Texas

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]

852 products

Sort

Pearl

$21.99 $15.39 Save 30%

John F. Kennedy Sites in Dallas-Fort Worth

$24.99 $17.49 Save 30%

Paris

$24.99 $17.49 Save 30%

Building Modern Houston

$24.99 $17.49 Save 30%

Huntsville Penitentiary

$24.99 $17.49 Save 30%

Weatherford

$24.99 $17.49 Save 30%

Crosby

$24.99 $17.49 Save 30%

History Lover's Guide to Austin, A

$21.99 $15.39 Save 30%

Conroe

$24.99 $17.49 Save 30%

Big Bend National Park and Vicinity

$24.99 $17.49 Save 30%

Unforgettable Texans

$21.99 $15.39 Save 30%

Seguin and Guadalupe County

$24.99 $17.49 Save 30%

Breckenridge

$24.99 $17.49 Save 30%

East Texas Logging Railroads

$24.99 $17.49 Save 30%

East Texas in World War II

$24.99 $17.49 Save 30%

El Paso and the Mexican Revolution

$24.99 $17.49 Save 30%

Dealey Plaza

$24.99 $17.49 Save 30%

Houston's River Oaks

$24.99 $17.49 Save 30%

The Houstorian Calendar

$21.99 $15.39 Save 30%

Fayette County

$24.99 $17.49 Save 30%

Rockwall

$24.99 $17.49 Save 30%

Austin

$24.99 $17.49 Save 30%

Carthage

$24.99 $17.49 Save 30%

Humble

$24.99 $17.49 Save 30%

Fort Worth Stockyards

$23.99 $16.79 Save 30%

Dallas Landmarks

$24.99 $17.49 Save 30%

Galveston's Maceo Family Empire

$23.99 $16.79 Save 30%

Weslaco

$24.99 $17.49 Save 30%

Nacogdoches in World War II

$24.99 $17.49 Save 30%

Galveston:

$26.99 $18.89 Save 30%

West Texas Cattle Kingdom

$24.99 $17.49 Save 30%

Baseball in Fort Worth

$24.99 $17.49 Save 30%

Johnson Space Center

$24.99 $17.49 Save 30%

Del Rio:

$24.99 $17.49 Save 30%

Historic Tales of the Llano Estacado

$23.99 $16.79 Save 30%

Previous 1 2 3 4 5 … 25 Next

Pearl

9781625858283

$21.99 $15.39 Save 30%

"The finest flavored beer in the market. Be sure and try, and you will be convinced. Warranted to be the same at all times. Ask for it, drink no other." In 1887, these were bold words about the City Brewery's new beer with the pearly bubbles, considering how the recent flood of German immigrants to Central Texas brought along expert fermentation. As that business evolved into the San Antonio Brewing Association, XXX Pearl Beer became the mainstay of the largest brewery in the state. Its smokestack formed an intrinsic part of the San Antonio skyline. A regional powerhouse for more than a century, it was the only Texas brewery to survive Prohibition. It also endured the onslaught of a president's scandalous death and Lone Star's fierce rivalry. Grab a pint and join author Jeremy Banas for a tour of Texas's most iconic brewery.

John F. Kennedy Sites in Dallas-Fort Worth

9781467130332

$24.99 $17.49 Save 30%

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.

Paris

9780738585260

$24.99 $17.49 Save 30%

Paris and Lamar Counties were first settled by Americans during the Republic of Texas period, but their history stretches back into dim antiquity--as local Indian mounds testify. Although it was never a cow town, Paris was once home to one of the Old West's most famous cattle barons. It was never as lawless as other Western towns, but Frank James, whose brother was the infamous Jesse, at one time called Paris home. Although Paris has undergone a number of devastating natural and economic tragedies, its citizens have never given up on themselves or their city.

