Topic · Page 10
History & Culture
Local Notes
History & Culture notes
Nacogdoches County · Historic Site
The Old Stone Fort Marks the Heart of Nacogdoches History
A replica of the 1779 Old Stone Fort stands on the SFA State University campus, marking where Nacogdoches was rebuilt as a civil settlement.
Navarro County · Oil History
Corsicana was the site of Texas's first major commercial oil discovery
On June 9, 1894, workers drilling for city water in Corsicana accidentally struck oil, launching Texas's first commercially significant oilfield.
Navarro County · Downtown
Corsicana's brick streets are part of the downtown story
Downtown Corsicana has an official Main Street program, old brick streets, and a restored railroad freight office that keeps the center of town readable on foot.
Navarro County · County History
Navarro County is named for a signer of Texas independence
Texas established Navarro County in 1846 and named it for José Antonio Navarro, a Tejano patriot who signed the Texas Declaration of Independence.
Navarro County · Oil Memory
Petroleum Park gives Corsicana's oil memory a street address
A half-acre park on South 12th Street turns Corsicana's oil story into something you can stand beside: a derrick, a wooden jail, and a small downtown marker.
Navarro County · Historic Courthouse
The 1905 courthouse is a restored landmark in Corsicana
The Navarro County Courthouse in Corsicana was built in 1905, restored in 2016, and is notable for rare interior plasterwork that mimics marble.
Navarro County · College Culture
The Cook Center makes Navarro College part of Corsicana's culture map
Navarro College's Cook Education Center gathers the Pearce Civil War and Western Art Museums, the Hunters and Gatherers exhibit, a planetarium, and event space in Corsicana.
Newton County · Local History
How Newton County was shaped by timber and oil
Newton County was built on longleaf pine timber and later touched by oil, leaving a landscape and economy shaped by both industries.
Nolan County · Local History
Sweetwater grew from a railroad stop into the county seat of Nolan County
Nolan County was organized in 1881 around the Texas and Pacific Railway, and Sweetwater became the county seat after the railroad arrived.
Nueces County · Bayfront Culture
Cole Park Is Corpus Christi's Bayfront Blanket-and-Chair Stage
Cole Park Amphitheater on Ocean Drive hosts Corpus Christi's Bay Jammin' Concert and Cinema Series on the bayfront.
Nueces County · County Seat
Corpus Christi is the county seat and largest city in Nueces County
Corpus Christi has served as the Nueces County seat since the county was organized in 1846 and is home to the Port of Corpus Christi, one of the largest ports in Texas.
Nueces County · Historic Homes
Heritage Park Lets Old Corpus Christi Houses Stand Together
Heritage Park gathers eleven historic Corpus Christi homes on North Chaparral Street, including several Texas Historical Landmarks.
Nueces County · Public Art
Mirador de la Flor Keeps Selena on the Bayfront
Mirador de la Flor is the bayfront public artwork at 600 North Shoreline Boulevard honoring Selena Quintanilla-Perez.
Nueces County · Geography
Nueces County covers 847 square miles on the Gulf Coast near Corpus Christi Bay
Nueces County sits on the Gulf Coast, bounded by the Nueces River to the north and Corpus Christi Bay to the east, with flat terrain ranging from sea level to about 180 feet.
Nueces County · Cultural Heritage
Nueces County has deep Tejano and Hispanic roots going back centuries
About 62 percent of Nueces County residents identify as Hispanic, reflecting a history of Spanish settlement, ranching culture, and Tejano community that predates Texas statehood.
Nueces County · County History
Nueces County was formed in 1846 and named for the river on its northern edge
Nueces County was formed from San Patricio County in 1846, one year after Texas became a state, and takes its name from the Nueces River.
Nueces County · Energy History
Oil and natural gas have shaped Nueces County since the 1920s
Natural gas was discovered in Nueces County in 1922, launching decades of oil and gas production that transformed the local economy.
Nueces County · Agriculture
Sorghum and cotton are key crops in Nueces County's farming history
Nueces County shifted from being one of Texas's top cotton producers in the early 20th century to relying more on sorghum and beef cattle as agricultural mainstays.
