gadsden Purchase of 1853, however, that brought the area under U.S. control. Charles Debrille Poston, the self-proclaimed father of Arizona, established a mining company here in 1856, but the ongoing Apache presence made life difficult in spite of the defense provided by two nearby military forts. After Geronimo's surrender in 1886, farming and ranching dominated local life until the 1940s when dude ranches attracted Eastern tourists and altered the local economy. Tubac took its first steps as an art colony when Dale Nichols started an art school here in 1948 and when the Santa Cruz Valley Art Association was founded in 1959. Since that time, the community has embraced its theme of where art and history meet.

Cover image for Tubac, isbn: 9780738578644

Forgotten Albuquerque

9780738559674

$24.99

In 1706, Spanish colonists founded the Villa de Alburquerque on the wooded banks of the Rio Grande. Three hundred years later, that once quiet farming community has grown to become Albuquerque, the largest city in the state of New Mexico. Over the centuries, this fascinating city's identity has metamorphosed many times. In 1862, it briefly became the western capital of the Confederate States of America, before Confederate hopes for the territory were destroyed at the Battle of Glorieta Pass. In 1880, the Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railroad brought industry and wealth from the east, as well as tuberculosis-infected "lungers" who came by the thousands to seek a cure in "the Heart of Health Country." Then, in 1926, Route 66 transformed the city into a neon-decked oasis for automobile travelers journeying through the newly accessible West. Though many of these identities have faded, their legacy lives on in the beating heart of an ever-changing city.

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Hutto

9780738578606

$24.99

In 1854, a freed slave named Adam Orgain settled in an area of Central Texas that would later become known as Hutto. Soon after, James Emory Hutto and his family followed, and the town was founded in 1876 when he donated land to the International-Great Northern Railroad. The growing town attracted many immigrants of Swedish, German, and Danish descent. Through the years, Hutto has been known for its agriculture, the railroad, and the diversity of its settlers and immigrants. Today the city is known for the old town area, the schools, the Hutto Co-op, the hippo, and the hospitable residents. Since 2000, Hutto has been recognized as the fastest growing city in Texas.

Cover image for Hutto, isbn: 9780738578606

Around Benson

9780738558929

$24.99

In 1880, the rowdy town of Benson was born when the Southern Pacific Railroad Company recognized a market for transporting mining and ranching products to growing enterprises in the southeastern Arizona Territory. Leading up to the town's incorporation in 1924, nearly all railroads in the Southwest led to Benson, which by that time boasted several hotels, liveries, taverns, churches, and a smelter. By the 1940s, U.S. Highway 80 and State Route 86 junction brought weary travelers to enjoy Benson's clean air, artesian water, and mountain vistas, creating the core of a multiethnic city whose progeny continue to keep the town alive today as the "Gateway to the Land of Cochise."

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Pharr

9781467131377

$24.99

The All-America City of Pharr was incorporated in 1916 and holds precedence as the heart of the Rio Grande Valley. The late Henry Newton Pharr, a sugarcane grower, engineer, and manufacturer, along with his partner John C. Kelly, founded the city for their interest in establishing a sugarcane empire. This borderland is located approximately eight miles from the mighty Rio Grande, and it prospered to become the ideal agricultural grounds that attracted star investors from as far as Louisiana. Pharr benefitted from the fruit and vegetable boom, the introduction of the railroad, great feats in civic progress, and success in international commerce. Now, Pharr is the only city in the state of Texas to be designated as a Triple Crown City. Pharr's feats include the Preserve America City, National Main Street City, and All-America City awards.

Cover image for Pharr, isbn: 9781467131377

The Verde River

9780738578897

$24.99

Archaeologists discovered that the Hohokam were an advanced native tribe who built elaborate irrigation systems along the Verde River, and then disappeared. Early Arizona settlers recognized the tenacity and intelligence of the Hohokam and began to reconstruct their canal system. In 1903, the Salt River Project commenced, and the first lake on the lower Verde River was formed with the completion of the Bartlett Dam in 1939. Seven years later and 12 miles upstream from Bartlett, the Horseshoe Reservoir was created in order to expand copper mining during World War II. The astonishing result of these reservoirs is today's sprawling desert megalopolis of Phoenix, Arizona. Nicknamed "The River of Time," the Verde River is a timeline of Arizona history, and it is essential to human life and livelihood in the area.

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Lee County, Texas

9780738502960

$24.99

Lee County illustrates the region's history through vintage photographs, many of which are previously unpublished. This truly multi-cultural, central Texas county is home to a variety of ethnic communities, including the Wends of Serbin and the Czechs of Dime Box, as well as the more diverse settlements of British and German immigrants and former slaves throughout the county. This pictorial retrospective of Lee County begins before the county was formed and continues to about 1940. Narratives taken from local citizens' letters, diaries, and memoirs provide an informative commentary, and individual portraits personalize the accounts. The major foci are the larger towns of Lexington in the northeast and Giddings in the southwest, and the diagonal of the Old San Antonio Road, although shots of the rural areas and towns give a fascinating glimpse into the everyday lives of residents.

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Dalhart

9780738584669

$24.99

In 1882, the Fort Worth and Denver City Railway made its way to Dalhart, and by 1901 two railroads crossed tracks in the northwest corner of the Texas Panhandle. The twist of tracks was located at what is now the intersection of Highway 87, running north and south, and Highway 54, running east and west, in Dalhart. The second railroad, the Rock Island and Chicago Railway, along with the first, gave rise to Dalhart's first name, Twist Junction, but right away a new name was chosen and Dalhart was soon established as a center of commerce at the beginning of the 20th century. Dalhart flourished with only a short interruption in growth during the Dust Bowl years. Many families left Dalhart during those years but returned later to dig the city out from the devastation of the 1930s and begin again. Dalhart quickly recovered and thrived as it once had and continues as a main thoroughfare for travelers crossing the United States, whether by rail, semitruck, or passenger car.

Cover image for Dalhart, isbn: 9780738584669

Around La Porte

9780738584904

$24.99

The city of La Porte and the surrounding communities are laden with historical events and characters. Pioneers began settling 10 years before the Battle of San Jacinto, where Texas gained its independence. The land that was to become the cities of Morgan's Point, Shoreacres, Lomax, and La Porte was home to such Texas luminaries as Gen. Sidney Sherman, Gov. Ross Sterling, Andrew Jackson Houston, and James Morgan. The beauty of the area attracted legions of summer visitors, including Sam Houston and Dr. Ashbel Smith. Years later, pioneers of the Texas oil industry looked to the shores of Galveston Bay in La Porte to entertain and build summer places. La Porte was legally organized January 1, 1892, and for over a century of ups and downs has remained steadfast in preserving the natural beauty that is its legacy, the friendliness that is its nature, and the educational excellence to which the city's founders aspired. Today, La Porte is a unique combination of quaint small-town living with big-city amenities.

