Shows / WISE ABOUT TEXAS
Episodes
- WISE ABOUT TEXAS
Ep 48: Texans You Should Know-Crazy Ben Dolliver the Pirate
Crazy Ben Dolliver was said to be touched. Sporting a 6 inch scar from an old sword fight, Crazy Ben circulated around Galveston in the 19th century barefoot…
- WISE ABOUT TEXAS
BONUS EPISODE: A Second Helping of Chili
I received some great feedback on the San Antonio Chili Queens episode so I thought I’d share a couple of stories that didn’t make it into the main…
- WISE ABOUT TEXAS
Ep 47: The San Antonio Chili Queens
In late 1800’s San Antonio, the plazas were busy marketplaces during the day. But at night, the Chili Queens took over. These ladies brought the exotic…
- WISE ABOUT TEXAS
Ep. 46: The Great Comanche War Trail
Every fall, the most feared cavalry the world has ever known, the Comanche Indians, would leave their home on the great plains and raid deep into Mexico taking…
- WISE ABOUT TEXAS
Ep 45: Artist William Ranney and How Texas Shaped the American Identity.
William Ranney was one of the first American artists to capture the legendary characters, events and spirit of the American west. One critic pointed out that…
- WISE ABOUT TEXAS
EP 44: Josiah’s Vision
Josiah Wilbarger was one of the earliest Anglo settlers of Texas. He also settled way outside the safe boundaries of the frontier. He chose a league of land in…
- WISE ABOUT TEXAS
BONUS EPISODE: Hurricane Harvey
Hurricane Harvey made landfall near Rockport, as a category 4 storm. It was only the second Cat 4 to hit that area of Texas in recorded history. The track of…
- WISE ABOUT TEXAS
Ep 43: Asa Borger and his Boomtown
Asa Borger was a town builder with an eye for opportunity and a nose for the Texas oil fields. He came to the panhandle in 1926 and made millions establishing…
- WISE ABOUT TEXAS
EP 42: Beer, Heroes, and Life on the Bluff
The Mexican invasion of San Antonio gave rise to two expeditions against the Mexican army that had disastrous results. Nicholas Dawson led a group of men from…
- WISE ABOUT TEXAS
Ep. 41: The Horse Marines
After the battle of San Jacinto, it wasn’t certain just how victorious the Texians were. Several Mexican generals commanded several thousand Mexican…
- WISE ABOUT TEXAS
EP. 40 Raising Galveston and Walling Off the Sea
One of the greatest example of resilience in Texas, indeed United States, history was the building of the Galveston seawall and the raising of the city. After…
- WISE ABOUT TEXAS
Ep. 39: Texas wins the American Revolution
In 1777 Bernardo de Galvez became governor of Louisiana. As a Spaniard, he was cheering for a colonial victory in the revolution. He made sure supplies made it…
- WISE ABOUT TEXAS
Ep 38: The Spoils of San Jacinto
181 years ago this week, the Texian Army surprised the Mexican army and won the Battle of San Jacinto. The battle lasted a mere 18 minutes, but its effects…
- WISE ABOUT TEXAS
Ep. 37: The Steamboat Yellowstone, Engine of Manifest Destiny
Built in 1831 for John Jacob Astor’s American Fur Company, the steamboat Yellowstone was the first steamboat to travel past the Council Bluffs. She…
- WISE ABOUT TEXAS
Ep. 36 More Forgotten Battles: San Patricio & Refugio
We all remember the Alamo, Goliad and San Jacinto but there were many more battles in the Texas revolution than are commonly discussed. A big issue at the time…
- WISE ABOUT TEXAS
Ep 35 Remember Tampico! A forgotten battle of the Texas revolution
When discussing the Texas revolution, the battle of the Alamo, the Goliad massacre and the great victory at San Jacinto get most of the airtime. But there were…
- WISE ABOUT TEXAS
Ep. 34: Revolutionary Texas Government(s)-Organizing Chaos
In the late 1820’s, the Mexican government assessed the conditions in Texas and decided to clamp down on anglo immigration and try to prevent too much…
- WISE ABOUT TEXAS
EP. 33- Beer, Love and Murder: A Tale of 3 Emmas
In 1914, San Antonio beer magnate Otto Koehler was killed by his mistress, Emma. His former mistress, also named Emma, was present. Was it self defense? Was it…
- WISE ABOUT TEXAS
Ep. 32, Napoleon’s General Comes to Texas: The Story of Champ D’Asile
In 1818, one of Napoleon Bonaparte’s top generals, and many of his former officers, tried to establish a French colony in Texas. They said it was for…
- WISE ABOUT TEXAS
Ep 31 A Texas Christmas
Merry Christmas to all! In this episode we take a light look at some of the traditions that make a Texas Christmas. I hope you have a wonderful holiday season…
- WISE ABOUT TEXAS
Ep. 30: Texas Towns: Virginia Point
Virginia Point was a transportation hub, civil war fort and cotton producing town on the shores of Galvesston Bay. It was part of Austin’s “coast…
- WISE ABOUT TEXAS
Ep. 29: The Greer County Land Grab(?)
