Once Upon a Time in Texas: Recent Episodes
Michael Mitchell
Once Upon a Time in Texas will mainly focus on lore, myth, legend, characters and stories in and around Texas. There will also be random thoughts by your host Michael Mitchell and conversations with guests about the history of Texas and we might even dabble in current events.
Sorry I've bene out for three weeks but I'm back with an interesting story to tell.
Everyone has heard of the Hatfield-McCoy Feud but did you know that Texas had something similar with the Horrell-Higgins Feud? Lets take a look at that.
I want to take a look at a another large ranch and rancher that no one knows and another quick look at an interesting fellow I ran across.
I want to take a look at a couple of Texas “wanderers”. One wondered with a purpose and the other, not so much.
We are back on some place names this week that I found interesting and another location in Texas that was the biggest of its kind at the time.
Ever hear about bank robberies and think “what possessed these guys to do that”? Well, I found two right here in Texas that sounded….well….interesting!
I have spoken many times about place names and wondering where they got those names. I am going to explore two that I got to experience this last weekend.
Every state has animals they highlight as the state this or state that. We will explore some of the Texas State animals and some of their uses.
We hear place names and wonder where they come from but often overlook the people these place names honor. I found three that were important to Texas that I believe are often overlooked. Seguin, Navarro and Zavala are on our list this week.
Who doesn’t love stories about outlaws in the Wild West. Guys like Billy the Kid, Black Jack Ketchum and others are almost idolized but what about some lesser known outlaws that were equally as bad? And what about the lawmen that caught them. They weren’t all white horse and honor. Some of them were almost as bad as the outlaws!
Do you ever hear about interesting people and wonder about their history? What about Texans named Jack Earle or Monroe Edwards? Two vastly different and interesting Texans.
Who were the Texas Old Three Hundred and how is it related to Stephen F. Austin? I think we know who Austin was but do we really know him?
Did you know there was a Texas Navy? Well, technically three I guess. There was the Texian Navy, the Second Texas Navy and the Third Texas Navy….well, sort of. Also, did you know there was a Texas Navy Ship that was lost at sea and no one has ever found it or know what happened to it?
Have you ever seen the GIANT brick smoke stack west of Fort Worth on I-20? Ever wonder what it’s there for? What about a famous Texas restaurant’s origins?
So, most folks know the story about Cabeza de Vaca and his exploration of Texas but what about Francois? He had a totally different experience. And, why is there a Texas named London Whiskey?
Have you ever been to a museum and thought "that name sounds familiar"? Well, my buddy Michael and his wife Tosha did that and it turns out the Medal of Honor they were looking at was her Great Grandfathers. Pretty cool stuff.
Weird Texas laws. Some or myth and some are legit. Lets explore a few of these to make sure we stay out of trouble!
How did Texas get it’s shape and what was the Texan Santa Fe Expedition and the following compromise of 1850 and how did it effect Texas?
Davy Crocket is a historical hero. I’ve read a few books on him and he was an interesting character to say the least. How did he get to Texas though?
Texas is iconic and most icons that stand out are cowboys, boots, hats and pickup trucks. But what about horses and of course, cattle. Lets take a look at the Texas Longhorn history and maybe a few other breeds famous here in Texas
Often we see westerns on fully understand the importance of traildrivers on cattle drives. Lets take a look at one of the most famous black Frontiersman and Traildrivers and his impact on one of the most famous Westerns around.. I also want to take a look at another guy who lived a really interesting life but was well known to me for very different reasons.
Did you know that Wichita Falls used to have it’s own line of trucks? Also, what about a town with a hexagon shaped hotel. Lastly, have you heard the legend of the Texas Candy Lady?
Lets take a look at two interesting fellows that merely passed through Texas but left a lasting impression in their own way.
Did you know the first Thanksgiving in North America was actually held in Texas? But wait, there were actually TWO Thanksgivings held in Texas before the one we all know and love!
Did you know there was a woman hanged in Texas, only one? What about twin sisters and the Texas Holy Grail?
Did you know there was a city in Texas that was the second largest city in the state but only for one day. Also, ever heard of the Battle of Stone Houses? Today you will!
Did you know that Texas had a Forest Service? Did you know they had lookout towers and some are still standing? What about a Rancher that got swindled and logged 30,000 miles on a great adventure to catch the guys that did it, even though he had no law enforcement experience?