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Wickenburg

9780738585048

$24.99

Once known as the Dude Ranch Capital of the World, Wickenburg, Arizona, has had many lives since its founding during the Civil War years. When German immigrant Henry Wickenburg discovered the Vulture Gold Mine in the fall of 1863 and put down roots as a miner and farmer, he also set down the beginnings of the city that would be named in his honor. Early residents and visitors included miners, ranchers, gunslingers, newspaper editors, and saloon keepers. Families made their way to town in the early 20th century and opened businesses, established churches and a library, and sent their children to local schools. In the 1930s, dude ranches blossomed in and around the city limits and tourists were enchanted by the real Wild West ambience. As the century progressed, people remained in town for generations, while newcomers regularly moved in to enjoy Wickenburg's desert setting and modern amenities.

Cover image for Wickenburg, isbn: 9780738585048

Arizona's Historic Bridges

9781467133449

$24.99

Arizona was once just a passage for pioneers headed west for gold, religious freedom, and cheap land. Native Americans had lived in and explored the territory for years, but it was Manifest Destiny and the western expansionist philosophy of the burgeoning US government that created the impetus for better and faster routes across the vast territory with its topographical challenges. In the 1880s, the railroads first booted their way across the landscape, following historic trails before the highways were built. The Grand Canyon and Colorado River were obvious challenges, but there were also seasonal waterways that needed crossings. The history of the state unfolds with this book, profiling the bridges that define these historic transportation routes. Many of them have been proudly restored by their communities or the state, while others are gone or are in a sad state of decline.

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Maricopa

9780738579955

$24.99

The Hohokam built an extensive network of canals with sticks and stone hoes, but mysteriously disappeared in 1450. Later, the Pima and Maricopa Indians occupied their farmlands near the Gila River, and Maricopa took on the name of the latter. In 1858, Maricopa became an isolated little town in the middle of the desert. It served as the major stage station for the Butterfield Overland Stage Station and became a beacon of light for trappers, traders, and immigrants brave enough to travel its unknown land. Maricopa moved south in 1879 to latch onto the newly built Southern Pacific Railroad and became Arizona's freighting distribution center. A second move took it 4 miles east to better align with Tempe. Thus began Maricopa's life as an important railroad junction, playing host to two presidents, 1911 flying machines, honeymoon couples, actors, and a nest of wildcats to entertain the hundreds of passengers who waited for their connections to Phoenix or east-west. In the early 2000s, Maricopa grew from a small farming community to a city, earning it the title of one of the fastest growing cities in the nation. Today its population continues to grow with more than 40,000 inhabitants from all over the United States and world.

Cover image for Maricopa, isbn: 9780738579955

Charro Days in Brownsville

9780738578514

$24.99

Brownsville, Texas, was established in 1850 on the banks of the Rio Grande. Every February since 1938, this thriving community of nearly 200,000 has joined its Mexican neighbor, Matamoros, to celebrate their shared cultural heritage. Charro Days burst upon the Rio Grande Valley scene in the depths of the Depression, bringing dances, parades, fireworks, boat races, and a rodeo to a dispirited populace. The celebration achieved instant success, followed by national recognition in magazines, radio, and television. Renowned dance bands and celebrities increased the enjoyment of revelers dressed in Charro costumes. As time passed, Charro Days evolved with the addition of events such as the Mr. Amigo presentation, which recognizes an outstanding Mexican, and the Sombrero Fest, which attracts a large number of attendees with its diverse entertainment.

Cover image for Charro Days in Brownsville, isbn: 9780738578514

Sherman

9780738579832

$24.99

Sherman was founded in 1846, but because of a lack of wood and water, the town moved east to its present location in 1848. The county seat of Grayson County, Sherman was named for Gen. Sidney Sherman, a hero of the Texas Revolution. From the beginning, Sherman was known as an educational center and was nicknamed "The Athens of Texas." The home of Kidd-Key Conservatory of Music, Mary Nash College, North Texas Male and Female Academy, Carr-Burdette College, and today the prestigious Austin College, Sherman has long been an educational mecca. Sherman was incorporated in 1858, the same year the Butterfield-Overland Stage arrived. The stage line was the first mail route west of the Mississippi and covered a distance of 2,795 miles from St. Louis to San Francisco. As Sherman progressed, industry became a mainstay of the community, which continues to thrive today through companies such as Texas Instruments, GlobiTech, Sunny Delight, Progress Rail, Tyson Foods, Fisher Controls, Kaiser Aluminum, and CertainTeed Corporation.

Cover image for Sherman, isbn: 9780738579832

Atlanta

9780738584850

$24.99

Atlanta is located in Cass County in East Texas, an agricultural area that focuses on livestock and timber. Cass County was named for Lewis Cass, a Michigan senator who was in favor of Texas annexation. However, during the Civil War, Cass fell out of favor with the locals because he was against Texas secession. In 1872, Atlanta became an official town, and settlers named their new settlement after their hometown of Atlanta, Georgia. In 1954, Texas acquired 1,475 acres of land that would become the Atlanta State Park. Football is also a very popular part of life here, second only to hunting and fishing. The plentiful woods and beautiful lakes in the area draw many visitors and retirees.

Cover image for Atlanta, isbn: 9780738584850

Edmond Oklahoma

9780738519753

$24.99

From its humble beginnings in 1886 as a fuel and water pump house at Mile Marker 103 of the Santa Fe Railroad, through the eras of land run, statehood, oil boom, two world wars and beyond, the city of Edmond has always been growing. Today, a "beacon for the rest of Oklahoma," it boasts a vibrant community of over 70,000 residents. Edmond is home to the state's oldest continuously running newspaper, the Edmond Sun. The first church and schoolyard in Oklahoma Territory were located here, as well as the state's first institute for higher learning. Indeed, Central Normal School, now called the University of Central Oklahoma, has been at the heart of Edmond since the 1890s and is featured prominently throughout this book. Edmond is a railroad town, an oil town and a college town, depending on who you ask; but Edmondites both past and present simply know it as the "perfect town." Edmond, Oklahoma: Always Growing tells the story of this proud city through more than two hundred vintage photographs, many dating back to before the turn of the twentieth century.

Cover image for Edmond Oklahoma, isbn: 9780738519753

Historic Eagle Lake

9780738595122

$24.99

Eagle Lake was named for its large natural lake, which attracted the Karankawa Indians and early settlers from Stephen F. Austin's band of 300 colonists. In its location near the lake, the Colorado River, and the coastal plains, Eagle Lake is a productive agricultural, gravel, ranching, waterfowl, wildflower, and shipping center. In the late 1800s, Eagle Lake was a profitable sugarcane area, with one of the largest sugar refineries in the South. It was founded as the third stop on the first operating railroad in Texas, the Buffalo Bayou, Brazos & Colorado. It became home to the Cane Belt Railroad and received several trainloads of weekend visitors from Houston who came to enjoy the lake pavilion and its dances, skating, boating, and fishing. Real estate trains brought potential residents from Midwestern states to buy land and settle the area in the late 1800s. It is home to the National Attwater Prairie Chicken Refuge. Due to its location in the center of the Texas rice-growing area and the migratory waterfowl corridor from Canada to South America, it is known as the Goose Hunting Capital of the World.

