It's the heart of every community in the Sooner State. It's where people go to eat, shop and socialize. It's where Woods County reenacts the Freedom Bank Robbery and Shootout and where Grant County displays Twister memorabilia. Oklahoma residents are embracing Main Street, celebrating and revitalizing local history. Author Kristi Eaton crisscrosses the state, exploring each of the seventy-seven counties to find quirky stories like Elmore City's ties to Footloose and hidden tales like the real reason Wetumka celebrates Sucker Day. It's a celebration of the unique events, landmarks, people and heritage of this aptly named thoroughfare.
West Texas Tales
9781609493295
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Historian Mike Cox has been writing about Texas history for four decades, sharing tales that have been overlooked or forgotten through the years. Travel to El Paso during the Big Blow" of 1895, brave the frontier with Elizabeth Russell Baker, and stare down the infamous killer known as Old Three Toe. From frontier stories and ghost towns to famous folks and accounts of everyday life, this collection of West Texas Tales has it all."
Stake in West Texas, A
9781626193802
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In 1950, Ann was eighteen and Bob D twenty when he asked her to marry him and hit the road for West Texas. They packed their station wagon, left home and began a life of adventure together on Conoco's West Texas survey crew during the 1950s oil boom. Five kids, twenty-one towns and thirteen years on the road--Bob D and Ann's travels along the highways of West Texas are a portrait in a landscape of oilfields, railroads and ranches. Layering local history with family memoir, author Rebecca D. Henderson reveals a glimpse of mid-century West Texas through her grandparents' adventures as a young couple raising children on the road..
African American Bryan, Texas
9781609496982
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Bryan was incorporated in 1872, but it would take more than ten years before its African American population was offered schooling. Nothing would come easy for them, but they persevered through hard work, ingenuity and family support. The success of today's generation is a direct result of determined, hardworking pioneers like Dr. Samuel J. Sealey Sr., Bryan's baby doctor in the 1930s and '40s, and Dr. William A. Hammond Sr., who opened Bryan's first black hospital and employed many blacks through his business ventures. Learn about the inspiration and guidance provided by the likes of Oliver Wayne Sadberry, an outstanding community leader and principal of Fairview and Washington Elementary. Dr. Oswell Person shares the story of this community's achievements, successes and contributions in the face of incredible odds.
Hispanics of Roosevelt County, New Mexico
9781626199156
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In 1942, several Hispanic families left drought-devastated Encino and headed for the small, peanut-farming town of Portales in Roosevelt County, New Mexico. Among them was the Trujillo family, including five-year-old Agapito, who later became the county's first Hispanic law enforcement officer. The new arrivals did not feel welcome in Portales, which was almost entirely Anglo and a rumored sundown town. However, determined to put down roots and take advantage of economic opportunities, they eventually thrived. Agapito Trujillo tells the story of his family's migration to Roosevelt County alongside the struggles and triumphs of the Hispanic community with candor, grace and an obvious love for his heritage and neighbors.
Ghosts of Old Town Albuquerque
9781609496623
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Old Town Plaza has been the center of Albuquerque community life since the city was founded in 1706 by Governor Francisco Cuervo y Valdez. Historically known as the crossroads of the Southwest, and reflecting an amalgamation of Spanish, Mexican and Native American cultures, Old Town Plaza has been home to many of New Mexico's proud ancestors--and still is. Ghosts of Old Town Albuquerque presents the evidence of their specters wandering the shadows, gathered by author Cody Polston, president of the Southwest Ghost Hunter's Association. Having tracked spirits for three decades, including in such landmarks as the Bottger Mansion and Casa de Ruiz, Polston vows that pragmatism still can't explain away many of Old Town Plaza's eerie wraiths.
Sedona Verde Valley Art:
9781626198418
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The jaw-dropping allure of the Sedona Verde Valley is a magnet for celebrated visual artists from around the world. This unforgettable landscape has inspired nearly a century of diverse painting, experimental collage, provocative sculpture and stimulating architecture. Tourists and locals are enamored of the Chapel of the Holy Cross, and the unique and often political art of Jerome continues to evolve. In a captivating exploration of state and regional styles alongside profiles of contemporary masters, author and historian Lili DeBarbieri presents the full story of Sedona art.