Many folks hear of historical people in their area but never really dive into their history and their relationship to their area. I found a few folks that are important to Texas AND my neck of the woods here in Northwest Texas. Lets deep dive into four of these guys and see what we can find.
Have you ever heard about a certain town names and wondered if there was an actual location or oddity that gave that town the name? Or, have you heard a town name and thought “how on Earth did they come up with that”? Well, here are a few for you right here in the Great State of Texas
Have you ever heard about a certain geographic region like the Pacific Northwest, The Great Plains, The Delta or The Valley and wondered what’s it’s meaning was or how it got named? Some are pretty easy to decipher like Pacific Northwest is obviously a location, the delta is obviously a geographic feature. BUT, what about the Llano Estacado? Ever heard of that? Come with me to hear about this little place in Texas.
Have you ever felt a little off or creeped out by a place? Turns out there are a few places in Texas that give that feeling to lots of people. You are not alone. Lets take a look at a few of those places now.
Have you ever read a book or novel and thought about where the author was raised? It makes you wonder if their books were based on their childhood or just their imagination. In this weeks episode, we are going to look at a few authors from Texas.
Have you heard of the Karankawa Tribe. Did you know there is a group in Texas that’s trying to rebuild the tribe recover its language and its native lands?
Have you seen the youtube videos of spelunkers exploring caves and some of the super tight spaces they get through. Lets explore some of the public caves in Texas.
Have you ever wondered about animals that used to roam Texas. Some died out or migrated away. Lets look at a few of these animals.
There are state “animals” for every state in the union and I got to wondering about which animals represented Texas. We have some interesting ones to say the least and of course, we have to hit on a few famous animals from Texas too. Oh, and I threw in a story about a Devil Duck too for good measure.
So I often wonder about the largest ranches in Texas and of course, places like the 6666 Ranch, Waggoner Ranch and King Ranch are all tops. But, what is the largest ranch in the world and what does the XIT Ranch have to do with the Texas State Capitol?
So I often wonder about place names and where they come from and recently Dallas/Fort Worth popped up. Most people shorten the whole area to DFW or the Metroplex but what is some of these two towns history and how did the get their names?
Have you thought about the largest Ranch’s in Texas or maybe even some of the town or place names? How about the song “Ding Dong Daddy from Dumas” or the town on Ding Dong, TX? Lets take a look at a few of these places.
This is a special live episode that I did while on vacation. We stopped in Channing Texas on our way out to New Mexico and I learned a lot of history just by walking around this little town. Come with me and learn about the XT ranch and also about a giant snake in Wichita County Texas.
Have you ever romanticized about being a cowboy on the open range on a long cattle drive? Did you know that period of time that is so often memorialized in the great westerns happened in a 25-30 year time frame from roughly 1865 to 1890? Lets take a look at some of the great cattle drive trails.
Have you ever heard of a demonym? Any idea what it is? It’s actually a simple thing but can be a little hard too. Listen in to this weeks podcast to learn a little something.
I know we’ve heard a lot about Juneteenth and it is our newest federal holiday. Do you know what it is really about? Do you know it’s relation to Texas? Lets take a little deeper look at this new holiday and learn a little something together.
There are tons of foster children in the United States and in Texas. What if you feel the need to help but aren’t too keen on the idea of a foster child in your house! How can you help? Well, Tamara Booher with 2INgage is here today to talk to us about how everyone can help.
So, there are many explorers in the world both in current times and in history. Have you ever wondered who is considered the first explorer of Texas? I did and we are going to look into it today.
So, Memorial Day was earlier this week. Do you know who your local heroes are? I thought I did but I found a few more during our Memorial Day Services with the Scouts. Here are some really cool local heroes including one who died in WWII, one that was a POW and a lone survivor from a submarine explosion and a few others.
So, Memorial Day is coming up this next week. Do you know who the tallest soldier was during the civil war? Did you know that there were a fair number of African Americans that fought on the Confederate side? Lets take a small dive into both of these and learn a little history in honor of Memorial Day.
So, when I say Scouting or Boy Scouts of America, there are many images that come to mind. Most are probably Norman Rockwell paintings showing life Americana which included a ton of paintings with Boy Scouts as subjects. So, what about the BSA in Texas? Lets dive into some famous Boy Scouts and a little Texas Scouting history.