Cover image for Historic Eagle Lake, isbn: 9780738595122

Oklahoma City

9780738508801

$24.99

Since this wild frontier land was settled at the bang of a gun one April morning, Oklahoma City has grown rapidly, experiencing some of the most drastic changes of all over the past century. Many of the photographs in this new volume show construction and
development as the city began to truly prosper‚—downtown skyscrapers and modern highways, museums such as the Cowboy Hall of Fame and the Kirkpatrick Planetarium, and major plants operated by General
Motors and Dayton Tire & Rubber Company. Recent images highlight celebrations, including high school football games, outings to Bricktown and Myriad Botanical Gardens, and finally, Opening Night 2000.

Cover image for Oklahoma City, isbn: 9780738508801

African Americans in Corpus Christi

9780738585284

$24.99

From slavery to freedom, to education, to achievement: these words reflect the goals of African Americans who first came as slaves with the Spanish to this part of the Texas coast. Freed by the Civil War on Juneteenth (June 19, 1865), blacks soon established an active and viable community, a significant part of which was defined by the black churches. Prominent leaders emerged, including Solomon Melvin Coles, H. Boyd Hall, Rufus Avery, and Gloria Randle Scott. Using photographs from individual collections, as well as the Corpus Christi Public Library, Corpus Christi Museum of Science and History, and Texas A&M University Corpus Christi, African Americans in Corpus Christi reveals the history and people of Corpus Christi.

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Killeen

9780738596044

$24.99

The story of Killeen is aptly called a tale of two cities. Killeen was founded on May 15, 1882, when the first Gulf, Colorado & Santa Fe Railway Company (GC&SF) locomotive arrived from east Bell County. The original town contained 360 acres purchased from Susan Spofford for $960. GC&SF honored its assistant general manager, Frank Patrick Killeen, by naming the new town for him, although he probably never visited his namesake. During its first 60 years, Killeen developed into a busy agricultural center specializing in cotton and wool. It remained a town of approximately 1,200 until 1942, when a tank destroyer center was opened nearby and became Killeen's close neighbor—physically, economically, and socially—displacing farms and ranches and converting the town from an agricultural to a military-based economy. That conversion and Killeen's boomtown future were sealed in 1950, when Camp Hood, the tank destroyer center named for Confederate general John Bell Hood, became a permanent military installation and was renamed Fort Hood.

Cover image for Killeen, isbn: 9780738596044

Weatherford, Texas

9780738501109

$24.99

Despite the odds of Indian raids, the Civil War, and one man's feud, Weatherford began as a small frontier settlement in the mid-1800s, and quickly grew into a bustling West Texas county seat known for its Victorian beauty, home-grown peaches, and small-town charm. Images of courthouse construction and early pioneering families are among the first glimpses into Weatherford's fascinating history. Other highlights include the development of downtown, forgotten changes to the square, the first city rodeo grounds, photos of the Queen of England sitting for her coronation portrait, as well as rare shots of some of the city's more famous past residents, Larry Hagman and his mother, Mary Martin, and Comanche Chief Quanah Parker. Additional scenes of schools, streets, politics, firemen, parks, hospitals, and residents provide an entertaining and educational illustration of the city's past.

Cover image for Weatherford, Texas, isbn: 9780738501109

Kemah

9780738585031

$24.99

Kemah is the Karankawa Indian word for wind in the face. In the early 1900s, it was a breezy coastal village where many residents made a living in the fishing or boating industries. From the 1920s to the 1950s, Kemah relied on illegal gambling and bootlegging to survive. After the devastation of Hurricane Carla in 1961, local restaurants rebuilt and became favorites of Houstonians, who enjoyed the seafood and relaxing atmosphere. Because subsidence caused much of Kemah to flood during high tide, a marina was built in 1988 to ease the problem in low-lying areas. Today, the Kemah area has the third largest fleet of recreational boats in America. When older homes were converted into quaint shops, the Kemah Lighthouse Shopping District was formed. In 1997, property on the Clear Creek channel and Kemah bay front was acquired in order to develop the Kemah Boardwalk, one of the top 10 boardwalks in America.

Cover image for Kemah, isbn: 9780738585031

Sand Springs, Oklahoma

9780738503202

$24.99

One man's dream burst into reality as Sand Springs,
Oklahoma, became the industrial center of the
southwest in the early twentieth century. Self-made
millionaire Charles Page recognized opportunity and quickly bought Native American land allotments as they became available for sale, setting about his vision of creating a planned community for thousands of workers. From feverish growth and economic prosperity to violent labor unrest and race riots, Sand Springs exemplifies the opportunities and struggles faced by countless towns across the nation.
The more than 200 images contained within this book
are from the collection of the Sand Springs Cultural and Historical Museum, as well as several private contributors. Focusing on the unusual philanthropic endeavors, industrial and economic diversity, and intriguing political and social structure that has formed this spirited town, the book invites its readers to examine many rare photographs and discover
for themselves the traits that make Sand Springs both unique and ubiquitous.

Cover image for Sand Springs, Oklahoma, isbn: 9780738503202

Freeport-Velasco

9781467126809

$24.99

In 1821, Stephen F. Austin and the Old 300 colonists boarded the Lively and entered the Brazos River, landing at Old Velasco. After hurricanes repeatedly tore the little town apart, residents moved four miles upstream to New Velasco in 1891. Then, the 1900 hurricane, which nearly wiped Galveston off of the map, also devastated New Velasco. But even the earliest Texans were tough, and they endured, rebuilt, and thrived. In 1912, across the Brazos River, the discovery of sulphur gave birth to Freeport. Freeport and Velasco grew side-by-side for 45 years until 1957, when they were consolidated. Thus, some citizens felt that the city ought to then be called Freeport-Velasco. In 1961, Hurricane Carla roared into Freeport. It was followed through the years by many other mega-storms, but Freeport has weathered them all. Efforts are being made to revitalize downtown to the beauty it had a century ago.

