Texas

Name: Inside the Texas Chicken Ranch
Brand: Jayme Lynn Blaschke
SKU: 9781467153935
Price: 17.99 USD
Availability: InStock

Salute the swagger of a Texas history timeline that features leading ladies, legendary lawmen, and the braintrust that put humanity into orbit. Celebrate the subtle pleasures of a day bracketed by an Austin breakfast taco and a sunset cruise through Galveston history. Our Texas history books don’t shy away from the state’s shameful excesses either—unconscionable tragedies like the 1910 Slocum Massacre demand an accounting. From a promenade down the San Antonio Riverwalk to a furtive exit from the Texas Chicken Ranch, step out with Texas history. [View all Texas books]

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Inside the Texas Chicken Ranch

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Atascosa County

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The 1910 Slocum Massacre: An Act of Genocide in East Texas

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Lady Undertakers of Old Texas

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African Americans of Round Top

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Route 66 in Texas

$24.99 $18.74 Save 25%

John F. Kennedy Sites in Dallas-Fort Worth

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Texas Rangers in the Mexican-American War

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The Deadly 1940 Alamo Train Crash

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The Battleship Texas

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The Texas Rangers

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Texas Gunslingers

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College Station

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Dallas Landmarks

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East Texas in World War II

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Downtown San Antonio

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Dallas Love Field

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The Downfall of Galveston's May Walker Burleson

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Vanished Houston Landmarks

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The Vanished Texas Coast

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Georgetown

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Museum of the American Railroad

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Beaumont's Civil Air Patrol in World War II

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Texas Coastal Defense in the Civil War

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Haunted New Braunfels

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Cradle of the Texas Republic

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Lubbock

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Cold War Texas

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Camp Wolters

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Granbury and Hood County

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Conroe

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Lighthouses of Texas

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The Sisters of the Holy Spirit and Mary Immaculate

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Laughlin Air Force Base

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Southern Pacific Railroad in Eastern Texas

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Inside the Texas Chicken Ranch

9781467153935

$23.99 $17.99 Save 25%

Thanks to the classic Dolly Parton film The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas and ZZ Top’s ode “La Grange,” many people think they know the story of the infamous Chicken Ranch. The reality is more complex, lying somewhere between heartbreaking and absurd. For more than a century, dirt farmers and big-cigar politicians alike rubbed shoulders at the Chicken Ranch, operated openly under the sheriff’s watchful eye. Madam Edna Milton and her girls ran a tight, discreet ship that the God-fearing people of La Grange tolerated if not outright embraced. That is, until a secret conspiracy enlisted an opportunistic reporter to bring it all crashing down on primetime television. Drawn from exclusive interviews and expanded with newly uncovered information, Jayme Lynn Blaschke’s revelatory exposition of the Ranch illuminates the truth and lies surrounding this iconic brothel.

Atascosa County

9781467108836

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A rural area in Texas, Atascosa County is located directly south of San Antonio. The old roads traveled through this land were en route to missions, forts, and places of importance to natives, explorers, settlers, wildlife, and battle-tested armies. Atascosa County was created in 1856 by the Texas Legislature, and since the land grants were distributed in the late 1800s, the population has increased substantially as settlers dealt with Indian raids, drought, and the hardships of farming and ranching. As the rest of America embraced the machine age and technical wonders, Atascosa County has evolved along in stride. Initially, wagons, plows, and mules toiled for rural Atascosa County; today, vehicles, tractors, and modern machinery keep the county moving forward. Coined “The Birthplace of the Cowboy” by historian Dr. Ben Parker, the land continues to be dominated by the cattle industry. In modern history, country stars such as Willie Nelson and George Strait have blazed a path through Atascosa County with deep ties and humble beginnings.

Martin Gonzales is the chairman of the Atascosa County Historical Commission. He and his fellow volunteers have carried on the great work of appointed commissions of the past by recognizing and continuing to study local history. This publication was made possible with contributions from Atascosa County citizens who gladly answered the call for historical pictures and the stories that went with them.

