The Cotton Road to Matamoros
Evading the Union Blockade in the Civil War In 1862, the Civil War was in full swing. The Rio Grande River defined the border between Texas and Mexico, ultimately spilling
Texas Brave and Strong
Podcast Links & Transcripts
Iconic Texas Ranger named “Rest IN Peace!”
A hard-riding, sharp-shooting doctor of many talents If you had to guess how a tough Texas Ranger of the 1800s would earn a name, such as “Rest in Peace,” you
Suspended!
The Brazos River is the longest river in Texas. Its watershed stretches over 1000 miles, rising from hardscrabble ground in New Mexico and West Texas, curling and splashing through the
Squatter!
John Neely Bryan, the founder of Dallas, was a squatter! Bryan was born in Lincoln County, Tennessee to a prosperous farm family in December of 1810. He studied law in
Cowboys Tie One On!
Jesse James did, it so did John Wayne, Roy Rogers, Billy the Kid, even Annie Oakley did it. What did they do? They tied a big, colorful “wild rag” around
UFO or Hoax?
In the Spring of 1897, citizens of Texas towns began excitedly reporting night sightings of “airships” sailing above the countryside. Starting on April 6th in Denison TX, a sighting of
Sam Houston’s Three Brides
Most Texans are familiar with Sam Houston, and know him as a Tennessee Congressman who became Tennessee’s Governor, then resigned his office and moved to Texas just in time to
Hello Hico!
Hello Hico, Welcome back! Some small Texas towns have prospered and grown during the decades. Others have boomed and then settled into obscurity. Hico in Hamilton County appeared to be
High Society Comes to Texas
In February of 1892, The New York Times published its official list of the creme de la creme of New York Society— 400 individuals, a mix of “Nobs”— old money
1831 Letter From Texas
Mrs. Mary Austin Holley, a cousin of noted Texan, Stephen F. Austin, was a keen observer of daily life on the Texas frontier, before the Texas Revolution. In letters back
Why this podcast?
Texas! The very word conjures up images of rugged cowpunchers, Texas Rangers, Oil wells, and women dressed by Neiman Marcus. It’s a big, diverse state, the distance from Texarkana on the states NE corner to Chicago, Illinois is smaller than the distance from Texarkana to El Paso on the state’s Western edge. Which reminds me of a true story. A Dallas city slicker was bragging he’d just bought a 500 acre ranch outside of town. His lady friend from West Texas wasn’t impressed. She raised an eyebrow and drawled, “Honey, in West Texas, if it’s not at least 3000 acres, it’s not a ranch. Whoa! A Texas-sized put down.
We Texans do like to brag and probably find too many ways to do it. The positive side of that is Texas pride. We’re quick to share the state’s unique history from the arrival of Spanish explorer Cabeza de Vaca in the fifteen hundreds to the Texas Revolution when Texicans won their independence from Mexico at the battle of San Jacinto—following a bloody defeat at the Alamo and a massacre at Goliad. Fueled by cries of “Remember the Alamo,” the deciding battle with Mexican General Santa Ana’s army lasted a mere eighteen minutes. Freed from Mexico, Texas became an independent Republic. The only state to ever be its own country. After ten years as a Republic, Texas joined the United States—as the 28th state—with a formal transfer of government in 1846
This is all reason to be proud, I suppose. But the real pride which Texans have is in the brave men and strong women who overcame amazing challenges to settle Texas and the diverse population which lives in the state today and continues to reflect the state’s brave and strong heritage and gives Texans new things to brag about.
So if those of us who are native Texans or adopted Texans talk about our state, just smile and nod and understand that Texas pride is pride in our families who endured hardship to get here, busted the blackland sod with twenty mules, cleared the cross timbers forest to built log cabins, or carved dug-out homes in the West Texas canyons, educated children and themselves by lantern light, planted and picked cotton, (lots of cotton), drove thousands of head of longhorn cattle up the trails to market, suffered terribly through the dust bowl—when you had to bring your animals and your children(!) in if you saw the dust cloud coming or they’d suffocate in the dust cloud, earned medals in the wars, helped create jazz, fled other countries to live free. Texas is a microcosm of the best of the West.
As the words of the state song say, “God bless you Texas and keep you brave and strong, that you might grow in power and worth throughout the ages long.”
Texas! Founded by and still populated with brave men and strong women. Or is it brave women and strong men. Actually it’s all of the above.
That’s why this combination blog and podcast is named “Texas, Brave and Strong.”
If you’re a native Texan, an adopted Texan, or are just interested in all things Texan, subscribe. You’ll learn things about Texas history that will surprise you and amaze your Texas friends. Chances are, they’ll tip their cowboy hats to you!