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Oklahoma City Zoo

9780738540498

$24.99

The Oklahoma City Zoo began when a single deer was donated to a neighborhood park. Because deer were rare in 1902, crowds flocked to see the creature. Soon other people in Oklahoma Territory began donating native animals such as bears, golden eagles, and wolves. By 1903, the little menagerie became known as Wheeler Park Zoo, the first zoo in the Southwest. During its next 50 years, the zoo endured flooding, relocation, and tough economic slumps brought on by wars and the Dust Bowl. The zoo survived, however, because it provided a fun, relaxing place where people could go to escape from daily life. The community, in turn, rallied to help the zoo by donating precious pocket change to buy food and purchase new animals. Children, especially, were responsible for bringing some of the zoo's most memorable animals to Oklahoma City, especially Judy the Elephant. Here lies the story of how a zoo grew up along with its city, largely told with photographs of the animal personalities that attracted
visitors in the first place.

Cover image for Oklahoma City Zoo, isbn: 9780738540498

Nocona

9780738579979

$24.99

When a town is named for a Comanche chief, it sets a certain standard to be bold, strong, and original. Nocona, Texas, certainly lives up to these expectations. With roots firmly bound in the Western lore of the cattle drives, Nocona began as a ranching community of sturdy, tenacious men and women. Agriculture was the driving force of the economy until Herman Joseph Justin chose Nocona as the headquarters of his boot company. Justin Boots was the first in a long line of leather-related industries that were instrumental in making Nocona the "Leather Center of the Southwest." The oil boom of the 1920s and the creation of Nocona's North Field added yet another facet to an already unique history. Nocona's past is steeped in Native American culture, Western heritage, agriculture, and the oil and leather industries. Today Nocona is as vibrant and exciting as its past. The annual Old Settlers' Days celebration, the Tales 'N' Trails Museum, the charming Verandah Inn, and Daddy Sam's Saloon along with other wonderful revitalization efforts make Nocona a must-see on any tour of North Texas.

Cover image for Nocona, isbn: 9780738579979

African Americans in Nacogdoches County

9781467132152

$24.99

Typical of most communities after the Civil War, Nacogdoches's African Americans had to repurpose their lives by building their own communities while they carved a life of survival first and progress second. The images in this book will tell the stories of the first churches and how they became the center of the community. Other images will share information about the early leaders in the community who helped establish educational facilities for Negroes. Additional images focus on black businesses, and a final set of images will discuss the emerging black middle class and others who played significant roles in Nacogdoches history. Readers of this book will go on a journey, through images, that highlights residents' pains of struggles and gains of triumph.

Cover image for African Americans in Nacogdoches County, isbn: 9781467132152

Texon

9780738579900

$24.99

From 1924 to 1962, Texon was a model company oil town in Reagan County, Texas. Pittsburgh-based Big Lake Oil Company developed the town site next to the Big Lake Oil Field and Santa Rita No. 1, the discovery well on University of Texas lands in the Permian Basin. Pres. Levi Smith ensured that company employees and their families enjoyed comfortable housing and community amenities, including a grade school, hospital, nondenominational church, theater, swimming pool, and baseball park, as well as a café and dry goods, grocery, and drugstores. By the end of World War II, the Big Lake Field's declining production meant a smaller workforce and a declining Texon population. Plymouth Oil assumed ownership in 1956 and six years later sold out to Marathon Oil, which ended company support for the town. At annual reunions, however, former residents—who remember Oiler baseball, scouting, Sunday school, and Labor Day celebrations—have kept the Texon experience alive.

Cover image for Texon, isbn: 9780738579900

African Americans in El Paso

9781467131773

$24.99

El Paso's African American community can trace its origins back to the 16th century, when the black Moor known as Esteban roamed the southwest and, more significantly, those Africans in the party of conquistador Juan de Oñate crossed the Rio Grande in 1598. The modern El Paso African American community began to take shape in the 1880s, as the railroad industry, military establishment, and agricultural community all had black Americans in their ranks. Black leaders and their followers established a school and founded several significant black churches. Texas's first state branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People is recorded to have been formed in El Paso; the first major court cases that challenged the all-white Democratic primary came from this city; the Texas Western College basketball team won the NCAA championship in 1966 with five starting black players; and today, the city is inhabited by black military retirees, entrepreneurs, educators, and other professionals (each with vibrant and socially conscious organizations), making it a progressive model of community development.

Cover image for African Americans in El Paso, isbn: 9781467131773

San Antonio's Historic Architecture

9781467134835

$24.99

Spanish colonial missionary settlements established San Antonio as a junction between Mexico and the developing United States in the early 1700s. Because of its remote location amid both countries and its great distance from other cities, San Antonio became a crossroads for commerce, industry, and strategic military position on the wild frontier. Texas independence and the admission of Texas into the United States in the 19th century established a diverse cultural population and distinctive architecture that remains historically significant across the nation as it continues to gain attention on the world stage. The appreciation of historic architecture among its citizens has enabled San Antonio to retain a remarkably large catalog of important historic structures, which are often saved from destruction through relocation. Three centuries of steady growth, from 1700 to 2000, has resulted in an abundance of buildings that has generated a local legacy of multigenerational artisans and skilled craftsmen.

Cover image for San Antonio's Historic Architecture, isbn: 9781467134835

Truth or Consequences

9780738579177

$24.99

Hot Springs, New Mexico, Ain't That Any More was one of the headlines on April 4, 1950, in the Gallup Independent. As a publicity stunt, Ralph Edwards had invited a town to change its name to Truth or Consequences, the name of his popular radio quiz show, and Hot Springs agreed to do so. Since the late 1800s, the area has attracted health seekers to bathe in and drink from the area's hot mineral springs. The region is home to Elephant Butte Dam and lake, completed in 1916, which remains one of the largest irrigation dams in the United States. Carrie Tingley Crippled Children's Hospital, built in 1937 by New Mexico governor Clyde Tingley, utilized the natural hot mineral waters to treat children with polio. From the placement of the Hot Springs Bathhouse and Commercial District on the State and National Register of Historic Places to the centennial celebration of Elephant Butte Dam, Truth or Consequences continues to grow and develop while still honoring its heritage.

Cover image for Truth or Consequences, isbn: 9780738579177

Camp Verde

9780738579122

$24.99

In February 1864, a party of 17 men and two women left the security of the territorial capital at Prescott, Arizona, and headed east into the Verde Valley, homeland of the Yavapai and Apache. Drawn by the promise of ample water, rich bottomland, and lush grassland, the party established a farming and ranching community near the confluence of West Clear Creek and the Verde River. In spite of conflict with the Yavapai and Apache, the settlement survived, due in part to the establishment of a military presence late that summer. Over the next 35 years, the settlement at Lower Verde thrived around the army fort, and became known as Camp Verde. In 1891, Fort Verde was abandoned, and the surrounding land opened to homesteading in 1895. The post sold at auction in 1899. Built among the ruins of the ancient Sinagua culture and situated along the banks of the Verde River, Camp Verde remains an agricultural paradise and a haven for those wanting to escape city life.

