Category: The History of Texas

Marble Falls and the Area Around it., The History of Texas, Thoughts and Musings4 Comments

The Southwest Graphite MinesBurnet County, Texas

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Southwest Graphite Mines operated out near Lake Buchanan, on the north side. The aerial views show it’s proximity to the dam. It ceased operations a few years ago. I have read that all graphite production now comes from other countries with no active mines left in the United States. I remember in times past seeing workers from the Graphite Mine around Burnet, covered in black. You could “only see the whites of their eyes”. There was a packaging or warehouse facility in town, Burnet, along the highway near where the Dollar General and Whataburger is now. I think there was … Continue reading The Southwest Graphite MinesBurnet County, Texas

In and Around Austin, The Early Days, The History of Texas, Thoughts and MusingsLeave a comment

Austin In The Early 1950s

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This is 55 minute film clip showing how Austin was in the 1950s and highlighting many of the businesses and places of interest. While 55 minutes may be a long time to sit and watch the whole thing, I’ve found several of the portions that were of most interest to me personally. I will list them below with the approximate time each starts on the film. Twin Oaks Shopping Center – 7:00 min Bergstrom Air Force Base – 18:40 min Bar-K Guest Ranch @ Lago Vista 20:00 min Barton Springs Pool – 24:00 min The Building of the Industrial Area … Continue reading Austin In The Early 1950s

Amazing Things, In and Around Austin, The History of Texas, Thoughts and MusingsLeave a comment

Rocker Steiner & A Little Something About The Steiner Family

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This kid (make that Young Man) , Rocker caught a lot of flack earlier in the week at the National Finals when he said some stuff that was a bit too colorful for some snowflakes in the media. I have to admit that I hadn’t followed the new burgeoning career of Rocker Steiner. I did a little looking and found his 95 point ride on the famous horse Virgil back earlier in 2022. Then there is this YouTube Video of the living 3 generations of Rodeo Seiner’s. Watching this gave me a whole different opinion of Rocker. I love this … Continue reading Rocker Steiner & A Little Something About The Steiner Family

My Friends, The History of Texas4 Comments

The Lone Ranger

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My friend of many years, John R Hughes, who passed away 4 years ago next week, told me many times that he was named after his great uncle the famous Texas Ranger John Reynolds Hughes. John R. as he was always refereed to, not John very often, but John R would tell a story. I’m sure if he ever told me that his famous great uncle was actually the Lone Ranger (without a mask I’m almost sure) I probably would have laid it off to just being a wild tale or something. But doing a little reading up on the … Continue reading The Lone Ranger

Amazing Things, Crazy Times, The History of Texas, Thoughts and Musings2 Comments

Bump Gates

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Probably Nothing Banged Up More Pickups Than The Bump Gate. Being a Hill Country Boy, I never got much practice using a Bump Gate. They are mostly something from West and South Texas. I’ve heard of lots of calamities with city slickers and Yankees trying to use them. Either running into them at full speed to not going through them fast enough. Not to even talk about pulling to long a trailer through one. I think it’s probably something you need to watch a pro operate them a few times before you decide to do it yourself. I guess they … Continue reading Bump Gates

The History of Texas, Thoughts and MusingsLeave a comment

Pickup Bumper Advertising (long as the buyer would go along with it)

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Dealerships around the state ordered pickup trucks without rear bumpers. D & D Bumper Works in Seguin, Texas made very sturdy steel bumpers with the dealership name and location stamped in and highlighted with paint. That became a rolling advertisement for the dealership. There were perhaps other companies that offered this service, but D & D was the ones that seemed to be most widely used. Continue reading Pickup Bumper Advertising (long as the buyer would go along with it)

Amazing Things, The History of TexasLeave a comment

Don’t Mess With Texas

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Believe it or not, Texas had an even worse roadway litter problem a few decades ago than we do now. This is what typical roadways looked like back in the 1960s & 1970s. This was along RM 2222 as it winds down the hill to Bull Creek. This from Texas Highways Magaine The history of one of the most successful ad campaigns ever https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don’t_Mess_with_Texas A Smithsonian Magazine Article about the very famous anti-litter campaign. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/trashy-beginnings-dont-mess-texas-180962490/ It guess it’s not just a Texas problem. When traveling through New Mexico we saw billboards concerning their Highway Litter Problem. Evidently they used the … Continue reading Don’t Mess With Texas

Marble Falls and the Area Around it., The History of TexasLeave a comment

T & S Manufacturing – Jermyn, Texas

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Originally posted on May 30, 2017 Anyone that has spent very much time driving around the rural ranching areas of Texas, have probably seen plenty of these Trip Hoppers as well other cattle feeding equipment manufactured by T & S. Of course Jermyn, Texas is a long way from Marble Falls, where I was raised, but just about anyone from here have a special kinship to T & S. The Taylor Family, Charley & Liz along with sons Jimmy Dan & Pat, were residents of Marble Falls up until the early 1970s. Charley was instrumental in forming the Marble Falls … Continue reading T & S Manufacturing – Jermyn, Texas

Amazing Things, Marble Falls and the Area Around it., The History of Texas, Thoughts and MusingsLeave a comment

Marble Falls Rodeo Association – Marble Falls, Texas

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Since 1957 the Marble Falls Rodeo has been going strong. Nothing said summer time back in the early days like “The Rodeo”. Seeing Lloyd Woodley’s trucks loaded with stock rolling into town and a grand parade bringing traffic to a halt on Friday afternoon. There was excitement was in the air ! You knew it was time to rodeo when the turntable playing Hank Williams records over load speakers at the rodeo grounds could be heard all over town and then that ever familiar voice of Charley Taylor would come across to announce that things were ready to get underway. … Continue reading Marble Falls Rodeo Association – Marble Falls, Texas