So, we know that Texas is big. Big state, big personalities, big money and big attitude. BUT, where can you experience the “BIG” of Texas. I had someone ask me that the other day and I didn’t have an answer. So here we go, 7 places to feel or experience the bigness of TEXAS.
Have you ever heard the name of an organization and thought about how it started and what it represents and what they do? Here are 10 organizations based in Texas that you might have heard of but maybe not.
Have you ever visited a company or bought a product and wondered how long the company has been around? Lets explore the 10 oldest companies in Texas.
Sheppard Air Force Base, a little history and another base in Wichita Falls most folks don’t know about.
You ever watch a movie and you think "did it really happen that way"? And then you look it up and it was pretty close? Well, the movie 12 Mighty Orphans was spot on and talks about the the Masonic Home and School and it is such a cool story.
Today I have my friend Jacob Fields on the podcast. He is a fellow Rotarian and Scouter and we are discussing a guy named Littleton Fowler. He is considered one of the first Methodist Pastors in Texas and he was pretty interesting.
Many states have ghost towns and they usually happen for one reason or another. A lot has to do with whatever the local economy depends on going away. Sometimes though it has to do with weather, or a new railroad or highway going through another town or bypassing the ghost town all together, whatever the case may be, here are a few famous ones from Texas.
So, usually if you live in a town, you know if there are famous people from there and usually the smaller the town the fewer the celebrities but the more people know about it. However, there are quite a few famous people from Wichita Falls that I didn’t know about and I’d like to explore a few from here specifically.
We all know that’s states and some towns have slogans and some parts of the country have specific sayings. Some are catchy and some are witty but overall, Texas has some pretty good ones so lets take a look at some town slogans and some Texan sayings.
We all know the song “The Yellow Rose of Texas” but what are the songs origins? Did you know the original lyrics are very different form what we all know now? Lets take a gander at these lyrics and explore how exactly the “Yellow Rose” came to be.
This month is Black History Month. In part 2, lets take a look at some famous African Americans from Texas and their contribution to our society.
This month is Black History Month. In part 1 of 2, lets take a look at how African Americans came to be in Texas and some of the facts and figures there are in our fair state. Part 2 will discuss some of the more notable African American Texans I can find.
Roadside attractions are something from an almost forgotten era now. They were huge when the US highway system started and it gave people a place to stop, take a break and get out of the car. Of course, we travel significantly faster now and cars are much safer and more comfortable so we tend to get in them and go without stopping. Lets take a look at some roadside attractions that are still around in Texas…..including a grave!
So where did this weeks idea come from? Well, last weeks idea took me to Texas Monthly and while scrolling through some of their material, I briefly saw something about the Texas Volcano and I was like “hmmmm, don’t have time for that rabbit hole right now BUT I’ll put it on my list”. Well, I went down the rabbit hole now and here we are. So lets talk about some Naders (Tornados), Quakes (earthquakes) and Texas’ lone volcano.
Have you ever heard of a bum steer? What about the Bum Steer Awards done by Texas Monthly Magazine yearly? Where did this term come from and why does Texas monthly use it? Lets take a look at that and talk about a few of the Bum Steer Awards from Texas Monthly for 2024.
Battleships are fascinating. Our Navy is one of the best if not the best in the world. Did you know that there was a battleship names after Texas? Of course you did, most people do BUT did you know that it was a ship of firsts? It was the first ship to receive a lot of things to have tested before installing on other and future battleships. Ya, the USS Texas is one of the most interesting battleships of it’s day and not just because of it’s name. Lets take a look at the USS Texas.
So, I’ve been on a kick about lawmen, bandits and judges recently and it occurred to me that I think I’ve only briefly touched on Judge Roy Bean. It kind of hit me when I was telling a story last week so I figured I’d share the story with y”all briefly again and then dive a little deeper into this interesting West Texas Character, Judge Roy Bean. He goes along with the theme lately of being both an outlaw and lawman and frankly, his story is kind of hilarious. I mean, you just can't make this stuff up!
On episode 48 we did a little digging into two folks that floated onto my radar and learned a little more about them. This week is no different. Here are two more outlaws that were either born or passed through Texas. However, one of them was an outlaw and lawman and at one time, he was both at the same time!