Building Modern Houston

9780738585246

$24.99 $17.49 Save 30%

Founded in 1836, Houston is now the country's fourth-largest city. In the early 20th century, Houston's economy shifted from agriculture to oil, fueling the city's explosive growth in the following decades. Houston grabbed the reins and saw a building boom in commercial, residential, and civic architecture redefine the city and skyline. Modernism was a new and fresh architectural expression and the perfect complement to the city's can-do entrepreneurial spirit. The 1960s brought ground-breaking ceremonies for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) headquarters, while residents and tourists alike lined up to tour the revolutionary new Astrodome. Building Modern Houston tells the story of Houston's architecture during its transformation from "Bayou City" to "Space City."

Huntsville Penitentiary

9780738599618

$24.99 $17.49 Save 30%

The state of Texas, home to one of the largest prison systems in the country, opened its first penitentiary in 1849. The Walls Unit in Huntsville was the genesis of a prison system that became the home of notorious convicts and the focus of much debate about incarceration and the death penalty in the United States. The Walls Unit housed gunslinger John Wesley Hardin, members of the Clyde Barrow and Bonnie Parker gang, and infamous drug cartel leader Fred Carrasco. Built using convict labor, the Walls Unit was heralded as a modern approach to incarceration in Texas. The prison dominated the landscape of the town of Huntsville when it was built and remains central to that community today.

Weatherford

9781467130110

$24.99 $17.49 Save 30%

Weatherford was settled in the 1850s, when the pioneers and Indians came for its rich soil and water sources. The mark of fame for Weatherford is the Goodnight-Loving Trail, which was driven by two cattle drivers, Charles Goodnight and Oliver Loving. Charles Goodnight, who was killed in an Indian attack, is buried in Weatherford, and a historical marker is placed at his grave in the historic Greenwood Cemetery. Cotton and watermelon were the popular industries, and watermelon festivals still bring crowds to the Courthouse Square. Over 150 images highlight Weatherford's historic town square buildings, the courthouse, homes, and cemeteries. Take a journey back into the 1800s with this photographic walking tour from the Courthouse Square to far and away. These images will bring back to life how Weatherford was built, how it survived, and the pioneers who kept its rich history alive.

Crosby

9781467106177

$24.99 $17.49 Save 30%

The town of Crosby is one of the oldest settlements in Texas and has a rich history that began in 1823, when Humphrey Jackson built a cabin on Jackson Bayou near the San Jacinto River. Humphrey was a lawyer readying for a position in the Irish parliament. His family was part of the Irish aristocracy and had supported a bloody rebellion that lost to Great Britain. Like Humphrey, many of his family members fled to America. His cousins included US president Andrew Jackson and state senator James Jackson, the wealthiest man in Alabama. Humphrey faced tremendous challenges in his dream to build a new settlement in what would be East Harris County. The Karankawa Indians, who often cannibalized their enemies, occupied much of the area. Unfortunately, the early death of his wife and the eventual premature death of Humphrey himself ended the dream. The settlement he started sat virtually idle for over a decade until 1860, when one of the state's earliest railways renamed the settlement Gentry.

History Lover's Guide to Austin, A

9781467145473

$21.99 $15.39 Save 30%

Leave the brochures behind and tour Austin neighborhoods with an ambassador of the city's less familiar history, from the dirt on 6th Street to the music of hidden wildlife.

Witness the rise of a metropolis from the tiny frontier outpost of Waterloo into a world leader in culture and technology. Discover the lost treasure of Shoal Creek in Pease Park or just a sense of inner peace amid the koi ponds and waterfalls of the Zilker Botanical Gardens. Like the bats of Congress Avenue, navigate Austin neighborhoods by sound, taking cues from the Stevie Ray Vaughn's beloved guitar and Angelina Eberly's city-saving cannon. Award-winning tour guide Jason Weems charts a course through Austin's heritage, treading the back streets stalked by a serial killer and the stately halls of the Texas State History Museum.

Conroe

9781467105996

$24.99 $17.49 Save 30%

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.