Tragedy and Triumph on the Texas Plains
9781467149037
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Out on the Texas Plains, wrangling with history resembles taking in the sunset--a stampede of splendor and shadow all at once. Roam an Ohio-sized patch of prairie and take stock of the heroic tasks and moral dilemmas facing the unforgettable characters who called West Texas home. Ben Hogan sinks a putt with the focus of the Clovis man who hunted mammoth in the same spot thousands of years before. Lubbock's largest lawsuit runs its interminable course. And a starving Roy Rogers makes a quick meal of jackrabbit on the Llano Estacado. Chuck Lanehart gathers statesmen and journalists, outlaws and entertainers, in these profiles of the Texas Plains.
Lost Fort Worth
9781626192355
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From the humble beginnings of a frontier army camp, Fort Worth transformed into a city as cattle drives, railroads, oil and national defense drove its economy. During the tremendous growth, the landscape and cultural imprint of the city changed drastically, and much of Cowtown was lost to history. Witness the birth of western swing music and the death of a cloud dancer. See mansions of the well-heeled and saloons of the well-armed. Meet two gunfighters, one flamboyant preacher, one serial killer and one very short subway carrying passengers back in time to discover more of Fort Worth. Author Mike Nichols presents a colorful history tour from the North Side to the South Side's Battle of Buttermilk Junction.
Harvey Houses of Texas
9781626195240
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On the eve of the twentieth century, small-town Texas was still wild country lacking in the commodities and cultural centers of larger cities. This changed, however, with the arrival of the Santa Fe rail line, followed quickly by the Harvey House. Established in Kansas by English immigrant Fred Harvey, Harvey Houses could be found throughout the Southwest and adjoined local depots in sixteen Texas towns. Found in every corner of the state, Harvey Houses were not just restaurants and hotels for weary, hungry travelers but were also bustling social centers and often the only commercial outlet for the communities that developed around them. Author Rosa Walston Latimer tells the history of hospitality the Fred Harvey way in turn-of-the-century Texas, woven from personal stories of the famous Harvey Girls and other employees of Texas Harvey Houses.
Guy Town by Gaslight
9781626194458
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Crime and vice plagued Austin after the Civil War, and Guy Town was a red-light hub with a most curious legacy. Today's pleasure-seeking visitors to the Warehouse District walk on top of Guy Town--the chic neighborhood of today is built on the most decadent and deadly area of the city's past. With the old county courthouse at its core, the district rose from the Colorado River up to Fifth Street and spanned from Congress Avenue to Shoal Creek, infesting Austin's eclectic First Ward neighborhood. Guy Town was a haven for notorious madams, prostitutes, druggies and drunkards lost to history, as well as names still remembered--Ben Thompson, O. Henry and Johnny Ringo roamed its streets looking for a good time. From murderers to con men, crooked cops and more, meet the cast of characters that gave Guy Town its reputation in author Richard Zelade's lurid account of the Capital City's historic underbelly.
Haunted Austin
9781609490409
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A killer lurks in the dark streets, victimizing servant girls throughout 1885, and Austin becomes the first American city to claim a serial killer. The spirits of convicts wander amidst the manicured grounds of the Texas State Capitol while inside a public servant assassinated in 1903 still haunts the corridors. These are just a few of the strange and frightening tales of Haunted Austin. Within these pages lies evidence that the frontier bravado legendary in so many Texas men and women lives on long after death. Author Jeanine Plumer explores the sinister history of the city and attempts to answer the question: why do so many ghosts linger in Austin?