Have you heard about someone that is legendary and it really piques your interest so you go do a little digging into their story just to see if they are really as interesting as they seem? Well, there are two people we are going to look at today that are even more interesting than previously thought. And both of them are well known BUT kind of always take a backseat to other historical figures.
Have you been around someone that tells stories and you just hang on every word and can’t wait for them to tell the next yarn? I sure have. In my case I was around a bunch of folks like that in my life. I have a few in my family but I met a bunch through my time in the Scouts as a youth, professional and volunteer. And really it is a great thing to be able to share stories, all true of course, with maybe a smidge of exaggeration.
Have you seen a festival, event, celebration or parade and wondered how it got started? I mean there are some obvious ones like Veterans Day, 4th of July, etc but I wonder about some of the Christmas/Holiday Festivals in Texas. So come on a sleigh ride with me and lets look at a few of the big ones.
Have you ever looked at a town or place name and wondered where on Earth they came up with that? I do that often and tend to look them up just to see what interesting history is behind the name. Often times I am not disappointed. Come with me this week to explore a few and learn a little history.
Have you ever been to a business and wondered where and how they got their start? A lot of folks know about big companies like Harley and Ford in 1903, Jim Beam in 1795, JP Morgan Chase in 1799, Remington Firearms in 1816, Macy’s in 1843 and I’m sure there are a slew of others. Today I want to deep dive into a couple of Texas based businesses that you can really sink your teeth into. The idea to do this podcast has been cooking in my mind for a while. So instead of pushing this cart down the road any further, lets talk about them now.
Have you ever heard a local story or legend and you think “is there really any truth to that”? And then you pull up the old interwebs and boom, there it is in black and white? Well, I have and I am here to tell you that these are two tales that I have heard personally and went down the rabbit hole to bring them to you here. These two stories involve a chimpanzee and an elephant in some very unlikely places.
Have you ever been witness to something historical? My Grandparents all spoke about the great depression, even though they were all born on the back end of it, it certainly effected their life. They also spoke about the bombing of Pearl Harbor. My parents have both spoken about the assassination of President Kennedy, man landing on the moon, the Cuban missile crisis and the Cold War. I get to speak to my children about 9/11. Have you ever heard of Witness Trees though? These are trees that were ”witness” to major historical events that are still around today and there are several in Texas.
Part 2 - Did you know that Texas was home to the Worlds Fair in 1968. It was held in San Antonio and called the HemisFair ’68! In connection to the Worlds Fair and to boost a little International attention, the Texas Department of Transportation created and designated 10, 650 mile circular driving regions or Trails that encompassed the entire state. The “Trails” saw little attention after their creation and the entire project more or less laid dormant until the 1990’s when the enterprising Texas Historical Commission adopted the trails as their Heritage Trail Program. The Texas Forts Trails was the first to be reinstated. We are going to talk about these and hit the high points of five of these today.
Part 1 - Did you know that Texas was home to the Worlds Fair in 1968. It was held in San Antonio and called the HemisFair ’68! In connection to the Worlds Fair and to boost a little International attention, the Texas Department of Transportation created and designated 10, 650 mile circular driving regions or Trails that encompassed the entire state. The “Trails” saw little attention after their creation and the entire project more or less laid dormant until the 1990’s when the enterprising Texas Historical Commission adopted the trails as their Heritage Trail Program. The Texas Forts Trails was the first to be reinstated. We are going to talk about these and hit the high points of five of these today.
I know a lot of you, like myself, are ready to vacation in far away places. I have a bunch of places on my bucket list and I know there is no way I’ll ever get to all of them. However, I’ve managed to find some unique places in Texas that are truly amazing and remind me of some places abroad. So even if you’re not planning on leaving the country soon, I’ve gathered a list of some of the best Texas destinations to visit with international flair!
So, when you hear about Texas and the pure awesomeness of the state, lots of people think about Cowboys and Indians, wide open prairies, cattle drives and cowboy boots. BUT, we have what is considered to be one of the most elite law enforcement groups in the country however, they were a bit sketchy at times in the past. I’m talking about the Texas Rangers. Few other Law Enforcement agencies have reached the stratosphere stardom that they have. Lets take a little look at their history.