Big Bend National Park and Vicinity

9780738578538

$24.99 $17.49 Save 30%

The Rio Grande makes a large bend into Mexico and forms the "boot heel" of Texas that is the Big Bend. Big Bend National Park nestles inside this meander, and its history is as much a part of Mexico as it is of Texas. The remote border location is historically replete with rich cultural diversity, including nomadic bands of Native Americans, Spanish explorers, Mexican and Anglo farmers, ranchers, miners, military men, and entrepreneurs. In the 1930s, a handful of people saw the Big Bend's majestic ruggedness as a place where all Americans could touch the Creator in nature and appreciate the alien qualities that both test and console the human spirit. This remote frontier still draws the souls of those seeking wide-open vistas and crystal-clear night skies.

Unforgettable Texans

9781467137737

$21.99 $15.39 Save 30%

History books burst at the seams with stories about Houston, Travis, Crockett and other icons of Texas history. Yet many of the Lone Star State's fascinating figures--well known in life but forgotten in death--remain obscure by omission. This scintillating company includes a World War I spy who became a movie star, the first gringo matador, a West Texas tent showman and the husband-and-wife trick-shot act that amazed audiences for forty years. Some characters cut across the common narrative, like the admiral whose advice might have prevented the attack on Pearl Harbor, the one and only Republican congressman in the first half of the twentieth century, the Klansman Texans elected to the U.S. Senate and the businessman who wrote the longest English-language novel in complete secrecy. Popular columnist and author Bartee Haile brings to life some of the most intriguing Texans who ever slipped through the cracks of history.

Seguin and Guadalupe County

9780738578880

$24.99 $17.49 Save 30%

Originally named Walnut Springs in 1838, Seguin was renamed one year later after Mexican Texas Revolution hero Juan N. Seguin, who fought at the Alamo and the Battle of San Jacinto. The town of Seguin and the surrounding area have always been a crossroads for commerce--from the southeast Gulf Coast region throughout the rest of the state. Seguin's Texas Rangers initially provided security for frontier settlers, and many of the area's residents served in the U.S. military. From Austin to the U.S. Congress, Seguin's citizens have also served their country as representatives, state senators, and as governor. In the 21st century, Seguin continues to redefine itself as a leading business and manufacturing community while still retaining its agricultural roots. Seguin and Guadalupe County's achievements in education have been recognized at the national level for Texas Lutheran University, and by the state for its public school system. Longtime residents of Seguin and Guadalupe County remember their heritage with pride as they welcome newcomers to the area.

Breckenridge

9781467123891

$24.99 $17.49 Save 30%

Breckenridge was a sleepy ranching and farming community in the rolling prairie of north central Texas when an oil boom hit. During 1920, it grew from around 1,500 to 30,000 people. By some accounts, its population got as high as 50,000 in the mid-1920s, which would have made it the sixth-largest city in Texas. Pieces of the past remain in its 10-story "skyscraper," the YMCA, and other edifices constructed in the Roaring Twenties, many of which are documented in this volume. The football stadium seated 8,500 in a town that, except for the brief boom, had around 6,000 residents. Before home games, all highways through town were blocked off for parades and pep rallies; away games were broadcast live via phone at a drive-in theater. Even the street signs were green and white with the team colors--it was our town and our team.

East Texas Logging Railroads

9781467115742

$24.99 $17.49 Save 30%

When the first logging railroad was built in Jasper County in the 1870s, the virgin East Texas forest spread across a vast area the size of Indiana. That first eight-mile logging line heralded a boom era of lumbering and railroading that would last well into the 20th century. Before the era was over, thousands of miles of logging railroads would be built, and hundreds of communities would spring up along their routes. As times changed, the mills closed and nearly all of the early rail lines were abandoned, but most of the communities they helped establish survived those changes and thrive into the present day.

East Texas in World War II

9780738584645

$24.99 $17.49 Save 30%

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.