Nueces County · Local Institution
TAMU-CC's Island University Name Is Literal
Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi sits on Ward Island, with Oso Bay to the south and Corpus Christi Bay to the north.
Nueces County · Bayfront
The Corpus Christi Marina Pulls Downtown to the Water
Corpus Christi Marina has more than 560 wet slips and sits within a short walk of downtown restaurants and nightlife.
Ochiltree County · Local History
The Railroad Created Perryton and Made the County Seat Move
Ochiltree County's original county seat was abandoned when the railroad arrived in 1919, and the new town of Perryton was built on the rail line instead.
Oldham County · Local History
Old Tascosa: From Wild Cowtown to Boys Ranch
The ghost town of Tascosa was Oldham County's rowdy first county seat, and it survives today as the campus of Cal Farley's Boys Ranch.
Oldham County · Ranching Heritage
The XIT Ranch and Oldham County's Cattle Roots
Oldham County was shaped by massive cattle ranches in the late 1800s, and ranching still defines the land and culture today.
Oldham County · Local Identity
Vega: County Seat on the Mother Road
Vega became the county seat in 1915 and grew along Route 66, which is now Interstate 40. It remains the commercial and government hub for Oldham County.
Orange County · Historic bridge
Cow Bayou's Swing Bridge Still Explains Bridge City
The 1940 Cow Bayou Swing Bridge is a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark and part of the bridge story behind Bridge City's name.
Orange County · Architecture
Lutcher Memorial Church Turns Orange Lumber Wealth Into Stone and Glass
The Lutcher Memorial Church building at 902 W. Green Avenue is a 1912 landmark filled with marble, Llano granite, art glass, mahogany, mosaic work, and a copper cupola.
Orange County · County History
Orange County Was Formed in 1852 Along the Sabine River
Orange County was carved from Jefferson County in 1852 and takes its name from a grove of orange trees that once grew near the county seat.
Orange County · Arts and Culture
Orange Is Home to the Stark Museum of Art and Shangri La Gardens
The Stark Museum of Art and Shangri La Botanical Gardens are two cultural institutions in Orange funded by the Nelda C. and H. J. Lutcher Stark Foundation.
Orange County · Regional Identity
Orange Is Part of the Industrial Golden Triangle
Orange, Beaumont, and Port Arthur form a regional cluster known as the Golden Triangle, one of the most concentrated industrial areas in the United States.
Orange County · Local Economy
Petrochemical Plants Are a Major Part of Life in Orange County
Orange County has been a center for oil refining and chemical plants since the early 1900s. Industry still shapes jobs and daily life here.
Orange County · Wartime housing
Riverside Addition Shows How Shipbuilding Remade Orange
Riverside Addition was the federal housing project built in 1942 as shipyard work pushed Orange from a small city into a wartime boomtown.
Palo Pinto County · County History
Palo Pinto County Was Built on Cattle, Brazos River Land, and Mineral Wells
Palo Pinto County has roots in cattle ranching, Brazos River settlement, and a health-resort town that drew visitors from across Texas.
Panola County · Local History
How Panola County Got Its Name and Economy
Panola County was created in 1846, named from a Cherokee word for cotton, and its economy shifted over the decades from cotton and timber to natural gas.
Parker County · Indigenous History
Kiowa and Comanche raids shaped early Parker County
Kiowa and Comanche bands controlled the Parker County area before and during early European settlement, with raids continuing into the early 1870s.
Parker County · County History
Parker County was formed in 1855 and named for a settler leader
Parker County was carved out of Bosque and Navarro counties after settlers petitioned the state legislature in 1855.
Parker County · Historic Courthouse
The Parker County Courthouse is a landmark in Weatherford
The Parker County Courthouse was completed in 1886 using local limestone and still stands at the center of Weatherford.
Parker County · Railroad History
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.
Parker County · Agriculture History
Watermelons and peaches put Parker County on the map
Parker County became known for fruit farming, and twelve county-grown watermelons won a world prize at the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair.
Parker County · Local Tradition
Weatherford's First Monday trade days draw buyers from across the region
Weatherford holds a monthly First Monday trade day event that evolved from the courthouse court days of the 1800s.
Parmer County · Local History
Farwell Was Born From the XIT Ranch Land Sales
The town of Farwell grew from XIT Ranch land sold by the Capitol Syndicate, the group that traded 3 million acres of Texas land to fund the state capitol building.
