Wise About Texas

Why would an Army fort on the Texas frontier be built without a wall? In episode 156 of Wise About Texas, recorded live at the Young County Museum of History and Culture in Graham, Texas, host Ken Wise talks with Jim Hammond, director of Fort Belknap near Newcastle, about the 1851 post that became a crossroads of North Texas on the Butterfield trail and the Goodnight-Loving Trail. Hammond describes a soldier’s life that was far more monotonous than the movies suggest—until it wasn’t. He then takes listeners through the Elm Creek Raid of October 1864, when Comanche and Kiowa warriors crossed the Red River into a Young County emptied of most of its men by the Civil War, and the story of Britt Johnson, the man he calls his “hero of the frontier.” Listen to the full episode to hear how one small fort shaped the Texas frontier.

Episode 155: Young County Museum of History and Culture, Graham, Texas

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Episode 152 — Introducing Wise About Golf

We think and talk a lot about the Republic of Texas (I hope). But what are we talking about? Most of the early settlement in Mexican Texas was east of the Colorado River and extended up the river as far as La Grange. The battles of the Texas Revolution took place in San Antonio and ended at San Jacinto. So we have a Republic, but how big is it? What are its borders? Well, it depended on who you asked. Here’s a fun fact: If you go to Colorado this summer, as so many Texans do, you’re probably never leaving the old Republic of Texas. But a claim isn’t enough–you better control it. Find out if your summer vacation ever really involves leaving Texas in the latest episode of Wise About Texas.

250 years ago, the “American Experiment” began, with the result being the freest and most successful nation in the history of the world. The American Revolution, like the Texas Revolution, was the unlikeliest of victories. But a victory it was, and Texas played a significant role. This episode celebrates America’s birthday by looking at the role Texas played in one of the most transformative events in world history.

There is nothing prettier than a river flowing gently through the canyons of the Texas hill country. But traveling along the river can be treacherous. The canyon walls are steep and rocky. The path is narrow and the drop steep. Is the beauty worth the pain? The German settlers sure thought so. In this episode, we discuss just one of many “river roads” in Texas and the rich history that unfolds along the trail. Load up for a Texas road trip in this episode of Wise About Texas.

The podcast has a good problem. There are so many listeners and downloads I had to move the podcast to a new RSS feed. There should not be any interruption, but if you notice that you may not be getting all the new episodes, please go re-subscribe through your desired podcast platform. Thanks for listening to Wise About Texas!

Governor Richard Coke was sworn in at the point of several guns. His supporters protected his impromptu ceremony on the second floor of the Capitol from his defeated opponent’s supporters on the first floor. But once in office, he changed Texas for the better. Balanced budgets and Texas A&M, among other things. Learn more about this influential Texan in this interview with his descendant, Rosser Coke Newton, author of the new book “Richard Coke: Texan.”