El Paso and the Mexican Revolution

9780738584652

$24.99 $17.49 Save 30%

The Mexican Revolution took place along the entire length of the border between the United States and Mexico. Most of the intense battles and revolutionary intrigue, however, were concentrated in the border region of El Paso, Texas, and Ciudad Juárez, Mexico. For 20 years, the U.S. and Mexico border communities dealt with revolution, beginning before the 1909 Taft-Díaz visit and ending with the Escobar Revolution of 1929. In between were battles, assassinations, invasions, and attempts at diplomacy. El Paso was center stage for many of these events. Newspapers and media from all over the country flocked to the border and produced numerous stories, photographs, and colorful renditions of the Mexican Revolution. The facts and myths have been kept alive over the last 100 years, and the revolution remains an important topic of discussion today.

Dealey Plaza

9781467130226

$24.99 $17.49 Save 30%

Dealey Plaza is famous for many things, both locally and nationally. Considered "the front door of Dallas," the park rests on a bluff near the Trinity River, where Dallas's founder, John Neely Bryan, identified a natural low-water crossing in 1841. This ford was the site of Bryan's cabin and was also the site of the first ferry and bridge over the Trinity River. Home to several Dallas County buildings and other historic structures, Dealey is not just the birthplace of Dallas; it is also the site of Dallas's first large-scale city planning solution, a traffic diverting triple underpass, and a beautiful downtown park built in the 1930s. The park was launched into national history when Pres. John F. Kennedy was assassinated here on November 22, 1963. Today, the site is visited by over two million annually. To preserve Dealey Plaza and its surrounding buildings, the federal government designated it a National Historic Landmark District in 1993.

Houston's River Oaks

9781467117340

$24.99 $17.49 Save 30%

River Oaks is a name that has rung out in Houston, Texas, since its founding in 1923. The neighborhood's uncertain geographical boundaries may be a point of controversy, but the impact River Oaks has had on the city is indisputable. River Oaks has been home to astronauts who have contributed to American space exploration; lawyers who are involved in the interworking of the United States' legal system; oil tycoons who have helped Houston grow; and doctors who are responsible for inventing lifesaving medical procedures. The neighborhood is also home to one of the country's most exclusive country clubs, and River Oaks has been served by some of the same schools, churches, stores, and restaurants since its founding. This book explores how River Oaks not only celebrates, grieves, and lives life day-to-day, but also how it changes the world.

The Houstorian Calendar

9781467139878

$21.99 $15.39 Save 30%

September 4, 2000, was Houston's hottest day on record, as well as Beyoncé's nineteenth birthday. Sam Houston was elected president on September 5, 1836. The city was awarded a National League baseball franchise on October 17, 1960, and on November 1, 2017, the Astros won their first World Series. On December 13, 1882, the Capitol Hotel became Houston's first public building to get electricity. Tragedy struck on April 16, 1947, when a ship carrying ammonium nitrate fertilizer exploded alongside a Texas City dock. James Glassman captures every single day of the year in the prism of Houston history, from the Texas Revolution to the moon landing.

Fayette County

9780738584867

$24.99 $17.49 Save 30%

Established in 1837 out of Stephen F. Austin's original colony, Fayette County's roots reach back in Texas history to the days of Mexican empresarios and native Indian tribes, spanning the boom period of 19th century European migration and colonization and stretching into the earliest days of 20th century America. It is the quintessential Texas county made up of vibrant, diverse cultures and unique communities. Originally settled by "Americans" from the southern United States, its later development was influenced and led by first German and then Czech immigrants escaping the European revolutions and economic hardships in search of the definitive American Dream.

