Texas

Tate Hicks - AI enhanced archival photo.

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From Enslavement to Hallettsville History

Murray Montgomery

Thursday, June 18, 2026

By Murray Montgomery - Staff Writer Tate Hicks would never forget where he was when the news came that slavery had been officially abolished. President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863, declaring all slaves to be free.

Stock photo for illustration purposes only

Beat the Texas Heat: Crucial Water Safety Tips for Summer 2026

Murray Montgomery

Thursday, June 11, 2026

By Murray Montgomery - Staff WriterAccording to the 2026 Farmers’ Almanac, Texas is predicted to have plenty of rain followed by above-normal temperatures. So far, the “plenty of rain” part is coming true. However, this is Texas and it’s a safe bet that the high temperatures are also on the way.

Photo courtesy of The San Jacinto Battleground Association

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The Battle of San Jacinto

Murray Montgomery

Tuesday, April 21, 2026

By Murray Montgomery - Staff Writer Tuesday, April 21, will mark the 190th anniversary of the Battle of San Jacinto - because of the eventual consequences of this victory, the battle is considered one of the most important in world history.

Photo courtesy of Texas State Historical Association

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The Alamo Hero's Son: A Life of Promise and Scandal

Murray Montgomery

Saturday, April 4, 2026

By Murray Montgomery - Staff WriterAlthough I have written about Texas history for many years, there are times when I come across stories about people that I had heard of in the past, but never really followed up on how their lives turned out.

Stock Photo

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From Texas to Normandy Beach

Murray Montgomery

Thursday, November 6, 2025

By Murray Montgomery - Staff WriterMarvin Braune was a member of the famous 36th Infantry Division during World War II, but he probably joined that outfit before the war, in 1940, when the 36th was a Texas National Guard unit.

Oliver Albert's Longhorn II

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He built it one piece at a time

News Staff

Saturday, October 18, 2025

By Murray Montgomery - Staff WriterA framed photo hanging on the wall at the old Alcalde Hotel in Gonzales was my first introduction to Oliver Albert.As I recall, the photograph was of Mr. Albert standing beside one of his unique automobile creations.

Comanche Chief Quanah Parker – courtesy of the Handbook of Texas

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Texas cowboy encounters famous Comanche chief

Murray Montgomery

Sunday, August 3, 2025

By Murray Montgomery  - Staff WriterIn his book The Trail Drivers of Texas, J. Marvin Hunter compiled numerous handwritten biographical sketches that were submitted to him by men who had been on trail drives from Texas to railheads in Kansas and various other places.

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Bygone hunting adventures explored

Murray Montgomery

Thursday, July 24, 2025

By Murray Montgomery  - Staff WriterOnce upon a time, back in the day, I was a hunter.I really wasn’t one of those prolific deer hunters, although I did hunt deer once – I killed two while hunting for several years on a lease at Harper, near Fredericksburg, in the Texas Hill Country.

Hungry Gator

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Alligators can look mighty mean when you are eye-to-eye with one

Murray Montgomery

Wednesday, July 2, 2025

By Murray Montgomery - Staff WriterThe March 2025 issue of Texas Highways magazine had an interesting piece about American alligators in Texas. I’ll have to admit that I found the title to be quite funny – it read, “The American alligator isn’t nearly as mean as it looks.

This .44 caliber Dance revolver in on loan to The Bullock Texas State History Museum

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The Dance boys and their guns

Murray Montgomery

Thursday, June 26, 2025

By Murray Montgomery - Staff WriterIt is a well-known fact that during the American Civil War, the North had the larger number of resources when it came to manufacturing weapons.That part of the country had most of the factories and other essential things required to supply troops in the field.

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