Cover image for Camp Verde, isbn: 9780738579122

Around Aledo

9780738579115

$24.99

In the mid-19th century, a few hardy settlers of European descent carved out farms in the Clear Fork Valley of present-day Parker County, attracted by the area's springs, tributaries, and a burgeoning market in nearby Fort Worth. For centuries, Comanche and Kiowa had inhabited the land, and a period of dramatic conflict ensued, exacerbated by the Civil War absence of able-bodied husbands and sons. By 1880, ranches and settlements flourished, aided by the Fort Worth–Yuma cattle trail and a Texas and Pacific Railway line connecting Fort Worth to the county seat of Weatherford. As the first mail stop in the newly formed county, Aledo was briefly dubbed Parker Station before having its name changed in 1882—a bow to a railroad engineer's Illinois hometown. Today segments of Bankhead Highway, the nation's first paved transcontinental highway, wind around Aledo, the Annettas, Willow Park, and Hudson Oaks, thriving communities that offer a pastoral lifestyle minutes from the urban amenities of the Fort Worth–Dallas Metroplex. Mere fragments remain of Newburg, Prairie Hill, Willow Springs, and other old settlements, visible only to old-timers and lost to living memory.

Cover image for Around Aledo, isbn: 9780738579115

Fort Worth's Arlington Heights

9780738578934

$24.99

On the prairie west of Fort Worth, British-born Humphrey Barker Chamberlin commissioned a model mansion, grand hotel, trolley line, lake, and waterworks in the early 1890s. He launched Chamberlin Arlington Heights as an opulent suburb reminiscent of his Capitol Hill enclave in Denver, then lost his overextended empire in the silver panic of 1893. Although several more well-to-do families established homes near those of the original "Heights pioneers," development progressed slowly. With the coming of World War I, local leaders persuaded the U.S. Army to build Camp Bowie across much of the sparsely settled area, providing infrastructure. A bungalow boom followed, with housing additions for the middle class and annexation by Fort Worth. As the 20th century drew to a close, preservationists sought protection for the legacy of built treasures within the neighborhood.

Cover image for Fort Worth's Arlington Heights, isbn: 9780738578934

New Mexico's Rangers

9780738579252

$24.99

The New Mexico Mounted Police were forged from a frontier civil crisis and hammered to life upon the anvil of necessity. The Sunshine Territory of New Mexico had become the last outlaw haven in the Southwest. In the tradition of their red-coated namesake, the Northwest Mounted Police of Canada, this small band of range riders used their fists, guns, and brains to restore law and order during the closing years of New Mexico's territorial era. They carried their mission forward into the early days of statehood.

Cover image for New Mexico's Rangers, isbn: 9780738579252

Gristmills of Central Texas

9781467125963

$24.99

Gristmills were once commonplace in Texas. There was hardly a river, a creek, or a stream without one. The purpose of the gristmill was to grind wheat into flour and corn into meal. Prior to the water-powered gristmill, grinding was a tedious, time-consuming task that was usually performed by hand using some type of mortar and pestle. When a gristmill began operating in an area, settlers from near and far traveled to the mill to have their grain ground. The gathering of these settlers and farmers at the mill was the beginning of many settlements that grew into the Texas towns of today. Many of these picturesque settings have become major tourist destinations.

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The North Shore of Lake Travis

9780738578675

$24.99

Change is just about the only constant in the area that is now the north shore of Lake Travis. The limestone, gravel, clay, and loam that make up the land have evolved under the influence of wind and the mighty floodwaters of the untamed Colorado River. Comanche Indians and other tribes lived here long before settlers arrived from back east. Land grants helped many pioneers settle in the area, and their descendents benefited from electricity brought here through the Rural Electric Administration. Gradually the rural farming and ranching community developed into incorporated cities with a state-of-the art education system. The Mansfield Dam transformed a small section of the Colorado River into Lake Travis and enabled fishing and water sports. In spite of this growth, however, the north shore of Lake Travis still retains its small-town feel. Change continues, and the flora and fauna, rocks and hills, and ranches and communities that make up this beautiful part of the hill country still draw people of all ages.

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Albuquerque Deco and Pueblo

9780738595269

$24.99

Albuquerque's response to Modernism—the architectural avant-garde of the first half of the 20th century—was complex and varied.

The growing city looked to the new as well as the mythic past characterized by the Santa Fe style. The result was rarely restricted to one cultural tradition. Influences include forms and motifs from a variety of intermixed cultural and social collisions. The result can be sophisticated, as with the Albuquerque Indian Hospital, or homespun, like the Shaffer Hotel in Mountainair. This book celebrates the cultural mixing of various Native American, Hispanic, and 19th- and 20th-century Anglo American forms and motifs unique to Albuquerque during the first half of the 20th century.

Cover image for Albuquerque Deco and Pueblo, isbn: 9780738595269

San Juan

9780738566818

$24.99

In 1904, when the railroad completed its expansion westward from Brownsville through the Rio Grande Valley, small towns were aligning the tracks. Rich, fertile valley territory was attractive to new settlers during the early 1900s, and land developers promoted a place where one could buy a piece of the American dream. Around the same time, immigrants from south of the border were arriving with dreams of starting a new life away from the tumult of the Mexican Revolution. Situated at the crossroads of both rail and roadways, San Juan was the optimal place to settle. Rapid agricultural growth had in turn fostered community growth. As San Juan celebrates 100 years of vitality, this book reflects and recalls why this city was known as the "friendly city in the heart of the Rio Grande Valley."

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Cimarrón and Philmont

9780738595276

$24.99

Situated where the High Plains meet the Rocky Mountains and where the Santa Fe Trail crosses the Cimarron River, the village of Cimarrón has a richly varied history. Spectacular rock columns, thick seams of coal, dinosaur footprints, pit houses, and petroglyphs echo an early geologic and human presence. Spanish explorers encountered area Native American settlements in the 1700s, and by the 1820s, mountain men roamed these Rockies while eastern merchants followed Indian trails to Santa Fe. By the 1860s, Cimarrón was the headquarters of a vast Mexican land grant managed by Lucien Maxwell and Kit Carson. A gristmill supplied local soldiers and Indians, and the discovery of gold attracted thousands. The Colfax County War erupted after speculators purchased the grant in 1870. When the railroad arrived in 1906, a New Town was built on the north side of the river. Today, through tourism and the Philmont Scout Ranch, the Cimarrón area offers a unique window into the history and growth of the West.

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Surfing Corpus Christi and Port Aransas

9780738584560

$24.99

Surf culture in the Texas Coastal Bend began in the early 1960s when a few young men set up surfboard rental stands on the beach. By 1970, thousands of people had caught the surfing bug. In the decades that followed, dozens of surf shops and surfboard makers established themselves in Corpus Christi, Port Aransas, and nearby communities. Coastal Bend surfers won national championships for their wave-riding prowess, beating out counterparts from the East Coast, California, and Hawaii. By the 21st century, Coastal Bend wave riders had become a force to be reckoned with, playing strong roles in local political movements that influenced public policy.