Rockwall

9780738558585

$24.99 $17.49 Save 30%

Rockwall owes its name to a unique underground formation discovered by three men digging a well. In 1852, Terry Utley Wade, Benjamin Boydstun, and William Clay Stevenson exposed what they termed a "rock wall." When a city name was needed in 1854, Rockwall was chosen. In the 1880s, the railroad's arrival had a significant impact on the area and ushered in cotton as the main cash crop. Throughout the 1940s and 1950s, Rockwall was the epitome of small-town Texas: Yellow Jacket football on Friday nights, movies at the Ritz theatre on the square, lunch at the Mecca Café, milk shakes at Cunningham's Drugstore, and watching television through the front window of Payne's Appliances. Resting on the banks of Lake Ray Hubbard and sitting in Dallas's shadow, Rockwall is faced with the unique challenge of balancing rapid growth while maintaining its historic charm.

Austin

9780738570679

$24.99 $17.49 Save 30%

As the capital of Texas, Austin has a long and colorful history. The first residents were nomadic Native Americans who camped here as long ago as 9000 BC because of the area's beauty, the clear Colorado River, and the wildlife. These are the very same things that attract people to Austin today. Originally called Waterloo, Austin has grown from a tiny town on the edge of the western frontier in 1839 into the capital city it is today. The University of Texas lent prestige, the state government erected buildings, the railroads came to town, and Congress Avenue--the "main street" of Texas--filled with thriving businesses.

Carthage

9780738571126

$24.99 $17.49 Save 30%

Founded in a pine forest on the East Texas frontier, Carthage assumed the name of one of the greatest cities of the ancient world. Although Carthage, Texas, did not become a bustling metropolis, the community has enjoyed a long history as the type of stable town that forms the backbone of America. For more than a century and a half, residents have played roles--at times prominently--in the historical and cultural life of Texas and the nation. Carthage has produced decorated war heroes, internationally famous country music stars, a noted American historian, and a groundbreaking political figure. As the home of Tex Ritter, Gentleman Jim Reeves, Linda Davis, and the Texas Country Music Hall of Fame, the community has become a country music mainstay. Beyond its celebrities, however, Carthage has most importantly produced generation after generation of patriotic and hard-working men and women.

Humble

9781467131001

$24.99 $17.49 Save 30%

Humble was originally established as a sawmill town along the Houston East & West Texas Railway in 1886. It was named for Pleasant Smith Humble, the town's first US postmaster. Humble became a boomtown overnight when oil was discovered in 1904. Humble and neighboring Moonshine Hill became places where million-dollar fortunes were made and lost. In 1911, the Humble Oil Company was founded by Ross Sterling and other men from the Humble oil fields. Sterling went on to become governor of Texas in 1931. The Humble Oil Company became one of the dominant oil companies in the world, eventually becoming Exxon in 1972.

Fort Worth Stockyards

9780738558608

$23.99 $16.79 Save 30%

As early as 1867, Fort Worth held promise as an ideal stockyards. Making their way to northern markets, cattle passed through the city on what became the Chisholm Trail. By 1876, local businessmen urged railroad development, and the establishment of local packing facilities and animal pens followed in the 1880s. The first stockyards opened in 1889. It was not until the nation's two largest meatpacking giants, Armour and Swift, bought into the local market in 1902, however, that the stockyards began to thrive. Fort Worth became the largest stockyards in the Southwest and ranked consistently from third to fourth nationwide. Most major stockyards have now closed, including Fort Worth in 1992. Of these, only Fort Worth has successfully turned its former livestock market into a tourist site, attracting nearly a million visitors annually.

Dallas Landmarks

9780738558523

$24.99 $17.49 Save 30%

Dallas has a reputation as a progressive city--always ready to build something new to replace the old. In the late 19th century, as Dallas became the transportation and commercial center for North Texas, brick and stone edifices supplanted the simple frame structures of the early days. By the 1920s, the city was the financial capital of the region and boasted the tallest building west of the Mississippi. In 1936, Dallas hosted the Texas Centennial Exposition in Fair Park, an ensemble of art deco buildings that is a National Historic Landmark. As business grew, so did the skyline. Today Dallas has a rich collection of historic buildings that chronicle the city's growth and progress.

