Exploring Texas History: Weekend Adventures

by Galit, Elaine L.

• ISBN13: 9781589792029
• ISBN10: 1589792025
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2005-05-01
• Publisher: Natl Book Network

Summary

Combining fascinating stories of Texas history with travel adventures around the state. Exploring Texas History: Weekend Adventures suggests where to go and what to see by tracking historical characters and events. The travel destinations echo the settlement of Texas, the battle for independence, the Alamo, cowboys, vaqueros, Buffalo Soldiers, shipwrecks, and cattle drives. Each chapter includes historical background, travel routes, sightseeing recommendations, best times to visit, lodging and dining suggestions, and sources for additional information. Families, visitors, travelers with a love of history, and teachers and students will find this guide practical and user-friendly. Book jacket.

Table of Contents

Preface: The Romance of Texas History	xi
Acknowledgments	xv
1 Following Texas Trails	1	(20)
Indianola: Follow the Trail	4	(3)
The Seven Museums of the La Salle Odyssey	7	(4)
The San Antonio Mission Trail	11	(3)
The Presidential Library Trail	14	(7)
2 In and Around Austin	21	(34)
Austin: O. Henry's Gift to Texas	25	(4)
Brenham Adopts a Texas Hero	29	(3)
West: Polka, Kolaches, and Train Wrecks	32	(4)
Fredericksburg: Forging a Lasting Friendship	36	(5)
Gonzales: The "Come and Take It" City	41	(3)
Salado-Legends: Fact and Fiction	44	(5)
Waco: Love Is in the Air	49	(6)
3 In and Around the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex	55	(34)
Fort Worth	59	(3)
Dallas: How Hog-Wallow Prairie Became an Art Deco Showcase	62	(2)
Breckenridge: From Oil Boom to Art Walls	64	(3)
Carthage: America's Most Beloved Singing Cowboy	67	(3)
Dinosaur Valley: Walk in the Footprints of Giants	70	(4)
Granbury: The Mystery of History	74	(3)
Hico: A Small Town, an Outlaw, and a Mystery	77	(3)
Linden: A Tiny Town Produces a King	80	(4)
Texarkana-James Bowie: The Man, the Myth, and the Legend	84	(5)
4 In and Around Houston	89	(36)
Hempstead-The Talk of Hempstead: Elisabet Ney at Liendo	94	(5)
Nacogdoches: Nine Flags over Nacogdoches, the Oldest Town in Texas	99	(5)
Palestine: All Aboard!	104	(4)
Rusk: A Ghost Town Builds a Thriving City	108	(5)
Orange: Living Large with the Stark Family	113	(4)
San Jacinto Battleground Complex: Eighteen Minutes That Changed Texas History	117	(3)
Victoria: The Melting Pot of Texas	120	(5)
5 In and Around San Antonio	125	(24)
The Alamo: The Cry of the Alamo Echoes across Time and Space	129	(3)
Bandera: Why Farm Boys Became Cowboys	132	(4)
Brackettville-Fort Clark: The Story of the U.S. Military in Texas	136	(2)
Poteet: Strawberries and a Comic Strip	138	(3)
Seguin: Smokey Joe, into the Hall of Fame	141	(3)
Yorktown: Creating the Indianola Trail	144	(5)
6 In and Around the Texas Gulf Coast	149	(32)
Corpus Christi: Why U.S. Grant Grew a Beard	151	(3)
Cuero: Flowers and Feuds	154	(3)
Freeport: Finding the Lost City of Velasco	157	(3)
Galveston Island: The Birthplace of Juneteenth	160	(3)
Goliad: An Angel Attends a Massacre	163	(9)
Matagorda: From County Seat to Fisherman's Paradise	172	(2)
Port Lavaca: The Widow's Tale	174	(3)
Velasco: The Boston Harbor of the West	177	(4)
7 In and Around the Panhandle and West Texas	181	(36)
Amarillo: You're a Spray Paint Can Away from Art	184	(3)
Big Bend: Liquid Gold	187	(3)
Big Spring: When the Earl Came to Stay	190	(3)
Buffalo Gap: The Evolution of a Town	193	(3)
Historic Fort Bliss: A Fire Swept Through	196	(4)
Laredo: By George! Laredo Celebrates Washington's Birthday	200	(3)
Lubbock: Lubbock's Many Whatsits	203	(3)
Marfa: The Glow of Mystery Lights	206	(3)
Pecos: Home of the World's First Rodeo	209	(4)
Turkey-The King of Western Swing: Turkey's Favorite Son	213	(4)
Appendix: Texas Fairs and Festivals	217	(6)
Index	223