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Vanishing Phoenix

9780738578811

$24.99

Lord Darrell Duppa, along with his friend Jack Swilling, suggested the name "Phoenix" for the city he had cofounded because it described a city born from the ruins of a former civilization. Settled on the ancestral lands of the Hohokam Indians, Phoenix was thriving by the early 1920s when craftsmanship and attention to detail were the orders of the day. Buildings were designed to welcome residents and travelers alike. Today the Fox Theater, the Clark Churchill House, the Kon Tiki Hotel, and the Fleming Building exist only in photographs and in the memories of Phoenix residents. The National Register of Historic Places and the Phoenix Historic Property Register have heightened public awareness and appreciation for the community's historic landmarks, but much has been lost already. Remembering these buildings and landmarks is essential to understanding this remarkable city.

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Apache Trail

9780738558622

$24.99

Pres. Theodore Roosevelt once referred to the Apache Trail as "one of the most spectacular best-worth-seeing sights of the world." The once narrow, ancient foot trail built as a supply road for the construction of Roosevelt Dam has now evolved into a state highway with majestic scenic vistas and historical grandeur. Even in the 1920s, the Southern Pacific Railroad touted this road as a "must-see side trip." Each year, thousands of people venture along the trail to take a step back in time and relish the breathtaking experience of this fabulous journey. The Fish Creek Hill section remains much as it was back in the early 1900s, a narrow one-vehicle passage on an extremely steep incline that drops 900 feet within a mile along the edge of a steep cliff. Although several miles of the road are now paved, dirt portions remain that allow tourists a sense of perilous adventure.

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Amarillo's Historic Wolflin District

9780738579160

$24.99

In September 1887, J. T. Berry bought 640 acres of school land from the State of Texas. Several years earlier, this raw section of prairie had been home to buffalo herds and the Kiowa and Comanche Nations. Berry could not have known that this land would one day become home to cattle barons, oil and gas pioneers, and a U.S. ambassador. When Charles Oldham Wolflin married Alpha Eunice McVean a decade later and acquired that same section of land, he never dreamed that his son would develop that land from a dairy farm into a premier residential development. Today the Wolflin Historic District is a vibrant, lush neighborhood with tree-lined brick streets and stately houses. It is home to several thousand residents, including descendants of pioneer families, modern-day professionals, and public servants who contribute to the arts, are involved in philanthropy, and are active in community service.

Cover image for Amarillo's Historic Wolflin District, isbn: 9780738579160

Tulsa

9780738590523

$24.99

Still reeling from the hungry days of the Great Depression, America was ill-equipped when the nation entered the Second World War. Referred to as the sleeping giant by the Japanese, the United States awoke from its slumber with a vengeance and soon began creating a veritable tidal wave of production that turned the country into the Arsenal of Democracy. Tulsa, Oklahoma, was one of the cities at the forefront of this massive wartime buildup. From bomber plants to aviation training schools, to civil defense and the construction of military bases, to the thousands who served in uniform across Europe and the Pacific, Tulsa gave everything it had and then some. This was a different breed of people that nonetheless stood firm in the face of adversity and came together as a community. Tulsa: The War Years takes the reader back to the time when people did without for the greater benefit of all and sometimes sacrificed everything for the sake of victory.

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Arlington

9780738579818

$24.99

Historians dispute the founding of Arlington. Some say Arlington started in 1848 when Col. Middleton Tate Johnson started the settlement called Johnson's Station, a forerunner of Arlington. Others say it was 1876, when the railroad arrived, or 1877, when the post office was established. Still others claim 1884 as the founding, because that was when city leaders incorporated Arlington, naming the town after the home of Gen. Robert E. Lee. Whatever date one chooses for the founding, there is no question that Arlington has grown from its frontier origins into the entertainment center of North Texas. Highlights of Arlington's development include Depression-era gambling at Top O' Hill and Arlington Downs, Progressive values in the Berachah Home for Erring Girls, higher education through the University of Texas at Arlington, and economic expansion with General Motors. More recently, energetic citizens like former mayor Tommy Vandergriff helped bring two professional sports teams to Arlington. Today the Texas Rangers and Dallas Cowboys share top billing with the city's other signature attractions—Six Flags Over Texas and Hurricane Harbor.

Cover image for Arlington, isbn: 9780738579818

Springlake Amusement Park

9780738561790

$24.99

From 1924 through 1981, Springlake was Oklahoma City's premier place for fun for everyone around the state. Park enthusiast Carla Williams Noffsinger mirrors the comments of so many of the park's patrons when she says, "I grew up in Moore. We spent many a happy hour at Springlake. We always heard bad stories about the Big Dipper, but that was the first ride we would hit. I remember my cousin wetting her pants once on the Tilt-A-Whirl; we laugh about that to this day. As far as my family was concerned, it was just good, clean old-fashioned fun. My cousins would come up in the summer from southeast Oklahoma, and Springlake was at the top of the list of places to go." For all its goodness, Springlake was flawed, remaining segregated longer than many other businesses during the tumultuous civil rights era. Forced to integrate by the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Springlake adapted poorly--instead of opening its huge pool to all swimmers and sunbathers, the pool became an aquarium. Racial tensions culminated on Easter 1971 with a small but important racially based riot from which the park never fully recovered.

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The Oklahoma Panhandle

9780738582955

$24.99

The Panhandle is Oklahoma's best-kept secret and possesses a unique landscape, the highest point in Oklahoma. It bears a fascinating history and tenacious residents, from Folsom Man to contemporary cowboys. The Panhandle even once tried to become its own US territory. With photographs of the "Land That Time Forgot," readers will discover tales of outlaws, college students, settlers, ranchers, native peoples, dust storms, immigrants, ghost towns, cattle, dinosaurs, lawmen, soldiers, and traders. The Panhandle has never been a mecca for settlement, but through the years, many heading for better days and other destinations have traveled across it. Mother Nature makes Panhandle residents work for their survival even today. She isn't too free with her moisture but does like to hear the wind blow and see snow on the ground. "Panhandlers" pride themselves on their independence, resiliency, and friendliness. Once folks move in and get comfortable, they won't be leaving soon.

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Keller

9780738579467

$24.99

In the late 1800s, pioneers settled in the northeast Texas region of Cross Timbers known as Double Springs. In 1875, Isaac Roberts, a farmer who owned more than 600 acres, left a parcel of his land to A. G. Roberts, who then sold the right-of-way to the Texas and Pacific Railway for $25. A new town was formed, and in 1882, it was named Keller in honor of the railroad foreman who was instrumental in making the area a regular stop along the railroad. With the railroad bringing new visitors and residents, a post office was created in 1888, and new businesses started forming. The Works Progress Administration provided jobs for many Keller residents during the Great Depression, and the results of those projects shaped the way the city looks today. As of 2010, Old Town Keller was undergoing a new phase of revitalization while maintaining its connection to the hardy pioneers that once called Keller home.