Galveston's Maceo Family Empire

9781626197534

$23.99 $16.79 Save 30%

At the dawn of the twentieth century, Galveston was a beacon of opportunity on the Texas Gulf Coast. Dubbed the "Wall Street of the Southwest," its laissez-faire reputation called those hungry for success to its shores. Led by brothers Salvatore and Rosario at the height of Prohibition, the Maceo family answered that call and changed the Oleander City forever. They built an island empire of gambling, smuggling and prostitution that lasted three decades. Housed in their nightclubs frequented by stars like Peggy Lee, Frank Sinatra and Duke Ellington, they endeared themselves to their Galveston neighbors by sharing their profits, imitating crime syndicates in their native Sicily. Though certainly no saints, the Maceos helped bring prosperity to a community weary from a century of turmoil. Discover the history of Galveston's famous crime family with authors Nicole Boatman, Dr. Scott Belshaw and Texas historian Richard McCaslin.

Weslaco

9780738503059

$24.99 $17.49 Save 30%

Often called "The Magic Valley" because of its tropical climate and rich soil, the Lower Rio Grande Valley is a fertile agricultural region known for its cultivation of citrus, sugar cane, cotton, and
a variety of vegetables. In the heart of the Valley is Weslaco, a typical Valley town that serves as market, business, social, religious, and educational center for a broad Hispanic/Anglo population. This compilation of mid-Valley memories focuses on the development of agriculture and community life in Weslaco from the early 1900s to the 1950s, as once again the Valley undergoes transition, this time from agriculture to international trade due to NAFTA. Featuring images of Weslaco's buildings, schools, colorful residents, lively celebrations, and
the Texsun Corporation, which employed Valley workers for almost 60 years, this photographic tour
provides insight into the area's diverse heritage.

Nacogdoches in World War II

9780738579733

$24.99 $17.49 Save 30%

Nacogdoches, the oldest town in Texas, has a long and colorful history starting in 1716, when the first mission, Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe de los Nacogdoches, was founded. The people of this rich area have since come together countless times to survive challenges. During World War II, patriotism brought everyone closer as the young men of the area left to fight for their country. College enrollment declined drastically until a masterstroke by its president brought the nation's first WAC school to the campus. An unexpected ice storm killed valuable timber, bringing Nazi POWs to the area to harvest the pine trees. On the home front, everyone got involved in the war effort. They knitted, rolled bandages, collected scrap metal, bought war bonds, grew victory gardens, and participated in rationing and blackouts; but most of all they sacrificed their sons. They came together during those years and still come together today to celebrate the historic town's past and to honor its veterans of all wars.

Galveston:

9780738596471

$26.99 $18.89 Save 30%

Galveston had adopted the moniker "Playground of the Southwest" by the 1920s. This title noted the city's economic revival following the 1900 hurricane. Galvestonians envisioned a tourism industry largely built around its beaches on the Gulf of Mexico, the tranquil water of Galveston Bay, and a year-round mild climate. Island business leaders also introduced amusement parks, nationally renowned events, and nighttime entertainment venues. By the 1930s, in a waning national economy, Galveston saw the quiet return of more questionable tourist businesses including gambling and prostitution, challenging the concepts of the conventional tourism industry until closed by the Texas Rangers in the 1950s. Later in the 20th century, Galveston Historical Foundation leaders who discovered the economics of heritage tourism began promoting the island's captivating history.

West Texas Cattle Kingdom

9780738596488

$24.99 $17.49 Save 30%

Images of America: West Texas Cattle Kingdom relates the frontier saga of cowboys and longhorn cattle, of trail drives and great ranches. Cattle and horses were introduced to the Western Hemisphere by Spanish conquistadores and colonizers while Mexican vaqueros handled cattle from horseback, developing special techniques, equipment, and attire. Half-wild longhorns multiplied into the millions in the unpopulated brush country above the Rio Grande. After the Civil War, a hungry market for beef developed in the north. Texas "cow boys" learned the vaquero skills of roping and branding and adapted heavy-duty Mexican saddles, wide-brimmed hats, high-heeled boots, jingling spurs, leather chaparejos, and colorful bandanas. The adventure of driving large herds of cattle up the Chisholm Trail and other famous trails captivated America. Vast Texas ranches included the fabled King Ranch, the three-million-acre XIT, Charles Goodnight's JA Ranch, and El Rancho Grande of legendary Shanghai Pierce, who described himself as "Webster on cattle, by God."