The 1910 Slocum Massacre: An Act of Genocide in East Texas

9781626193529

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In late July 1910, a shocking number of African Americans in Texas were slaughtered by white mobs in the Slocum area of Anderson County and the Percilla-Augusta region of neighboring Houston County. The number of dead surpassed the casualties of the Rosewood Massacre in Florida and rivaled those of the Tulsa Riots in Oklahoma, but the incident--one of the largest mass murders of blacks in American history--is now largely forgotten. Investigate the facts behind this harrowing act of genocide in E.R. Bills's compelling inquiry into the Slocum Massacre.

Lady Undertakers of Old Texas

9781467154277

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Author Kathy Benjamin accompanies the pioneering women of the Lone Star State's funeral business.

The intimate task of caring for the dead had long fallen under women's sphere of responsibilities. But after the Civil War, the sudden popularity of embalming offered new financial opportunities to men who set up as undertakers, pushing women out of their traditional role. In Texas, from the 1880s to the 1930s, women slowly regained their place by the bier. Many worked while pregnant or raising children. Most shouldered the additional weight of personal tragedies and persistent sexism. All brought comfort to the bereaved in the isolation of the Texas frontier, kept its cities free of deadly disease and revolutionized an industry that was just coming into its own.

African Americans of Round Top

9781467160742

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Round Top's African American pioneers came into Texas in 1825 when Stephen F. Austin brought in 300 Anglo-Americans, and the people they enslaved, for the purpose of colonizing the area. Soon afterward, more slaves were bought in from other slaveholding states. After the Civil War ended, the descendants of these original Round Top pioneers began building their own community. Many earned money by toiling away in the cotton fields for the very men who had once enslaved them. Others earned money working as cowboys, washerwomen, barbers, or blacksmiths. In 1867, the group founded the Concord Missionary Baptist Church as a communal space for them to come together and pool their resources to buy their own land, build their own homes, and hire teachers, which led to the creation of the Concord Missionary Baptist Church Colored School. For generations, this school successfully educated freedmen, their children, and their descendants before finally closing its doors due to desegregation. Despite many challenges, they overcame obstacles that grew into a prosperous community.

Route 66 in Texas

9781467130042

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Route 66 stretches across 178 miles and through seven counties in the Texas Panhandle. To a traveler on Interstate 40, the road may seem like an endless expanse, with the horizon interrupted only by the occasional grain elevator. But there is history, scenery, and adventure waiting on Route 66, which follows the trail of the Native Americans, conquistadors, cattle and oil barons, cowboys, and Dust Bowl refugees. With such sites as the blazing neon sign at Shamrock's U-Drop Inn and the quiet ruins of Glenrio, Route 66 in Texas is still "The Main Street of America." The traveler who leaves the franchised blandness of the interstate will see motels with Western and Native American imagery, good old-fashioned tourist traps, some bizarre sculptures (such as cars stuck in the ground at Cadillac Ranch), and beautiful Art Deco structures. These images and stories tell of mom-and-pop establishments that still thrive today and those that are crumbling in the swirling dust and tumbleweeds of the notorious Jericho Gap.

John F. Kennedy Sites in Dallas-Fort Worth

9781467130332

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November 22, 1963, is a date that will forever live in the minds and hearts of those who were witness to or touched by the assassination of Pres. John F. Kennedy in Dealey Plaza. Surprisingly, the majority of sites associated with events surrounding that day still stand along the streets and in the neighborhoods of the greater Dallas-Fort Worth region. From Fort Worth's Hotel Texas to the Texas Theater and the Old Municipal Building in Dallas, John F. Kennedy Sites in Dallas-Fort Worth explores and documents the buildings, neighborhoods, and places with a direct connection to the assassination and its figures, both major and minor, in one of the darkest chapters in American and Texan history.

Texas Rangers in the Mexican-American War

9781467153867

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For the Texas Rangers, the Mexican-American War was an opportunity for vengeance.