Pecos County · Local History
Comanche Springs and the Story of Fort Stockton
Fort Stockton grew around one of Texas's most powerful springs, which dried up in 1961 after decades of heavy groundwater pumping.
Polk County · County History
Polk County Was Built on Timber, Cotton, and Oil
Polk County was established in 1846 and built its economy on cotton farming, then timber, and later oil production.
Polk County · Local Economy
Polk County's working forest is also a tax category
Logging helped shape Polk County; a working forest may get timber appraisal only when the land meets state use tests.
Polk County · Indigenous History
The Alabama-Coushatta story in Polk County reaches beyond the reservation map
Two peoples who came to the land now called Texas before statehood share an 11,000-acre home east of Livingston.
Potter County · City History
Amarillo Grew as a Cattle and Railroad Hub
Amarillo was founded in 1887 when the Fort Worth and Denver City Railway arrived and quickly became a major cattle-shipping point for the Texas Panhandle.
Potter County · Economy
Amarillo Is a Regional Hub With a Diverse Economy
Amarillo is the economic and commercial center of the Texas Panhandle, with major industries in gas, petroleum, agriculture, cattle, and food processing.
Potter County · Industrial History
Amarillo Was Once the Helium Capital of the World
A major natural gas field was discovered northwest of Amarillo in 1918, and the high helium content of the Cliffside field led to a federal helium plant opening in 1928.
Potter County · Archaeology
People Have Quarried Flint Near Amarillo for Thousands of Years
Alibates Flint Quarries National Monument preserves more than 700 quarry sites along the Canadian River where people have mined colorful flint for tools since the Ice Age.
Potter County · County History
Potter County Was Carved Out of the Panhandle Frontier in 1876
Potter County was established by the Texas legislature in 1876 and organized in 1887 when Amarillo was chosen as the county seat.
Potter County · Courthouse
The Potter County Courthouse Reflects 1930s Art Deco Style
The Potter County Courthouse in Amarillo was built in the 1930s in the Art Deco style that was popular across Texas during that era.
Presidio County · County History
How Presidio County and Marfa Came to Be
Presidio County was one of Texas's largest counties when it was organized in 1875, and Marfa became the county seat in 1885 after the railroad arrived.
Rains County · County Origins
Rains County Was Named for a Man Who Refused to Join the Confederacy
The county and its seat are both named for Emory Rains, an early Texas lawmaker who wrote the state's first homestead protection law.
Randall County · County Seat
Canyon Is the County Seat of Randall County
Canyon, founded in 1889, is the county seat of Randall County and home to West Texas A&M University and the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum.
Randall County · Indigenous & Exploration History
Coronado May Have Camped in Palo Duro Canyon in 1541
The area that is now Randall County has been inhabited for roughly 10,000 years, and the Spanish expedition led by Coronado likely passed through in 1541.
Randall County · County History
How Randall County Was Founded — and How It Got Its Name
Randall County was created in 1876 and named after a Confederate general, with a misspelling of his name that stuck.
Randall County · Natural Landmark
Palo Duro Canyon: A 800-Foot-Deep Gash in the High Plains
Palo Duro Canyon, carved by the Prairie Dog Town Fork of the Red River, runs through Randall County and reaches depths of up to 800 feet.
Randall County · Cultural Event
TEXAS Outdoor Musical Runs Summers in Palo Duro Canyon
A professional outdoor musical drama about Panhandle history runs Tuesday through Sunday each summer at the Pioneer Amphitheater inside Palo Duro Canyon State Park.
Randall County · History Museum
The Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum in Canyon
The Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum on the campus of West Texas A&M University in Canyon is a state museum focused on the natural and cultural history of the Texas Panhandle.
Randall County · Higher Education
West Texas A&M University Anchors Canyon's Economy
West Texas A&M University (WTAMU) in Canyon has been a central part of Randall County's economy and community life since it opened in 1910.
Randall County · Agriculture
Wheat and Cattle Drive Randall County's Farm Economy
Randall County shifted from open-range ranching to mixed farming after 1900, with wheat becoming the top crop and cattle remaining a key part of the economy.