Baseball in Fort Worth

9780738532417

$24.99 $17.49 Save 30%

In 2003, over 160,000 fans watched professional baseball in downtown Fort Worth's near north side. Baseball, which had been played in this north side area since 1911, had returned after a near 40-year absence. Fort Worth's rich tradition of professional baseball dates back to the start of the Texas League of Professional Baseball Clubs in 1888 and includes many players who continued to impact our national pastime at the major league level.

Presenting over 170 photographs, programs, and maps this volume documents not only the play on the field, but the fun and excitement off the field as well. The book contains a chapter on Fort Worth's black baseball history, which dates back to the turn of the 20th century, and includes the new discovery of a forgotten ballpark dedicated to the black players and leagues of the early 1900s. Though the details are difficult to trace, this chapter showcases the pride the players demonstrated at the local level and the force they became in the national Negro leagues.

Johnson Space Center

9780738595108

$24.99 $17.49 Save 30%

NASA 's Johnson Space Center (JSC ) in Houston, Texas, has been the home of human spaceflight operations since its inception in 1961. The first US manned spaceflight controlled from its iconic Mission Control Center was in 1965. From JSC 's control center, engineers also helped place humans on another celestial body for the first time, operated 135 Space Shuttle missions, and expanded human spaceflight to an international endeavor. Housed on more than 1,600 acres just south of downtown Houston, the center is the curator for the precious samples returned from the moon, the base for the training
of astronauts, and the developer of innovative engineering to support future exploration deep into the solar system and world-class technical research on earth.

Del Rio:

9780738523873

$24.99 $17.49 Save 30%

Del Rio's roots grew in the sandy soil by San Felipe Creek along with the myths and dreams of the old Wild West, where the mighty Rio Grande dances through the dusty lands of the Lone Star State. Ancient nomads left their mark in the riverside canyons of this border country long before the springs at Del Rio became a lonely waystation providing water and rest to travelers, merchants, and soldiers marching the long, hot, and dry San Antonio-El Paso Road. When the products of ranching began riding the rails to eastern markets, Del Rio's population exploded and the town became known as the Wool and Mohair Capital of the World.

Del Rio: Queen City of the Rio Grande tells tales of the starry nights and shimmering sunlight of the storied Texas frontier, with vivid images detailing the gripping drama and unique memories chronicled here. From the U.S. Army's experimental Camel Corps to the world's most powerful radio stations in the 1930s and the U-2 spy planes involved in the Cuban Missile Crisis, Del Rio, seat of one of the largest counties in Texas and sister to the thriving Mexican border city Ciudad Acu±a, has played a part on the world stage. Those stories and more, including the little known "Italian Colony" of West Texas and landmark civil rights court cases, are told here.

Historic Tales of the Llano Estacado

9781467146548

$23.99 $16.79 Save 30%

The distinctive high mesa straddling West Texas and Eastern New Mexico creates a vista that is equal parts sprawling lore and big blue sky. From Lubbock, the area's informal capital, to the farthest reaches of the staked plains known as the Llano Estacado, the land and its inhabitants trace a tradition of tenacity through numberless cycles of dust storms and drought. In 1887, a bison hunter observed antelope, sand crane and coyote alike crowding together to drink from the same wet-weather lake. A similarly odd assortment of characters shared and shaped the region's heritage, although neighborliness has occasionally been strained by incidents like the 1903 Fence Cutting War. David Murrah and Paul Carlson have collected some three dozen vignettes that stretch across the uncharted terrain of the tableland's past.