When the United States declared war on Mexico in 1846, the Texas Rangers were eager to settle scores with their familiar foe and quickly became the eyes and ears of the US army. Commanded by established legends like Samuel H. Walker, Benjamin McCulloch, and John Jack Coffee Hays, Texas Rangers led the American charge at Monterrey and saved General Taylor's army at Buena Vista. However, their depredations on Mexican citizenry were often excessive, and their behavior, along with other volunteers, sparked Mexican resistance. However crucial they were to US victory, it is also indisputable that they earned a reputation for brutality even in a vicious war.. Author William Nelson Fox follows these larger than life figures into stories of heroism and villainy at the heart of the Mexican-American War.

The Deadly 1940 Alamo Train Crash

9781467155106

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On March 14, 1940, a train heading west along Highway 83 from Donna to Alamo struck a truck driver turning north from the highway onto Tower Road. The horrific crash killed twenty-nine of about forty-five farmworkers who were on the truck. A one-day investigation faulted the truck driver and led to meager court settlements for the devastated families. In the wake of these events, several of the victims' children and grandchildren became lawyers and some of the first Mexican American judges in South Texas. Juan Carmona and Taylor Seaver De La Fuente revisit the deadliest traffic accident in Texas history, while seeking to preserve the stories of Mexican and Mexican American farmworkers and their relatives whose backbreaking contributions continue to feed our country to this day.

The Battleship Texas

9781467123938

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The USS Texas was built when dreadnought battleships were kings of the seas. It was the world's most powerful battleship when first commissioned in 1914, and for over a century it fought many battles. Some took place while the Texas served as a warship in the US Navy in World Wars I and II. Since becoming a museum ship and war memorial in 1948, it has fought a longer and more difficult struggle as it combats the ravages of time for its very survival. Throughout its existence, the Texas has made history, leaving a wealth of fascinating stories in its wake.

The Texas Rangers

9780738579825

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The Texas Rangers. The words evoke exciting images of daring, courage, high adventure. The Rangers began as a handful of men protecting their homes from savage raiding parties; now in their third century of existence, they are a highly sophisticated crime-fighting organization. Yet at times even today the Texas Ranger mounts his horse to track fugitives through dense chaparral, depending on his wits more than technology. The iconic image of the Texas Ranger is of a man who is tall, unflinching, and dedicated to doing a difficult job no matter what the odds. The Rangers of the 21st century are different sizes, colors, and genders, but remain as vital and real today as when they were created in the horseback days of 1823, when what is today Texas was part of Mexico, a wild and untamed land.

Texas Gunslingers

9781467132718

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Images of America: Texas Gunslingers presents the concept of Texas as the Gunfighter Capital of the West. Indeed, after the cowboy--a Texas creation--the most colorful and romanticized frontier figure is the gunfighter. Nothing is more dramatic than life and death conflict, and the image of men in big hats and boots brandishing six-shooters and Winchesters has been portrayed in countless Western novels, movies, and television shows. Texas made an enormous contribution to gunfighter lore. Texas Rangers were responsible for the evolution of Sam Colt's revolving pistol, key weapon of gunfighters. More shoot-outs occurred in Texas than in any other state or territory. More gunfighters were from Texas, including kill-crazy Wes Hardin and Killin' Jim Miller, the West's premier assassin. There were more blood feuds in Texas than in any other state. Frequently, gunplay erupted in towns such as Tascosa, El Paso, Fort Worth, and Lampasas, where four lawmen were killed in an 1873 saloon battle.

College Station

9780738579559

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The first land-grant college in Texas--called the Agricultural and Mechanical College--was predominantly a military school, built in 1876 in a then-remote area of Central Texas. Like other developments, the institute was a result of the expanding railroad, so a station named "College" was erected to service the new school. Drawing newcomers to the area, the city of College Station was incorporated in 1938, and its size soon rivaled that of neighboring Bryan--the Brazos County seat. The College Station area offers a surprisingly diverse mix of attractions, including the George Bush Presidential Library, the Texas Motor Speedway, and Kyle Field. During the last century, the college has grown from a few hundred students into a major university with more than 49,000 students, making Texas A&M the seventh-largest school in the nation. Today College Station is home to some 100,000 people.