Location Filming in Arizona
9781626190634
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The scenic natural vistas of Arizona's deserts and mountains have made it a favorite backdrop of movies and television shows. Westerns such as silent-era pictures derived from Zane Grey fiction through the John Ford-John Wayne classics "Stagecoach "and "The Searchers "benefited from the beautiful and rugged landscapes. TV classics such as "Gunsmoke" and "Little House on the Prairie" helped define Arizona's allure for Hollywood. Oscar winners "Jerry Maguire" and "Little Miss Sunshine "took advantage of the infrastructure that accumulated to lure filmmakers to Tucson, Yuma, Phoenix, Prescott, Sedona and all corners of the Grand Canyon State". Join author Lili DeBarbieri as she looks at the movies and shows shot in the state, as well as other aspects of Arizona film culture.
Party Weird:
9781626196520
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In 1839, Texas officials toasted their new capital of Austin, and its citizens never ran out of excuses for revelry. Austinites celebrate their homegrown and vibrant culture, renowned and innovative music, street life and collective quirkiness with pride. While world-class events now call the city home, in a culture that eschews conformity at every turn, Austin's underground social gatherings are what truly earn it bragging rights. Discover the grass-roots origins of the enigmatic eccentricity that has drawn people from all corners of Texas and now from the whole world. Feel the beat of drum circles at Eeyore's Birthday Party in April, sling puns at the annual O. Henry Pun-Off or share a meal with strangers at the monthly Perpetual Potluck Picnic--or Jim O's, as the locals say. Author Howie Richey explores the offbeat, exuberant culture and history of the city that started with a party that just didn't stop.
Haunted Hotels and Ghostly Getaways of New Mexico
9781467138895
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True to its nickname, New Mexico enchants some souls so much they never leave. The Express St. James of Cimarron plays host to the cantankerous spirit of former owner Thomas James T.J. Wright. At the Trinity Hotel in Carlsbad, Miss Ruby occasionally pranks unwitting guests and still cares for the rooms where she once worked. The gentle ghost of Julie Staab sits weeping at the bar of La Posada when not running bath water in her former room. And in death, Byron T. Mills looks over the Las Vegas Plaza Hotel he owned and neglected in life. Local author Donna Blake Birchell shares the chilling stories of these permanent spectral guests.
Navajo and Hopi Art in Arizona
9781467117890
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Arizona's Navajo and Hopi cultures span multiple generations, and their descendants continue to honor customs from thousands of years ago. Contemporary artists like Hopi katsina doll carver Manuel Chavarria and Navajo weaver Barbara Teller Ornelas use traditional crafts and techniques to preserve the stories of their ancestors. Meanwhile, emerging mixed-media artists like Melanie Yazzie expand the boundaries of tradition by combining Navajo influences with contemporary culture and styles. Local author Rory Schmitt presents the region's outstanding native artists and their work, studios and inspirations.
Cowboy Reunions of Las Vegas, New Mexico
9781609496920
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For nearly a half-century, Las Vegas, New Mexico, held Wild West" adventures rivaling Cheyenne's Frontier Days, the Calgary Stampede, and Oregon's Pendleton Round Up. The San Miguel County seat annually hosted full-dress cowpunchers, Native Americans, ranchers, dance bands, artists and writers, moviemakers, and rodeo performers. The Las Vegas Cowboys' Reunion became legendary in western lore, drawing such ten-gallon names as Tom Mix, Jim Shoulders, Montana Belle, Prairie Rose Henderson, and Roosevelt's Rough Riders. Dick Bills and his nephew, Glen Campbell, played at the "Big Balls," and the reunions drew famous western artists, such as Randall Davey. Join author Pat Romero for these reunion tales based on Git Fer Vegas, Cowboy , the exhibit she curated at the City of Las Vegas Museum and Rough Rider Memorial Collection."
Haunted Plano, Texas
9781467140386
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Plano's old homes and businesses are rife with haunted history. Explore eerie urban legends like the Goat Man, the Clown Threat, and Ranch 111, where devil worshipers performed their rituals. The Evaporating Apparition spooked the staff at the Art Centre Theatre, while the grumpy spirit of an old rancher stalks the Masonic Lodge. Some specters are harmless, such as the Giggling Ghost, a little girl in the Cox Building with a penchant for peanut butter and pranks. Other figures own a more sinister reputation. The Witch Lady of Plano was feared by city youth and monitored by the FBI. Mary Jacobs examines the ghostly fallout of Plano's darkest moments, from the smallpox epidemic to the gruesome Muncey family murders.
