Wise About Texas

 The account of the Texas revolution makes for glorious telling, retelling and reading.  It seemed that every man, woman and child in early Texas just couldn’t wait to rebel against the tyrannical Mexican government and win another glorious war for independence.  Didn’t they?  Well, not exactly.  Just like the 13 American colonies, Texas had its tories too.  Learn more about “dif...

 The late 19th century saw Texas industry expanding west.  The railroads were laid and towns were springing up everywhere.  That quintessential Texas opportunity was knocking once again. One railroad entrepreneur gave one aspiring town builder the idea to layout a new town near the Big Bend called…what else…Progress City.  He surveyed, he platted, and he sold. &#160...

Over 5000 Texans served in World War One.  Many returned to Texas and continued their service to their home State.  Here are just a few stories of men who returned from war and continued their service.  A tribute to all our men and women who served so bravely in the Great War.  

December 23, 1927 was a typical day in Cisco, Texas.  People going about their Christmas shopping, ready for holiday time with family and friends.  The kids even saw Santa Claus walking down Main Street!  He engaged with the kids, wishing them Merry Christmas.  Then he walked to the First National Bank, and into history, in what would be one of the most sensational gunfights and manhunts in Texas...

Before they can fight, our soldiers must be trained.  General Sherman decided that the dwindling U.S. Army would be consolidated into two garrisons, one being based in San Antonio, Texas to protect the frontier and conduct the Indian wars necessary to western expansion.  When war in Europe beckoned, San Antonio was ready.  But the Army was running out of room.  So the Army bega...

A Tribute to our 41st President…a Texan.

The early 20th century brought chaos to the Texas/Mexico border.  The Mexican revolution(s) created opportunities for raiders, bandits and criminals to run rampant.  The law was hard to enforce and depredations hard to prevent.  Germany fostered this chaos to distract the U.S. from the war in Europe.  Soon, two documents were discovered that would focus U.S. attention on either quelling the chaos,...

In the early 20th century Japan sought to extend its relations around the world.  Texas made imminent sense.  A Japanese professor saw the Alamo as a perfect companion to one of ancient Japan’s most famous battles.  The Emperor saw Texas as a perfect place to relocate some of his brightest farmers.  Learn about the early connections between Japan and Texas in this latest episode of Wise Abou...

In the first days of 1836 revolution was brewing in Texas.  The battle of Gonzales had spawned the Texian conquest of La Bahia and Bexar.  The Texians were sure the Mexicans would soon see the wisdom of allowing the Texians their own government.  The Indians, however, just saw opportunity.  Depredations continued and the further up the Guadalupe river you lived, the more danger you faced.  That da...

San Antonio was founded 300 years ago in 1718.  From day one, the residents, priests and soldiers faced a constant and menacing threat from the Apache Indians.  Raids from the indians and retaliatory campaigns from the soldiers made life in early San Antonio stressful and difficult.  Attempts at peace never seemed to work.  But all of a sudden, in 1749, the Apache wanted not only to make peace, bu...

Dr. Lytle Adams had bats in his belfry.  He had visited Carlsbad cavern right before  Pearl Harbor was attacked.  He came up with a great idea for weapon(s) of mass destruction hat would burn up the paper and wood cities of Japan.  All he would need was a one ounce incendiary bomb, a breakaway bomb case, and millions of bats.  So the Marines set up guards at several Texas caves containing millions...

What is it about Texas women?  Independent, smart, strong, spirited, they can do it all!  Ask any Texas man and he’ll tell you, the ladies run the show!  But this is nothing new.  Back before the Texas revolution, the women of Texas formed the spirit of Texas.  Some were because their husbands moved the family to this new land of opportunity.  These women did their best to build a household...

Fredericksburg Texas has a very interesting history.  Created during the massive German immigration to Texas in the middle 1800’s, Fredericksburg was not intended to be the city it soon became.  A treaty with the Comanche Indians and the California gold rush made Fredericksburg a prosperous place to set up a store.  John Hunter did just that.  Hunter supplied his patrons with everything they...