An 1818 map was used to negotiate a boundary treaty between the United States and Spain, then Mexico, then the Republic of Texas, then the State of Texas. The…
- WISE ABOUT TEXAS
EP 28: Professional Texas History
In honor of the one-year anniversary of Wise About Texas, I take the show professional. I conducted an interview with professional historian Dr. Jody Edward…
- WISE ABOUT TEXAS
Bonus Episode: Happy 1 Year Anniversary!
Happy 1 year anniversary to Wise About Texas! This episode thanks you for listening and previews the next year(s). Thanks for listening! Share Post Share
- WISE ABOUT TEXAS
Ep 27: The Texas Prison Rodeo
For over 50 years, Texans gathered at the Walls Unit in Huntsville Texas to watch the toughest convicts compete in the Texas Prison Rodeo. The rodeo was a…
- WISE ABOUT TEXAS
Ep. 26: Texas Takes Flight
The first man to fly a powered aircraft was a Texan named Jacob Brodbeck. History credits the Wright brothers but it’s time to correct the record! Learn…
- WISE ABOUT TEXAS
Ep 25: The Texas Camel Corps
One hump or two? Camels came to Texas in the 1850’s and the ships of the desert proved themselves great Texans! There might even be one or two still…
- WISE ABOUT TEXAS
Ep. 24: The Great Storm of 1900 Part 2: Resilience and Recovery
When faced with the most destructive hurricane to date, the city of Galveston faced an unspeakable tragedy with extraordinary resilience. As the city struggled…
- WISE ABOUT TEXAS
BONUS EPISODE: The Great Storm of 1900–A Night of Horror
On September 8, 1900 a monster hurricane slammed into Galveston Island, resulting in the largest natural disaster in American history. In this bonus episode…
- WISE ABOUT TEXAS
Ep. 23: The Great Storm of 1900, Part 1: A Storm Brewing
The worst natural disaster in American history occurred on September 8, 1900 when a massive hurricane hit Galveston, Texas. At the time, Galveston was the…
- WISE ABOUT TEXAS
Ep. 22: Birds, Skulls and Secret Agents: John James Audubon Visits Texas, 1837
In 1837, John James Audubon needed a trip to Texas to complete his legendary Bird of America. He came to Galveston and collected many wonderful specimens. But…
- WISE ABOUT TEXAS
Ep. 21: Texans You Should Know: Temple Lea Houston
Meet Temple Lea Houston, youngest son of Texas hero Sam Houston and one of Texas’s first great trial lawyers. He was known for his quick mind, a silver…
- WISE ABOUT TEXAS
Ep. 20: Island Time: San Jose, Mustang and Matagorda
In the middle of a hot Texas summer, let’s head for the beach! San Jose Island is bordered by Matagorda to the north and Mustang to the south. Texas…
- WISE ABOUT TEXAS
Ep. 19: Cowboy Christmas: Rodeo in Texas
Merry Christmas…that’s Cowboy Christmas of course. July 4 is called Cowboy Christmas because of all the great rodeos held around the 4th of July…
- WISE ABOUT TEXAS
Ep. 18: Texas Towns: Texana
In the first of a new series on Texas Towns we take a look at the town of Texana, once a booming Texas port city, now claimed by the water she once commanded…
- WISE ABOUT TEXAS
Ep. 17: A Duel for Command of the Texas Army, 1837
Two generals decided to fight a duel to decide who would command the Texas Army. Find out what happened and whether a wound suffered in the duel eventually…
- WISE ABOUT TEXAS
Ep. 16: Texans You Should Know: Gen. Thomas Jefferson Chambers
In the first episode of a periodic series on Texans you should know, learn about the interesting, active and controversial life of General Thomas Jefferson…
- WISE ABOUT TEXAS
Ep. 15: The Crash at Crush!