Details at Ten:
9781609494155
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As broadcast news came of age in the turbulent decades of the 1950s and '60s, North Texas reporter Bert Shipp was on the front lines. While television changed the way Texas and the world witnessed history, Shipp's Dallas/Fort Worth coverage reported stories of both national and local importance. Whether in the media race to cover the Kennedy assassination, on a mission to Laos to help recover a secret list of prisoners of war while on a mission in Laos or highlighting the boy who had no shoes for Christmas, Shipp's accounts of chronicling the news are fascinating and often hilarious. Join this award-winning journalist as he recalls harrowing, humorous and true behind-the-scenes stories of those early days in Texas television news.
North Texas Beer
9781626194328
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Texas is historically a large beer-drinking state. Unlike the brewing heritage of the Central Texas German settlements, the North Texas area--Dallas, Fort Worth and the cities of the surrounding Metroplex--always approached local beers from more of a commercial standpoint. Though local brewing dates back to 1857, early, larger brewers from other states influenced those in Dallas and Fort Worth before and throughout the twentieth century. After the opening of the first craft brewery in the state (and sixth in the nation) in Plano in 1982, North Texas breweries began to flourish in later years and today find a consuming public fiercely devoted to their local brews. Join authors Paul Hightower and Brian L. Brown for a complete yet refreshing look at the history, business and fun of beer in North Texas.
Santa Fe’s Fonda
9781467151153
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For the first two centuries of Santa Fe's history, weary wayfarers were out of luck. Not only did the Spanish authorities enforce a strict travel ban on foreign visitors, but there was also no place to stay in the territorial capital. That all changed in the 1820s. When Mexico gained independence, a flood of traffic cascaded down the Santa Fe Trail, and the Plaza became a hub of hospitality and trade. From the Exchange Hotel to La Fonda, the inn on the corner of San Francisco Street represented one of the most welcome landmarks in the West. Author Allen Steele recounts stories of trailblazing pioneers and the lodging on which their daring depended.
The Nogal Mesa
9781609491314
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This book was a finalist for the New Mexico Book Co-Op History Book of the Year. Most people think of Billy the Kid and the Lincoln County War when Lincoln County, New Mexico is mentioned. "Yet, the county has a rich history besides that chapter of lawlessness and violence. In writing this book I wanted to tell the story of the miners and forest rangers and the Civilian Conservation Corps and early settlers."The Jornada Mogollon culture was here over a thousand years ago but had left before Christopher Columbus arrived in the new world. "They have left pieces of their lifestyle in the form of pueblos and pottery. "A railroad was built in the basin below the Mesa, but the water there was full of alkaline and chemicals. "The Mesa had pristine mountain water and an engineering miracle was built in the form of a pipeline to get the water from the Mesa to the railroad. "A western religious revival in the form of the Ranchman's Camp continues this summer for the 71st year.
Camp Verde
9781609493868
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The Verde Valley the seemingly easy route to West Texas was in fact a land of peril, adventure, and near mythic heroes. Historic Camp Verde has long been a strategic stronghold guarding the pass, the valley and the many trails converging at this river crossing. As frontiersman and settlers pushed through the pass and Native Americans responded with violent force, the famed Texas Rangers attempted to control the region. Officially established in 1856, the camp would become the testing ground for the Army's Camel Experiment and an outpost for Robert E. Lee's legendary Second U.S. Cavalry. Join local historian Joseph Luther as he narrates the tumultuous and uniquely Texan history of Camp Verde.
