WISE ABOUT TEXAS

Jan 23 2025 152 ep. 25 mins 2.2k
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Get Wise about Texas! This podcast is a journey through the rich history of Texas told through detailed stories that will enrich your knowledge of the Texas history you know as well as introduce some Texas history you don't know. Hosted by Texas historian and Court of Appeals Justice Ken Wise, each episode is thoroughly researched and the scholarship is presented in an entertaining, storytelling fashion. You'll learn something new about Texas in each episode!

  History  Education
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EP. 133: The Van Horn Wells

Jan 23 2025 21 mins  
For centuries, Indians knew where to get water on the desolate terrain of what would become West Texas. One of those spots came to be known as the Van Horns Wells. Named for one of two possible military commanders, the wells watered men, horses, and eventually a railroad. With railroads come towns and the town of Van Horn has seen a lot. From horses to spaceships (?) Van Horn is a

EP. 132: The Coming of the Wire

Jan 01 2025 27 mins  
You can't go anywhere in Texas without running into "the devil's rope"--barbed wire. It keeps livestock in AND out. It protects property and discourages trespassers. But barbed wire hasn't been around all that long. When it came, it changed the face of Texas and the West. It also made some people very, very wealthy. Learn how "bob wire" took over Texas in this latest episode of W

EP. 131: A Presidential Election, 1841

Nov 05 2024 13 mins  
You think our elections are divisive today? Well, Texas is just continuing a long tradition of candidates running hard and stirring the pot. In the Republic of Texas the presidential term was only two years, so the elections came frequently. They were contentious to say the least. Old enemies became worse enemies, and the name-calling was classic. Here about an early Texas preside

Ep. 130: The Sisterdale Revolver

Aug 20 2024 24 mins  
In the early part of the Civil War, a group of German Freethinkers got together to design and manufacture a revolver for use by the Confederate forces. These Germans were intellectuals, engineers, farmers and...unionists! Nevertheless they designed a new revolver, making 6 total. The gun proved impractical, however, so they ceased production. Only one of these guns is known to sur

EP. 129: Making Texas History: An Interview with Governor Rick Perry (Part 2)

Aug 04 2024 29 mins  
Governor Rick Perry is the longest serving Governor in Texas history. From his humble beginnings in Paint Creek, to the cockpit of an Air Force C-130, to the Governor's Mansion and on to Washington D.C. Governor Perry has an unmatched career in public service. In this wide-ranging interview, we discuss what Texas and Texas history means to a man who made a lot of it.

Making Texas History: An Interview with Governor Rick Perry (Part 1)

Jul 07 2024 33 mins  
Governor Rick Perry is the longest serving Governor in Texas history. From his humble beginnings in Paint Creek, to the cockpit of an Air Force C-130, to the Governor's Mansion and on to Washington D.C. Governor Perry has an unmatched career in public service. In this wide-ranging interview, we discuss what Texas and Texas history means to a man who made a lot of it.

EP. 127: Clash of the Titans

Jun 02 2024 29 mins  
The American Buffalo, or Bison, is an iconic image of America. At one point, millions of these huge animals roamed the continent. But settlement and commercial hunting rendered the bison all but extinct. Thanks to the forward thinking of a few cattlemen, the species was saved. But the early twentieth century was a sporting time, and certain questions needed answers. To a few folks

EP. 126: An Accidental Victory

Mar 24 2024 14 mins  
As the winter of 1835 approached, the Texian army lay siege to San Antonio de Bexar. When rumors started that a pack train was approaching the town carrying silver for the troops, the Texians saw opportunity. Riding out to meet the enemy, the Texians were successful...sort of. Learn about this skirmish in the latest episode of Wise About Texas.

The Texas Rangers: Milton H. West- from Ranger to Congressman

Dec 31 2023 35 mins  
Milton H. West had a most interesting career. While investigating the assault of his brother on the Mexican border, he decided to sign up with the Texas Rangers. That got him interested in the law, which got him interested in politics. Every step of the way he was watching out for the people of South Texas. When his career was over, he had changed the face (and the economy) of the

EP. 124: Texans You Should Know- Sally Skull

Oct 30 2023 26 mins  
Sarah Jane Newman grew up tough in a family that came with Austin's Old 300. She watched her mother fight off Indians and became an expert judge of horses. Known as Sally Skull, she could outride, outshoot and outtrade any man. But she also lived at the intersection of history and legend, in a time when most folks would prefer the legend. Hear about the fascinating life of a very