East Texas in World War II

9780738584645

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Texas made a remarkable contribution to the American war effort during World War II . Almost 830,000 Texans, including 12,000 women, donned uniforms, and more than 23,000 Texas fighting men died for their country. America's most decorated soldier, Lt. Audie Murphy, and most decorated sailor, submarine commander Sam Dealey, both were Texans. Texas A&M, an all-male military college, placed 20,000 men in the armed forces, of which 14,000 were officers--more than any other school in the nation, including the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower, the supreme commander of Allied Forces in Europe, was born in Denison in northeast Texas. Adm. Chester Nimitz, commander in chief of the Pacific Fleet, was born and raised in Texas. Almost 1.5 million soldiers, sailors, and fliers trained at scores of Texas bases. Texas oil fueled the Allied war effort, while Texas shipyards and defense plants provided a flood of war machines and munitions during the war effort.

Downtown San Antonio

9780738584911

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With its diverse cultural background and down-home atmosphere, San Antonio resounds with a vivacious spirit and rich history. Founded in 1691 by Spanish explorers and missionaries, the city later served a vital role in the Texas War for Independence when, in 1836, many brave, passionate men gave their lives at the Alamo. Downtown San Antonio is home to this sacred site and to the nearby River Walk as well as to other historic structures, plazas, parks, modern-day hotels, flourishing businesses, and a thriving nightlife. The rare photographs found between the covers of this book provide extraordinary glimpses back through time to the true building blocks of today's beautiful, historic downtown San Antonio.

Dallas Love Field

9781467160599

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Dallas Love Field Airport, established in 1917 as an Army flight training field, was the site of the first commercial aviation flights in the state of Texas. Throughout the 1920s and 1930s, the airport's reputation as one of the nation's best attracted many well-known aviators of the day to take advantage of its excellent facilities and services. At one time the 10th busiest airport in the world, Love Field has been the headquarters of two major airlines (one of which is now the airport's largest tenant) and has a strong reputation for exceptional leadership and passenger satisfaction while processing more passengers per gate than any airport in the country. The repeal of a legislative amendment limiting nonstop flights at the airport resulted in a 100 percent increase in passenger traffic from 2010 to 2019 and significantly impacted the airport's relationship to the community.

The Downfall of Galveston's May Walker Burleson

9781467139663

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Jennie May Walker Burleson was envied for having everything a woman of her time could want--the privileged upbringing, the dazzling good looks, the dashing war hero husband. She was admired for demonstrating that a woman could want more, from the front of the 1913 Woman Suffrage Procession to the bottom of a Mesoamerican archaeological dig. But as she stood over the body of her husband's second wife, gun in hand, society's envy and admiration quickly hardened into pity and scorn. T. Felder Dorn examines the complicated trajectory of her life as socialite, suffragist and shooter.

Vanished Houston Landmarks

9781467142816

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Although it is sometimes called a town without a history, Houston actually possesses the kind of sprawling past that includes a frontier port, a moon landing and a supermarket that contributed to the fall of the Soviet Union. In fact, there is so much history that much has been forgotten. Visit the landmarks of that neglected heritage, from the Cotton Exchange to Astroworld. Dropping in on legendary spots like Shamrock and Gilley's Club, Mark Lardas tells the stories of a Houston that has largely disappeared from the public eye.

The Vanished Texas Coast

9781467149853

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People may associate Texas with cattle drives and oil derricks, but the sea has shaped the state's history as dramatically as it has delineated its coastline. Some of that history has vanished into the Gulf, whether it is an abandoned port town or a gale-tossed treasure fleet. Revisit the shipwreck that put Texas on the map. Add La Salle's lost colony, the Texas Navy's forgotten steamship and Galveston's overlooked 1915 hurricane to the navigational charts. From the submarines of Seawolf Park to the concrete tanker beached off Pelican Island, author Mark Lardas scours the coast to salvage the secrets of its sunken heritage.