Capitan, New Mexico:
9781609494513
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In early May 1950 a massive forest fire spread through the Capitan Gap in the Capitan Mountains. A young black bear cub was found clinging to a tree with his paws singed and his mother nowhere in sight. That cub, later named Smokey Bear, was doctored and eventually sent to Washington, D. C. where he became the living symbol of fire prevention. Without a doubt, Smokey Bear is the most famous resident of Capitan, NM, but he is not the sole history of the area. In addition to a comprehensive chapter on Smokey Bear, Cozzens's history of Capitan will cover everything from the significant coal mining and ranching history of the area (Block Ranch was the largest in the country at the turn of the century), US Forest Service's involvement in the area, Civilian Conservation Corps history (one of the few CCC camps for women was located here), and the story of one of Capitan's most famous, but not so well-covered, citizens, George A. Titsworth.
Cleburne Baseball
9781467137010
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Shortly after Cleburne landed the largest railroad shops west of the Mississippi, it set its sights on securing a professional baseball team. Against the odds, Cleburne became a Texas League town in 1906. After the first championship, the Railroaders loaded a train and left Cleburne. The town's professional teams would amass two championships, three pennants and several legendary major league players, including Tris Speaker, before disappearing. Despite lacking a professional club, the town continued to field teams at all levels, until the Railroaders made their triumphant return in 2017. Scott Cain shares a century of Cleburne baseball, including the cowboys who gunned down fly balls to intimidate umps, the pro team that played the Chicago White Sox and the city councilman who was a scorekeeper for the Negro Leagues in the 1950s.
Driving Southwest Texas:
9781609490720
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West of Austin lies Big Bend Country. A region of rich history that still resembles the old frontier, Southwest Texas epitomizes the mystique and allure of this grand state. From the sweeping desert vistas to the canyons of Big Bend National Park, the geography itself is nothing short of incredible. Whether it's discovering historic Fort Davis, sharing in Annie Riggs's legacy or watching the Marfa Lights, a treasure awaits every traveler in this land. Join historian and travel writer Byron Browne as he and his wife, Angie, explore the sights and stories of this unique and charming piece of the Lone Star State
Enchanted Legends and Lore of New Mexico
9781609495725
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Beginning in the seventeenth century, townsfolk and rural dwellers in the remote Spanish colonial city of Santa Fe maintained a provocative interest in mysterious and miraculous visions. This preoccupation with the afterlife, occult forces and unearthly beings existing outside the natural world led to early witch trials, stories about saintly apparitions and strange encounters with spirits and haunted places. New Mexican author Ray John de Aragón explores the time-honored tradition of frightening folklore in the Land of Enchantment in this intriguing collection of tales that crosses cultures in the dark corners of the southwestern night.
Encyclopedia of Early Texas History
9781626194540
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In this age of hustle and bustle, Texans cannot afford to flounder about unawares of where to turn for information most urgent and necessary as their own history. What you want--nay, what you need--is the encyclopedia herein. The patriot will find stories of heroism and warning, the student will discover annals of valuable learning and the curious will discover purpose renewed in historical origin. With educational and entertaining illustrations, the reader will at once be transported back to historic times and doubtless become the go-to guy or gal for Texas trivia. From the arrival of Aguayo to the zeal of Zavala, each page contains a morsel of valuable history of the great state of Texas. Texan and scholar Stephen Biles has collected an invaluable source of information so exciting and excellent that it has been sized to fit within your pocket or purse--after all, one never knows when history might call.
Yellow Fever on Galveston Island
9781467146555
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Jan Johnson provides a definitive account of Galveston’s fight against outbreaks of Yellow Fever, which transformed an island paradise into the City of Dreadful Death.
In the summer of Galveston's founding year, a mysterious malady accompanied by black vomit descended upon the inhabitants. Names for the devastating plague came quick and fast as the body count rose. Saffron Scourge. Bronze John. Yellow Jack. Yellow Fever. The disease’s cause and cure remained elusive, as did the medical institutions Galveston would need treat the illness. Four thousand souls perished in nine epidemics between 1839 and 1867. By the time of Galveston’s final Yellow Fever outbreak in 1903, however, residents were better informed and equipped. Discover the key figures and pivotal events of the island city's experience with the mosquito-borne disease.
