Save Texas History

This week in Texas history, railroad tycoon Ned Green completed the first journey by car in Texas on October 6, 1899.

Green purchased an automobile and made the 30-mile trip from Terrell to Dallas, getting in an accident along the way, but still successfully completed his trip.

Watch the full video here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=olRCRj6-oEg

On this day in 1892, future UT coach, Clyde Littlefield was born in Pennsylvania.

His family moved to Texas in 1904 where he went on to become an athlete and coach at the University of Texas. He coached for 41 years leading UT to championships in track and football.

Learn more:
https://www.tshaonline.org/texas-day-by-day/entry/119

Mexican cartographer Antonio García Cubas created the Reyno de la Nueva España, which was published in 1885 in the Atlas Pintoresco é Historico de los Estados Unidos Mexicanos.

The map, showing the geography of New Spain on the eve of Mexico’s independence, is richly illustrated with 93 portraits and other features, promoting a shared national identity.

Learn more: https://bit.ly/4dorv1X

On September 15, 1896, nearly 40,000 spectators gathered to watch “The Crash at Crush” in McLennan County, Texas. George W. Crush worked with John Ringling to stage the locomotive crash that resulted in the death of at least two audience members.

Railroads were booming in Texas, and the incident received little criticism. Following the event, the Texas Historical Commission memorialized the crash with a historical marker.

Read more:
https://medium.com/save-texas-history/the-crash-at-crush-and-the-legacy-of-texas-railroads-f5e828a48e9a

José de Escandón was a Spanish explorer known for his successful colonization of the Seno Mexicano region during the 1740s.

After deeming the area suitable, Escandón helped create communities on the Rio Grande, making him known as the “Father of South Texas.”

Learn more:
https://medium.com/save-texas-history/jos%C3%A9-de-escand%C3%B3n-the-father-of-south-texas-44df985b0d8e

This week in Texas history, the first shots of the Texas Revolution were fired at the Battle of Gonzales.

After Santa Anna sent Mexican troops to retrieve a cannon from the Texian militia, commanders from both sides met for a parley.

When the Mexican forces refused to withdraw, the Texians raised the now famous "Come and Take It" flag and fired the cannon, marking the beginning of the Texas Revolution."

Watch here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5LH2swJI7-g&t=58s

With the Astros playoff push starting today, did you know that baseball Hall of Famer Rogers Hornsby (1926 World Series Champion, and the highest career batting average in National League history) had deep Texas roots?

His great-grandfather, Reuben Hornsby, was a settler in one of Stephen F. Austin's colonies. His 4,428.4-acre land grant along the Colorado River made him one of the first colonists in what is now Travis County.

You can see his original title here:https://cdn.glo.texas.gov/ncu/SCANDOCS/archives_webfiles/arcmaps/webfiles/landgrants/PDFs/1/0/2/8/1028918.pdf

The famous Mexican cartographer Antonio García Cubas created this map of Tamaulipas, which still includes the region between the Nueces River and the Rio Grande as part of the Mexican Republic following the U.S.-Mexico War.

His map is an example of the “in-between” nature of mid-nineteenth century borderlands and suggests a nuanced view of South Texas’ history.

Learn more:
https://medium.com/save-texas-history/locating-the-in-between-south-texas-and-antonio-garc%C3%ADa-cubas-map-of-tamaulipas-1858-5f170e7d3006

On this day in 1922, the first radio station in San Antonio began broadcasting.

WOAI - San Antonio was founded by G.A.C. Halff, and it joined the National Broadcasting Company in 1928. The station held a weekly Sunday broadcast of San Antonio Symphony Orchestra conductor Max Reiter’s “Musical Interpretations.”

Learn more:
https://www.tshaonline.org/texas-day-by-day/entry/313

Maria Calvillo was a landowner whose story highlights the property rights of women on the frontier of Mexican Texas.

After enduring much hardship, Calvillo was granted possession of land in 1834 that is currently part of the Rancho de las Cabras State Historical Site.

Learn more:
https://medium.com/save-texas-history/women-as-land-owners-on-the-mexican-frontier-mar%C3%ADa-calvillo-s-story-11747a91ee6e #.ch9dlvx0w