So, let me pose a question here….Is it good to laugh at the dead? I am sure that most of you are thinking “no Mike, that is just downright disrespectful”. Normally I would say “Fair Enough” BUT, I do have a different sense of humor and what if I threw out that the dead had been honored with a Darwin Award? What is that you say, well, the awards Hono Charles Darwin, the father of evolution. Darwin Awards commemorate those who improve our global gene pool--by removing themselves from it in the most spectacular and unfortunate ways possible.
I think we can all agree that Texas is really just a gem of a state. It’s a true treasure to all who live or pass through this great State. From occasional silver foggy mornings to the gold colored sunsets it is a great place to live. I love mining through the history of Texas to find the interesting and out of the norm stories to relay to y’all. Anyone have an idea what we are talking about this week? I have mentioned gems, silver, gold and mining, that’s right, lets go into 10 lost treasures in Texas-according to legend of course.
So there are a ton of villains and hero's in history but these two I hard about this last week and they are both pretty fascinating. They both actually served in the Texas Rangers but one was actually a pretty bad guy while the other was in the right place at the right time in history and was recognized for it. Come check out these two historical figures in Texas history.
We have heard of some pretty interesting things happening in Texas BUT did you know that one of the first ever official UFO sightings was in Texas....50 YEARS before Roswell?
Did you know there is a knife wielding School Superintendent here in Texas...well there is. But to clarify, he has his own forge and makes his own knives. Also, there was a nuclear explosion here in Texas in the 1960's. It has bee covered up for the most part but there are still enough details out there to piece some of it together. Come check it out on Once Upon a Time in Texas.
When it comes to Texas a lot of things are pretty crazy, even the weather. One event was even named "Satan's Storm" and people that were in it thought the end of the world, Armageddon, was happening. Tune in to see why they call it Satan's Storm.
Today we're diving deep into the heart of Texas. Texas is #1 in a lot of peoples minds and hearts and we are rarely second best to anyone. In this episode, we'll be exploring 16 areas where Texas proudly holds the number one rank. So buckle up, because we're about to embark on a journey through the supremacy of the Lone Star State!
Texas is a huge state with a big personality, fascinating history and a plethora of cultures mixing into a culture all it’s own. As proud as we are to be Texan, we are equally as proud to be Americans and this was true during World War 2. Sit down a spell and hear a few of the contribution Texas made to the war effort during WWII.
Every now and then you run across someone that just really has a magnetism about them that you just can't ignore. Michael Battaglino is one of those people. Sit down with me and hear a little about Michael, what led him to Wichita Falls, TX and his thoughts on leadership, building relationships and how kindness and getting involved can make any community a better place. I cannot say enough about this guy and I suspect you'll agree. I'm proud to call him a friend.
Rarely do ladies get noted in history and that is a shame because there are tons of women in our history that have really lived interesting lives and left their mark! In episode #28, we explore nine cowgirls in the American West that stepped outside the confines of "womens work" and earned the right to be called cowgirls. Sit back, relax and learn ya a little sumthin!
Every country and state around the world has tall tales and Texas is no exception. Come with me while I share eight Texas Tall Tales and even a couple of my own. This is a fun podcast and I hope y'all enjoy.
When people think of Texas, there are lots of things that come to mind - boots, spurs, cowboy hats, cattle and of course, ranches. Take a stroll with me while we look at 9 former and current ranches right her in the Lone Star State.
In Texas, we love our state and we are proud to be from Texas and share it with any one who will listen. There are literally HUNDREDS of facts and trivia about Texas and so I sifted through some to bring you 9 unusual facts. Take your hat off, prop your boots up and sit a spell and you might learn a little something.
Texas is full of characters and things to celebrate and boy do we. In this episode I cover eight of the interesting festivals and events that I could find. Come walk around the state with me and check them out.
There are tons of Native American Tribes in the United States. I knew a large amount of them were historically in Texas at one point or another but I had no idea that only three federally recognized tribes are headquartered in Texas today. In this episode I give a little bit of history on tribes that were significant to Texas in one form or another and then jump into the three tribes in Texas today.
Every state has its odd and interesting places to visit and Texas is no exception. In this podcast we will learn about six of those odd and interesting places from across the state. I could have done a lot more and probably will in the future but for now, lets check out these six.
