WISE ABOUT TEXAS

San Antonio was founded 300 years ago in 1718.  From day one, the residents, priests and soldiers faced a constant and menacing threat from the Apache Indians.  Raids from the indians and retaliatory campaigns from the soldiers made life in early San Antonio stressful and difficult.  Attempts at peace never seemed to work.  But all of a sudden, in 1749, the Apache wanted not only to make peace, but also to enter mission life and convert to Christianity.  The reason for the Apache’s sudden change of heart is a matter of perspective.  But rather than look a gift horse in the mouth, the Spanish held a grand peace ceremony in San Antonio’s main plaza, the likes of which has never been seen in North America.  Learn about this unique event in the latest episode of Wise About Texas.

Dr. Lytle Adams had bats in his belfry.  He had visited Carlsbad cavern right before  Pearl Harbor was attacked.  He came up with a great idea for weapon(s) of mass destruction hat would burn up the paper and wood cities of Japan.  All he would need was a one ounce incendiary bomb, a breakaway bomb case, and millions of bats.  So the Marines set up guards at several Texas caves containing millions of 3-inch winged warriors on their way to the Pacific.  Testing sacrificed thousands of these brave flyers but the concept worked…until one worked better.  Hear the wild story of the World War II Bat Bomb in the latest episode of Wise About Texas.

What is it about Texas women?  Independent, smart, strong, spirited, they can do it all!  Ask any Texas man and he’ll tell you, the ladies run the show!  But this is nothing new.  Back before the Texas revolution, the women of Texas formed the spirit of Texas.  Some were because their husbands moved the family to this new land of opportunity.  These women did their best to build a household in the harsh Texas frontier, and they did it well.  But some came on their own, and brought their spirit with them.  That was Pamelia Mann.  She was a Houston entrepreneur, hotelier, rancher, businesswoman, forger, possibly a thief, and willing to be a killer.  She was even sentenced to death…but slipped the noose.  During the Texas revolution she handed Sam Houston himself the only defeat he would suffer in command of the Texas Army.  Celebrate the spirit of Texas women in this latest episode of Wise About Texas.

Fredericksburg Texas has a very interesting history.  Created during the massive German immigration to Texas in the middle 1800’s, Fredericksburg was not intended to be the city it soon became.  A treaty with the Comanche Indians and the California gold rush made Fredericksburg a prosperous place to set up a store.  John Hunter did just that.  Hunter supplied his patrons with everything they need, including whiskey.  He was also the county clerk.  But Hunter’s temper got the better of him, his store, and the entire early history of Fredericksburg.  Learn more in the latest episode of Wise About Texas.

In June of 1865, Texas was in chaos.  Robert E. Lee had just surrendered the Army of Northern of Virginia, effectively ending the Civil War.  But without a government or functioning economy, it was every man for himself.  Many former Confederates were heading for Mexico, while others tried to bring order to chaos.  A few dozen men decided they’d get their money the old fashioned way–they’d steal it.  But they weren’t satisfied with small potatoes, they were going big.  The were going to rob the Texas treasury..,  Learn more about the coldest case in Texas in the latest episode of Wise About Texas.

The Trinity River flows from roughly Fort Worth to Trinity Bay in Chambers County.  For several years boats navigated the river but never all the way.  Several attempts were made to promote the Trinity River as a commercial asset but none were more enthusiastic than the 2-year, 9000 mile, yes 9000 mile, journey of Basil Muse Hatfield.  The grandson of a San Jacinto veteran and steamboat man, Hatfield boasted a family that not only had many “Basil Muse’s” but also one of the most famous “Devil’s” in American history.  He fought wars in South Africa, South America and China, hunted ivory and mined diamonds in Africa, mined silver in Mexico and even studied with Tibetan Lamas.  Or so he claimed.  He did find oil in Texas.  One of the great characters of Texas, meet Basil Muse Hatfield, the First Admiral of the Trinity, in the latest episode of Wise About Texas.

The Flash was a schooner built in Connecticut for a new enterprise in Texas.  She came to Texas in possession of James Morgan to support his new endeavor, a town and community called New Washington.  But as war clouds gathered, Morgan mounted an 18 pounder on her foredeck and commissioned her Captain into the Texas Navy.  From commerce to combat, rescuing refugees to carrying cannon, the Flash did it all during the Texas revolution.  Her noble service ended quickly after her Captain was replaced with someone who apparently couldn’t find the largest harbor in Texas.  The Flash carried some of the most important cargo in Texas history, presidents, cannon, even important groceries.  Hear the story of the schooner Flash in this latest episode of Wise About Texas.

Texas Ranger.  Two words that strike fear in the heart of the lawbreaker and hope in the heart of the law abiding. Since before there was a Texas, there were Rangers.  How this elite force officially began is the subject of some controversy.  There is no doubt that Stephen F. Austin realized the need to take the fight to the hostile Indians he encountered in his new colony.  In this episode, you hear Austin’s own words describe his ideas to defend his new colony and his personal funding of a group of rangers.  I also discuss the various rangers that are often considered the first and why such men were even necessary.  I also cover the first battle between Texas Rangers and comanches, beginning a war that would last decades.  Hear about the origins of the most famous law enforcement organization in history–the legendary Texas Rangers.

In early 1853, Jane Wilson and her new husband James set out with 62 others to strike it rich in California.  They never made it.  After two months of traveling they reached El Paso where successful thieves ruined their dreams of fortune.  They decided to return to East Texas but what seemed like the end of a dream was just the beginning of a new nightmare.  Hear tales of murder, torture at the hands of Indian captors, rescues by comancheros and friendly Indian tribes, starvation, thirst, and ultimately survival.  Join Jane Wilson on her incredible journey and learn what tough really means in the latest episode of Wise About Texas.