Tales of Texas


Tales of Texas – RAVE ON

The day was February 2, 1959. Buddy Holly was 22 years old, had 25 hit records already to his credit, was the lead singer of The Crickets and had assembled a group of musicians for the Winter Dance Party Tour across America’s Midwest. By then, The Crickets included Waylon Jennings, Tommy Allsup and Carl […]


Tales of Texas – The Architect’s Crown

The well-known Ellis County Courthouse, while unique in many respects, also has similarities with other Texas courthouses. Several Texas county seats can boast of their offices being housed in buildings designed by the nationally recognized architect, James Riely Gordon. Gordon designed as many as 18 Texas courthouses — 12 of them are still standing […]


Tales of Texas – THE FORGOTTEN 1,102

Following Amelia Earhart’s famous transatlantic flight in 1932, American women grew interested in aviation. In 1929, Ninety-Nines, a group open to all female pilots, formed. From 117 invitations, 99 ladies became charter members. With rumblings of WWII, these women wondered how to help. The attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, drove deep […]


Tales of Texas – ROCK SOLID EVIDENCE

“Geologist Richard Burleson forms the opinion that they are ‘igneous occurrences.’ Archeologist Vount Byron de Prorok … concludes they were constructed by a prehistoric race. Dr. R.S. Hyer, former professor of physics at SMU, concludes the formation is natural. Dr. Kenneth Schaar of The University of Texas at Arlington concluded that both sections he […]


Tales of Texas – THE SHOE

Pounding hooves, fast horses and a break in the crowd as horses and riders came into the final stretch — that was Willie Shoemaker’s world for most of his life. Also known as William Lee Shoemaker, Bill Shoemaker and “The Shoe,” Willie knew how to get the best out of his thoroughbred mounts throughout […]