Georgetown

9780738584508

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Before 1840, the land along the three forks of the San Gabriel River attracted trappers, traders, and frontiersmen. The town of Georgetown, situated at the confluence of these forks, was founded and named the Williamson County Seat in May 1848. It quickly grew as an agricultural center. Well-known cattlemen such as future Nevada governor John Sparks and the Snyder Brothers lived in Georgetown, and thousands of cows were driven right through downtown to the famed Chisholm Trail. Economic forces lined up favorably for this small village as cattle, cotton, and railroads combined to set off a boom in growth. Southwestern University, established here in 1873, further influenced the character of Georgetown. The wild cowboy town full of saloons and gambling halls soon developed great opportunities for education and business. Today the courthouse square from that earlier era is one of the most intact Victorian town squares in Texas. Georgetown is now recognized for its outstanding quality of life, vibrant business community, and award-winning historic preservation efforts.

Museum of the American Railroad

9781467115681

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Establishing its collection as the Age of Steam exhibit at Dallas's Fair Park in 1963, the Museum of the American Railroad would go on to acquire over 45 locomotives and railcars. By 2006, the museum needed to move from its first home to a larger facility to allow more space to exhibit the collection of railcars, documents, and other artifacts. One of the keystone pieces is the GG-1 electric locomotive that pulled Robert Kennedy's funeral train in 1968. It has been restored to its original Pennsylvania Railroad appearance. The museum also houses the Centennial--the world's largest diesel-electric locomotive--as well as the rare and famous Santa Fe Alco PA-1 locomotive, acquired from the Smithsonian Institution.

Beaumont's Civil Air Patrol in World War II

9781467106207

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During World War II, Beaumont and Port Arthur were leaders in oil refining, which literally kept the Allied wheels moving toward victory. The Germans recognized the importance of Texas oil and sent submarines to sink American ships carrying the valuable cargo. Civil Air Patrol (CAP) Coastal Base No. 10, located at the Municipal Airport in Beaumont, Texas, in 1942-1943, helped alleviate the submarine menace by logging over 14,000 hours in the air over the Gulf. CAP was unconventional. As a part of the Office of Civilian Defense, CAP's members were civilians, many of whom were too old for the military. Other members owned airplanes or had experience flying to help go on missions patrolling the Atlantic and the Gulf of Mexico searching for enemy submarines or survivors of sub attacks. Although the men had training in military protocol, they remained civilians and often returned to their homes after completing their missions.

Texas Coastal Defense in the Civil War

9781467155618

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Navigate the often-overlooked history of the resolute defense of the Texas coast during the Civil War. With volumes written on the Civil War, little attention has been given to the defense of the Texas coast. Most military-aged Texans had been dispatched across the Mississippi, but those left behind resolutely weathered naval bombardments and repulsed invasion attempts. It was only at the end of the conflict that Federal troops were able to make their way into South Texas, as the Confederacy prepared its last stand at Caney Creek and the Brazos River. From famous battles to obscure skirmishes, William Nelson Fox provides an account of the Lone Star State’s defensive strategies during the Civil War.

Haunted New Braunfels

9781609498924

$21.99 $16.49 Save 25%

Visitors claim to hear the clinking of tinsmith tools and the ring of an unattended antique cash register at all hours at Kickin' K, which formerly housed Henne's Hardware and tinsmith shop. In Landa Park, passersby have reported hearing phantom footsteps follow behind them in the evening. Strange and spooky stories like these abound in New Braunfels. From the city's rough-and-tumble beginnings to its vibrant present, haunted tales can be found all over town. Author Erin O. Wallace delves into the ghost stories and histories of New Braunfels and tries to find the source of the paranormal phenomena.