In June of 1865, Texas was in chaos.  Robert E. Lee had just surrendered the Army of Northern of Virginia, effectively ending the Civil War.  But without a government or functioning economy, it was every man for himself.  Many former Confederates were heading for Mexico, while others tried to bring order to chaos.  A few dozen men decided they’d get their money the old fashioned way–th...

Bob Kleberg, Jr. had an eye for good horses.  When he did something, he did it big.  He also managed one of the largest and most storied ranches in Texas, founded by his grandfather Richard King.  When Kleberg decided that the King Ranch would race thoroughbreds, he bought and bred the best.  In 1943, a chestnut colt was born on the King Ranch in far South Texas.  The scampering colt stepped on an...

The Trinity River flows from roughly Fort Worth to Trinity Bay in Chambers County.  For several years boats navigated the river but never all the way.  Several attempts were made to promote the Trinity River as a commercial asset but none were more enthusiastic than the 2-year, 9000 mile, yes 9000 mile, journey of Basil Muse Hatfield.  The grandson of a San Jacinto veteran and steamboat man, Hatfi...

The Flash was a schooner built in Connecticut for a new enterprise in Texas.  She came to Texas in possession of James Morgan to support his new endeavor, a town and community called New Washington.  But as war clouds gathered, Morgan mounted an 18 pounder on her foredeck and commissioned her Captain into the Texas Navy.  From commerce to combat, rescuing refugees to carrying cannon, the Flash did...

Texas Ranger.  Two words that strike fear in the heart of the lawbreaker and hope in the heart of the law abiding. Since before there was a Texas, there were Rangers.  How this elite force officially began is the subject of some controversy.  There is no doubt that Stephen F. Austin realized the need to take the fight to the hostile Indians he encountered in his new colony.  In this episode, you h...

In early 1853, Jane Wilson and her new husband James set out with 62 others to strike it rich in California.  They never made it.  After two months of traveling they reached El Paso where successful thieves ruined their dreams of fortune.  They decided to return to East Texas but what seemed like the end of a dream was just the beginning of a new nightmare.  Hear tales of murder, torture at the ha...

Crazy Ben Dolliver was said to be touched.  Sporting a 6 inch scar from an old sword fight, Crazy Ben circulated around Galveston in the 19th century barefoot, shirtless, and mostly drunk.  He camped on the beach and fished for his sustenance.  But Crazy Ben always paid for his drinks with Spanish Doubloons.  Every now and then he’d sail away from the island and return with more Spanish gold...

I received some great feedback on the San Antonio Chili Queens episode so I thought I’d share a couple of stories that didn’t make it into the main episode and answer some questions.  I also try a diplomatic (and historically correct) solution to the bean controversy!  So bring your bowl and spoon up a second helping of chili in this bonus episode of Wise About Texas!

In late 1800’s San Antonio, the plazas were busy marketplaces during the day. But at night, the Chili Queens took over. These ladies brought the exotic flavors of Mexico to the population of San Antonio. Music, laughter and the pungent aroma of chili con carne filled the air. From the greatest to the least, every citizen and tourist had to make a pilgrimage to see the Chili Queens and sample...

Every fall, the most feared cavalry the world has ever known, the Comanche Indians, would leave their home on the great plains and raid deep into Mexico taking horses, and humans, back with them.  They followed an ancient trail that came to be known as the Great Comanche war trail.  The Comanche were not prosperous until the Spanish introduced the horse which turned around the fortunes of an entir...

William Ranney was one of the first American artists to capture the legendary characters, events and spirit of the American west.  One critic pointed out that he was the only artist who had the first hadn’t experience to paint scenes of the west.  Where did he get that experience?  Texas of course!  Ranney had served in the Texas Army from May through November of 1836.  After this time in Te...

Josiah Wilbarger was one of the earliest Anglo settlers of Texas.  He also settled way outside the safe boundaries of the frontier.  He chose a league of land in the hostile territory of the Comancheria, near present-day Bastrop.  He eventually gained a neighbor in Reuben Hornsby but things were still very, very dangerous.  One day he and others were attacked by Comanches.  Josiah took a musket ba...