Every state in the Union and pretty much every area of the world has their own slang, sayings, accents and vernacular. Texas is no different and in this episode we explore a few of these slang words and sayings that you are likely to encounter not only in Texas but in the Southern US.
Texas has a rich history and culture but one thing we don't talk about a lot are disasters that have happened here in our state. On this episode we explore some of the largest natural and man made disasters that Texas has experienced.
We all know about Jack the Ripper and the gruesome murders committed in London BUT did you know there are a couple of theories that place him here in Texas? There were some unsolved murders in Austin, called the servant girl murders, a few years before the Jack the Ripper murders. The two leading theories that place him in Texas are....plausible. Tune in to hear a little more on what I was able to dig up.
Well, we romanticize about outlaws all of the time. I mean, Billy the Kid is one of the most famous outlaws of all time but did you know there are a few from Texas? Of course you did but sit on the back porch with me for a bit and learn a little more about a few of them and how the ended up in the life of crime.
Texas has a ton of professional sports teams! Do you know what the Official Sport of Texas is? I think you'll be surprised and then think "well, that's about right" once you find out. Come hear a little about Sports Teams in Texas and what is the official State Sport of Texas.
What does the city/Island of Atlantis and Texas have in common....well, we have underwater cities of course. Tune in to hear about a few right here in our own backyard.
So Texas is known for a lot of things and one of them is paranormal and ghostly places. Join me while we explore five places to see ghosts in Texas.
So, the top three oldest towns in Texas all argue that they are the oldest. Who is it really? Check out episode 14 to find out who actually takes the prize of oldest town in Texas
There is a lots of mystery in Texas. How did Davy Crockett die, why are we called the Lone Star State and did you know there were camels in Texas.
There are two presidents that were born here in Texas. Most of you ASSUME you know who they are but most of you are mistaken. There is some more interesting history to be learned about the Great State of Texas.
This episode of Once Upon a Time in Texas explores some of the everyday items we all use in our lives that were invented right here in the great State of Texas.
There are tons of tall tales and unique places in Texas. This episode will explore another four stories about vengeful ghosts in Denton, quirky animals and west Texas and unique places like the Devils Sinkhole here in the Great State of Texas.
Headless horsemen, ladies with donkey and or horse heads....This little bit of Texas folklore is a dive into love, betrayal and angry and kind spirits. This is just four of the thousands of tales you can find in Texas.
Texas history is full of legends, myth, lore and of course.....outlaws. We explore a couple of outlaws, one unexplained phenomenon and one legend who's ghost may still wander the Alamo.
Did you know we have the tallest Capitol Building in the US? It is even taller than the US Capitol building. There is a ton of interesting facts about our State Capitol Building here in Texas and a few Myths and Legends. Jump on to Once Upon a Times Podcast #7 and check it out.
Have you ever wondered about Famous Texas Women during March, Women's History Month? Well here you go, let's explore a few Famous Texas Women like the Mother of Texas to the Saviors of the Alamo to even a couple of outlaws. Texas is full of amazing and interesting people.
Do you know what cryptids are? What about Cryptozoology? No, It does have anything to do with Cryptocurrency. Cryptids are animals like Bigfoot and the Loch Ness Monster. Did you know there are some Cryptids in Texas? Give a listen and find out a little more and where you might be able to find them.
Audio isn't great since my computer switched to my webcam instead of the nice mic I bought. Lesson learned.
Anyway, this is about some of the misconceptions people from outside of Texas have and just a few random thoughts. Hope you enjoys and we will be back on the regular mic next time.
There is some controversy as to where the last battle of the Civil War happened BUT the general consensus is that it was the Battle of Palmito Ranch in far South Texas. I had no idea. Listen in to get some details on this interesting tidbit of Texas and US history.
So, you'll hear a lot when people are upset with the federal government and the way things are going when they say "Texas should just secede...you know we are allowed to do it because we were our own country before joining the US". This podcast takes a little closer look at these statements you will inevitably hear and the answer is....well....kind of!!!!
Well, this is my first attempt at a podcast. I think it went well and I may add some more frills to it later. This is an introduction to me, the podcast and what it'll be about.
Are there Six or Seven Flags Over Texas? That is what i explore a bit today.