Cradle of the Texas Republic

9781467151900

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The Cradle of Texas Road encircles the Lone Star landscapes that nurtured so much of the state's early history, from European settlement through the Texas Republic. The first attempt at Texan liberation ended in the bloodiest battle in Texas history, after the insurgents divided their forces along racial lines at Medina in 1813. It required Sam Houston's more collaborative approach at the Battle of San Jacinto in 1836 to finally realize the dream of Texas independence. Local historians Robin and Joy Montgomery transcribe the region bounded by Navasota, Madisonville, Hunstsville and Conroe into a master class on the subject of nation-building and cultural integration.

Lubbock

9780738596082

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For 12 millennia, people were drawn to a water source located in the region Spanish conquistadores named the Llano Estacado, a vast plateau 3,000 feet above sea level and 300 miles long and wide. Near this site in 1890, settlers combined two fledgling communities to create the town of Lubbock. Finally incorporated in 1909 and soon promoted as the "Hub City," Lubbock doubled its original population of 1,900 in each of its first six decades, nurturing growth through civic cooperation, small business enterprise, higher education, and health care services. Today, almost 240,000 people call Lubbock home, and the city serves as the socioeconomic center of the Llano Estacado.

Cold War Texas

9781467152471

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From missile launch sites to Soviet espionage, experience the Cold War deep in the heart of Texas.

In an era when miscalculation or a mistake could lead to global annihilation, Texas operated 12 Atlas F intercontinental ballistic missile launch sites near Abilene's Dyess Air Force Base. Nuclear-capable Nike Hercules surface-to-air antiaircraft missiles protected Austin and the Metroplex from a Soviet bomber attack. An American pilot stationed at Laughlin Air Force Base near Del Rio was the only fatality of the Cuban Missile Crisis. After he was accused of spying for the Soviet Union, former Ranger College professor Maurice Halperin fled the country. Amarillo's Pantex plant, where three employees died in a 1977 explosion, maintains the security and reliability of the nation's nuclear weapons arsenal. Landry Brewer explores how the Lone Star State shaped American Cold War policy.

Camp Wolters

9781467153577

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Discover how a World War transformed a small Texas town. Located in Mineral Wells, Camp Wolters was the U.S. Army's largest Infantry Replacement Training Center during World War II. From 1941-1946, the camp trained an estimated 250,000 soldiers, including Medal of Honor winner Audie Murphy and the infamous Eddie Slovik. The camp was more than just a training facility--it also held German POWs and brought a cascade of changes to its corner of Texas. With millions of dollars being pumped into the local economy, the population of Mineral Wells surged from 6,303 to 25,000 in four months. Some growing pains accompanied these changes, but the Army and town worked together to lay the foundation for a long lasting, mutually beneficial system cementing military history in Mineral Wells.

Granbury and Hood County

9781467161169

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Granbury and Hood County's history is both an American pioneer saga and a 20th-century rags to riches story. In the 17th century, Spanish explorers and the Comanche were vying to control the land carved across Texas by the mighty Brazos River. By the mid-19th century, white settlers came, led by visionaries like fiery preacher "Fighting" Joe Robinson in Acton, lawyer and legislator Abel Landers, the Nutt brothers, and Quaker-raised farmer Amon Bond in Granbury as well as education-minded Campbellite Pleasant Thorp in Thorp Spring and the Sears family in Lipan. Soon small settlements dotted the area. Once the Civil War passed and Hood County was formed in 1866, Granbury and the towns across the county became thriving centers of commerce fed by nearby farms and ranches. The 20th century brought hard times, but the creation of Lake Granbury in 1969 opened a new era of possibilities. Newcomers joined founders' descendants to create a multifaceted renewal inspired by echoes of the past.