Cover image for Keller, isbn: 9780738579467

Shackelford County

9781467131186

$24.99

One-hundred-fifty miles west of Dallas, on a gently rolling prairie that was once the predatory domain of the Plains Indians, lies Shackelford County. Anglo-American settlers began arriving in the 1850s to raise livestock and cultivate crops near the Clear Fork of the Brazos River. To protect the settlers from the Indians, the US Army established Fort Griffin in 1867. In true Wild West fashion, the raucous town of Fort Griffin sprang up nearby to service the soldiers, cattle drovers, and buffalo hunters. In 1874, Albany became the county seat, and with the arrival of the Texas Central Railroad in 1881, then the oil and gas boom in 1910, both Albany and Moran flourished while Fort Griffin folded. Today, Shackelford County's economy is based on cattle ranching, farming, petroleum, and hunting. Visitors enjoy shopping Albany's beautifully restored Main Street and taking in the Old Jail Art Center, the stately limestone courthouse, the Fort Griffin State Historic Site, and the Fort Griffin Fandangle.

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Austin's Travis Heights Neighborhood

9781467129862

$23.99

The Travis Heights neighborhood in Austin, Texas, is comprised of three developments: the Swisher Addition, Fairview Park, and Travis Heights. Each of those three is unique. Fairview Park was designed to be an elegant Victorian suburb. The Swisher Addition developed as a thriving commercial district. The Travis Heights subdivision was the most successful residential development in the area and overshadowed the others. Travis Heights is known for its parks that run the length of the neighborhood. The history of Travis Heights is about the evolution of a neighborhood influenced by location and by its landscape.

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Austin's Montopolis Neighborhood

9781467131766

$24.99

Montopolis is a multiethnic neighborhood located approximately four miles southeast of downtown Austin. The area was long visited and occasionally occupied by various Texas Indian nations; the first documented European or American to settle here was Jessie C. Tannehill, who in 1830 built a cabin and townsite and gave the new community its pretentious name. Instead of establishing a permanent presence in Montopolis, however, subsequent European colonizers looked a few miles upriver to the new settlement of Waterloo, later to be called Austin. Rural and sparsely populated, the remainder of the 19th century saw the Montopolis area used primarily for plantation agriculture. In the 1920s, succeeding waves of Mexican migrants helped establish the modern neighborhood that exists today. Between the 1950s and 1970s, the City of Austin annexed Montopolis, although the area retains much of its rural character.

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Montezuma Castle National Monument

9781467131872

$24.99

The mysterious cliff dwelling known as Montezuma Castle has overlooked Arizona's Verde Valley for over 900 years. Originally thought to have been built by the ancient Aztecs, later research proved it to be the handiwork of a long-vanished people named the Sinagua. They inhabited the site for over three centuries and then simply walked away to be lost in the mists of time. In this volume, the author traces the history of Montezuma Castle through its construction, abandonment, later discovery, and the diligent efforts of many individuals and organizations to restore and preserve it for future generations. In 1906, Montezuma Castle was designated one of the country's first national monuments by Pres. Theodore Roosevelt. Arizona was still a territory at that time, six years away from becoming the 48th state in the Union.

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Donna

9780738519432

$24.99

Donna, Texas, named for the daughter of one of the town's founders, is located in the heart of the Rio Grande Valley. Established in 1904, Donna has grown from a village of tent-dwelling pioneers to a community of families who share a productive agricultural and economic tradition. Captured here in over 150 vintage images, from the 1890s to the 1950s, is the rich history of the ranchers who lived along the Rio Grande, the entrepreneurs and families who settled in Donna and contributed to its development, and the social impact of the military in the years just before World War I. Advertisements from developers, railroads, and businessmen's organizations brought many Texans and Midwesterners to Donna. Deployment of U.S. soldiers, Texas state militia, and National Guardsmen to the border during the 1914-1917 bandit raids brought a new prosperity to Donna with the influx of these troops. From the coming of the railroad and construction of the irrigation system, to the laying out of farms and groves, and finally to the building of the town itself, Donna residents have always seen the potential of their chosen land.

Cover image for Donna, isbn: 9780738519432

Pinnacle Peak

9780738579849

$24.99

Pinnacle Peak is north Scottsdale's most prominent landmark, rising out of the desert floor to an elevation of 3,170 feet. For years, Pinnacle Peak was Scottsdale's secret destination for hiking, rock climbing, and horseback riding. In 1985, with urban sprawl surging northward, Scottsdale's city council acted to preserve Pinnacle Peak as a municipal park. Pinnacle Peak visitors are impressed by the sweeping vistas, the rugged beauty of the Sonoran Desert, the manicured golf courses, and the unique wildlife. Few people realize that the surrounding landscape covers the forgotten footprints of prehistoric hunter-gatherers, Hohokam, Yavapai, the US Cavalry miners, homesteaders, ranchers, developers, and colorful characters of the past. Spanning 150 acres, Pinnacle Peak Park has become one of the most popular attractions in the Phoenix metropolitan area, and its scenic beauty is enjoyed by people from all over the world.

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The Hash Knife Around Holbrook

9781467130936

$24.99

For more than 140 years, the Hash Knife brand has intrigued Western history lovers. From its rough-and-ready-sounding name to its travels throughout Texas, Montana, and Arizona, the Hash Knife sports a romance like few others in the cattle industry. Several outfits have been proud to call the brand their own, and the stories behind the men who worked for these companies are the epitome of Western lore and truth combined. Beginning in 1884, the Hash Knife—owned by the Aztec Land and Cattle Company—came to Arizona. The brand left a lasting impression on places like Holbrook, Joseph City, Winslow, and the famed OW Ranch while shaping Northern Arizona. From its historic roots to the famed Hash Knife Pony Express Ride that takes place each January, the Hash Knife has left its mark as a beloved mainstay of the American West.

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Big Thicket Region

9781467129534

$23.99

The Big Thicket region is centered in Hardin County but includes land in Tyler, Jasper, Newton, Polk, Liberty, Orange, and Jefferson Counties as well. Changes to the dense forests of the thicket began with pioneers who first cleared land for family farms and communities. Economic pressure on the forests occurred as steam engines rode iron rails through vast stands of yellow pine and timber harvesting laid waste in a cut and get out sawmilling method. The oil boom also resulted in enormous changes as town populations doubled almost overnight. In 1936, R.E. Jackson, a conductor on the Santa Fe Railway, formed the first organization with the goal of protecting the thicket. Later individuals continued the fight, and in 1974, the United States Congress authorized the Big Thicket National Preserve. The preserve, with its 112,500 acres in nine land units and six water corridors, now protects the remnants of a biological crossroads that once covered more than three million acres.