Crush, Texas was the second largest city in Texas for a few hours in September, 1896. Learn about a Texas-sized publicity stunt that was the biggest and…
- WISE ABOUT TEXAS
Bonus Episode: The Battle of San Jacinto
Review the battle of San Jacinto. 18 minutes that changed the world. View of the battleground. The Texians advanced from upper left to lower right. Diagram of…
- WISE ABOUT TEXAS
Ep. 14: The Road to San Jacinto
After the fall of the Alamo and the massacre at Goliad, times in Texas were uncertain at best. General Sam Houston took the army on a retreat to the east. In…
- WISE ABOUT TEXAS
Ep. 13: The Goliad Massacre
One of the darkest events in Texas history was the massacre of the Texians at Goliad. Learn stories of deceit, escape and even kindness in the midst of sorrow…
- WISE ABOUT TEXAS
Ep. 12: The Alamo Survivors
180 years ago, every Alamo defender lost his life. But not everyone who was in the Alamo died. Learn some stories of the folks who survived the battle and a…
- WISE ABOUT TEXAS
Bonus Episode: Dawn at the Alamo, March 6, 1836
180 years ago today, March 6, 1836 the final assault on the Alamo began. Wise About Texas pays tribute to the fallen in this bonus episode. Share Post Share
- WISE ABOUT TEXAS
Episode 11: The Siege of the Alamo
180 years ago, the Mexican army surrounded the Alamo. For 13 days, the defenders worked on the fortifications, sheltered some townspeople, entreated their…
- WISE ABOUT TEXAS
Ep. 10: The Road to the Alamo–February, 1836
Texas was in a state of confusion in February, 1836 and Santa Anna was on the march to quash the rebellion. The government was split and the military command…
- WISE ABOUT TEXAS
Ep. 9: The Davis-Coke Election and an Armed Standoff in the Capitol
Texas elections are always exciting but not all of them result in an armed standoff in the capitol between two Governors. The election of 1873 did! The Texas…
- WISE ABOUT TEXAS
Bonus Episode: Wyatt Earp’s Low Blow
In Episode 8, you learned how Bob Fitzsimmons won the heavyweight championship on a sandbar in the Rio Grande. In this bonus episode, learn how…
- WISE ABOUT TEXAS
The Secret “Fight of the Century”–Episode 8
In 1896, the biggest sporting event in the nation was to be a fight for the heavyweight championship. But its location was a secret! Armed Soldiers from…
- WISE ABOUT TEXAS
Texas joins the United States–Episode 7
170 years ago today, December 29, the United States admitted Texas as the 28th State. Learn about what Texas President Anson Jones called the “great…
- WISE ABOUT TEXAS
The Siege and Battle of Bexar: Episode 6
In December, 1835, the Mexican army surrendered the major city of Bexar to the rebellious Texans. Learn about the grass fight and the capture of the pots and…
- WISE ABOUT TEXAS
Capitals of Texas part 2: Houston and Austin go to War! (ep. 5)
Houston was the capital of Texas, but not for long. After the capital moved to the new town of Austin, President Sam Houston kept trying to move it…
- WISE ABOUT TEXAS
Bonus Episode: Texas Thanksgiving
The story of the first thanksgiving is not the one you might think. Before the pilgrims, Texas already had a thanksgiving–and now we have two! Learn more…
- WISE ABOUT TEXAS
Capitals of Texas, Part 1 (Episode 4, pt. 1)
There are several lists of the capitals of the Republic of Texas but they are incomplete! Come travel with the provisional government of Texas from the…
- WISE ABOUT TEXAS
Wise About Texas Episode 003- The Battle of Concepcion
Download this episode and hear the story of the first large battle of the Texas revolution. While the first shots of the Texas revolution were fired at…
- WISE ABOUT TEXAS
Wise About Texas Episode 002- The 1948 Senate Election
In this episode, we celebrate the rough and tumble world of Texas politics by examining the 1948 Senate election. This election had strange events, Texas…
- WISE ABOUT TEXAS
Wise About Texas Episode 001- The First Judges of Texas
This episode introduces two of the first judges of Texas–Josiah Hughes Bell and Benjamin Cromwell Franklin. Download this episode to hear stories of…
- WISE ABOUT TEXAS
Wise About Texas Episode 000 Introduction
Welcome to Wise About Texas, the podcast about Texas history and culture. This introductory episode tells you about the show, the host, and the goals of this…