Conroe

9781467105996

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Conroe, largely a product of intersecting railroads and timber, was founded in 1881 and, by 1889, was the county seat of Montgomery County, Texas. Named for timber magnet and former Union officer Isaac Conroe, with its resilient spirit, Conroe eventually became one of the fastest-growing cities in the United States. At one point during the oil boom in the 1930s, Conroe was home to more millionaires per capita than any other town in the United States. Innovative individuals from all walks of life have graced the community, lending fodder to the community goal of becoming the cultural capital of Texas. One of those individuals, oil magnet George Strake, laid the foundation for Conroe's slogan, "The Miracle City." The community has survived and overcome many obstacles in its 150-year history, including several fires and floods, and continues to live up to that motto to this day.

Lighthouses of Texas

9781467130912

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Not long after winning their independence from Mexico in 1836, Texans began clamoring for lighthouses. Hundreds of miles of barrier islands, shifting sandbars, and shallow bays made the Texas coast treacherous at a time when few overland routes provided access to the new republic. Beginning in 1852, twenty-eight lighthouses were built along the Texas coastline, on land and over water. Lighthouse service was often a family affair, with husbands, wives, and children working together as keepers and assistants. For nearly 70 years, construction continued as coastal erosion, hurricanes, and wars regularly damaged or destroyed those lighthouses already built. These "sentinels of the sea" lessened but did not eliminate the chance of shipwreck, so lifesaving stations, manned by able seamen with unsinkable surfboats, were established as well. As Texas's lighthouses were gradually automated throughout the 20th century, many were sold to private owners or abandoned. Today, several have been restored, and two--at Aransas Pass and Port Isabel--still function as aids to navigation.

The Sisters of the Holy Spirit and Mary Immaculate

9781467129244

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For 125 years, the Sisters of the Holy Spirit and Mary Immaculate served the poor and, in particular, people of color. They are the first order of sisters founded in Texas. Their foundress, Margaret Mary Healy Murphy, built the first Catholic African American school and church in San Antonio, the second in the state of Texas. The sisters carried their mission and work beyond the Lone Star State's borders and included most of the South and a few metropolitan areas of the North. They crossed the Rio Grande and had several missions in Mexico and traversed a new continent when they opened a learning center in Zambia. The sisters were primarily known as educators and, in later years, worked in religious education and pastoral ministry. They have also operated orphanages and nursing homes and served in hospitals, homeless shelters, incarceration facilities, and immigration residences. The school they built over 100 years ago, now known as the Healy Murphy Center, serves the community as an alternative high school, and the sisters still teach there.

Laughlin Air Force Base

9781467107099

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Today, Laughlin Air Force Base is one of the busiest pilot-producing bases in the world. Named after Jack Thomas Laughlin, the base traces its history back to 1942. During World War II, the base was called Laughlin Field and trained bomber pilots in the B-26 Marauder. The base closed in 1945, after the war, but reopened again as an Air Force base in 1952 to train fighter pilots for the Korean War. It then took on a Cold War mission from 1957 to 1963. During this time, the base was home to the 4080th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing, which flew the U-2 spy plane. The 4080th played a key role in the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis. From 1961 onward, however, Laughlin has served primarily as an undergraduate pilot training base, helping hundreds of brave men and women, every year, earn their wings as military aviators.

Southern Pacific Railroad in Eastern Texas

9780738579948

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The Southern Pacific Railroad and its predecessors served Texas from 1853 to 1996. Stretching from El Paso to the Louisiana border and from the Rio Grande Valley to the Red River, Southern Pacific opened up vast areas of the state to settlement by transporting people, building materials, and livestock. The railroad fueled Texas's economy by moving oil, timber, agricultural commodities, coal, automobiles, petrochemicals, cement, steel, consumer goods, and myriad other products. It hauled the marble that built the state capitol in Austin and the materials to build the massive seawall in Galveston. Southern Pacific also played an important role in developing the ports of Beaumont, Galveston, Houston, and Corpus Christi. This book is a photographic record of Southern Pacific in eastern Texas during the 50-year period following World War II to the 1996 merger with the Union Pacific Railroad.