The porch side
The Texas Almanac
A city that raised itself out of the sea. The disputed ballot box that helped make a president. The smallest county in the state. This is the porch half of Texas Porch. Here are 751 short, true stories about the places, people, and quirks of the state. Each one is sourced. Pull up a chair and pick a thread.
Tonight's shelf
Nine from the collection, a different mix each time we restock it.
Denton County
Denton's 1896 stone courthouse still stands on the downtown square
The Denton County Courthouse on the downtown square was built in 1896 from stone quarried a few miles north of Denton.
Van Zandt County
Canton fought to keep its status as county seat
When the railroad bypassed Canton in 1872, a rival town tried to take the county seat — and Canton's residents armed themselves to fight back.
Rockwall County
Rockwall County Split From Kaufman County in 1873
Rockwall County began as the northern part of Kaufman County, then became its own county in 1873 after residents found the Kaufman county seat too far away.
Wise County
Decatur Has Been the County Seat Since the 1850s
Decatur sits at the center of Wise County and has served as the county seat since the county was organized in the 1850s.
Gillespie County
Gillespie County Was Built by German Immigrants in the 1840s
German settlers founded Fredericksburg in 1846 and shaped the county's culture, architecture, and farming traditions in ways still visible today.
Kerr County
Kerr County was carved from the Hill Country in 1856
Kerr County was established January 26, 1856, named for James Kerr, a colonist and figure in the Texas Revolution.
Bosque County
Bosque County was home to a significant Norwegian immigrant community starting in 1854
Starting in 1854, Norwegian immigrants settled in a triangle around present-day Clifton, Norse, and Cranfills Gap, creating a lasting cultural presence still visible in the area today.
Parker County
Three railroads transformed Parker County in the late 1800s
The Texas and Pacific Railway arrived in 1880, followed by two more lines, turning Weatherford into a regional trade hub.
Tarrant County
Tarrant County's Courthouse Is a Pink Granite Landmark Built in 1895
The Tarrant County Courthouse, completed in 1895, is built of pink granite and stands in downtown Fort Worth as a symbol of the county's growth in the late 1800s.
Wander by region
Texas a corner at a time. Each region gathers its cities, counties, and local notes.
Dallas–Fort Worth & North Texas
29 counties · 611 notes · 10 places
Central Texas & the Hill Country
34 counties · 526 notes · 7 places
Houston & the Upper Gulf Coast
18 counties · 450 notes · 6 places
San Antonio & South Central
10 counties · 214 notes · 2 places
East Texas & the Piney Woods
35 counties · 408 notes · 2 places
West Texas & the Permian Basin
42 counties · 342 notes · 4 places
The Panhandle & High Plains
45 counties · 327 notes · 2 places
The Rio Grande Valley & Border
17 counties · 251 notes · 3 places
The Coastal Bend
15 counties · 174 notes · 1 places
Big Bend & Far West Texas
9 counties · 92 notes · 1 places