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Flowing Wells

9781467127158

$23.99

The community of Flowing Wells covers 13 square miles, partially in the city of Tucson, as well as in unincorporated Pima County, Arizona. The area was named after the bubbling water from sunken pipes at the base of Sentinel Peak ("A" Mountain) by Warren Allison. Around 1895, Allison bought 500 acres of uncultivated land about three miles northwest of downtown Tucson. He and a sturdy team dug a canal, the Allison Ditch, from his wellfield to his land, called the Flowing Wells Ranch, to grow alfalfa, hay, watermelons, and cantaloupes. Farms, dairies, hatcheries, Gilpin Airport, and the railroad dominated the community throughout the early years. Urbanization was slow but steady, starting in the late 1940s. The community transitioned from farming to residential and industrial, with the school district binding the community together. Flowing Wells, while designated a community, was recognized as an All-America City by the National Civic League in 2007; its residents and those that work within the school district describe it as a family to this day.

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Grants-Milan

9780738599649

$24.99

Grants-Milan, New Mexico, is located on historic Route 66 between Albuquerque and Gallup. The Atlantic & Pacific Railroad hired three Grant brothers to establish Grant's Camp in 1882, including a post office and telegraph office. The railroad changed the way of travel, and the marketing of cattle, farm products, and timber created a number of booms for this little town. Grant was officially changed to Grants in 1935, and the village of Milan was established in 1957 by Salvador Milan. In 1946, he converted a sheep ranch to a truck farm, which resulted in Grants-Milan being designated the Carrot Capital of the World. A uranium boom started in 1950 when the carrot boom busted. The uranium companies needed water and housing, while the auxiliary uranium businesses needed a place to operate, resulting in the village of Milan being incorporated since Grants refused to annex the original unincorporated Milan townsite.

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Early Abilene

9780738579542

$24.99

During the 1870s, there was wondrous change in West Texas. The area was ripe for settlement, and as the Texas and Pacific Railroad pushed west from Fort Worth, towns began springing up along the tracks. Ranchers coming to the area took advantage of the vast grasslands, and the new arrival of settlers was the beginning of a town named Abilene. Deriving its namesake from the town of Abilene, Kansas, the locals hoped the city would become a shipping point for cattle on their way to eastern markets. The town has since grown to be one of West Texas's most thriving metropolitan areas. The city—which is home to Dyess Air Force Base—is also well known for its numerous parks, schools, universities, and historic neighborhoods that are enjoyed by its 120,000 residents.

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Carrollton

9780738556376

$24.99

Over 160 years ago, bear and buffalo roamed the prairie and Wichita Indians camped on the banks of the Elm Fork of the Trinity River. Settlers from places like Illinois, Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, and as far away as England and Ireland began arriving in North Texas. Texas was not yet a part of the United States when Sam Houston, as president of the Republic of Texas, entered into an agreement with the Peters Colony Company to attract settlers to the area with the promise of free land. Carrollton likely received its name from one of these groups that emigrated from Carrollton, Illinois. The city grew as it became a railroad hub and later transitioned from a rural community to a prosperous Dallas suburb. In 1976, the city participated in many national bicentennial celebrations, and volunteers restored and opened a museum to honor its rural beginnings and courageous settlers.

Cover image for Carrollton, isbn: 9780738556376

Tucson Mountains

9780738579238

$24.99

The Tucson Mountains are located several miles west of downtown Tucson. For thousands of years, this mountain range has been inhabited, explored, and traveled by Native Americans who settled near the Santa Cruz River. Homesteaders, prospectors, and ranchers arrived in the late 19th century, drawn by the area's close proximity to Tucson and the Southern Pacific Railroad, as well as the promise of land and mineral wealth. During the past 100 years, conservation efforts to preserve and enhance the community's understanding of this geologic treasure have led to the establishment of museums and parks, including Tucson Mountain Park, the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, and Saguaro National Park West. Old Tucson Studios has used the surrounding Tucson Mountains as a movie backdrop for more than 70 years. The White Stallion Ranch and the J. W. Marriot at Starr Pass make the Tucson Mountains a popular destination for visitors who want to experience the rugged beauty and character of the American Southwest.

Cover image for Tucson Mountains, isbn: 9780738579238

Ruidoso

9781467131858

$24.99

Ruidoso, New Mexico, has long offered a cool, verdant haven to the many visitors who come to escape the desert heat. Commercial development of the area was hampered by the sheer difficulty in getting there—You just picked your way through the sand dunes, following someone else's tire tracks, an early visitor recalled. Eventually, the first private cabins in Ruidoso were built in 1915 and a few primitive lodging facilities were added in the 1920s and 1930s. The local economy slowed during the Great Depression, but visitors still came to the cool pines. World War II brought an influx of servicemen from nearby air bases, but it was during the period of postwar enthusiasm that the town really began to grow. Word spread about the little town in the tall pines, due in large part to the efforts of one of its newest residents—photographer Carmon Phillips.

Cover image for Ruidoso, isbn: 9781467131858

Pontotoc County

9780738590547

$24.99

Pontotoc County, located in South Central Oklahoma, is one of the smaller counties in the state. The word pontotoc roughly translates to a Native American phrase meaning cattails growing on the prairie. Dotted with many communities, some booming and others slowly disappearing, Pontotoc County is rich with history. This county was the epitome of the Old West at its most raw and dangerous. Pontotoc's lowest moment came on April 19, 1909, when a band of unknown Ada citizens made one of the most infamous decisions in American history and hanged four men without a trial. The modern consensus is that Ada, the county seat, became the horizon on which the sunset of the Old West was witnessed. Today, Pontotoc County is home to the Robert S. Kerr Environmental Research Center, the corporate headquarters of Pre-Paid Legal Services, Holcim Inc., Tornado Alley Turbo, and the Chickasaw Nation Headquarters. This thriving county has much to offer—not only to the United States, but also to the world.

Cover image for Pontotoc County, isbn: 9780738590547

Fort Stockton

9780738584942

$24.99

In 1859, the US military established Fort Stockton to gain control of Comanche Springs, which formed an oasis in the midst of arid West Texas. In the town that grew up beside the fort, a colorful mix of hardy pioneers--Peter Gallagher, Cesario Torres, Frank Rooney, Father Jose Ferra, Annie Frazier Johnson Riggs, and others--struggled (and sometimes fought) to construct a viable farming and ranching community in the vast, isolated terrain of Pecos County. Later, railroads, highways, air bases, oil, natural gas, and wind farms joined water as forces shaping the city's history. A century and a half after its founding, Fort Stockton is an innovative city with high-tech dreams, yet the traces and tales of its Old West heritage remain vividly alive along the banks of Comanche Creek.