Come and Take It

Early on the morning of April 16, 1947, the booming port of Texas City, Texas, became the site of the deadliest industrial accident in American history.

Texas is a big state with a rich history, so naturally it attracts some big and rich myths and legends, especially political ones. This week we look at the facts and history behind some of the myths and legends in the Lone Star State.

For many years there has been debate in the state about which Major League baseball team is the “true” baseball team of Texas. At either end of the I-45 corridor sit two great franchises with amazing histories, the Houston Astros and the Texas Rangers. This week we take a look at highs and lows of the heroes of the diamond in Arlington, TX, the Texas Rangers.

The Presidio Nuestra Señora de Loreto de la Bahía,more commonly known as Goliad, has a long history as some of the most fought over ground in Texas. For over a century, the Presidio, or fortress, at Goliad had been one of the most important military installations in Texas, and was the center of several bloody battles. The most famous of these was on March 27, 1836, Palm Sunday, when the Texan garrison of Goliad, under Col. James Fannin, was marched out of the presidio and executed by their Mexican captors. This massacre would spur Texas forces on in their fight for independence. This week we Remember Goliad!

The men who filled the ranks of the early Texas Rangers were of a unique breed, and many went on to serve the Republic and State of Texas in greater roles.

While today the Texas Rangers are a branch of the Department of Public Safety, their roots stretch back to the loosely-organized militia that ranged the frontier in Texas during the late 1800s. A unique breed of self-sufficient soldiers, the Rangers went toe-to-toe with Indians, Mexican troops, and outlaws to become legendary.

Fifteen years in the making, The Alamo was a dream project for legendary Western star John Wayne. Through trials and tribulations, Wayne assembled a cast and crew in South Texas and created a sprawling epic that for many years was the defining vision of most famous battle in Texas history. Today we discuss the fabulous story of this classic film and its own impact on the story of Texas.

In 1950, Harmon Dobson founded a hamburger stand that would become a Texas institution. Join us as we discuss the history of Whataburger, on Come and Take It!

A few miles past the middle of nowhere, deep in the desert of west Texas is Loving County, the least populous county in the United States. Yet this tiny place has a rich and fascinating history, and a unique character that is as big as Texas! Travel with us to Mentone, Tx, as we explore the story of Loving County, America's emptiest county, the ultimate in Small Town Texas!

African-American frontiersman Britton Johnson became a legend on the Texas Frontier for bravery and perseverance in setting out alone into Comancheria to search for his captured wife and children. Through two years of trial and heartache, he not only succeeded in liberating his family but several other captives as well. This week we learn about the life and death of a true Texas Original, Britton Johnson!