Come And Take It

In 1924, George Saunders, the president of the Cattle Drivers Association, published a two-volume book compiling first hand stories from experienced trail drivers and their life on the plains. For those familiar with the podcast, the names and places referenced may sound quite familiar. So in a different kind of episode, we’re presenting three tales of Texas Trail Drivers in their own words.

They were the 'Tallest Fraternity in Texas'. For three years in the 1980s, the University of Houston popularized collegiate basketball in the Lone Star State, and revolutionized the sport nationwide. Today we look back at Phi Slama Jama.

Though he's best known for his impressive 3rd party run for president in the 1990s, he was also a successful businessman both before and after. He's a man who refused to accept the status quo and tried his best to put a dent in the universe.

We’ve talked about Texas’ industrial, ecological, and man-made disasters before, but today we’re discussing the worst epidemic outbreak in the history of the Lone Star State, the Yellow Fever Outbreak of 1867.

For fifteen years, a former bowling hall was the greatest music venue in the Lone Star State. From Bob Wills to Johnny Cash to Tina Turner to Willie Nelson, some of the biggest music names in the world walked the famed stage of Fort Worth’s Panther Hall.

Today we examine Red Headed Stranger, Willie Nelson’s critically regarded concept album following the tale of a fugitive on the run, which shot him into superstardom.

This Halloween we step back into the realm of mystery, as we explore the strange and spooky world of Texas Ghost Towns.

What you are about to hear is a true horror story of Texas History. No names have been changed to protect the innocent, because this is a history podcast. If you have a history of heart trouble, you’ll still probably be fine because this is a podcast. And of course, Happy Halloween! So, let’s talk about the 1976 Slasher feature, The Town That Dreaded Sundown, which highlights the true story of the Moonlight Murders of Texarkana!

During the dark days after Pearl Harbor, as the Japanese advanced unchecked through the Pacific, the cruiser USS Houston fought bravely against that unstoppable tide. Though her fate was sealed, she fought to the very end, sinking with her guns still firing, and the sacrifice of her crew inspired the nation. This week we talk about the USS Houston, the Galloping Ghost of the Java Coast.

While its economic roots lie in the petrochemical industry, Texas City is home to one of the precious jewels of the Texas Gulf Coast. It serves as the hub of tourism in the city, drawing boaters, fishermen, and beachgoers to its man-made shores.

On a beautiful spring day in East Texas, tragedy came to the oil town of New London. This week we talk about the worst school disaster in American history.

Texas Musician Sonny Ozuna was a son of San Antonio and an important piece of the emerging Tejano movement. However in the 1950s and 1960s he was at the top of the charts with his national hit 'Talk To Me'. This week we talk about another Tejano legend, Sonny Ozuna and the Sunliners.

Stephen F. Austin battled adversity and hardship to make his father’s dream of an Anglo-American colony in Texas a reality. The Old 300 who made up this colony would be the seeds from which eventual revolution, nationhood and statehood would grow. Unlike many of the heroes of Texas, though, Austin was a proponent of peace and loyal to the Mexican nation, until he was given no choice but to support revolution.

Known as the Father of Texas, Stephen F. Austin was the first to officially bring Anglo colonists to Texas. He was fulfilling the dream of his father, Moses, who hadn't been able to complete the work himself. Together these men braved hardship and adversity to set the stage for the great drama of Texas’ birth.

He was a Texas Ranger, a Confederate general, governor, and the president of Texas A and M. This week we look at the amazing life of Lawrence Sullivan 'Sul' Ross.

By the 1880s, native Americans in the Frio Canyon in the Texas hill country had been almost completely wiped out. The once prosperous Comanche, Kiowa, Tonkawa, and Lipan Apache that had called the area home for thousands of years had been forced onto reservations far from their ancestral lands or massacred, driven off the land desired by Anglo settlers. Most of the area residents were convinced that the Indian Wars were over, and the frontier was safe to inhabit without fear of attack. But one last incident would come to be recognized as the final Indian raid in Frio Canyon.

Today we celebrate another Texan Medal of Honor recipiant whose story of valor sounds like something out of a comic book. (Take that, Mr. Hitler!) But the reality is much more interesting.

There's no denying that Texas is a vast place. From the Piney Woods of East Texas to the deserts of El Paso, from the beaches of the Gulf Coast to the plains of the Panhandle, Texas is a state that is bigger than England and France, combined. But few realize it's so big you can go all over the world and never leave the Lone Star State. Within its pleasantly-shaped border you can find world capitals, ancient cities and even entire nations.

Fifty years ago, an ex-Marine and former student of the University of Texas climbed into the university’s clock tower with an arsenal of weapons and opened fire onto students walking through the campus. It was the first modern mass shooting, and was one of the defining tragedies in the history of Austin and Texas.

They were the heroes of Texas wrasslin’, the legends of Dallas’ world famous Sportatorium, and the idols of millions. For a few years their star shined brighter than any in the Lone Star State before heartbreaking tragedy destroyed their empire. This week we look at part two of the triumph and tragedy of Texas’ greatest wrestling dynasty.