Football and Integration in Plano, Texas
9781626195011
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The year 1964 was momentous for civil rights as Congress passed the Twenty-fourth Amendment and Texas's own Lyndon B. Johnson unveiled his plan for the Great Society. That same year, the Plano school district integrated, setting an example for the state and nation. The tightknit community banded together through a language fluent to everyone--football. The Wildcats had few winning seasons and no state titles at that time, but with hard work and a trailblazing spirit, coaches Tom Gray and John Clark led the integrated team all the way to state championship victory in 1965. The Plano Conservancy for Historic Preservation, Inc. presents the inspiring story of the Wildcat fight for the title that made Plano a better place to live.
New Mexico Book of the Undead
9781626197329
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New Mexico is a land of shadow and mystery. From the old coal mines near Raton and the isolation of Isleta Pueblo to the peaks of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains and beyond, ghouls and spirits lie in wait. Witches transform into vampire bats, werewolves howl and the undead rise with the light of the moon. La Llorona walks the banks of rivers and roads, her legendary and mournful cries terrifying any who cross her path. They are stories passed down by the fearless Comancheros, devoted Franciscan monks, fierce ciboleros and others to the present day as warnings of the evil in the world. In a captivating exploration of New Mexico's most fearful tales, Ray John de Aragon recounts stories from the state's rich and spine-chilling cultural folklore.
New Mexico Wine
9781609496432
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Every vine has a story, and nearly four hundred years ago, New Mexico's wine journey began when the first Mission grapes were planted in 1629. Taste this rich legacy, the oldest in the United States, in Donna Blake Birchell's account of the turmoil and triumph that shaped today's burgeoning industry. Despite greedy Spanish monarchs, prim teetotalers and the one-hundred-year flood's gift of root rot and alkaline deposits, New Mexico winemakers continue to harvest the fruits of sun-soaked volcanic soils and clear skies, blending their family stories with the vines and traditions of the Old World. Raise a toast and join Birchell on the trail of New Mexico's enchanted wines as she explores the heritage of more than fifty wineries in four distinct wine-growing regions.
New Mexico Beer
9781609498146
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Brewing in New Mexico began in the 1850s when small breweries serviced short-lived boomtowns teeming with early settlers thirsty for brew. By the time Prohibition came in 1918, New Mexico breweries were completely tapped out. It wasn't until 1988, when the Santa Fe Brewing Company began slaking local thirsts, that beer was again brewed in New Mexico. By the late 1990s, New Mexico was experiencing a resurgence in local brewing. Today, the state boasts a craft brewing renaissance. New Mexican breweries receive national attention, including eight medals at the 2013 Great American Beer Festival in Denver. Join author Jon C. Stott as he recounts New Mexico's brewing history, collects hops heritage and samples local brewpubs from across the state.
New Mexico and the Civil War
9781609491376
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Although the New Mexico Territory was far distant from the main theaters of war, it was engulfed in the same violence and bloodshed as the rest of the nation. The Civil War in New Mexico was fought in the deserts and mountains of the huge territory, which was mostly wilderness, amid the continuing ancient wars against the wild Indian tribes waged by both sides. The armies were small, but the stakes were high: control of the Southwest. Retired lieutenant colonel and Civil War historian Dr. Walter Earl Pittman presents this concise history of New Mexico during the Civil War years from the Confederate invasion of 1861 to the Battles of Valverde and Glorieta to the end of the war.
Big Bend Tales
9781609493301
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Travel deeper into the Texas outback with writer-historian Mike Cox as he recounts the lesser-known stories from Alpine, Fort Davis and Marfa. Revisit the grandeur of Alpine's Holland Hotel, peer through the telescope at the McDonald Observatory and dip your toes in the water hole at Ernst Tinaja, if you dare. Travel back to a time when the Comanche Trail stretched one thousand miles from Kansas to Mexico, making the Big Bend difficult to defend and impossible to resist trying. Celebrate Cinco de Mayo, the anniversary of Benito Juarez's decisive defeat of the French at Pueblo in 1867. If nothing else, come for the lore and history that is as extensive in the Big Bend region as the mountain passes and desert stretches themselves.
